#Isocrates

[lillypuppetchild]

ALL NEW IN TERRIFYING TECHNICOLOR!!!

[jeannereames]

Dr. Reames!! Oftentimes I see it mentioned that Alexander’s Persian campaign was framed at the time as a revenge against Persia for previous wars against Greece. And so, for example, the burning of Persepolis could be interpreted as payback for the burning of Athens.

But how accurate is that actually? I can only suppose that the top echelons of the Macedonian military establishment didn’t really feel that strongly about Greece as a whole (as Greece wasn’t a unified country like today), but had to frame it as such to disguise what could be seen as a shameless offensive land grab.

Even so, Alexander knew his propaganda. Was there a general feeling among the people of Greece and the rank and file troops that this campaign was a revenge for the previous wars Persia waged against Greece? Some sort of unifying spirit, ideal? And Alexander exploited this for his benefit? Or is this idea of a Greece vs Persia conflict a complete fabrication of misinterpretation?

The idea of a “Revenge against Persia” campaign was part of 4th century political discourse before Alexander, or even Philip. The question was who would lead such a campaign? Naturally, Athens thought they should, but after their defeat in the Peloponnesian War, didn’t have the military mojo. And even if Sparta had opposed the Persian invasion (alongside Athens), she owed her success in the Pel War to Persian assistance, so that was a problem. Thebes as a potential leader was even worse, as she’d Medized (went over to the Persians), so hell-to-the-no would she be appropriate.

Isokrates was probably the first to suggest it be Philip, as his star was rising. Yes, Macedon had also Medized, but Alexander I had been a clever man who played both sides against the middle and was able to burnish his rep after the war as “having no choice, and see? I helped Athens by providing her with timber for the Greek fleet”…if at, we’re sure, a substantial sum that benefited Maceon. But Macedon resented Persia too and had been a victim! It provided the plausible deniability needed to elevate Philip as leader of the Go-and-get-Persia campaign.

Of course Athens was not keen on this. She still thought SHE should be leading the vengeance war, as she won the two most significant battles of the Greco-Persian Wars (Marathon in #1 and Salamis in #2). That Philip was out-maneuvering her at every turn for the hegemony of greater Greece was additionally galling.

When Philip decided to invade Persia is a point of great contention, but I think he had it in mind by the time of his extensive Balkan campaign (c. 341/40/39. when Alexander was left in Pella as regent). Much of that was to secure the Black Sea coast and conquer Perinthos and Byzantion (Athenian allies) in order to secure a bridgehead to Asia. He may have believed that the Athenian Isokrates’s oration letter to him was indicative that Athens could be won over as an ally, in order to provide the ships he needed but didn’t have. He knew Demosthenes a problem, but may not have believed fear of/resentment against Philip himself would unite Thebes and Athens (inveterate enemies) to oppose him at Chaironeia.

But that’s how it went. Philip won anyway and created the Corinthian League, whose purpose was the invasion of Persia and vengeance for the earlier Persian invasion of Greece. Was that Philip’s primary motivation? Oh, hell no. He wanted the MONEY/loot (and glory). But a campaign of retribution put a better face on it, and justified his usurpation of the Athenian navy, which he absolutely had to have to be successful.

When Philip was assassinated, Alexander simply took up where his father left off. He literally told the Corinthian League (when he reconvened them not long after Philip’s death), “Only the name of the king has changed….”

So yes, the propaganda wasn’t invented by Alexander, or even by Philip, but they used it to very good effect, as it allowed them to demand allies (and BOATS). Alexander didn’t dissolve the alliance and release those troops until after Darius’s death. And even then, he offered good pay to stay on with the rest of his conquests (which many did).

[rejections-medics]

Thanks to @r4mz0 for drawing Isocrates.

I adore it

[deliberately-dee]

This is officially an Isocrates hate page. This man's train of thought crashed at birth.

[justwatchmyeyes]

True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us.

