Dēmosthenous Logoi Eklektoi = Demosthenis Selectæ Orationes
by Demosthenes
| Dēmosthenous Logoi Eklektoi | |
 Title page from Dēmosthenous Logoi Eklektoi, George Wythe Collection, Wolf Law Library, College of William & Mary. | |
| Author | Demosthenes |
| Editor | Richard Mounteney |
| Published | Etonæ: apud Joseph. & Thomas Pote, Bibliopolas |
| Date | 1755 |
| Edition | Third |
| Language | Greek and Latin |
| Pages | xlvii, 380 pages : folded map |
| Desc. | 8vo (21 cm.) |
| Location | Shelf H-2 |
Demosthenes (384 – 322 BCE) was a prominent statesman and orator in Ancient Greece. During his time as a speech-writer Demosthenes developed an interest in politics; he went on to devote most of his career to opposing Macedon's expansion. He spoke out against both Philip II of Macedon and Alexander the Great.[1] Demosthenes played a leading role in his city's uprising against Alexander. The revolt was met with harsh reprisals and Demosthenes took his own life to prevent being arrested. Demosthenes' oratory works were highly influential during the Middle Ages and Renaissance,[2] and inspired the authors of The Federalist Papers and the major orators of the French Revolution.
Richard Mounteney (1707 – 1768), an English lawyer, Irish jurist, and classical scholar, first published a volume of select orations of Demosthenes in 1721; it became a favorite among university students and was reprinted in different editions until 1827.[3]
Evidence for Inclusion in Wythe's Library
The inventory of books Thomas Jefferson received upon George Wythe's death lists a copy of "Demosthenis orationes selectae. Mounteney. 8vo." on page eight. A copy of the third edition (1755) with the 1815 Library of Congress bookplate used for the collection purchased from Jefferson is at the library, although it contains no evidence it was owned by Wythe.[4] Nevertheless, both the Brown Bibliography[5] and George Wythe's Library[6] on LibraryThing list this copy as the one which once belonged to George Wythe. Brown also notes that Wythe referenced the Oration of Demosthenes against Midias in the case Dawson v. Winslow. Based on the Library of Congress copy, the Wolf Law Library purchased a copy of the 1755 edition.
Description of the Wolf Law Library's copy
Bound in contemporary calf with blind rules and blind stamps to boards. Spine features raised bands and gilt-lettered label. Includes signature "Walden, 1756, September" on front pastedown. Signature also appears on front free endpaper, half-title and title. Rear pastedown includes signature and notes. Purchased with the George Wythe Boswell-Caracci Room Acquisition Fund.
Images of the library's copy of this book are available on Flickr. View the record for this book in William & Mary's online catalog.
See also
References
- ↑ Œuvres Complettes de Démosthene et d'Eschine.
- ↑ Ian Worthington, Demosthenes: Statesman and Orator (London: Routledge, 2000).
- ↑ Alexander Chalmers, "Mounteney or Mountney, Richard," The General Biographical Dictionary, v. 22 (London: J. Nichols and Son, 1815), 486.
- ↑ E. Millicent Sowerby, comp., Catalogue of the Library of Thomas Jefferson (Washington, D.C.: The Library of Congress, 1952-1959), 5:22 [no. 4661].
- ↑ Bennie Brown, "The Library of George Wythe of Williamsburg and Richmond," (unpublished manuscript, May, 2012) Microsoft Word file.
- ↑ LibraryThing, s.v. "Member: George Wythe" accessed on October 6, 2022.
