Ancient Greek Literature: Oratory and Historiography
Oratory in Ancient Greece
In the Greek world, oratory, or eloquence, was an integral part of life. Ancient Greece was a predominantly oral culture, and the ability to convince or persuade others was essential for achieving any objective. The development of democratic institutions further emphasized the importance of public speaking. Greek citizens had to articulate their political ideas in the assembly and defend themselves before juries.
The Sophistic Movement
The Sophistic Movement was the first ideological movement to champion rhetoric in Greece. The Sophists developed and disseminated theories about public speaking, laying the groundwork for the precepts of rhetoric. According to Aristotle, Corax and Tisias were pioneers in establishing these rhetorical precepts and crafting influential speeches. Gorgias, a renowned Sophist, visited Athens as an ambassador from Leontini (Sicily) and captivated the Athenians with his oratory. His school of thought emphasized the use of verbal antithesis, iterations, syntactic and syntagmatic symmetries, and parallels. While these techniques were not entirely new to Athens, Gorgias’s skillful and extensive use of them left a lasting impact.
Types of Oratory
Theorists of rhetoric categorized oratory into three subgenres: judicial, deliberative (assembly), and demonstrative or epideictic.
Demosthenes (ca. 384-323 BC)
Born into a wealthy family but orphaned at a young age, Demosthenes’s guardians squandered his inheritance. He delivered his first judicial speeches to recover his stolen assets. By all accounts, he was not a naturally gifted orator. He suffered from a stutter, which he overcame through perseverance, and was never comfortable improvising. His speeches are classified as follows:
- Speeches of Private Causes: These were short legal speeches delivered on behalf of his clients.
- Speeches of Public Causes: These speeches were both legal and political. Notable examples include his speeches”On the Embass” and”On the Crown” delivered during his rivalry with Aeschines.
- Speeches to the Assembly: These speeches were purely political. His Philippics, directed against Philip of Macedon, and his speeches”On the Peac” and”On the Chersones” are prime examples. In these speeches, Demosthenes sought to warn Athens of the threat posed by Philip’s expansionist ambitions. They reflect his deep patriotism.
Historiography in Ancient Greece
The origins of historiography can be traced back to the compilation of myths and genealogies, as well as the collection of facts by individuals known as logographers. It wasn’t until the war with the Persians that a genuine interest in recording history in a more modern sense emerged.
Herodotus and Early Historiography
Herodotus is widely regarded as the”father of history” He believed in recording events for posterity. This approach aligns with the spirit of inquiry cultivated by the Ionian Presocratic philosophers. Despite his scientific inclination, his narrative style resembles that of epic poetry, incorporating mythical elements and divine intervention. Herodotus can be seen as a successor to the epic tradition, albeit writing in prose and infused with the scientific spirit of the Ionian thinkers. His work provides valuable ethnographic insights into the lifestyles of the Phoenicians and the burial customs of communities north of the Black Sea. While he possessed a curious mind, his critical thinking was limited. He collected anecdotes and details that modern historians might consider irrelevant to the grand narrative of history. Nevertheless, his writing conveys a sense of honesty, lending credibility to his accounts. From a modern or even a Thucydidean perspective, Herodotus’s tone can appear somewhat naive. He accepts the miraculous and believes in the gods’ jealousy of excessive human prosperity. He attributes historical events to human emotions like vanity, envy, fear, and pride, resulting in a history shaped more by subjective interpretations than objective analysis. Despite these limitations, Herodotus was a pioneer of ethnography, incorporating observations on race, language, customs, and religion into his work.
Thucydides (ca. 460 BC)
Athenian was in 424 a. C. and suffered the plague which struck Athens in 430 BC C. Following the failure in a military campaign was exiled for 20 years. He fled to Thrace, where he owned property and had time to devote himself to writing his work, according to tradition. His work is known as History of the Peloponnesian War, although this is a relatively modern name. In ancient times was known as their work histories. It was divided into eight books by the Alexandrian philologists. Xenophon Author versatile, he undertook to continue the History of the Peloponnesian War from the point where Thucydides left up to the Theban victory in 362 a. C. This work is well known as the Hellenic and Greek History. He was part of the issue that Cyrus commanded against his brother Artaxerxes II, king of Persia, adventure bore fruits two historiographical works such as the Expedition of Cyrus or Anabasis and the Education of Cyrus, also known as Cyropaedia, biographical tone. Greek or Hellenic History. It starts at the time of Thucydides’ work ended, but the work does not share with its predecessor the virtues of great historian. Books I and II. Liaison with Thucydides’ Histories. Books III and IV. Nucleus of the work, through the Spartan victory, to the hegemony of Thebes. Issuance of Cyrus or Anabasis. Character stands out for its adventure story. It tells the story of Greek mercenaries who accompanied Cyrus in his claim to the throne of Persia. Xenophon join the army and has first-hand information on the vicissitudes of the latter.