Isocrates

[deranged-italian]

rgrgrhgdhjjajgjhsghjashjfadhj

[catilinas]

they hate him for his delicate and effeminate oratory

[swallowtail-ageha]

The horrific realization that your essay writing style is the same as humbert humbert's

[comeinizia]

137. Contro i Sofisti

[scarlettjohanssons-mistress]

Can you do a really possessive and dominant Artemisia x Fem Reader story please (with smut), where the reader is a Greek hostage who Artemisia had been charged with keeping a hold of but soon she quickly falls in love with the woman and becomes very possessive over her especially when Misia’s generals get a little to close to her.

Mine just mine

Warnings: Smut, kidnapping, Stockholm syndrome, implicit manipulation and therefore 14+ only

Word count: 1.6 K

Pairing: Artemisia x Fem!Reader

Prompt: Artemisia knows what to do with unplanned guests

Requests: OPEN

[Main masterlist] [Eva Green characters]

"General"

The voice of one of my crew members cut short the explanation coming from my lips as I tried to explain to others how we would have to return to Persia in order to equip ourselves with more weapons.

"What do you want?"

"Shirin saw a body floating on a piece of wood. We saved it."

"A body, a dead body?"

"We thought so, until she opened her eyes."

"Her?"

"Yes. Now she's threatening the crew with a knife?"

"Bring a knife?!"

"Yes."

"You should have told me that first, you animal."

Quickly, I left the small room we were in, climbing up some small stairs to be able to see the scene that was forming.

A girl covered with a white dress, dry hair and battered by the salt of the sea, and with red eyes, was moving from one side to the other, threatening my men with a knife.

"Where am I?" She shouted "who are you?"

The men, like good men, did not even deign to try to respond, they just wanted to get closer.

"Calm down."

The girl turned to look at me, listening to my request. I could notice how her grip on the knife loosened a little, to tighten her fist around it again.

"Who are you, where am I?"

"Welcome to the Persian ship, I am…"

"Artemisia… "whispered

"The same"

Before we could react, the girl ran in my direction, but before she could plunge the knife into me, I hit her head, making her fall unconscious on the floor, dropping the gun. Gently, I took the weapon and checked it. It was made of iron, and on the blade came engraved something. Ἰσοκράτης

This woman was none other than the daughter of Isocrates, the famous Athenian politician. This woman was the definition of a gold mine.

"What do we do with her, General?"

"You and you, chain her up and lock her up tight in the cellar. Don't give her a chance to escape" quickly 2 men took the body and started down the stairs. "And you and you, you are going to take one of the boats and row to Athens, go to Isocrates and tell him the sad story of how his daughter ended up on an enemy ship" I mocked, making my sailors laugh. "Maybe that way we'll get more than Themistocles' head."

All the sailors let out a deep laugh, knowing that something big was on the other side of the horizon.

———————————————————————————

The next time I went down to the cellars, the woman, who I now knew had the name Y/N, was awake, and was even trying to untie the knots in her wrists.

"Try as you might, you can't escape."

My voice seemed to startle her, causing her to stop nibbling on the rope.

"Are you finally going to let me out?" her voice was hoarse. As if he hadn't had any water. My eyes glanced at the floor, realizing I hadn't touched either her food or the glass of water.

"You need to eat, you need to hydrate."

"I asked you a question!" she raised her voice, which made me raise my eyebrows, but that didn't make her back down "Are you finally going to let me go?" she asked again.

"No" I sat down across from her, took the plate she had been given, realizing that she had only been given a measly apple and a glass of water, so with my eyes I began to look for some food. "Not until your dear daddy sends us what we want."

Y/N let out a small but loud laugh, which made me take my eyes off the cereal sacks and land on Y/N's brown eyes.

"Then I'll have to die here."

"What do you mean?"

"My father banished me from Athens. So, no matter whether tomorrow you cut me to pieces or leave me alive, my father will want nothing more to do with me."

I stood silently, watching my master plan fall apart piece by piece.

I let out a big sigh and stood up, throwing the apple away.

"Where are you going?"

"I'll bring you better food."

———————————————————————————

Eventually, I had to realize that Y/N was right.

My men returned with empty hands and verbal refusal from the great politician.

"So, what shall we do?"

I didn't even have the brains to answer them. Even I didn't know what we were going to do with the girl.

It was one more mouth to feed, one more weight for this vessel.

But, she was the most sensual woman my eyes had ever seen.

