Demetrius of Phalerum

Text, Translation and Discussion

Eckart Schütrumpf, William W. Fortenbaugh, Eckart Schütrumpf

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2018
• eBook ISBN: 9781351326902
• Topic: Philosophy
• Subtopic: Ancient & Classical Philosophy

Demetrius of Phalerum (c. 355-280BCE) of Phalerum was a philosopher-statesman. He studied in the Peripatos under Theophrastus and subsequently used his political influence to help his teacher acquire property for the Peripatetic school. As overseer of Athens, his governance was characterized by a decade of domestic peace. Exiled to Alexandria in Egypt, he became the adviser of Ptolemy. He is said to have been in charge of legislation, and it is likely that he influenced the founding of the Museum and the Library.

This edition of the fragments of Demetrius of Phalerum reflects the growing interest in the Hellenistic period and the philosophical schools of that age. As a philosopher-statesman, Demetrius appears to have combined theory and practice. For example, in the work On Behalf of the Politeia, he almost certainly explained his own legislation and governance by appealing to the Aristotelian notion of politeia, that is, a constitution in which democratic and oligarchic elements are combined. In On Peace, he may have defended his subservience to Macedon by appealing to Aristotle, who repeatedly recognized the importance of peace over war; and in On Fortune, he will have followed Theophrastus, emphasizing the way fortune can determine the success or failure of sound policy. Whatever the case concerning any one title, we can well understand why Cicero regarded Demetrius as a unique individual: the educated statesman who was able to bring learning out of the shadows of erudition into the light of political conflict, and that despite an oratorical style more suited to the shadows of the Peripatos then to political combat.

The new edition of secondary reports by Stork, van Ophuijsen, and Dorandi brings together the evidence for these and other judgments. The facing translation which accompanies the Greek and Latin texts opens up the material to readers who lack the ancient languages, and the accompanying essays introduce us to important issues. The volume will be of interest to those interested in Greek literature, Hellenistic philosophy, Hellenistic history, and generally to persons captivated by the notion of philosopher-statesman.

1

Demetrius of Phalerum:
The Sources, Text and Translation

Peter Stork, Jan Max van Ophuijsen,
Tiziano Dorandi

• INTRODUCTION
• ABBREVIATIONS AND EDITIONS USED
• TEXTS
  • I. Life
    • Ancient Biographies of Demetrius of Phalerum 1-3
    • Private Life
      • Parentage 4
      • Outward Appearance 5
      • Wife 6
      • Demetrius, Grandson of Demetrius 7
    • Student and Associate of Theophrastus & Fellow Students 8-11
    • Public Life
      • Embassy to Craterus 322 B.C. 12
      • Himeraeus, Brother of Demetrius, Killed in 322B.C. 13A-B
      • Held in Great Renown 320 B.C. 14
      • Sentenced to Death 318 B.C. 15A-B
      • Epimeletes 317 B.C. 16A-B
      • Ten Years’ Administration 317-307 B.C. 17-19
      • Lawgiver 317/6 B.C. 20A-B
      • The War between Antigonus and Cassander 314-311 B.C. 21-22
      • Eponymous Archon 309/8 B.C. 23A-E
      • Public Honors/Statues 24-25
      • Downfall 307 B.C. 26-31
      • Exile 32-34
      • Refuge in Egypt 35-41
      • Killed by an Asp 42
      • Profligate Living 43A-B
      • Demetrius and Menander 44
      • Of Uncertain Date 45-49
    • Demetrius Legislator
      • Public Festivals 50
      • Census of the Athenians 51
      • Guardians of the Law 52
      • On Burials 53
      • Architecture 54
      • Homerists 55A-B
      • Judgments 56-57
    • Director of the Alexandrian Library
      • The Alexandrian Library 58A-B
      • The Sacred Book':s of the Jews 59-66
    • Various Reports 67-69
  • II. Sayings 70-79
  • III. Writings
    • • Rhodian Book Catalogue 80
    • Ethics
      • Titles of Books 81
      • On Fortune 82-83
      • On Old Age 84-85
      • On Dreams 86
      • Selection of Sayings (made) by Demetrius 87
    • Religion
    • Politics
      • Titles of Books 88
      • Political Writings 89
      • Matters of Strategy 90-91
      • On Procedures and Offices of the State
        • List of Archons 92-94
        • On Offices 95
        • On Procedures of the State 96-99
        • On Citizenship 100
        • On Foreigners 101
      • On individual Philosophers and Leaders of the State
        • Socrates or Apology of Socrates 102-109
        • On Leaders and Generals of the Athenians 110-112
        • On Lycurgus 113
      • Miscellaneous
        • On the Ship of Theseus 114
        • On Contests 115
        • On Mines 116 A-B
        • On the Price of Sacrificial Animals 117
    • Speeches, Rhetoric and Poetics
      • Titles of Books 118
      • Judgments on Demetrius’ Elocution 119-125
      • On Rhetorical Training 126
      • On the Narration in Demetrius 127
      • On Figures as Used by Demetrius 128-129
      • Genres of Speeches 130
      • Orators versus Philosophers 131-132
      • Expression 133
      • Delivery 134-139
      • Athenian Orators 140
      • Fragments of Uncertain Provenience 141-142
      • Homerica 143-145
      • On Singers 146
      • Grammar and Orthography 147-148
    • Songs
    • Letters 149
    • Miscellaneous 150
  • IV. Uncertain 151-156
  • V. Spurious 157-161
  • VI. Not Accepted 162-176
• CONCORDANCES
• INDEX OF DEMETRIAN TEXTS
• INDEX OF PASSAGES CITED
• INDEX OF NAMES

