Andocides facts for kids

Andocides (pronounced an-DOSS-ih-deez; Ancient Greek: Ἀνδοκίδης) was a famous speech writer in Ancient Greece. He lived from about 440 BC to 370 BC. He was one of the ten most important speakers from Athens, chosen by ancient scholars.

Life of Andocides

Andocides was born in Athens around 440 BC. His father was named Leogoras. Andocides came from a very old and important family called the Kerykes. This family believed they were related to the hero Odysseus and the god Hermes.

Early Career and Trouble

When he was young, Andocides often worked as an ambassador. This meant he traveled to different places like Thessaly, Macedonia, and Sicily. He spoke for Athens to other leaders.

In 415 BC, Andocides faced a big problem. He was accused of being involved in a scandal. This scandal involved damaging sacred statues called Herms and disrespecting religious ceremonies. These acts were seen as a threat to Athens' government. People thought Andocides was involved because a Herm statue near his house was one of the few that was not damaged.

Andocides was put in prison. To get out, he promised to tell who the real criminals were. He named four people, who were then put to death. He was also accused of accusing his own father, but he strongly denied this. Because he couldn't fully clear his name, Andocides lost his rights as a citizen. He had to leave Athens.

Life in Exile

Andocides traveled around Greece. He worked in business and made friends with powerful people. He even helped a prince in Cyprus.

In 411 BC, Andocides returned to Athens. At this time, a small group of rich people called the Four Hundred had taken control. Andocides hoped they would welcome him because he had helped Athenian ships in another city. But the leaders of the Four Hundred had him arrested. They accused him of supporting their enemies.

During his trial, Andocides quickly went to an altar in the court. He asked for mercy, which saved his life. He was put in prison but soon escaped or was set free.

He then went back to Cyprus. For a while, he was friends with a ruler named Evagoras I. But something happened, and Evagoras put Andocides in prison. Again, Andocides escaped.

Return to Athens and Later Exile

After Athens became a democracy again, Andocides tried to return home. But he still didn't have his full citizen rights. He tried to convince officials to let him attend public meetings. But they sent him away from the city. This was in 411 BC. He gave a speech asking to stay, but it didn't work. He went to live in another city called Elis.

Andocides remained in exile until after a group called the Thirty Tyrants was overthrown. A general pardon was announced, and Andocides hoped it would apply to him. He said he returned from Cyprus, where he had become very important and wealthy. Because of the pardon, he was allowed to stay in Athens. He had three years of peace and became influential again. He even became a member of the boule, which was a council that helped run the city. He also held important religious and athletic positions.

Final Trial and Exile

In 400 BC, some people argued that Andocides should not be allowed to attend public meetings. They said he had never officially gotten his citizen rights back. They also accused him of breaking laws about a temple in Eleusis. Andocides defended himself in a famous speech called "On the Mysteries." In this speech, he said he was innocent of the old charges. He also argued that the general pardon had given him his citizenship back. He won the case and was found not guilty.

He had peace until 394 BC. Then, he was sent as an ambassador to Sparta to discuss peace. When he returned, he was accused of acting illegally during his trip. He gave another speech, "On the Peace with the Lacedaemonians," in 393 BC. But this time, he was found guilty. He was sent into exile for the fourth time. He never returned to Athens and likely died soon after.

Andocides probably did not have any children. He was about 70 years old and childless. He had inherited a lot of money, but he lost much of it later in his life.

Andocides as a Speaker

People in ancient times didn't always think Andocides was the best speaker. He didn't go to special schools to learn how to speak. Instead, he learned by practicing in public meetings.

Because of this, his speeches were simple and natural. They didn't have fancy words or decorations. Sometimes, his style could be a bit long or unclear. His best speech is "On the Mysteries." All his speeches are very important for understanding the history of his time.

His Speeches Today

We still have four of Andocides' speeches. Three of them are definitely real. The fourth one, "Against Alcibiades," is probably not real. It might have been written by someone else as a practice speech.

• On the Mysteries (De Mysteriis): This speech was Andocides' defense when he was accused of disrespecting religious ceremonies and damaging sacred statues.
• On His Return (De Reditu): This speech was Andocides' plea to be allowed to return to Athens and get his citizen rights back.
• On the Peace with Sparta (De Pace): This speech argued for peace with Sparta.
• Against Alcibiades (Contra Alcibiadem): This speech is generally thought to be fake.