I couldn't just throw it away.

"Does anyone know if she's awake?"

"Omar went to give her her ration recently and she was awake."

Without waiting any longer, I got up and walked to the cellar door, opening it and finding the woman, who was now held only by a rope around her ankle.

"You were right, your father ignored us."

"I told you so" she commented with a mouth full of rice. She was completely hunched over as her plate was on the floor.

Quickly, I took the spoon out of her hand and grabbed the bowl. I took a spoonful of the food and brought it to her mouth.

"I have to apologize to you" she gave me a confused look, but opened her mouth, letting me feed her, but raised her eyebrows, asking me for an explanation. "For keeping you in a place like this. You deserve better."

"That means you're not going to let me go, right?" she spoke again with her mouth full. She was hungry.

"Do you have someplace where you are completely welcome?" Y/N was quiet and simply waited for me to give her another spoonful. So, I took it and popped it into her mouth. "Here I will give you the life worthy of someone like you."

———————————————————————————

Things escalated very quickly, too quickly for me to relate in detail what actually happened.

Y/N loved it, so much so, that, she went from sleeping on top of a bean bag, to sleeping in my bed, every night, of course, after I stuck my fingers up to her vagina.

But, at first, Y/N at first, she didn't want me to go near her because she said he would never let herself be caught in the enemy's clutches.

"Please… don't stop!"

I pulled my mouth away from her pussy as I watched her eyebrows furrow, little beads of sweat on her forehead, her eyes closed tightly and an open mouth that never failed to be as sensual as she was herself.

"Do you want more, sweet girl?"

"Yes, please."

With force, I smacked one of her buttocks, causing Y/N to give a little jump as a high-pitched squeal came from those plump lips.

"You know how to order correctly."

"My lady, please let me cum."

"Cum for me, pet."

I buried my head between her legs again and began to suck on her bulge, while my index, middle and ring finger in her vagina, almost wanting to touch her insides, causing her now, to let out a loud moan, almost like a scream.

"General?"

Omar's head peeked into my room, causing me to peel my face away from Y/N's pussy and with my right hand I covered the woman's naked body with the blanket.

"What do you want, asshole?"

"We have Misia ships in our sights."

"Just get out."

The man slammed the door shut. I carefully got out of bed.

"Where are you going?" asked Y/N as a claim.

"Outside. I need you to shut up."

"But Artemi…"

"I told you to shut up!"

She did not speak again and allowed me to leave without further ado.

———————————————————————————

"We know you have it, Artemisia."

I stopped pacing the room only to focus my gaze on the man tied in the chair.

"Who are you talking about?"

"Don't get smart with me, Artemisia, we know you're holding Y/N hostage."

"I regret to inform you, General Themistocles, but no one is being held hostage here" the men behind his back began to laugh lightly "Lady Y/N is here of her own free will."

"Why would a woman as worthy as Y/N be with someone like you?"

"Because I fuck her like no one ever can. If you had arrived a few minutes ago, you might have been delighted with her moans."

"You are a danger. You don't deserve anything from her."

"And you do?" quickly, I pulled out my pocketknife and put it to his neck.

"She deserves better."

"She's mine!"

"She doesn't even want to be here with you!"

"No?" I turned away from Themistocles and signaled Omar. Minutes later he arrived with a Y/N on shaky legs and wrapped in the blanket.

"Y/N!"

"Themistocles?"

"Oh, honey" I gave her a smile "Come on, come here."

She as obedient as ever, came to my side, letting me slip my arm around her hip.

"Is Y/N well, has this woman done anything to you?" asked the Athenian.

"Come on, pet, tell this man that you want to stay with me."

I got up to walk to his side and duck my head so that it was in the curve of her shoulder and neck, leaving little kisses on her soft skin. I even went so far as to feel goose bumps.

"Tell him, my love" I whispered close to her ear "tell him you're mine."

"Forgive me General Themistocles, but, I want to stay with my General Artemisia. She is the one to whom I belong."

I gave her a last kiss on her neck to give a cynical and victorious smile to the Greek warrior.

Note:

After many setbacks, writer's block, heat, pride day (by the way, happy LGBT+ pride day and month, I love you) HERE IT IS. I hope I can write the others that remain in two days like this.

