The History of Oratory
THE BEGINNINGS
ANCIENT GREEK AND ROMAN ORATORY
These notes are only intended to give a Sense of Perspective to those early
examples of Greek and Roman Oratory which may be studied.
Called by the Ancients THE ART OF ARTS Oratory's beginnings are remote - probably prehistoric.
1 PRIMEVAL EMPIRES
The speech of leaders of men
accompanied movements in war and
public acts in peace.
2 EARLY GREEKS
As soon as literature catches and
records the events of the social and
political state, oratory appears as part
of MILITARY and CIVIC affairs.
Homer's Iliad - the greatest hero is
the most eloquent orator.
Out of the early exchanges in Greek
drama. longer addresses by key
characters to the audience developed
until dramatic oratory predominated.
With the advance of civil government
and establishment of Courts of
Justice citizens were instructed how
to urge claim before the courts. Corax
(5th century BC) established
Principles of Forensic Oratory (legal
oratory) which have been the basis of
all modern forensic speeches.
3 FORENSIC ORATORY
Oratory relating to legal matters had a
definite structure, which influenced
the way in which many speeches
were presented These principles were
first established by a Greek 'lawyer'
called Corax and were outlined as
follows:
CORAX'S PRINCIPLES OF LEGAL
ORATORY
1. The Proem or opening address
creating the right mood. introducing
the general outlines
2. The statement of the facts in the case
3. The argument or inferences made
from the facts
4. Tying up all the loose ends.
5. The Peroration or persuasive and
convincing close to the- speech.
4 A COMPANY OF ORATORS
"The Attic Ten"
With the growth of legal disputes
professional speechmakers formed
themselves into schools.
There developed also a company of
Orators known as the Attic Ten who
brought the art of Oratory to its
highest pitch. A pupil of a key
member of this group became the
most outstanding orator of his time; a
man whose style strongly influenced
oratory for countless years ...
Demosthenes.
5 DEMOSTHENES
(5th Century BC)
Of this base and infamous conspiracy and
profligacy - or rather 0 Athenians, if I am to
speak in earnest, of this be-- trayal of
Grecian liberty - Athens is by all mankind
acquitted, owing to my counsels; and. 1
am acquitted by you. Then do you ask me,
Eschines, for what merit I claim to be
honored? 1 will tell you. Because, while all
the statesmen in Greece, beginning with
yourselves, have been corrupted for-merly by Philip and now by Alexander, me
neither opportunity nor fair speeches, nor
large promises, nor hope, nor fear, nor
anything else, could tempt or induce to
betray aught that I considered just and
beneficial to my country. Whatever 1 have
advised my fellow citizens, I have never
advised like you men, leaning as in a
balance to the side of profit; all my
proceedings have been those of a soul
upright, honest, and incorrupt; entrusted
with affairs of greater magnitude than any
of my contemporaries, I have administered
them all honestly and faithfully. Therefore
do I claim to be honoured.
6 ARISTOTLE
Developed oratory in order to
prosecute trustees of an inherited
estate who had defrauded him.
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Saw patriotism as a moral
basis of his oratory.
Always carefully prepared his
speeches beforehand.
Believed in a concise, brief and
forcible style.
Believed in varying liveliness
with dignity.
Stated that one should never
lose sight of the subject and of
the single purpose in talking
about it.
One must adapt one's speech
to the occasion.
Constructed a system of science of
public speaking based on the best
examples of distinguished oratory. His
treatise on oratory, though not
adapted to modern readers,
anticipated most writings on the art of
Oratory from his own time to our own.
7 THE ROMAN ORATORS
Marcus Cicero was the greatest
Roman orator of his time and one
who helped to shape the style and
structure of modern oratory.
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excellence in oratory belongs
to no single style exclusively
adaptation to the requirements
of the audience and the
occasion is of extreme
importance
a flexible an d varying
treatment of the subject is
important. Thus one must
define, expand, repeat,
anticipate objections, plead,,
speak forcefully, attack.
a rich vocabulary using a wide
range of synonyms, harmony
of dictiong poetic imagination,
solid argument, and sure
rhythmic sense
What follows is a selected historical overview which outlines the
development of observable influences on the style of oratory that would
be of relevance to classroom work.
Oratory was originally synonymous with Rhetoric.
Aristotle defined them both as being concerned with the Art of Persuasion.
ORATORY became mainly
concerned with the area of
oral exhortation.
RHETORIC expanded to include all forms of
literary expressions.
Western cultures, influenced
by classical Greek and
Roman traditions developed
the use of oratory to
significant importance in:
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the political arena
the dissemination of
religion (through
preaching)
the legal world
Oratory has not developed as a cultural or
political medium in Eastern countries partly
because religion has promoted passivity
and calm acceptance of things. Similarly,
the absence of large literate audiences for
an orator to appeal to has not advanced its
development.
Example - especially as in passive
resistance practised, rather than oral
exhortation.
MORE RECENT TRENDS
18th Political and legal oratory became quite pompous because it was
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addressed to an elitist upper class, small in number, who were well
educated in the classical traditions. As a result, it contained a profusion
of allusions to Greek and Latin literature. Edmund Burke is regarded as
the best example of an 18th C. English political orator, and the worst
examples rich in grandiloquence come from Lord Chatham - it was
turgid and more concerned with creating an impression of balance and
articulation rather than presenting any clear and accurate argument.
19th A new forcefulness, and emotional appeal- were brought into the style
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of oratory by an upsurge in preaching, especially through the rise of
Methodism and Puritanism and the evangelical revival, and it reached
out to a far wider audience. Political and forensic oratory also adopted
this more popular style that included a much larger audience who were
not steeped in any classical background. Biblical allusions and
quotations replaced those taken from Greek and Latin. By the end of
the century, A radical tradition of oratory which used popular catch
phrases was developing.
20th In the early part of the century the radical style became widespread C
David Lloyd George produced many of England's most brilliant
examples. The subsequent decline of oratory was influenced by the,
development of broadcasting which meant that the grand, flamboyant,
declamatory style was abandoned, being replaced by the more
personal, intimate "fireside" approach as used by TV. Some would also
maintain that the rise of 'demagogic' orators, such as Hitler, also
influenced its decline as their 'frenzied, psychopathological appeal to
the baser instincts of their audience' which was intended to inspire both
confidence and action. The speeches of Sir Winston Churchill and
President Roosevelt - while differing in style are good modern
examples.
You ask, what is our aim?' I can answer in one word: It is victory, victory at all costs, victory in
spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be; for without victory there is
no survival. Let that be realized; no survival for the British Empire, no survival for all that the
British Empire has stood for, no survival for the urge and impulse of the ages, that mankind
will move forward toward its goal. But I take up my tank with buoyancy and hope. I feel sure
that our cause will not be suffered to fail among men. At this time I feel entitled to claim the
aid of all, and I say, " Come then, let us go forward together with our united strength!'
-Winston Churchill - Hansard (1940)