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A Triangle in the Law-court: Speakers-Opponents-Audiences and the Use of the Imperative

  • Andreas Serafim EMAIL logo
Published/Copyright: November 13, 2021
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Abstract

This paper, focusing on and discussing salient passages from the whole corpus of Attic forensic speeches, examines the use and purposes of imperatives for persuasion. The main argument it puts forward is that imperatives should not be seen as an improper, impolite or abrasive means of communication in the law-court, but rather as a decisive and confident way of sustaining a triangular relation between the speaker, his opponent and the audience. The speaker, through the use of imperatives, talks about, and intermittently to, his opponent and conveys messages to the audience about him. These messages, combined with references to religion, patriotism, ancestral glory and the very existence of the polis, give the potential to orations to influence the verdict of the judges and determine the outcome of trials.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Michael Gagarin, Sophia Papaioannou, Millie Gall and the two anonymous referees for their insightful comments on this paper.

This paper is humbly dedicated to the memory of Emeritus Professor Thanassis Nakas, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, who passed away unexpectedly in early August 2021.

Imperatives in Attic forensic speeches

Speeches

Occurrences

Aeschines – Against Ctesiphon

101

Against Timarchus

101

The Speech on the Embassy

68

Andocides – Against Alcibiades

4

On His Return

6

On the Mysteries

71

On the Peace

11

Antiphon – On the Choreutes

3

On the Murder of Herodes

21

Prosecution Of The Stepmother For Poisoning

4

Demosthenes – Against Androtion

28

Against Apaturius

13

Against Aphobus 1–3

46

Against Aristocrates

106

Against Aristogeiton 1

32

Against Aristogeiton 2

4

Against Boeotus 1

26

Against Boeotus 2

19

Against Callicles

12

Against Conon

10

Against Dionysodorus

18

Against Eubulides

32

Against Evergus And Mnesibulus

16

Against Lacritus

18

Against Leochares

9

Against Leptines

94

Against Macartatus

40

Against Nausimachus and Xenopeithes

15

Against Olympiodorus

14

Against Onetor 1

14

Against Onetor 2

4

Against Pantaenetus

23

Against Phaenippus

16

Against Phormio

18

Against Spudias

17

Against Theocrines

38

Against Timocrates

68

Against Zenothemis

5

Against Callipus

7

Against Nicostratus

4

Against Polycles

14

Against Timotheus

7

For Phormio

35

On the Crown

109

On the False Embassy

158

On The Trierarchic Crown

2

Against Meidias

75

Against Stephanus 2

16

Against Stephanus 1

45

Dinarchus – Against Aristogiton

4

Against Demosthenes

37

Against Philocles

4

Hyperides – Against Athenogenes

5

Against Demosthenes

3

Against Philippides

4

In Defence of Euxenippus

7

In Defence of Lycophron

5

Isaeus – On the Estate of Dicaeogenes

6

On the Estate of Hagnias

20

On the Estate of Menecles

9

On the Estate of Philoctemon

14

Isocrates – On the Teams of Horses

1

Trapeziticus

8

Against Callimachus

6

Aegineticus

3

Against Lochites

2

Against Euthynus

---

Lycurgus – Against Leocrates

60

Lysias – Accusation of Calumny

2

Against Agoratus

23

Against Alcibiades 1

5

Against Alcibiades 2

2

Against Andocides

12

Against Diogeiton

2

Against Epicrates and his Fellow-envoys

5

Against Eratosthenes

18

Against Ergocles

1

Against Nicomachus

11

Against Pancleon

5

Against Philocrates

---

Against Philon

8

Against Simon

3

Against The Corn-Dealer

5

Against The Subversion of the Ancestral Constitution

---

Against Theomnestus 1

13

Against Theomnestus 2

6

Defence Against a Charge of Subverting the Democracy

2

Defence Against A Charge Of Taking Bribes

5

Defence in the Matter of the Olive Stump

2

For Callias

---

For Polystratus

6

For The Soldier

3

In Defence of Mantitheus

6

On A Wound By Premeditation

3

On the Confiscation of the Property Of The Brother Of Nicias

4

On the Murder of Eratosthenes

12

On the Property of Aristophanes

24

On The Property Of Eraton

5

On The Refusal Of A Pension

2

On the Scrutiny of Evandros

3

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Published Online: 2021-11-13
Published in Print: 2021-11-11

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