Page:History of Greece Vol XI.djvu/296

 270 HISTORY OF GREECE the noise of the assambly by declaiming in storiry weather on the sea-shore of Phalerum ; he opened his lungs by running, and ex- tended his powers of holding breath by pronouncing sentences in marching up-hill ; he sometimes passed two or three months with- out interruption in a subterranean chamber, practising night and day either in composition or declamation, and shaving one half of his head in order to disqualify himself from going abroad. After several trials without success before the assembly, his courage was on the point of giving way, when Eunomus and other old citizens reassured him by comparing the matter of his speeches to those of Perikles, and exhorting him to persevere a little longer in the correction of his external defects. On another occasion, he was pouring forth his disappointment to Satyrus the actor, who under- took to explain to him the cause, desiring him to repeat in his own way a speech out of Sophokles, which he (Satyrus) proceeded to repeat after him, with suitable accent and delivery. Demosthenes, profoundly struck with the difference, began anew the task of self- improvement ; probably taking constant lessons from good models. In his unremitting private practice, he devoted himself especially to acquiring a graceful action, keeping watch on all his movements while declaiming before a tall looking-glass. 1 Alter pertinacious efforts for several years, he was rewarded at length with complete success. His delivery became full of decision and vehemence, highly popular with the general body of the assembly ; though some critics censured his modulation as artificial and out of na- ture, and savoring of low stage-effect ; while others, in the same spirit, condemned his speeches as over-labored and smelling of the Inmp.a 1 These and other details are given in Plutarch's Life of Demosthenes, c. 4, 9. They depend upon good evidence ; for he cites Demetrius the Pha- lerean, who heard them himself from Demosthenes in the latter years of his life. The subterranean chamher where Demosthenes practised, was shown at Athens even in the time of Plutarch. Cicero (who also refers to Demetrius Phalereus), De Divinat. ii. 46, 9G. Libanius, Zosimus, and Photius, give generally the same statements, with some variations. ZVTOV Aoyot ruv -ypa 'Eparoi)aiv ok
 * Plutarch, Demosth. c. 9. 'Eirel rotyav ye KO! Supaos oi