A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

2. An Athenian, who in B. C. 358 was sent with Antiphon as ambassador to Philip of Macedon, ostensibly to confirm the friendship between the king and the Athenians, but authorized to negotiate with him secretly for the recovery of Amphipolis, and to promise that the republic, in return for it, would make him master of Pydna. This was the Δρυλούμενόν ποτε ἀπόπ̓π̔ητον to which Demosthenes refers in Olynth. ii. p. 19, ad fin. (Theopomp. apud Suid. s. v. τί ἐστι τὸ ἐν τοῖς Δημοσθένους Φιλιππικοῖς, κ. τ. λ.; comp. Diod. 13.49; Deinarch. c. Dem. p. 91, ad fin.) It was perhaps this same Charidemus whom the Athenians, had they not been restrained by Phocion's party, would have made general to act against Philip after the battle of Chaeroneia, B. C. 338, and who, being at the court of Macedonia as an envoy at the time of Philip's murder, B. C. 336, transmitted to Demosthenes, whose friend he was, the earliest intelligence of that event. (Plut. Phoc. 16, Dem. 22 ; Aesch. c. Ctes. p. 64.) He was one of the orators whose surrender was required by Alexander in B. C. 335, after the destruction of Thebes, and the only one in whose behalf he refused to recede from his demand on the mediation of Demades. Charidemus, being thus obliged to leave his country, fled to Asia, and took refuge with Dareius, by whose orders he was summarily put to death in B. C. 333, shortly before the battle of Issus, having exasperated the king by some advice, too freely given, tending to abate his confidence in his power and in the courage of his native troops. (Arr. Anab. 1.10; Plut. Dem. 23, Phoc. 17; Diod. 17.15, 30; Deinarch. c. Dem. p. 94.) Diodorus (17.30) speaks of Charidemus as having been high in favour with Philip of Macedon; but the inconsistency of this with several of the authorities above referred to is pointed out by Wesseling. (Ad Diod. l.c.)

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