Against Meidias

Demosthenes was punched in the face by Meidias in the theatre at Athens in 348 BC. His prosecution - a masterpiece of Greek oratorical prose - is one of the most intriguing forensic speeches to survive. It not only details Demosthenes' personal feud with Meidias but, in passing, gives valuable information about Athenian law and festivals, and especially about the Greek concept of hubris (insolent behaviour). This edition, originally published in 1990, represents the latest scholarship on the text, collating a larger number of MSS than hitherto. It includes a very full introduction on historical, legal, literary and textual matters; a complete facing-page translation; and a detailed commentary.