Sublime, Decline and Style

24 Março 2020, 14:00 • Fotini Hadjittofi

Greek: The Sublime and the Alleged Decline of Rhetoric Questions

What is the sublime and what does it have to do with rhetoric? Is the sublime “analyzable”? What does the author of this work think is the problem with rhetoric in his day? Who are his

“heroes”? Would imitating them be enough to “fix” the problem?

Primary Text
Pseudo-Longinus, On the Sublime Secondary Readings

Geller, N. and Zacharias, A. 2009. “Rhetoric’s Cure: The Sublime Τέχνη of Longinus”, Classica et Mediaevalia 66: 163–189.

Innes, D. 1995. “Longinus, Sublimity and the Low Emotions”, in D. Innes, H. Hine, and C. Pelling (eds.), Ethics and Rhetoric: 323–333. Oxford.

Whitmarsh, T. 2001. Greek Literature and the Roman Empire: The Politics of Imitation: 57– 71. Oxford.

Greek: Atticism and Asianism

Questions

“Atticism” is usually defined as the fluent use of the classical Attic dialect by later Greek authors, during the period now known as the Second Sophistic (mid-first to third centuries CE). What do you think motivated this trend? What was at stake in imitating a dialect that was no longer spoken? How does Kim (below) define “Atticism” and “Asianism”?

What does Lucian think is the problem with contemporary rhetoric? How do his views compare with those of “Longinus”?

Primary Text
Lucian, Lexiphanes and The Teacher of Rhetoric Secondary Readings

Cribiore, R. 2007. “Lucian, Libanius, and the Short Road to Rhetoric”, Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies 47: 71–86.

Goldhill, S. 2009. “Rhetoric and the Second Sophistic”, in E. Gunderson (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Ancient Rhetoric: 228–242. Cambridge.

Kim, L. 2017. “Atticism and Asianism”, in D. S. Richter and W. A. Johnson (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of the Second Sophistic: 41–66. Oxford.

Roman: The Decline of Oratory—Roman Perspective

Questions

Do you think Tacitus believes there was a decline in the standard of Roman oratory?
What accounts for the notion of a decline in Roman oratory?
Is the idea of a decline of Roman oratory based upon verifiable phenomena in terms of its

production and quality or is it best viewed as a myth?

Primary Text
Tacitus, Dialogue on Orators 27.1–35.5 Secondary Readings

Dominik, W. J. 1997. “The Style is the Man: Seneca, Tacitus and Quintilian’s Canon”, in W. J. Dominik (ed.), Roman Eloquence: Rhetoric in Society and Literature: 59–66. London.

Dominik, W. J. 2007. “Tacitus and Pliny on Oratory”, in W. Dominik and J. Hall (eds.), A Companion to Roman Rhetoric: 323–338. Oxford.

Roman: Issues of Style

Questions

What style of expression does Aper defend in Tacitus’ Dialogue on Orators?
What are some of the differences between the “new” style and the Ciceronian style? What are

the cultural factors that possibly account for some of these differences?
Why does Quintilian hate Seneca and his style?
What debates about oratorical or literary style do we have today in our modern academic

culture? Are they in any way similar to the issues that are raised by Roman orators and rhetoricians?

Primary Texts

Tacitus, Dialogue on Orators 15.1–27.2 Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria 10.1.125–131

Secondary Readings

Dominik, W. J. 1997. “The Style is the Man: Seneca, Tacitus and Quintilian’s Canon”, in W. J. Dominik (ed.), Roman Eloquence: Rhetoric in Society and Literature: 50–68. London.

Dominik, W. J. 2007. “Tacitus and Pliny on Oratory”, in W. Dominik and J. Hall (eds.), A Companion to Roman Rhetoric: 330–334. Oxford.

