Pytheas (Athenian)

thumb|Ἔλλυχνίων ἔφησεν ὄζειν. The smell of the lamp. Pytheas of Athens (Πυθέας; fl. c. 323 BC) of Athens was an orator who wrote speeches and other works. Pytheas opposed fellow orators Demosthenes and Demades. Quotes Ἐδόκει τε τούτου σημεῖον εἶναι μέγα τὸ μὴ ῥᾳδίως ἀκοῦσαί τινα Δημοσθένους ἐπὶ καιροῦ λέγοντος, ἀλλὰ καὶ καθήμενον ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ πολλάκις τοῦ δήμου καλοῦντος ὀνομαστὶ μὴ παρελθεῖν, εἰ μὴ τύχοι πεφροντικὼς καὶ παρεσκευασμένος. εἰς τοῦτο δὲ ἄλλοι τε πολλοὶ τῶν δημαγωγῶν ἐχλεύαζον αὐτόν, καὶ Πυθέας ἐπισκώπτων ἐλλυχνίων ἔφησεν ὄζειν αὐτοῦ τὰ ἐνθυμήματα. ... a man should not lightly hear Demosthenes ever speak upon the occasion, but though he were by name frequently called upon by the people as he sat in the public assembly, yet he would not rise unless he had well considered the business, and came prepared for it; so that many of the popular pleaders used to flout at him; and Pytheas once, scoffing at him, said that his arguments smelt of the lamp. Quoted in Plutarch, Life of Demosthenes, ch. 8, sect. 3 (tr. John Dryden, 1686) External links Category:Authors from Greece Category:Orators