Demosthenes' "On the Crown": Rhetorical Perspectives (Landmarks in Rhetoric and Public Address)

Demosthenes'speech On the Crown (330 B.C.E.), in which the master orator spectacularly defended his public career, has long been recognized as a masterpiece. The speech has been in continuous circulation from Demosthenes'lifetime to the present day, and multiple generations have acclaimed it as the greatest speech ever written. In addition to a clear and accessible translation, Demosthenes'“On the Crown”:Rhetorical Perspectives includes eight essays that provide a thorough analysis—based on Aristotelian principles—of Demosthenes'superb rhetoric. The volume includes biographical and historical background on Demosthenes and his political situation; a structural analysis of On the Crown; and an abstract of Aeschines'speech Against Ctesiphon to which Demosthenes was responding. Four essays by contributors analyze Demosthenes'speech using key elements of rhetoric defined by Aristotle: ēthos, the speaker's character or authority; pathos, or emotional appeals; logos, or logical appeals; and lexis, a speaker's style. An introduction and an epilogue by Murphy frame the speech and the rhetorical analysis of it. By bringing together contextual material about Demosthenes and his speech with a translation and astute rhetorical analyses, Demosthenes'“On the Crown”:Rhetorical Perspectives highlights the oratorical artistry of Demosthenes and provides scholars and students with fresh insights into a landmark speech. Cover......Page 1 Title Page......Page 4 Copyright......Page 5 Contents......Page 6 Introduction......Page 10 Part One: Demosthenes and His Greatest Speech......Page 16 1. Demosthenes and His Times......Page 18 2. Aeschines’ Speech Against Ctesiphon: An Abstract......Page 45 3. Demosthenes’ Oration "On the Crown": A Translation......Page 55 Part Two: Rhetorical Evaluations......Page 112 4. A Structural Analysis of the Speech "On the Crown"......Page 114 5. Ēthos in "On the Crown"......Page 123 6. Crafting Nostalgia: Pathos in "On the Crown"......Page 139 7. On the Deinos Logos of "On the Crown"......Page 157 8. Demosthenes’ Style: Lexis in "On the Crown"......Page 183 Epilogue......Page 214 Select Bibliography......Page 218 Index......Page 234 Cover -- Title Page -- Copyright -- Contents -- Introduction -- Part One: Demosthenes and His Greatest Speech -- 1. Demosthenes and His Times -- 2. Aeschines' Speech Against Ctesiphon: An Abstract -- 3. Demosthenes' Oration ""On the Crown"": A Translation -- Part Two: Rhetorical Evaluations -- 4. A Structural Analysis of the Speech ""On the Crown""--5. Ēthos in ""On the Crown"" -- 6. Crafting Nostalgia: Pathos in ""On the Crown"" -- 7. On the Deinos Logos of ""On the Crown"" -- 8. Demosthenes' Style: Lexis in ""On the Crown"" -- Epilogue -- Select Bibliography -- Contributors -- Index Demosthenes' speech "On the Crown", in which the master orator spectacularly defended his public career, has long been recognised as a masterpiece. The speech has been in continuous circulation from Demosthenes' lifetime to the present day. This volume includes eight essays that provide a thorough analysis - based on Aristotelian principles - of Demosthenes' superb rhetoric. Landmarks in Rhetoric and Public Address: Also in this series -- Back Cover