Published online: 23 January 2012. Many of these journals are the leading academic publications in their fields and together they form one of the most valuable and comprehensive bodies of research available today. Web(4th cent. (28) Fire-beacons again he devised, but he intended to make them for our detriment and as something useful to the enemy. Alcidamas 0000021646 00000 n David Butterfield. [16] When one becomes accustomed to slow and meticulous composition, with extreme care rhythmically connecting phrases, perfecting style with slow excogitation, it inevitably follows that, when he essays extemporaneous speech to which he is unaccustomed, he is mentally embarrassed and confused; in every respect he makes an unfavorable impression, and differs not a wit from the voiceless, and through lack of ready presence of mind is quite unable to handle his material fluently and winningly. Pupil of Gorgias, rival of Isocrates, and teacher of Aeschines, (20) Furthermore, in extemporaneous speaking forgetting involves no disgrace, since the flow of speech runs smoothly on, as the fixed and precise order of the words is not essential; if the speaker forgets a topic he can easily pass it by, and proceed to the next in order, and so avoid embarrassment; later on, if the omitted topic is recalled, it can then be easily elucidated. And, since part of the speech is delivered after careful preparation, and part is spoken at random, a confused and discordant style results. On hearing this Aleos quickly came home and appointed his daughter as a priestess of Athena, telling her that, if she ever had intercourse with a man, she would be put to death. Alcidamas Messenian (see Aristotle, Rhetoric 1373 b18 and 1397 a11 with the Scholia) is thought to have been not a delivered speech but a book, like Isocrates Archidamus. And, as chance would have it, Herakles arrived on his expedition against Augeas going towards Elis, and (15) Aleos gave him hospitality in the temple of Athena. alcidamas communicative and cultural change. (8) The analogy holds true in speeches, namely, that the master of extempore speaking, if given time and leisure for the written word, will excel at it, but it is evident that the practised writer when he turns to extemporaneous speaking will suffer mental embarrassment, distraction, and confusion. Secondly, I am myself employing the written word, not because I especially pride myself in it, but so that I may reveal to those who plume themselves on their ability to write that with a trivial expenditure of effort I myself shall be able to eclipse and destroy their discourses. 3) criticizes his writings as characterized by pomposity of style and an extravagant use of poetical epithets and compounds and far-fetched metaphors. This man knows about the opposite of all this, helping enemies and doing ill to friends.
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