Isaeus
Isaeus,Athenian speech-writer (c.420–340s bc)
Life
The skimpy ancient biographical tradition ([Plutarch] Moralia 839e–f, Dionysius of Halicarnassus' critical essay Isaeus, and a Life preceding the speeches in the main MSS) preserves his father's name, Diagoras, but was uncertain whether he was Athenian or from Chalcis in Euboea. Isocrates reportedly taught him, but he plainly also studied Lysias' speeches and was himself a teacher of Demosthenes and author of a technē, a speech-writer's manual. His working life extended from c.389 to the 350s, perhaps to 344/3 if a lengthy quotation by Dionysius traditionally printed as speech 12 was by him and is correctly dated. The ancient tradition had his activity extend down to the reign of Philip II of Macedon.Works
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