ТУКИДИД КАО СВЕДОК НА СУДУ: ИСТОРИЈА ПЛАТЕЈЕ У ПСЕУДО-ДЕМОСТЕНОВОМ ГОВОРУ ПРОТИВ НЕАЈРЕ
THUCYDIDES AS A WITNESS IN COURT: A HISTORY OF PLATAEA IN [Dem.] 59, AGAINST NEAERA

Summary/Abstract: The paper deals with the excursus on Plataea’s history of the fifth century BC in the pseudo-Demosthenic speech Against Neaira ([Dem.] 59, 94–103). This long and detailed digression, of which the first translation from Ancient Greek into Serbian has been added here, shows obvious reliance on Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War, where the story of the Plataeans and their destiny found a prominent place and had a relevant military and political significance (Thuc. II 1–6, II 71–78, III 20–24, III 52–68). Despite some minor differences, there are striking similarities between the two accounts, to the extent that it gives the impression that the orator must have had Thucydides’ History open in front of him while writing this part of his speech. It could even be said that the author of the prosecution speech Against Neaira, in addition to numerous living witnesses he called to testify in court, and in addition to a number of documents, primarily legal provisions that he also submitted and had them read publicly in front of jurors, he indirectly called Thucydides himself, probably the greatest ancient Greek historian, as a witness. The excursus on Plataea’s history in the pseudo-Demosthenic speech Against Neaira also testifies that Thucydides’ work could have been accessible and widely read in Athens in the fourth century BC. The author of the speech, Apollodorus, the son of Pasion, was a prominent and wealthy Athenian citizen, who could have a copy of Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War in his home library which he used directly and followed closely for his narrative on the Plataeans.

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