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Homeric Speech and the Origins of Rhetoric


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Explores the presence and nature of rhetoric within Homer's Iliad. It examines how characters utilize persuasive techniques, often mirroring strategies later catalogued by Aristotle such as diathesis (disposing the audience favorably), enthymemes (arguments based on probabilities or signs), and appeals to pathos (emotion) and êthos (character). The analysis argues that Homeric speeches demonstrate a learned and practiced skill in persuasion, not merely spontaneous eloquence, and compares these findings to rhetorical practices in other ancient literary traditions like Chinese and Indian texts and later Greek works such as the Homeric Hymns and tragedy. Ultimately, the source suggests a connection between Homeric storytelling and the later development of formal rhetorical theory, although Aristotle himself did not fully acknowledge Homer's contribution.

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