PS: Have you seen that my new personality is Barbie?! I am very excited about the movie.

I hope you enjoy it

I appreciate the reblogs, the likes and the comments

taglist: @littlebitchsposts // @xxsekhmet

message me or send an ask to be added to my taglist!

[sabakos]

Ancient historical figures will sometimes be described as living to some preposterous age that modern humans rarely live to, which is usually assumed to be a legend that's supposed to be proof of their magnificent transcendence. Most historians and classicists today obviously tend to be skeptical of such claims.

But this is why the longevity claims about the Ancient Greek philosopher Gorgias of Leontini are so baffling. Nobody could stand that guy. He wasn't even some mystical natural philosopher like Empedocles or Pythagoras, he was a goddamned traveling sophist, somebody who went around Ancient Greece charging absurd amounts of money to teach other people how to speak well in court.

In his surviving work, Gorgias brags about how his program would help his students deceive others. He also wrote a philosophical treatise arguing that nothing exists, nothing could be understood even if it did exist, and nothing could be communicated to others even if you understood it. His student, Isocrates, claimed he never paid taxes. And he may have also have had a solid gold statue of himself made to donate to the Oracle at Delphi, assuming that wasn't just a legend made up by someone trying to illustrate how vain he was. But nobody who wrote biographies of famous philosophers extolling their great virtues was likely to consider any of this behavior worth emulating, so they weren't about to invent any supernatural powers for him.

But despite all this, people still seem to agree that he lived to be one hundred and eight years old, which was remarkable enough at the time that many people seem to have written about it. Admittedly, he did have the advantage of living in one of the relatively more peaceful times in ancient history, but he was still born 15 years before Socrates and only died 20 years before Plato. Historians say it was probably because he mixed his drinking water with wine, which prevented him from getting sick from waterborne illnesses. So this traveling nihilistic lawyer who got rich teaching other people how to lie possibly got two lifetimes worth of professional philosophy in the middle of the Classical period because he was drunk all of the time. The good die young.

[rejections-medics]

The second Cloned Medic

His name is Isocrates! He is a conjoined medic but he still has full ability to control his other face head and arms.

Interesting enough! He only has one brain.

... The Respawn Machine... Is the Cloned Medics parent...

He is as tall as the Heavy.

Thanks to @lillypuppetchild for making the teaser for Isocrates!

[kebriones]

Bits of Isocrates' "Regarding the team of horses", where the speaker is Alcibiades' son: (with commentary by yours truly)

(the part of the text that survives is basically just relentless praise for Alcibiades and not related to the lawsuit that was going on about the horses. It's notable that there isn't any mention of Socrates, as it would be benefitial for the speaker's cause of clearing his father's name to not remind the audience of his relationship with him.)

"As to his later services, it would be an arduous task to enumerate them one by one—all the ships of war that he subsequently captured, or the battles that he won, or the cities he took by storm or by persuasion made your friends. But although innumerable dangers beset the city at that time, never did the enemy erect a trophy of victory over you while my father was your leader."

(i love that Alcibiades didn't lose a single battle and will point it out every time)

"I am aware that I am omitting many of my father's exploits as your general; I have not recounted them in detail because nearly all of you recall the facts. But my father's private life they revile with excessive indecency and audacity, and they are not ashamed, now that he is dead, to use a license of speech concerning him which they would have feared to employ while he lived."

(u tell them baby Alcibiades, they wouldn't have dared >:c )

"When he was admitted to citizenship, he showed himself not inferior to those whom I have mentioned, nor did he think it fitting that he should lead a life of ease, pluming himself upon the brave deeds of his ancestors; on the contrary, from the beginning he was so fired with ambition that he thought that even their great deeds should be held in remembrance through his own. And first of all, when Phormio led a thousand of the flower of Athenian soldiers to Thrace, my father served with this expedition, and so distinguished himself in the perilous actions of the campaign that he was crowned and received a full suit of armour from his general."

