The Mouth of the Demagogue

A major player in the politics of early Hellenistic Athens, Demochares of Leuconoeon has received renewed attention recently, but scholars have so far not noted the focus in the ancient sources on Demochares’ body, particularly his mouth. This paper situates the controversy around Demochares’ mouth within a broader tradition of critical discourse on the figure of the demagogue. I argue that Demochares and his supporters attempted to counter negative traditions about the corrupt demagogic mouth, traditions also attached to Demochares’ uncle Demosthenes, with the claim that Demochares’ oratory amounted to a militant defense of Athens.