Classical Rhetoric Notes 2/7/2013

07 February 2013

agon == competition; { > consensus isn’t valued, but competition. It is central to Greco-Roman culture. Games are judged. Always a winner and a loser. }

Graff talks about Cleon’s “shadowyness.” We only know about him through other texts, and we get caricatures of him through other playwrights, who is very brash and bullyishness. He was a general who won some major battles in the Peleponesian (sp?) war. He was also responsible for taking Spartan shields and hanging them in a gallery-like fashion.

So, what do we really know about Cleon?

Most are from the POV of the Athenians, where Cleon is critiqued. Plato is the most “vehement,” says Graff. We have no other evidences other than through this lens. He comes from no family, but has a powerful voice. He’s not from an afluent background, but the populous, so much of the writings that include him are critiques of him and what he represents. He has the loudest voice, but not with “proper” decorum.

Nikias (from an affluent background) is the foil to Cleon: an embodiment of the competitive culture.

From Pericles, Cleon’s singled-out as an endpoint to the proper way of speaking/doing rhetoric. He is one of the hereditary elite who had an appeal to the masses, which accounts for his success in politicizing and pushing his agendas in the courts. Afterwards, the culture changes with Pericleon policies.

What is Athenian Citizenship (Epitaphios logos)

Nicole Loraux – The Invention of Athens Connects genre texts of Athens with cultural studies. > women played role in processions, which whole population is present

Every year ostricism was voted upon by a representive part of the population, which, through, a scret ballot could strip you of your citizenship.

There is no understanding of universal rights. Citizenship is everything. Democracy is very different than the rhetoric surrounding it today, even though there are parallels.

Democracy has long been thought as an Athenian and is celebrated in many texts, including “The Funeral Oration of Pericles”

Deeds vs. Words. People act on their words. Not empty like other cultures.

Happiness is one who practices and acts upon their citizenship. Anyone who “minds their own business” is useless.

Citizen women were a special class, but had no political power. out of sight. And not talked about. Yet, they’re at Pericles’ speech, due to the occasion. (Still unsure if women were allowed to go to the theatre.) > “lament for each relative, depart” > lament is to beating of the breasts, tearing hair, chanting

Pericles is chosen to speech, due to his prominence already. Could be seen as a political power play, but also the situation involves the fact that the war wages on and men have to go back out ant fight after this.

The top 200 rich citizens of athens pay an annual liturgy, responsible for 1) outfit the triream(sp?) ships and 2) paying for chorus/festival, so either war or art! > People would often take others to court to prove their neighbor was more wealthy (Antidosis Isocrates’ account of his own experience with this issue); if they lost, they pay a penalty, plus their liturgy.

Cultural Context

Exclusionary art/practice Citizenship highly restricted in all poleis Formal ed limited/limited access

Rhetoric, from its origins, is related to tdemocratic or an ideology of anti-tyranny – A Thesis to Test!

Discussion of Plato’s Gorgias

Gorgias came to Athen in 427 BCE to ask for help for his country; he was a foreigner, one account tells of his novel manner of speaking that stunned the Athenians.

We can’t tell when this event (Gorgias-Socrates) happened.

Gorgias is set in the martketplace dialogue in 3 parts, 4 chief characters

1. socrates-Gorgias
2. Socrates-Polus
3. Socrates-Callicles

Socrates does not want an epideictic display; he wants to discuss! An interactive dialectic.

Dialogue is about rhetoric and about eudaimonia (good life, requiring justice, virtue, care of the soul)

techne (art) via empirical/experience vs. tuche (chance) – Polus

Passage 449a -; p. 28: When Socrates asks Gorgias what his art is, Gorgias responds it is rhetoric; possibly the first occurrence of the term: Rhetorike the art, or techne, of rhetoric.

Socrates has issues with the idea that this skill is teachable, not with the idea that it is a possible skill for an individual.

Socrates desires to deliberate on the ethical manner of boasting that its a skill that is teachable. (So is this deliberative or forensic rhetoric by Socrates?)