Epicrates

• The victorious, supreme; so Cicero names Pompey, Att. 2, 3.—
• II A philosopher or rhetorician of Athens, Cic. Fil. Fam. 16, 21. —
• III A native of Agyrium, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 9.

(Ἐπικράτης), an Athenian, who took a prominent part in public affairs after the end of the Peloponnesian war. He was a zealous member of the democratical party, and had a share in the overthrow of the Thirty Tyrants (Dem. de Fals. Legat. p. 430); but afterwards, when sent on an embassy to the Persian king Artaxerxes, he was accused not only of corruption, in receiving money from Artaxerxes, built also of peculation. (Lys. Or. 27, c. Epicralem, p. 806, &c.) Hegesamder (apud Athen,. vi. p. 251a.) and Plutarch (Plut. Pel. 30) say, that lie so grossly flattered Artaxerxes as to propose that instead of nine archons, nine ambassadors to the Persian king should be annually chosen by the Athenians. Plutarch also says that he did not deny the charge of corruption. He seems, however, to have been acquitted (Plat. and Ath. ll. cc.) probably through the powerful interest possessed by himself and by his fellow criminal, Phormisius. (Dionys. Vit. Lys. 32.) He had been guilty of corruption on a former occasion also, but had been equally fortunate in escaping punishment. (Lys. l.c.) This first offence of his was probably on the occasion when Timocrates the Rhodian was sent by Tithraustes to bribe the Greek states to attack Sparta (B. C. 395); for though Xenophom (Hell. 3.5.1.) asserts, that the Athenians did not receive any money from Timocrates (a statement suspicious on the face of it), Pausanias (3.9.4) has preserved an account that at Athens bribes were taken by Cephalus and Epicrates.

The above statement of the acquittal of Epicrates on the charge of corruption in his embassy to Artaxerxes, seems at first sight opposed to the statementt of Demosthenes (de Fats. Legat. pp. 430), 431), that he was condemned to death, and that he was actually banished. But, in fact, Demosthenes seems to be referring to a distinct and third occasion on which Epicrates was charged with corruption; for in his repetition of the charge there is the important head, καταψευδόμενοι τῶν συμμάχων, of which we find nothing in the oration of Lysias, but which is just the charg e we should expect to be made against the Athenian envoy who took part in accepting the peace of Antaleidas (B. C. 387); and that Epicrates was really that envoy is the more probable from the fact, which is expressly stated, that it was Epicrates who recommended that peace to the Athenians. (Schol. Aristeid. i. p. 283, ed. Dindorf.)

Epicrates and Phormisius were attacked by Aristophanes (Aristoph. Eccl. 68-72, Ran. 5.965, and Schol.) and by Plato, the comic poet, who made their embassy the subject of a whole play, the Πρέσβεις. Both are ridiculed for their large beards, and for this reason Epicrates was called σακεσφυρός. (Comp. Etym. Mag. s.v. Suid. s.v. and s.v. πώγων; Harpocrat. s. v. p. 162, cum not. Maussac. et Vales.; Epist. Socrat. 13. p. 29; Plat. Phaedr. p. 127b.; Meincke, Hist. Cril. Corm. Graec. pp. 182, 183; Bergk, de Reliqu. Com. Att. Aut. pp. 389-394.) [P.S]

(Ἐπικράτης), of Ambracia, was an Athenian comie poet of the middle comedy, according to the testimony of Athenaeus (x. p. 422f.), confirmed by extant fragments of his plays, in which he ridicules Plato and his disciples, Spensippus and Menedemus, and in which lie refers to the courtezan Lais, as being now far advanced in years. (Athen. 2.59d., xiii. p. 570b.) From these indications Meineke infers that he flourished between the 101st and 108th Olympiads (B. C. 376-348). Two plays of Epicrates, Ἔμπορος and Ἀντιλαΐς are mentioned by Suidas (s. v.), and are quoted by Athenaeus (xiv. p. 655f., xiii. pp. 570, b., 605, e.), who also quotes his Ἀμαζόνες (x. p. 422f.) and Δύσπρατος (vi. p. 262d.), and informs us that in the latter play Epicrates copied some things from the Δύσπρατος of Antiphanes. Aelian (Ael. NA 12.10) quotes the Χορός of Epicrates. We have also one long fragment (Athen. 2.59c.) and two shorter ones (Athen. 11.782f.; Pollux, 4.121) from his unknown plays. (Meineke, Frag. Com. Graec. vol. i. pp. 414, 415, vol. iii. pp. 365-373; Fabric. Bibl. Graec. vol. ii. pp. 440, 441.) [P.S]

(Ἐπικράτης). (1) An Athenian who helped to expel the Thirty Tyrants (q.v.). Later, being sent on a mission to King Artaxerxes of Persia, he was accused of receiving a bribe from that monarch. Though acquitted of this charge, he was afterwards convicted of a similar offence and escaped death by flight. He is ridiculed by the comic poets for his large beard, whence he received the nickname σακεσφόρος ( Com. Presb. 4 Meineke).

(2) Of Ambracia; an Athenian writer of the Middle Comedy (Aelian, N. A. xii. 10).

• bribed by Persians: Paus. 3.9.8