(Potidaea mention!! )

"After this he married my mother and I believe that in her he also won a glorious prize of valor. For her father was Hipponicus, first in wealth of all the Greeks and second in birth to none of the citizens, most honored and admired of his contemporaries. The richest dowry and fairest reputation went with his daughter's hand; and although all coveted union with her, and only the greatest thought themselves worthy, it was my father whom Hipponicus chose from among them all and desired to make his son-in-law."

(noo pleease elaborate on why this was a prize of valor)

"reflecting upon these things, I say, although in natural gifts and in strength of body he was inferior to none, he disdained the gymnastic contests, for he knew that some of the athletes were of low birth, inhabitants of petty states, and of mean education, but turned to the breeding of race-horses, which is possible only for those most blest by Fortune and not to be pursued by one of low estate, and not only did he surpass his rivals, but also all who had ever before won the victory."

(THIS IS SO FUNNY he's like "ugh my dad could've competed in actual sports but he didn't want to because those are for filthy poor people 🙄🙄🙄" )

"With regard to my father's services here in Athens as choregus and gymnasiarch and trierarch I am ashamed to speak; for so greatly did he excel in all the other public duties that, although those who have served the state in less splendid fashion sing their own praises therefor, if anyone should on my father's behalf ask for a vote of thanks even in recognition of services as great as his, he would seem to be talking about petty things."

(where's that post about how rich people should compete with each other about how much money they spend for the good of the public. Because they had that in athens)

"And yet many of the citizens were ill disposed toward him in the belief that he was plotting a tyranny; they held this opinion, not on the basis of his deeds, but in the thought that all men aspire to this power and that he would have the best chance of attaining it. Wherefore you would justly feel the greater gratitude to him because, while he alone of the citizens was powerful enough to have this charge brought against him, he was of opinion that as regards political power he should be on an equality with his fellow-citizens."

(okay this is my favorite part because it's saying "my dad could've very well become a tyrant but he didn't, and that's why you should all be grateful to him" )

"Well then, when Athens was prosperous, who of the citizens was more prosperous, more admired, or more envied than my father? And when she suffered ill-fortune, who was deprived of brighter hopes, or of greater wealth, or of fairer repute? Finally, when the Thirty Tyrants established their rule, while the others merely suffered exile from Athens, was he not banished from all Greece? Did not the Lacedaemonians and Lysander exert themselves as much to cause his death as to bring about the downfall of your dominion, in the belief that they could not be sure of the city's loyalty if they demolished her walls unless they should also destroy the man who could rebuild them?"

(ALCIBIADES AS THE PERSONIFICATION OF ATHENS LETSGO I'm crying)

"For even now I have had sufficient experience of evils, since at my birth I was left an orphan through my father's exile and my mother's death; and I was not yet four years of age when I was brought into peril of my life owing to my father's exile; and while still a boy I was banished from the city by the Thirty. And when the men of the Piraeus were restored, and all the rest recovered their possessions, I alone by the influence of my personal enemies was deprived of the of the land which the people gave us as compensation for the confiscated property. And after having already suffered so many misfortunes and having twice lost my property, I am now the defendant in an action involving five talents. And although the complaint involves money, the real issue is my right to continue to enjoy citizenship."

(Okay you have my vote baby Alcibiades, i feel kinda bad for you.)

Read the whole thing here

[justwatchmyeyes]

The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.

Isocrates

[blackswaneuroparedux]

Anonymous asked: You lead a very busy life and you clearly are a driven woman. What advice would you give to someone who is similarly highly motivated?

I have no idea what advice I can give you as I feel inadequate to do so. But I can share what a a good friend of mine whom I served with out on tour in Afghanistan once told me when I was losing my shit. He was an ex-Para and served in the UK special forces so he was well qualified to kick my arse. He said in his blunt way, “Every dead body on Mount Everest was once a highly motivated person so maybe calm the fuck down.”

I’ve learned that life is an effort that deserves a better cause. It’s similar to what the Greek philosopher Isocrates (not Socrates) said, “spending efforts for things you shouldn't, you will be inadequate for things you should.”(Δαπανώμενος εφ’ α μη δει, ολίγος έση εφ’ α δει.) . I hope that helps.

Thanks for your question.

[hulking-greatowl]

@dragonaday-fr but make it inktober

day 20: An ancient breed

---

Feat. one of my first Banes Isocrates <3