Introduction

In presenting this edition of the fragments of Demetrius of Phalerum, we are responding to a growing interest in the Hellenistic period and in the philosophical schools of that age. The fragments of Theophrastus, Aristotle’s successor and pupil, were published in 1992 (FHS&G); now we are publishing the fragments of Demetrius, Theophrastus’ pupil and ruler of Athens from 317 to 307 B.C.

In general, the present edition is modeled on that of Theophrastus. In particular, the texts are divided into sections in accordance with their subject matter. In all there are six main sections: I. texts concerning the Life of Demetrius; D. texts containing Sayings attributed to Demetrius; III. texts concerning the Writings attributed to Demetrius; IV. texts of which the attribution to Demetrius is considered Uncertain’, V. texts that appear to be Spurious in the sense that they have been falsely attributed to Demetrius; and VI. texts that have been attributed to Demetrius in earlier times (mainly in Ostermann’s edition) and have been listed under the heading Not Accepted mainly for ease of reference.

Within the six main sections, subsections have been established. The texts concerning the Life of Demetrius (I) have been subdivided into Ancient Biographies (i.e., Diogenes Laertius and the Suda); texts concerning his Private Life; texts concerning his place within the Peri-patos’, texts concerning his Public Life, arranged in chronological order; texts concerning his activities as Legislator in Athens; texts concerning his (alleged) activities as Director o f the Alexandrian Library, and texts containing Various Reports about him. The Sayings attributed to Demetrius have been collected as a separate group (II), placed between the texts concerning his Life (I) and those concernin...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Rutgers University Studies in Classical Humanities
• Preface
• Contributor
• 1 Demetrius of Phalerum
• 2 Diogenes Laertius’ Life of Demetrius of Phalerum
• 3 Demetrius of Phalerum
• 4 The Legislation of Demetrius of Phalerum and the Transformation of Athenian Law
• 5 Demetrius of Phalerum: A Politician among Philosophers and a Philosopher among Politicians
• 6 II Contributo dei Papiri alia Ricostruzione delia Biografía e delle Idee sulla Retorica di Demetrio del Falero
• 7 Demetrius of Phalerum on Literature
• 8 Gli Aesopica di Demetrio Falereo
• INDEX