Lysias

Lysias (458-378 B.C.), an Attic orator, was born at Athens, his father being a Syracusan settler named Cephalus. In 443 he accompanied a party of Athenian colonists to Thurii in south Italy. Thirty years later he was expelled by the Spartan faction, and returned to Athens (411). He escaped death at the hands of the Thirty Tyrants by fleeing to Megara (404), and was one of the patriotic band who aided Thrasybulus in driving them out. The remainder of his life was passed at Athens, where he occupied himself with composing speeches for delivery in the law-courts. Thirty-five orations have come down to us under his name, but the authenticity of some of these is doubtful. His style is at once lively and graceful, and his language is exceedingly pure.