Discussion of Practical Presentation (draft due Wednesday, 1 April)

17 Março 2020, 14:00 • Fotini Hadjittofi

Greek and Roman: Discussion of Practical Presentation (draft due Wednesday, 1 April)

Rhetoric and Education

10 Março 2020, 14:00 • Fotini Hadjittofi

Greek: Progymnasma, Ethopoeia, Declamation

Questions

What are the main rhetorical exercises? What objective(s) does each one have?
Do ethopoeia and declamation aim to create empathy? Do they reinforce or challenge

stereotypes?
Would (some of) these exercises be useful in the modern classroom?

Primary Texts

Libanius, Progymnasmata: Gibson, C. A. (ed.) 2008. Libanius’s Progymnasmata: Model Exercises in Greek Prose Composition and Rhetoric: 1–3, 9–11, 43–55, 87–101, 107–113, 126–133, 220–229, 266–277, 321–329, 355–361, 427–433, 509–519. Atlanta.

Libanius, Declamatio 41: Ogden, D. 2009. Magic, Witchcraft and Ghosts in the Greek and Roman Worlds: A Sourcebook: 290–299. Oxford.

Secondary Readings

Cribiore, R. 2001. Gymnastics of the Mind: Greek Education in Hellenistic and Roman Egypt: 220–244, esp. 221–238. Princeton

Cribiore, R. 2007. The School of Libanius in Late Antique Antioch: 143–147. Princeton.

Dainville, J. and Benoît S. 2016. “Teaching Rhetoric Today: Ancient Exercises for Contemporary Citizens”, Educational Research and Reviews 11: 1925–1930.

Roman: Declamation

Questions

Explain what a suasoria and a controversia are and what Roman students were expected to do when declaiming them.

Roman writers complain a lot about the practice of declamation in their works. What were the main criticisms? Do you think some of these criticisms are valid and, if so, which ones?

What were some of the potential benefits accrued to the student of declaiming the suasoria and controversia?

Primary Text

Seneca, Suasoriae 1–7, esp. 3 and 7: Winterbottom, M. (ed. and tr.), The Elder Seneca, vol. 2: Declamations. Cambridge, Mass./London.

Seneca, Controuersiae, esp. 1.8, 3.1–4, 3.9, 5.3, 5.7, 6.1–2, 6.5–8: Winterbottom, M. (ed. and tr.), The Elder Seneca, vols. 1–2: Declamations. Cambridge, Mass./London.

Secondary Readings

Bloomer, W. M. 2007. “Roman Declamation: The Elder Seneca and Quintilian”, in W. Dominik and J. Hall (eds.), A Companion to Roman Rhetoric: 296–306. Oxford.

Corbeill, A. 2007. “Rhetorical Education and Social Reproduction in the Republic and Early Empire”, in W. Dominik and J. Hall (eds.), A Companion to Roman Rhetoric: 69–82. Oxford.
Cf. Corbeill on the “oddness” of declamation with the view of Dominik. W. J. 1997. “The Style is the Man: Seneca, Tacitus and Quintilian’s Canon”, in W. J. Dominik (ed.), Roman Eloquence: Rhetoric in Society and Literature: 50–51. London; Dominik, W. J. 2007. “Tacitus and Pliny on Oratory”, in W. Dominik and J. Hall (eds.), A Companion to Roman Rhetoric: 325–326. Oxford; and Dominik, W. J. 2017. “The Development of Roman Rhetoric”, in M. MacDonald (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Rhetorical Studies: 167–168. Oxford.

Types, Divisions, and Figures of Rhetorical Speech

3 Março 2020, 14:00 • Fotini Hadjittofi

Greek Types, Parts, and Figures of Rhetorical Speech

Questions

What is rhetorical “propriety”? How is it achieved? What does persuasion have to do with the speaker’s moral character?

What is the role of the emotions in rhetoric according to Aristotle?
What kinds of texts does Aristotle use as practical illustrations of rhetorical and stylistic

devices? Does he distinguish between examples from prose and poetry?

