A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

Smith, William

A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. William Smith, LLD, ed. 1890

(Λεωδάμας).

1. Of Acharnae, an Attic orator of great distinction. He was educated in the school of Isocrates; and Aeschines (c. Ctesiph. § 138), who, however, cannot in this case be regarded as an impartial critic, says that he excelled Demosthenes in the gracefulness of his orations. Some writers call him the teacher of Aeschines; but this seems to be no more than an unfounded inference drawn from the passage of Aeschines just referred to. (Plut. Vit. X. Orat. p. 840; Phot. Bibl. Cod. 264, p. 490, ed. Bekk.; comp. Ruhnken, Hist. Crit. Orat. Graec. p lxiii. &c.) None of the orations of Leodamas have come down to us, but we know that he delivered one in accusing Callistratus (Aristot. Rh. 1.7, 13), and another in accusing Chabrias (Demosth. in Lept. p. 501), and that he defended himself against a charge brought against him by Thrasybulus. (Aristot. Rh. 2.23, 25.) He is also said to have been sent by the Athenians on an embassy to Thebes. (Plut. Vit. X. Orat. p. 837.)