Demosthenes, The Great Orator Stutters
Demosthenes is passed down to posterity as the greatest of Greek orators. This in itself is sufficient merit. However, the truly amazing thing about his story is how much he had to achieve to achieve fame. This is one of the most uplifting stories of historical figures.
Demosthenes had several physical flaws that he had to overcome. His health was very fragile and he was constantly ill. But the most serious thing was that he was suffering from stuttering . This, of course, was a gigantic obstacle to becoming a public figure, as he wished. However, with persistence and work, he finally found a way for his voice and his thought to be recognized.
Demosthenes was born in the year 384 BCE, in Athens. He was the son of a wealthy family. However, his father was a merchant, which is why he was not part of the “aristocracy”. The members of the latter saw trade as an unimportant task. The father of this great orator nevertheless had many possessions. Among them, a knife factory, another furniture factory and an armory.
When Demosthenes was 7 years old, he had to face the first pitfall of his life. He was orphaned. The inheritance was entrusted to three guardians, until the boy reached the age of majority. Two were nephews of his father, the third a childhood friend. The temporary custodians slowly squandered this important legacy, so that when Demosthenes reached the age to manage it, it no longer existed.
The legend of Demosthenes
Demosthenes was educated appropriately for his position. He had significant health issues, but he was a curious and motivated student who always wanted to learn more. This is why he has become a voracious reader. He became one of the most educated young people of his time. Beyond all this, a story was created around his person, of which we still do not know what is real and what relates to the legend.
This young Athenian wanted to become the best orator in Greece. He was interested in politics and he wanted his ideas to have as much influence as they deserved. He carefully studied the speeches of great orators. He told himself that despite his very young age he tried to give his first “lecture”, which was a fiasco.
He told himself he was booed by the audience during his first speech. This was because Demosthenes had a serious problem: he was stammering. The words stuck on his lips and he couldn’t make himself understood. Someone in the audience shouted, “Put air in his lungs, not his brain”. This had a serious impact on Demosthenes. He was nevertheless determined to achieve his goal, over this obstacle that seemed so important.
A process of evolution
Demosthenes accepted ridicule and criticism, perceiving them as a challenge to his character. He had grown up alone, which had strengthened his character. That’s why he decided to fight against his own limitations in order to achieve what he wanted: to be the best speaker. No one believed he would be able to do it: a stutterer wanting to be an orator?
History, or legend, goes that Demosthenes imposed a severe regime on himself in order to overcome his difficulties. The first thing he did was shave his head. It was very frowned upon at that time that someone let himself be seen if he did not have hair. His goal was to force himself not to leave his home in order to devote himself entirely to his goal. He practiced public speaking until dawn.
When the first lights of the sun appeared, Demosthenes went to the beach. There he cried with all his might to the sun. His goal was to strengthen his lungs. He had accepted the advice of this anonymous character who had made fun of him. After completing this ritual, he returned home to train. He did it in a very special way. He put a handful of stones in his mouth and put a knife between his teeth. He was forcing himself to speak without stammering.
After several years with this training discipline, Demosthenes manages to speak normally. From then on he actively participated in the legal and political life of his city. His speeches were acclaimed by thousands of people. He was not only the best orator, but also an excellent writer. So much so that today, more than 2,000 years later, he is still one of the most significant characters in history.
Our thoughts Staying motivated as we move towards our dreams is everyone’s job. And it is not always easy.
