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GREEK 351 ATTIC ORATORS FALL
2003 Instructor
: Jean Alvares; |
The basic purpose of this course is to improve the student's ability to read Greek through selected readings of the Attic orators, primarily Lysias. We shall review grammar as needed. But in addition to this study, the student shall also learn significant information about the elements of Greek oratory and the Athenian legal system, as well as those elements of Athenian social life that are presented in the orations. |
| Homework, Pop quizzes other assignments | 10% | Midterm | 35% |
| In-Class performance | 20% | Final | 35% |
Parts of a Greek speech.
| 1.Introduction ("exordium") | 2.Statement of Facts ("narratio") |
| 3. Proof ("confirmatio") | 4. Division ("divisio") |
| 5.Refutation ("Confutatio) | 6.Conclusion ("peroratio") |
Western-style legal argument has its foundations in Greek culture about the time of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Tisias was a little older than Socrates. Western argument began in Greece in response to a very particular social situations. In Sicily poltical troubles had led to land confiscations, and legal processes developed in later years to deal with conflicting claims to ownership. In 476 B.C.E. the Sicilian Corax codifies the principles of rhetoric and with his pupil Tisias developed speechwriting to solve a serious dispute over land rights. Tisias took the theory to Athens. Sicilian rhetors Lysias, 458-380 B.C.E. one of the great Sophistic speakers whom Plato attacks in the dialogue The Phaedrus.In order to limit the destruction of blood feuds (as we see in Aeschylus' Eumenides) , the Athenians at first settled all disputes in town meetings of all 2000 voting males. This was too bulky, so juries were selected by casting lots (an ancient method of random selection much like flipping a coin would be today). At first the juries were composed of 201 men; later the number shrank to about 100. At times they could be much larger than this. There were no lawyers or advocates. If you had been injured or if you had been accused, the only way for you to get justice was to speak well in arguing your case before a large group of your neighbors. Often times, of course, you would hire somebody to write your speeches. Very soon, a customary set of ten speeches made up Athenian trials. Each speaker (the accuser and the accused) had six speeches to make. The accuser began with an EXORDIUM, sometimes called a PROEM, an introduction which emphasized his own character, his family connections, and the slimness of the character and family connections of the accused. Sometimes he would talk about how he had never been involved in a trial, making excuses for his lack of technique, trying to win the sympathy of the jury. The accuser followed this speech by his second speech, called a NARRATIO, which was the story of what happened from his point of view. Lysias was very good at this. Then the accused gave his first two speeches, a countering EXORDIUM and NARRATIO. The accuser then presented his evidence for supporting his view of events. This speech was called a CONFIRMATIO. The CONFIRMATIO might contain a listing of the points of the argument which was called the DIVISIO. He might present witnesses or show physical evidence or just talk about the evidence. A lot of hearsay, innuendo and insult that would not be allowed in a modern trial was permitted in a Greek trial. Also often arguments from probability were used. Then the accused responded with a
CONFUTATIO which argued against the evidence of the
accuser. The accused followed his own CONFUTATIO with
a CONFIRMATIO giving the evidence to support his
version of things. The accuser then had the chance
to make his CONFUTATIO. Immediately following
his confutatio, the accuser summed up his case in a
speech called a PERORATIO or a CONCLUSIO. Then he
was finished. The last speaker was the accused who then
gave his own PERORATIO. In the final speech often
appeals for pity were made, infant children held up, etc.
Waterclocks were used to time the speeches. As you read
the speeches be aware of these parts and how they are
being presented. |