Demosthenes, The Great Stuttering Orator

Demosthenes went down in history as the greatest of all Greek orators. This in itself is a great achievement. However, the really surprising part of his story is all he had to do for his glory. Yes, the story of Demosthenes is one of the most uplifting stories in history.

Demosthenes had many physical flaws to overcome. His health was fragile and he was constantly sick. But he suffered most from his stutter. This, of course, was a huge obstacle in his path to becoming the public figure he aspired to be. However, with perseverance and hard work, he found a way to make his voice and thoughts heard.

Demosthenes was born in Athens in the year 384 BC. He came from a wealthy family. However, because his father was a merchant, they were not recognized as nobility. Despite this, his father owned many goods and the family lived in wealth. They had a knife factory, a furniture factory and an armory.

When Demosthenes was seven years old, he faced the first great challenge of his life. He was orphaned. His inheritance was entrusted to three guardians, two cousins ​​and a childhood friend of his father.

The intention was for the three to keep the great legacy until Demosthenes reached adulthood. But they wasted everything. When Demosthenes was old enough, there was nothing left.

The Legend of Demosthenes

Demosthenes received an education befitting his position. He had many serious health problems, but was a curious and motivated student who always wanted to learn more. He devoured book after book and became one of the most educated young men of his time. Demosthenes was special. So special, in fact, that a whole story has been created around him. A story that is probably part true and part legend.

This young Athenian wanted to become the best orator in Greece. He was deeply interested in politics and couldn’t wait for his ideas to have as much impact as he thought they deserved. He carefully studied the speeches of great orators.

However, it is said that at a very young age he tried to hold his first ‘conference’ and it was a fiasco. People say he was booed by the public. Demosthenes had a serious problem: he stuttered.

His words caught on his lips and he couldn’t make himself understood. It is said that someone in the audience shouted, “Suck the air into your lungs, not your brain!” This had a great impact on Demosthenes. However, he was determined to achieve his goal, despite the obstacle that seemed so impressive at the time.

A process of evolution

Demosthenes saw the ridicule and criticism as a challenge to his character. He had grown up alone and that had strengthened his temper. So he decided to fight his own limitations in order to become what he wanted to be: the best orator. But no one believed he could: how could a stutterer deliver a great speech?

According to the story, or legend, Demosthenes set himself a strict regime to overcome his misadventures. The first thing he did was shave his head. At the time, it was heavily frowned upon to be seen without her. In this way , Demosthenes forced himself to stay indoors so that he would devote all his time to his goal. Day after day, Demosthenes practiced the rhetoric until dawn.

As soon as the first rays of the sun lit up the sky, Demosthenes went to the beach. There he screamed at the sun with all his strength. His goal was to strengthen his lungs. He had taken the advice of that anonymous person who had mocked him.

After performing this ritual, he went back home to practice. And he did this in a very peculiar way. He put a handful of pebbles in his mouth and placed a knife between his teeth. He forced himself to speak without stuttering.

After following this training regimen for several years, Demosthenes managed to speak normally. From then on, he took an active part in the legal and political issues of the city. His speeches are said to have been praised by thousands of people. Not only was he a good orator, he was also an excellent writer. In fact, more than 2,000 years later, he is still regarded as one of the most outstanding figures in history.