Primary Text Aristotle, Rhetoric

Secondary Readings

Fortenbaugh, W. W. 1992. “Aristotle on Persuasion through Character”, Rhetorica 10: 207– 244.

Garver, E. 2017. “Aristotle’s Rhetoric in Theory and Practice”, in M. MacDonald (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Rhetorical Studies: 133–141. Oxford.

Kennedy, G. 1963. The Art of Persuasion in Greece: 82–114. Princeton.

Roman Types, Divisions, and Figures of Rhetorical Speech

Questions

What is the purpose of each of the three main types of speech? In what ways does a forensic speech differ from a deliberative speech?

What is the purpose of each of the divisions of a deliberative speech?
What purposes do figures serve in oratory and poetry? Are their purposes different in poetry

from those of rhetoric?

Primary Text
Aristotle, Rhetorica 3.13–19

Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria 3.9.1–2, 4.1–4.2, 5.1–5.13
Handout
“Deliberative and Forensic Speeches: Divisions and Figures of Speech”

Discussion of Practical Presentation (due on 17 or 24 March)

Rhetoric and Rhetoricians

18 Fevereiro 2020, 14:00 • Fotini Hadjittofi

The Value and Truth of Rhetoric Questions

How is Gorgias represented by Plato? Is he a “sophist”? How about his disciple? What does Socrates / Plato have against rhetoric?
What was the impact of Plato’s ideas on rhetoric (in antiquity and beyond)?

Primary Text
Plato, Gorgias

Secondary Readings

Yunis, H. 2006. “Plato’s Rhetoric”, I. Worthington, A Companion to Greek Rhetoric: 75–89. Oxford.

Yunis, H. 2017. “Plato’s Rhetoric in Theory and Practice”, in M. MacDonald, The Oxford Handbook of Rhetorical Studies: 121–131. Oxford.

Quintilian

Questions

Quintilian’s modern standing as a rhetorician has been questioned by some scholars. What do you think is the reason for the sometimes unfavourable reception of his ideas?

What is the basis for Quintilian’s argument that orators should take over the “principles of upright and honourable living” from philosophers? Does this expectation seem realistic or even desirable?

In Institutio Oratoria 1, Quintilian asks, “Who—if not an utter villain—does not speak about justice and equity and goodness?” What does this question imply about Romans? Do you think this question has any basis in fact? Is this question applicable to our contemporary world?

Does Quintilian’s lack of acknowledgement in the Institutio Oratoria that some students could not complete his curriculum successfully tell us anything about Roman society at the time? Or does this tell us more about the personal beliefs of Quintilian regarding his own educational program?

Why would Quintilian express displeasure with what he calls “humanity”, which he describes as consisting of “mutual praise without regard to quality”, given that it would make education appear more egalitarian?

Is Quintilian’s concern that teachers dedicate themselves to the moral education of their students reflected in the status of moral education in modern schools?

In Institutio Oratoria 2, Quintilian complains that grammatici were expanding their curricula by adding rhetoric to the standard instruction in literature. What may have been some of the reasons for and consequences of this expansion?

How does Quintilian’s emphasis upon morality and civic virtue of a public speaker (uir bonus, dicendi peritus, “a good man skilled in speaking”, Institutio Oratoria 12.1.1) compare with the expected behaviour and conduct of a public figure today?

Quintilian stresses the importance of imitation and memorization in learning. What roles do these skills play in our education system today?

Primary Text
Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria 1 praef. 1–1.1.37, 2.1.1–2.4.23

Secondary Readings

Dominik, W. J. 2020. “Modern Assessments of Quintilian”, in M. van der Poel, M. Edwards, and J. J. Murphy (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Quintilian. Oxford. (forthcoming)

López, J. F. 2007. “Quintilian as Rhetorician and Teacher”, in W. Dominik and J. Hall (eds.), A Companion to Roman Rhetoric: 307–322. Oxford.