The Rhetorica of Philodemus. 



337 



Demosthenes like the captain of a capsized ferryboat, but 

 refused to try him for capsizing Greece, they will say that 

 Diogenes is wrong in saying that the Athenians do not use the 

 same rhetors repeatedly. 



They will try to show that the statements of Demosthenes and 

 Lycurgus about the acts of Harpalus are false, and to copy their 

 statements from the most trustworthy historians ; and they will 

 assert that he was insignificant and shameless. 



If some cities have forbidden the entrance of rhetors, not to 

 mention receiving advice from them, yet others continually avail 

 themselves of their services. And not all rhetors are boastful. 



But we have got more out of this than perhaps was fitting, 

 even if the book of Aristo is longwinded. 



He says that one should not abstain wholly from rhetoric, 

 only from excess in it, nor wholly from politics. And he says 

 that the rhetor should not pretend to be a pilot. His position is 

 that of a boatswain. 



He says that the whole system depends on deceit ; conse- 

 quently a veracious person should avoid it. In reply I say that 

 leaving out of the question sophistical rhetoric, even if I could 

 speak about it, and the Technae of Aristotle — and yet I could 

 show that others of his followers have written against him with 

 all the trickery of sophistical rhetoricians — the rhetoric of Pericles 

 and Callisthenes and Demosthenes . . . 



If he meant "probable conjecture" or "an approach to truth," 

 he used the word vSavov to denote what could not be true. On 

 which subject, as the rhetors say, I am ashamed of not producing 

 a demonstration. 



Boldness and impudence are the offspring of rhetoric. 



At least rhetoric is the ability to persuade the people in assembly 

 and forum. 



Rhetoric provides the necessities of life; by means of rhetoric 

 men become famous. 



Inasmuch as they think the philosopher should enter public 

 life, on the principle that politics is philosophy he claims that 

 rhetoric [is also philosophy]. 



Their remarks are not consonant with their opinions concern- 

 ing political activity; these they abandon and support their 

 position by the other activities of philosophy. 



Prudent jurors are rare. 



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