Meidias (Greek: Mειδίας; lived during the 4th century BC), an Athenian of considerable wealth and influence, was a violent and bitter enemy of Demosthenes, the orator.[1] He displayed his first act of hostility in 361 BC when he broke violently into the house of Demosthenes with his brother Thrasylochus in order to take possession of it. Thrasylochus offered, in the case of a trierarchy, to make an exchange of property with Demosthenes, under a private understanding with the guardians of the latter that, if the exchange were effected, the suit then pending against them should be dropped.
This led Demosthenes to bring against him an accusation of kakegoria (i.e. verbal insult), and when Meidias after his condemnation did not fulfil his obligations, Demosthenes brought against him a dike exules (i.e. a trial for obtaining something already lawfully assigned to the plaintiff). Meidias found means to prevent any decision being given for a period of eight years, and at length, in 354 BC, he had an opportunity to take revenge upon Demosthenes, who had in that year voluntarily undertaken the choregia.[2]
Meidias endeavoured in all possible ways to prevent Demosthenes from discharging his office in its proper form. Their mutual relations soured even more when Demosthenes attempted to oppose the proposal for sending aid against Callias and Taurosthenes of Chalcis to Plutarch, the tyrant of Eretria, and the friend of Meidias. The breaking point arrived when Meidias violently attacked Demosthenes during the celebration of the great Dionysia. Such an act gave Demosthenes a good opportunity for moving a public incrimination against his enemy (353 BC), and on this occasion wrote Against Meidias, still extant, which was never pronounced as the two adversaries found an amicable arrangement under which Demosthenes retired his accusation for thirty minae.
^Demosthenes, Against Meidias, Speeches, 21.150: "And yet, though he has thus become the possessor of privileges to which he has no claim, and has found a fatherland which is reputed to be of all states the most firmly based upon its laws, he seems utterly unable to submit to those laws or abide by them. His true, native barbarism and hatred of religion drive him on by force and betray the fact that he treats his present rights as if they were not his own—as indeed they are not."
^Smith, William (editor); Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, "Midias (2)", "Demosthenes", Boston, (1867)
Plutarch, the tyrant of Eretria, and the friend of Meidias. The breaking point arrived when Meidias violently attacked Demosthenes during the celebration...
the Assembly, he entered a complaint against Meidias. The orator wrote the judicial speech "Against Meidias", but he probably never pronounced it. He retired...
works ascribed to the Meidias Painter are in fact late works by Aison. John Beazley attributed 22 vases and fragments to the Meidias Painter with a further...
E.M. Harris, "Demosthenes' Speech against Meidias", 118. E.M. Harris, "Demosthenes' Speech against Meidias", passim; H. Weil, Biography of Demosthenes...
procedure. Meier prepared an edition of Demosthenes’ oration “Against Meidias” and published many papers regarding thinkers of ancient Greece, especially...
addition to other acts of violence, Meidias allegedly punched Demosthenes in the face in the theater (Against Meidias), and second (Against Konon), when...
Alcibiades a Good General? Xenophon, Hellenica, 1.4. 18. Demosthenes, Against Meidias, 144–45. D. Gribble, Alcibiades and Athens, 32–33. Isocrates, Concerning...
not be said of a Theban, or even a Thessalian"; however, he also calls Meidias, an Athenian statesman, "barbarian" and in an event mentioned by Athenaeus...
means of ascertaining. Trusting perhaps to the influence of his friend Meidias, he applied to the Athenians in 354 BC for aid against his rival, Callias...
the local dynasts at Lampsacus (Zenis, his wife Mania, and the usurper Meidias) who administered the region on behalf of the Persian satrap Pharnabazus...
ever-greater attention to incidental detail, such as hair and jewellery. The Meidias Painter is usually most closely identified with this style. Vase production...
and at the union of Aphrodite and Adonis. A hydria attributed to the Meidias Painter shows Peitho fleeing from the scene of the abduction of the Leukippidai...
Volume II. De Corona, De Falsa Legatione (18–19) L299) Volume III. Against Meidias. Against Androtion. Against Aristocrates. Against Timocrates. Against Aristogeiton...
his memory. Neleus of Scepsis, a disciple of Aristotle and Theophrastus Meidias, tyrant of Scepsis Brockmann, Heike; A. Uler; N. Tavlas; L. Stump; J. Steinhardt;...
Clytius, a man standing in front of the enthroned Hygieia, on a vase by the Meidias Painter. Clytius, an epithet of Apollo, in an inscription. Apollodorus...
Demosthenes and Lycurgus. He is mentioned by Demosthenes in his oration against Meidias, who calls him the son of Nicostratus, and says that he was trierarch with...
Athens, 421–405 BC, unknown architect Ancient Greek pyxis with lid, by the Meidias Painter, 420-400 BC, pottery, British Museum Ancient Greek palmette of...
Internet Archive. Demosthenes, Orations, Volume III: Orations 21-26: Against Meidias. Against Androtion. Against Aristocrates. Against Timocrates. Against Aristogeiton...
ISSN 0009-8388. Cronin, James F. (1939). "Review of J.H. Vince "Demosthenes Against Meidias, Androtion, Aristocrates, Timocrates, Aristogeiton"". The Classical Journal...
plundered Bithynia and Eolia. After allying himself with Tissaphernes and Meidias, Dercylidas attacked Pharnabazus. In 396 BC, King Agesilaus sent Dercylidas...
"Black basalts". Wedgwood Museum. Red-figured water jar (hydria), signed by Meidias as potter. British Museum. London. McKendrick, Neil (1961). "Josiah Wedgwood...
taken. Plutarch, Alcibiades 10 Plutarch, Phocion 9 Demosthenes, Against Meidias pp. 566-567. 23 Theophrastus, Characters 22 Athen. iv. p. 168, e Isaeus...
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