Hegesippus was a statesman and orator, nicknamed "knot", probably from the way in which he wore his hair. He lived in the time of 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...

, of whose anti-Macedonian policy he was an enthusiastic supporter. In 343 BC, he was one of the ambassadors sent to Macedonia to discuss, amongst other matters, the restoration of the island of Halonnesus, which had been seized by Philip. The mission was unsuccessful, but soon afterwards Philip wrote to Athens, offering to resign possession of the island or to submit to arbitration the question of ownership. In reply to this letter the oration De Halonneso was delivered, which, although included among the speeches of Demosthenes, is generally considered to be by Hegesippus. Dionysius of Halicarnassus

Dionysius of Halicarnassus

Dionysius of Halicarnassus was a Greek historian and teacher of rhetoric, who flourished during the reign of Caesar Augustus. His literary style was Attistic — imitating Classical Attic Greek in its prime.-Life:...

 and Plutarch

Plutarch

Plutarch then named, on his becoming a Roman citizen, Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus , c. 46 – 120 AD, was a Greek historian, biographer, essayist, and Middle Platonist known primarily for his Parallel Lives and Moralia...

, however, favour the authorship of Demosthenes.

The Middle Comedy poet Crobylus

Crobylus

Crobylus is assumed to be an Athenian Middle Comic poet, although there is no specific ancient evidence to this effect. Eleven fragments of his comedies survive, along with three titles: The Man Who Tried to Hang Himself, The Woman Who Was Trying to Leave Her Husband or The Woman Who Left Her...

is sometimes "confounded" with Hegesippus.

Sources

• Demosthenes, De falsa legatione 3 6 4, 447, De corona 250, Philippica iii. 129; *Plutarch, Demosthenes 17, Apophthegmata, 187D.
• Dionysius Halicarn. ad Ammaeum, i.
• Grote. History of Greece, ch. 90.
• Smith, William. Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, 1870, London. p.896.