Home › Glossary › Letter D

Demosthenes

Historical Figure
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Athenian orator who opposed Macedonian expansion under Philip II

Detailed Definition
Demosthenes’ fiery Philippics rallied Athens against Philip but failed to prevent Macedonian dominance. He later committed suicide to avoid capture. Poets invoke him as the voice of democratic resistance, eloquent defiance, and the tragic limits of rhetoric against rising tyranny.
Example
Example in poetry:
Demosthenes appears in poetic tributes as the voice of Athenian resistance to Macedon; Poets reference his Philippics to symbolize eloquent opposition to tyranny; In neoclassical verse, Demosthenes embodies civic oratory; Modern poets use Demosthenes to explore the power of speech in democracy; His pebble-practiced diction inspires poems on perseverance; Demosthenes’s suicide becomes a symbol of liberty’s last stand.
Additional Notes
Demosthenes (384–322 BCE), Athenian orator who opposed Macedonian expansion under Philip II; famed for his Philippics; in poetry, Demosthenes symbolizes eloquent resistance, democratic fervor, or the power of speech against tyranny—his story (overcoming a speech impediment) also represents perseverance; referenced in works on rhetoric, liberty, or the fate of Athens.
Also Known As
Demosthenes of Athens
Skip to main content