Demosthenes of Athens: Mastering the Craft of Rhetoric

Demosthenes was born in Athens (Greece) in 384 BC; he was recognized as one of the greatest Greek orators. He roused Athens to oppose the Philip of Macedon by advocating the right of Greece to exist as a separate nation from Macedonia.

Demosthenes lost his father at the early age of seven; he was raised alone. Since his early days, he has been reading piles of books. Sometimes, he read the same books more than eight times, memorizing all the details of the books. He started memorizing the greatest speeches right from an early age. 

Demosthenes, at that time, had a problem with the speeches. His voice and chest were weak, and people laughed when he spoke. But at 18, he had to go to court and speak for himself in front of hundreds of Athenians, claiming his father’s inheritance. 

He knew what he had to say but could have been a better orator then. He had only one option left: improving his oratory skills. How did he do that?

He went to the seashore alone and used to put the pebble in his mouth and practice speaking with it. Also, he used to recite the books’ most remarkable speeches and verses. To strengthen his voice, he spoke on the seashore over the roar of the waves. 

After that, he was ready to face the Athenians in the court. What happened in the court? The 18-year-old boy won the case, and the rest of his life became the history of one of the greatest orators. 

Inspired From: The Art of Public Speaking: Lessons from the Greatest Speeches in History