Olympic Oration

Lysias. Lamb, W.R.M., editor. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1930.

Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA 4.0

Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.

This oration is a powerful political speech addressed to the Greeks gathered at the Olympic festival, urging them to end their internal strife and unite against external threats. The speaker begins by recalling the original spirit of the festival founded by Heracles, which aimed to foster mutual friendship and solidarity among Greeks. He then sharply criticizes the contemporary situation, where Greece is self-destructing through civil wars while facing imminent danger from the Persian Empire in the east and the Sicilian tyrant Dionysius in the west. The speaker argues that the Greeks must immediately cease their mutual hostilities and join forces to defend their shared freedom. Ultimately, he appeals directly to the Spartans, urging them to assume their traditional leadership role and guide the Greek world out of this crisis.