Dinarchus or Dinarch (Corinth, c. 361 - c. 291 BC) was a logographer (speech writer) in Ancient Greece. He was the last of the ten Attic orators included in the "Alexandrian Canon" compiled by Aristophanes of Byzantium and Aristarchus of Samothrace in the third century BC.
A son of Sostratus (or, according to the Suda, Socrates), Dinarchus settled at Athens early in life, and when not more than twenty-five was already active as a logographer-a writer of speeches for the law courts. As an alien, he was unable to take part in the debates. He had been the pupil both of Theophrastus and of Demetrius Phalereus, and had early acquired a certain fluency and versatility of style.
In 324 the Areopagus, after inquiry, reported that nine men had taken bribes from Harpalus, the fugitive treasurer of Alexander. Ten public prosecutors were appointed. Dinarchus wrote, for one or more of these prosecutors, the three speeches which are still extant: Against Demosthenes, Against Aristogeiton, and Against Philocles.
The sympathies of Dinarchus were in favor of an Athenian oligarchy under Macedonian control; but it should be remembered that he was not an Athenian citizen. Aeschines and Demades had no such excuse. In the Harpalus affair, Demosthenes was doubtless innocent, and so, probably, were others of the accused. Yet Hypereides, the most fiery of the patriots, was on the same side as Dinarchus.
Under the regency of his old master, Demetrius Phalereus, Dinarchus exercised much political influence. The years 317-307 were the most prosperous of his life. On the fall of Demetrius Phalereus and the restoration of the democracy by Demetrius Poliorcetes, Dinarchus was condemned to death and withdrew into exile at Chalcis in Euboea.
About 292, thanks to his friend Theophrastus, he was able to return to Attica, and took up his abode in the country with a former associate, Proxenus. He afterwards brought an action against Proxenus on the ground that he had robbed him of some money and plate. Dinarchus died at Athens about 291.
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(Δείναρχος). One of the ten Greek orators, for the explanation of whose orations Harpocration compiled his lexicon. (See Canon Alexandrinus.) He was a Corinthian by birth, but settled at Athens and became intimate with Theophrastus and Demetrius Phalereus. Dionysius of Halicarnassus fixes his birth at B.C. 361. The time of his highest reputation was after the death of Alexander, when Demosthenes and other great orators were dead or banished. He seems to have made a living by writing speeches for those who were in need of them. Having always been a friend to the aristocratic party, he was involved in a charge of conspiracy against the democracy and withdrew to Chalcis in Euboea. He was allowed to return to Athens after an absence of fifteen years. On his arrival, Dinarchus lodged with one Proxenus, an Athenian, a friend of his, who, however, if the story be true, robbed the old man of his money. Dinarchus brought an action against him, and, for the first time in his life, made his appearance in a court of justice. The charge against Proxenus, which is drawn up with a kind of legal formality, is preserved by Dionysius of Halicarnassus. Of the numerous orations of Dinarchus, only three remain, and these are not entitled to any very high praise. One of them is against Demosthenes, touching the affair of Harpalus. The best MSS. of Dinarchus are the Codex Cripsianus and the Codex Oxoniensis. The extant orations of Dinarchus are found in the usual collections of the Attic orators, especially Baiter and Sauppe's Oratores Attici; and an edition by Thalheim (1887); elaborate commentary by Mätzner (1842).
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