Summary
Summary: Pernot, Rhetoric in Antiquity (2005)
- Course
- Institution
- Book
Summary of Rhetoric in Antiquity (whole book).
[Show more]
Connected book
Book Title:
Author(s):
- Edition:
- ISBN:
- Edition:
Seller
Follow
Annalisa21
Reviews received
Content preview
LAURENT PERNOT, RHETORIC INANTIQUITY [TRANS. BY W.E. HIGGINS]
(WASHINGTON D.C.: THE CATHOLIC
UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA PRESS, 2005)
,Pernot, Rhetoric in Antiquity (2005)
Content
Chapter 1 Rhetoric before “Rhetoric”....................................................................................................3
Homer.................................................................................................................................................3
From the Homeric World to the Classical World.................................................................................4
Chapter 2 The Sophistic Revolution........................................................................................................5
The “First Inventors”...........................................................................................................................5
The Sophists........................................................................................................................................5
Gorgias...............................................................................................................................................5
Chapter 3 The Athenian Moment...........................................................................................................7
The Practice of Oratory.......................................................................................................................7
The Republic of the Orators: Reality and Image.................................................................................8
Teaching and Theory of Rhetoric........................................................................................................9
The Philosophical and Moral Problem of Rhetoric............................................................................10
Chapter 4 The Hellenistic Globalization................................................................................................12
Advances in Rhetorical Technique....................................................................................................12
Philosophies Investigate Rhetoric.....................................................................................................13
The Life of Eloquence in the Greek World.........................................................................................14
Chapter 5 The Roman Way and Romanization.....................................................................................16
The Background of Roman Rhetoric.................................................................................................16
Stars of Roman Rhetoric before Cicero.............................................................................................17
The Conquest of Greek Rhetoric........................................................................................................18
Cicero................................................................................................................................................19
Cicero’s Contemporaries...................................................................................................................20
Chapter 6 The Empire: Innovation in the Tradition..............................................................................22
Decline or Renaissance of Rhetoric?.................................................................................................22
General Characteristics of the Period................................................................................................23
Literary Criticism...............................................................................................................................23
Archaism and Atticism......................................................................................................................23
Rhetoric, Queen of the Curriculum....................................................................................................24
Treatises on Theory...........................................................................................................................27
The Emperor as Orator.....................................................................................................................28
The Practice of Oratory and the Irresistible Rise of the Epideictic Genre..........................................28
The Roman Orators...........................................................................................................................30
The Second Sophistic.........................................................................................................................31
Rhetoric and Literature.....................................................................................................................32
1
,Pernot, Rhetoric in Antiquity (2005)
Conclusion: The Heritage of Greco-Roman Rhetoric............................................................................33
The Conversion of Rhetoric...............................................................................................................33
From the End of Antiquity to Modern Times.....................................................................................34
Greco-Roman Rhetoric Today...........................................................................................................34
2
,Pernot, Rhetoric in Antiquity (2005)
Chapter 1 Rhetoric before “Rhetoric”
Homer
From the time of the Homeric poems, which are the first literary Greek texts, the spoken word
and persuasion occupy an important place.
In the Iliad as in the Odyssey, the characters both human and divine begin to speak in
all sorts of situations induced by the plot, and their speeches reflect all the imaginable forms
of verbal exchange: monologue and dialogue, question and answer, narrative, enumeration
and catalogue, order, promise, challenge, insult, rodomontade, prediction, consolation,
transaction, and so forth. Alongside these exchanges between individuals, speech situations of
an institutional nature occur in which the spoken word is used for persuading and for
counselling. Such is the case with the frequent assembly scenes, where the participants
express themselves publicly in order to have their opinion prevail. Regulated use of the
spoken word is also to be found in diplomatic mission scenes, in the exhortations before
battle, or in the ritual use of lamentation. Finally, the Homeric poems allot a large space to the
deceitful word, to tricks and doubletalk.
Homeric epic not only makes regular use of speech, but it also reflects on speech.
First, Homeric language admits of numerous terms designating the action of saying and
speaking, the words, the discourse, and the different ways of speaking. Moreover, the fact that
the characters’ speeches are inserted into a narrative thread induces a critical distancing.
Sometimes it is another character who judges the speech; sometimes the action itself, by the
course of events, is responsible for showing if a speech was accurate or not, appropriate or
not.
The theorists developed the theme of “Homeric rhetoric” by maintaining that Homer
practiced rhetoric and practiced it magisterially, both in narrative, where he speaks in his own
voice, and in the speeches of the characters he portrays. He established the rules, as much by
example, thanks to the unsurpassable models he presented, as by theoretical suggestions
implicit in his work. The ancient rhetoricians made an industry of finding in the Homeric
poems the ideas, the distinctions, and the rules of contemporary rhetoric.
Overall, from an anthropological perspective, one can place the Homeric use of speech
between “magico-religious speech” and “dialogue speech”, and nearer the latter than the
former. Certain passages are related to the notion of an empowered speech, a speech endowed
with an intrinsic efficaciousness, the speech of the “masters of truth.” Yet Homer uses speech
more often as a means of exchange between individuals or within a group. In this case, it does
not possess “immediacy” but a temporal dimension; it is not action in and of itself, but
prepares, provokes, or comments on the action of the heroes.
It is necessary to read history in the right direction. Homer did not anticipate the laws
of rhetoric, but he established, in accord with the ideas of his own time, the importance of the
spoken word. His influence will contribute, along with many other factors, to the prestige of
rhetoric in the ancient world.
3
, Pernot, Rhetoric in Antiquity (2005)
From the Homeric World to the Classical World
Persuasion (Peitho) occupies a significant place in the Greek thought of the era. Sometimes it
symbolizes seduction and trickery, sometimes the refusal of violence and the search for good
social order. In a parallel way, poetry after Homer carries on its representation of speaking
through the discourses of the gods, mortals, and the poet himself. It also continues to reflect
on the ambiguous powers of the spoken word, capable at once of truth, justice, and mendacity.
But at this point a new literary vehicle of expression appears: prose. This development of
literature without meter was a necessary condition for the later recognition of the dignity and
worth of rhetorical discourse.
From an institutional viewpoint, the fundamental characteristic of the period is the
advent of the city-state (polis), which offers a new context for public speaking. In Athens the
gradual development of the democracy multiplies the circumstances for citizens to express
themselves in the form of a speech.
4
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller Annalisa21. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $5.06. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
78462 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now