Cicero rhetor: Die Partitiones oratoriae und das Konzept des gelehrten Politikers (Untersuchungen zur antiken Literatur und Geschichte, 68)

by Alexander H. Arweiler

This fundamentally new interpretation of the Partitiones oratoriae shows the small dialogue to be a demanding compendium of the whole system of rhetorical doctrine and places it at the centre of a specifically Ciceronian concept of rhetoric. By drawing upon Cicero's other philosophical and rhetorical works, the author reveals the political Cicero's learned writings present criteria for the selection of suitable politicians, to whom powers of decision-making should only be given after they have proved themselves to have studied and to possess methodical abilities. Thus Cicero's work as a writer after his exile cannot sensibly be separated from his political activity.

339 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003