The Erotic Essay constitutes along with the Funeral Oration

Demosthenes' Funeral Oration

Demosthenes' Funeral Oration was delivered between August and September of 338 BC, just after the Battle of Chaeronea. It constitutes along with the Erotic Essay the two epideictic orations of the prominent Athenian statesman and orator, which are still existent.-Historical background:In 338 BC...

the two epideictic

Epideictic

The Epideictic oratory, also called ceremonial oratory, or praise-and-blame rhetoric, is one of the three branches, or "species" , of rhetoric as outlined in Aristotle's Rhetoric, to be used to praise or blame during ceremonies....

 speeches ascribed to the prominent Athenian statesman and orator Demosthenes

Demosthenes

Demosthenes was a prominent Greek statesman and orator of ancient Athens. His orations constitute a significant expression of contemporary Athenian intellectual prowess and provide an insight into the politics and culture of ancient Greece during the 4th century BC. Demosthenes learned rhetoric by...

, which are still extant. According to Ian Worthington, the speech was written probably between the late 350s and 335 BC (during Demosthenes' lifetime), but its real author is unknown. Friedrich Blass

Friedrich Blass

Friedrich Blass was a German classical scholar.After studying at Göttingen and Bonn from 1860 to 1863, he lectured at several gymnasia and at the University of Königsberg. In 1876 he was appointed extraordinary professor of classical philology at Kiel, and ordinary professor in 1881...

 believes that it belongs to a member of a school of Isocrates

Isocrates

Isocrates , an ancient Greek rhetorician, was one of the ten Attic orators. In his time, he was probably the most influential rhetorician in Greece and made many contributions to rhetoric and education through his teaching and written works....

. I. Worthington believes that the content and style of the Erotic Essay is the most removed from Demosthenes' other writings and asserts that the oration is influenced by both Plato and Isocrates. In terms of context, the essay is written for a youth named Epicrates, about whom nothing is known. The author attempts to counsel Epicrates and the audience on what is best for a person. He maintains that through the study of philosophy a person will become a virtuous citizen.