Dion Chrysostomus

Dion Chrysostomus (50-110), a Greek sophist and rhetorician, born in Bithynia. He studied eloquence and philosophy, and travelled to get a knowledge of men. He was free-spoken and stoical. In answer to Vespasian, who consulted him in Syria, he advised the restoration of the republic. To escape proscription under Domitian he went into voluntary exile and worked as a labourer, having for companions a dialogue of Plato and a speech of Demosthenes. At Domitian's death he was at a camp on the Danube, and harangued the soldiers in favour of Nerva, who in return advanced him. He was an intimate adviser of Trajan, and gained many privileges for his fellow countrymen, who, however, treated him with ingratitude. His orations, 80 in number, are in good Attic Greek. There are four discourses upon royalty, in which he takes occasion to extol Trajan.