Athenian generals
group · 7 works · 7 mentions · 8 anchored passages
generals · your generals · commander · duly appointed commander · general · one general or more · our generals · the generals
spoken of as
1 expressionin the texts
On the Embassy
Athenian military commanders contrasted with ambassadors and called as witnesses.
You ought, fellow citizens, to judge your ambassadors in the light of the crisis in which they served your generals, in the light of the forces which they commanded.
and my accuser has dared to tell you that it was I who drove Critobulus, Cersobleptes’ ambassador, from the ceremony—in the presence of the allies, under the eyes of the generals, after the people had voted as they did!
Answer to Philip’s Letter
Commanders whom Athens must improve in the coming war.
Bearing this in mind, Athenians, and reflecting that it is not even in our power to pretend that we are at peace, for Philip has already issued a declaration of war and followed it up by active hostilities, it is necessary to spare no expense, public or private, to take the field eagerly and in full force, wherever the opportunity occurs, and to employ abler generals than before.
Exordia
The generals of Athens, criticized both for surrounding themselves with self-interested flatterers and for enjoying an unchecked, perpetual hold on office compared to other magistracies.
Now, the initiative in all such matters is in the hands of the generals.
For you are the worst people for taking away the offices that fall to your class, and for enacting laws about them if someone serves twice as commissioner of police or something of the sort, but you allow the same men to be generals all the time.
First Philippic
Athenian military commanders whose authority, pay, reports, and accountability are central to reform.
It shall be a real Athenian contingent, and whether you appoint one general or more, whether it is this man or that or the other, him it shall strictly follow and obey.
As soon as you, men of Athens, definitely appoint the same men as soldiers and as eye-witnesses of the campaign, and, on their return, as jurymen at the audit of your generals.
They cast a casual glance at the war for which Athens has hired them, and off they sail to join Artabazus or anyone else, and the general naturally follows them, for he cannot command if he does not pay.
Philip’s Letter
Athenian military officials involved in obstructing oaths and in the political economy of war and peace.
On the contrary, I know that Teres fought with me against you, and that Cersobleptes was quite ready in private to take the oath of allegiance to my ambassadors, but was prevented by your generals, who denounced him as an enemy of the Athenians.
because they always manage to make something out of the generals either by backing them up or by blackmailing them, and also, by abusing from the Public platform your most prominent citizens and the most esteemed of your foreign residents, they win a reputation with the mob for democratic zeal.
Areopagiticus
Athenian military officials whose report attests Greek hostility toward Athens.
As to the hatred of us among the Hellenes, you have heard the report of our generals themselves, and what the King thinks of us, he has made plain in the letters which have been dispatched by him.
On the Peace
Military commanders whose unchecked power over allies is rejected.
The second way is to be willing to treat our allies just as we would our friends and not to grant them independence in words, while in fact giving them over to our generals to do with as they please, and not to exercise our leadership as masters but as helpers, since we have learned the lesson that while we are stronger than any single state we are weaker than all Hellas.