Autocles

(Αὐτοκλῆς).

1. Son of Tolmaeus, was one of the Athenian commanders in the successful expedition against Cythera, B. C. 424 (Thuc. 4.53); and, together with his two colleagues, Nicias and Nicostratus, he ratified, on the part of Athens, the truce which in B. C. 423 was concluded for one year with Sparta. (Thuc. 4.119.)

2. Son of Strombichides, was one of the Athenian envoys empowered to negotiate peace with Sparta in B. C. 371. (Xen. Hell. 6.3.2; comp. Diod. 15.38.) Xenophon (Xenoph. Hell. 6.3.7, &c.) reports a somewhat injudicious speech of his, which was delivered on this occasion before the congress at Sparta, and which by no means confirms the character, ascribed to him in the same passage, of a skilful orator. It was perhaps this same Autocles who, in B. C. 362, was appointed to the command in Thrace, and was brought to trial for having caused, by his inactivity there, the triumph of Cotys over the rebel Miltocythes. (Dem. c. Aristocr. p. 655, c. Polycl. p. 1207.) Aristotle (Aristot. Rh. 2.23.12) refers to a passage in a speech of Autocles against Mixidemides, as illustrating one of his rhetorical τόποι. [E.E]