How to Be a Virtuous Orator

Lies in Attic Forensic Oratory
21 aprile 2021
21 aprile 2021

The event will be held on Zoom platform, due to the Covid pandemic

Time: 16.00 - 18.00 h.

Description

Le vie del falso

In his work Institutio Oratoria, Quintilian deals with the art of oratory and the ideal speaker. Although he demands a high standard, Quintilian allows ‘his’ speaker to lie if certain conditions are met. This has irked modern critics.
Since Quintilian’s work is not only a teaching manual, but also deals with the history of rhetoric, I will ask about possible models for Quintilian’s approach to lying, taking the court speeches of Attic Oratory as an example. I will discuss both the explicit handling of accusations of lies in the Attic courts as well as the (supposed) actual lies by speakers.
The discussion shows the importance of character and passion for the plausibility process, and questions what, if anything, might be considered a ‘justified lie’. The boundaries between truth and lie turn out to be fluid and, upon closer inspection, often a matter of interpretation.

Keynote Speaker

Katharina Wojciech - Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg

Introduction: Elena Franchi

Registration

Registration is free but necessary

Online Registration is now open ENG - Le Iscrizioni online sono aperte ITA

Registrations will close on April 21 at 12.00 Noon

Scientific committee

Elena Franchi

 

Image: Jean-Léon Gérôme, Phryné devant l'Aréopage (1861)