Divine Talk

Religious Argumentation in Demosthenes
Erscheinungsjahr 2009
ISBN: 978-0-19-956022-6
Verlag: OUP Oxford

Buch, Englisch, 360 Seiten, Print PDF, Format (B × H): 161 mm x 240 mm, Gewicht: 699 g

Gunther Martin examines the references to religion in the speeches of Demosthenes and other Athenian orators in the 4th century BC. In Part I he demonstrates the role religion plays in the rhetorical strategy of speeches in political trials: his main argument is that speakers had to be consistent in their approach to religion throughout their career. It was not possible to change from being a pragmatic to a `religious' speaker and back, but it was possible, when writing for others, to use religion in a way one would not have used it when delivering a speech oneself. In Part II Martin deals with assembly speeches and speeches in private trials, in which religious references are far scarcer. In the assembly, unless genuinely religious matters are discussed, religion seems to have been practically inadmissible, while in private trials it is procedural elements that supply the majority of religious references.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Martin, Gunther

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Literaturwissenschaft Klassische Literaturwissenschaft

Inhaltsverzeichnis

- Introduction

- I. Speeches in Public Trials

- 1: Against Midias (Or. 21)

- 2: On the False Embassy (Or. 19)

- 3: On the Crown (Or. 18)

- 4: Demosthenes as Speechwriter

- 5: Speeches Written by Other Orators

- Excursus: Against Aristogiton (Or. 25)

- Conclusion I: The Importance of the Individual

- II. Deliberative and Private Speeches

- 6: Demosthenes' Assembly Speeches

- 7: Against Leptines (Or. 20)

- 8: Private Speeches I: Ritual Acts with Probative Force

- 9: Private Speeches II: Non-Probative Arguments

- Conclusion II: The Influence of the Genre

Über Autor(innen)

Gunther Martin is Domus Fellow, Lady Margaret Hall, University of Oxford.