Comic Reminiscences in the Rhetorical Argument Cover Image
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KOMIKUS ÁTHALLÁSOK A SZÓNOKI ÉRVELÉSBEN
Comic Reminiscences in the Rhetorical Argument

Author(s): László Horváth
Subject(s): History, Language studies, Ancient World, Historical Linguistics, Philology
Published by: Akadémiai Kiadó
Keywords: Hyperides; Athenogenes; comic reminiscences; a new reading of the papyrus;

Summary/Abstract: The present paper scrutinises the intrinsic argumentative structure of Hyperides' Athenogenes-speech. Since the speaker cannot rely on solid juristic foundation (as his task was to annul a valid, undersigned contract), in order to influence his audience, he adopts a threefold method of argumentation. First, Hyperides produces an impressive list of irrelevant laws, then he launches a bitter invective against Athenogenes and finally, which plays the decisive role, he targets the jurors (his well trained fellow-spectators of comedy) with cleverly chosen comic reminiscences. Quite uniquely in the history of Attic eloquence, the orator — as his main weapon — creates a striking scenario (both events and characters) of contemporaneous comic choreography. This is proven by thematic and linguistic parallels. On the basis of the new reading of the papyrus [col. XVI,1] we can also re-evaluate the invective against Athenogenes.

  • Issue Year: 50/2006
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 33-56
  • Page Count: 24
  • Language: Hungarian
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