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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Articles in the same Issue
- Titelseiten
- Intertextuality in Early Greek Poetry: The Special Case of Epinician
- Classicising ‘Pindar’: Quotation, Canonisation and Early Reception
- A Triangle in the Law-court: Speakers-Opponents-Audiences and the Use of the Imperative
- New Epistomia from Eleutherna
- Porphyry and ancient scholarship on Iliad 10.252–253: Edition, translation and discussion
- List of Contributors
Articles in the same Issue
- Titelseiten
- Intertextuality in Early Greek Poetry: The Special Case of Epinician
- Classicising ‘Pindar’: Quotation, Canonisation and Early Reception
- A Triangle in the Law-court: Speakers-Opponents-Audiences and the Use of the Imperative
- New Epistomia from Eleutherna
- Porphyry and ancient scholarship on Iliad 10.252–253: Edition, translation and discussion
- List of Contributors