Rhetorical Technique

Chapter 31 examines Demosthenes’ rhetorical technique. Most ancient rhetorical theorists, both Greek and Roman, considered Demosthenes to be the best of the ancient orators. As a result, much of their scholarly inquiry was focused on determining what made Demosthenes’ oratory so effective. Given the enormous emphasis on style in ancient rhetorical theory, many critics unsurprisingly viewed Demosthenes’ stylistic virtuosity, particularly his versatility, as the main reason for his success and the hallmark of his oratory. The article discusses the theoretical analyses of Demosthenes’ oratorical style by Cicero, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, and Hermogenes. It also explores the shape of Demosthenes’ speeches and sentences, along with his argumentation (logical, emotional, and ethical).