Demades’ Natural Flair for Rhetoric: Some Notes on the Extant Herculanean Evidence

The paper examines and summarizes the extant Herculanean pieces of evidence for Demades, a successful Athenian orator of the 4th century BC who, according to several sources, did not study the art of rhetoric but succeeded by dint of hard work and experience in addition to natural talent. In this field a new testimonium to Demades, handed down by PHerc. 1004, is to be taken into account. Two aspects appear to stand out from it: the substantial pointlessness of rhetoric and the political failure of the Athenian orator before (or during) the Macedonian-Greek conflict. In anticipation of a new comprehensive edition of PHerc. 1004, a comparison of this testimonium with the other references to Demades in the Herculaneum papyri gives us further clues for understanding the reasons behind this topical reference.