Hermocrates

Family: Syracusan · Role: speaker · First appears: Book 4 · Chapter 13 · Part 2

In Book 4, Hermocrates, son of Hermon, advised the Sicilians to end their war, and they agreed “each keeping what they had.” In the seventeenth year of the war, he warned the Syracusan assembly that the Athenians meant to conquer Sicily, especially Syracuse. The Syracusans followed his recommendations and elected him general alongside Heraclides and Sicanus.

In Book 7, Hermocrates joined Gylippus in persuading the Syracusans to prepare for a sea-fight against the Athenians. In Book 8, he alone opposed Alcibiades’s expedient on behalf of the confederacy. He was at enmity with Tissaphernes over the unpaid remainder of the pay, and eventually was banished from Syracuse.

Relationship record

Life events

• The Sicilians accepted Hermocrates’ advice and agreed to end the war, each keeping what they had.(Book 4 · Chapter 13 · Part 3 · 📍 Sicily)
  • With: Sicilians
  • “The Sicilians took his advice, and came to an understanding among themselves to end the war, each keeping what they had”
• Hermocrates told the assembly that the Athenians had set out to conquer Sicily, especially Syracuse.(Book 6 · Chapter 19 · Part 1 · 📍 Syracuse)
  • “Much as you wonder at it, the Athenians nevertheless have set out against us with a large force, naval and military, professedly to help the Egestaeans and to restore Leontini, but really to conquer Sicily, and above all our city”
• The Syracusans adopted Hermocrates’ recommendations and elected him, Heraclides, and Sicanus as generals.(Book 6 · Chapter 20 · Part 2)
  • With: Heraclides Sicanus
  • “The Syracusans heard him, and voted everything as he advised, and elected three generals, Hermocrates himself, Heraclides, son of Lysimachus, and Sicanus, son of Execestes.”
• They persuaded the Syracusans to prepare for a sea-fight against the Athenians.(Book 7 · Chapter 21 · Part 4 · 📍 Syracuse)
  • With: Gylippus
  • “the Syracusans, under the influence of Gylippus and Hermocrates, and perhaps some others, made up their minds for the sea-fight and began to man their vessels.”
• Hermocrates was banished from Syracuse.(Book 8 · Chapter 26 · Part 1 · 📍 Syracuse)
  • “and eventually when he was banished from Syracuse”

Book 4 · Chapter 13 · Part 2

• parent: Hermon “Hermocrates, son of Hermon, a Syracusan, the most influential man among them, addressed the following words to the assembly:”

Book 6 · Chapter 19 · Part 1

• parent: Hermon “among whom Hermocrates, son of Hermon, came forward, being persuaded that he knew the truth of the matter, and gave the following counsel:”

Book 6 · Chapter 20 · Part 2

• parent: Hermon “Hermocrates, son of Hermon, a man who with a general ability of the first order had given proofs of military capacity and brilliant courage in the war”
• with Heraclides (They were elected as fellow generals.) “elected three generals, Hermocrates himself, Heraclides, son of Lysimachus, and Sicanus, son of Execestes.”
• with Sicanus (They were elected as fellow generals.) “elected three generals, Hermocrates himself, Heraclides, son of Lysimachus, and Sicanus, son of Execestes.”

Book 6 · Chapter 20 · Part 3

• with Euphemus (They speak in succession in the debate at Camarina.) “Such were the words of Hermocrates; after whom Euphemus, the Athenian ambassador, spoke as follows:”

Book 7 · Chapter 21 · Part 4

• with Gylippus (Collaborated in encouraging the Syracusans to attack.) “With him Hermocrates actively joined in trying to encourage his countrymen to attack the Athenians at sea”

Book 8 · Chapter 25 · Part 1

• with Alcibiades (Hermocrates opposed Alcibiades's attempt to bribe the captains and generals.) “an expedient which succeeded with all except the Syracusans, Hermocrates alone opposing him on behalf of the whole confederacy”
• with Alcibiades (Hermocrates opposed Alcibiades' proposed bribery of the captains and generals.) “an expedient which succeeded with all except the Syracusans, Hermocrates alone opposing him on behalf of the whole confederacy”

Book 8 · Chapter 26 · Part 1

• enemies with Tissaphernes “Indeed Hermocrates had always been at enmity with him about the pay not being restored in full;”

Book 8 · Chapter 26 · Part 2

• with Astyochus (They made sail for Lacedaemon together.) “While Astyochus and the Milesians and Hermocrates made sail for Lacedaemon”

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Extracted from the original text of History of the Peloponnesian War. Made with Rho MD.