Style matters. In his Rhetoric, Aristotle argues that a speaker should adopt a style that fits the context and circumstances of the speech. For each species of rhetoric, a different lexis is appropriate – political speakers cannot address their audience in the same way as epideictic orators and vice versa (Rh. 3.12.1). This workshop investigates the importance of style in political speeches. How did political speakers (broadly defined) employ stylistic features to achieve their rhetorical agendas?
The OIKOS Research group Ancient Rhetoric and Aesthetics, in cooperation with the International Society for the History of Rhetoric, cordially invites you to the workshop ‘The Politics of Style in Ancient Rhetoric and Oratory.’ The event takes place on the 9th of December in Ghent.
The workshop can be attended both physically and digitally. If you are interested in attending, please email Thierry.Oppeneer@UGent.be before the 2nd of December specifying whether you would like to participate in person or digitally and you will receive the necessary information.
Programme
12.30-13.30 Lunch
13.30-14.15 Christos Kremmydas (London): ‘Logoi Enteuktikoi and their Style in the Classical and Hellenistic Periods’
14.15-14.55 Olivier Demerre (Gent): ‘Stylistic Debates and Persuasion in Ancient Greek Novels’
14.55-15.10: Break
15.10-15.50 Thierry Oppeneer (Gent): ‘The Political Uses of Imperial Greek Rhetoric: Hermogenes’ Idea- and Stasis-Theory in the Popular Assembly’
15.50-16.30 Leanne Jansen (Leiden): ‘Ciceronian Words, Demosthenic Style: Cassius Dio’s Rendition of the Amnesty Speech of 44 BCE’
16.30-16.45: Break
16.45-17.30 Henriette van der Blom (Birmingham): ‘Elocutio in Roman Deliberative Speeches: Theory and Practice’ [Via Teams]
17.30 Drinks
The organisers and co-ordinators,
Casper de Jonge, Koen De Temmerman and Thierry Oppeneer