Vir Bonus Dicendi Peritus
Vir Bonus Dicendi Peritus

Summary/Abstract: The paper is focused on the problem of definitions of ancient and new (particularly Serbian) rhetoric. A very important place in modern rhetoric belongs to two Serbian rhetoricians – Jovan Sterija Popović and Branislav Nušić. To the latter this place belongs particularly owing to his handbook which is present up to now in Serbian schools and in books. It is also important for oration as living word, as well as for rhetorical analysis of literary texts in general. Till Aristotle ancient rhetoric actually was the art of persuasion (peithus demiurgos). It became apparent even in those days that rhetoric could not fulfill its basic task without strong basis in ethical principles. For this reason ancient rhetoricians designated rhetoric as the science of good talking (scientia bene dicendi), and the rhetoric cian as a man who was morally correct and who was apt in making orations (vir bonus dicendi peritus). Traces of the original definition of rhetoric as the art of persuasion have been preserved and may be recognised in many fields of social life and in activities of recent times. Today one can find them as being basis of many modern skills such as communication science, marketing and many forms of public appearance. It is known that all these and many other skills similar to these, are based on persuasion as a key element.

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