Greek Oratory - Tradition and Originality

Zusatztext Usher deploys a wide knowledge of Athenian law and politics, his chronological approach bringing out well the setbacks to Athenian imperialism and the disillusioned mood of the 350s. Klappentext Some of the finest Greek writers - Demosthenes, Lysias, Antiphon - were also great orators. However, a number of other Greek writers who specialized purely in oratory have largely been overlooked by classicists. Dr. Stephen Usher addresses this imbalance by showing the diversity of the inherited rhetorical tradition, and by demonstrating through close critical examination how the individual characteristics of the orators were developed. Zusammenfassung Speakers address audiences in the earliest Greek literature, but oratory became a distinct genre in the late fifth century and reached its maturity in the fourth. This book traces the development of its techniques by examining the contribution made by each orator. Dr Usher makes the speeches come alive for the reader through an in-depth analysis of the problems of composition and the likely responses of contemporary audiences. His study differs from previous books in its recognition of the richness of the early tradition which made innovation difficult, however, the orators are revealed as men of remarkable talent, versatility, and resource. Antiphon's pioneering role, Lysias' achievement of balance between the parts of the speech, the establishment of oratory as a medium of political thought by Demosthenes and Isocrates, and the individual characteristics of other orators - Andocides, Isaeus, Lycurgus, Hyperides, Dinarchus and Apollodorus - together make a fascinating study in evolution; while the illustrative texts of the orators (which are translated into English) include some of the liveliest and most moving passages in Greek literature.

Product details

• Authors: Stephen Usher, Stephen (formerly Senior lecturer in Classics at Royal Holloway College Usher
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 01.09.1999
• EAN: 9780198150749
• ISBN: 978-0-19-815074-9
• No. of pages: 400
• Subjects: Fiction > Narrative literature > Essays, feuilletons, literary criticism, interviews; Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > Classical linguistics / literary studies; HISTORY / Ancient / General, LITERARY CRITICISM / Ancient & Classical, HISTORY / World, HISTORY / Essays, General & world history, Literary studies: classical, early & medieval, Ancient History, Literary essays, General and world history, Ancient history: to c 500 CE, Ancient (Classical) Greek, Literary studies: ancient, classical and medieval