to democratic sentiments (01. 78, 3. b.c. 466), and by the complicated
transactions which sprung up from the renewal of private claims long
suppressed by the tyrants.[1] At this time Corax, who had been highly
esteemed by the tyrant Hiero, came forward in a conspicuous manner,
both as a public orator and as a pleader in the law courts ;[2] his great
practice led him to consider more accurately the principles of his art ;
and at last it occurred to him to -write a book on the subject;[3] this book,
like the innumerable treatises which succeeded it, was called (
Greek characters), " the art of rhetoric," or simply (Greek characters), " the art." Although
this work might have been very circumscribed in its plan, and not very
comprehensive in its treatment of the subject, it is nevertheless worthy
of notice as the first of its kind, not only among the Greeks, but
perhaps also in the whole world. For this (Greek characters) of Corax was not
merely the first attempt at a theory of rhetoric, but also the first theoretical book on any branch of art;[4] and it is highly remarkable that
while ancient poetry was transmitted through so many generations by
nothing but practice and oral instruction, its younger sister began at once
with establishing itself in the form of a theory, and as such communicating itself to all who were desirous of learning its principles. All that we
know of this t£%v7) is that it laid down a regular form and regular
divisions for the oration ; above all, it was to begin with a distinct
prooemium, calculated to put the hearers in a favourable train, and to
conciliate their good will at the very opening of the speech.[5]
§ 4. Tisias was first a pupil and afterwards a rival of Corax ; he was also know 7 n not only as an orator, but also as the author of a (Greek characters) Gorgias, again, was the pupil of Tisias, and followed closely in his steps : according to one account,[6] Tisias was a colleague of Gorgias in the
embassy from Leontini mentioned above, though the pupil was at that time infinitely more celebrated than his master. With Gorgias this artificial rhetoric obtained more fame and glory than fell to the share
- ↑ Cic, Brut. XII., 40 (after Aristotle): cum sublatis in Sicilia tyrannis res privatæ longo intervallo judiciis repeterentur. Aristotle is also the authority for the statement in the scholia on Hermogenes, in Reiske's Oratores Attici. T. Till. p. 196. Comp. Montfaucon, Biblloth. Coislin., p. 592.
- ↑ Or as a composer of speeches for others, for it is doubtful whether there was an establishment of patroni and causidici at Syracuse, as at Rome; or whether every one was compelled to plead his own cause, as at Athens, in which case he was always able to get his speech made for him by some professe rhetorician.
- ↑ This is also mentioned by Aristotle, who wrote a history of rhetoric down to his own time, which is now lost : besides the passages referred to above, he mentions the (
Greek characters) of Corax in his Rhetor. II., 24.
- ↑ The old architectural treatises on particular buildings, such as that of Theodoras of Samos on the temple of Juno in that island, and those of Chersiphron and Metagenes on the temple of Diana at Ephesus, were probably only tables of calculations and measurements.
- ↑ These introductions were called (Greek characters)
- ↑ See Pausim. VI., 17, 18. Diodorus, the principal authority, makes no mention of Tisias, XL, 53.
