Poet and Orator

This insightful volume, Poet and Orator, explores the interplay between drama and rhetoric in shaping public discourse in ancient Athens.

This multiauthored volume, Poet and Orator, brings into sharper focus the significance of drama and oratory as vital mediums for public inquiry and critique. It aims to shed light on the unified intentions of both the dramatist and the orator in fostering conditions conducive to internal stability within democratic Athens. Readers are invited to engage with these ideas, exploring the profound connection between oratorical skill and dramatic artistry.

Poet and Orator features a collection of studies from renowned classicists and insightful younger Hellenists. This work is part of a broader effort to understand the influence of formalized speech and rhetorical craftsmanship on Attic drama, emphasizing its moral and educational roles in the Athenian city-state. The collaboration of poets and orators is analyzed, revealing how both crafts deepen the central tensions of their works and expand their themes by employing the art of rhetoric.

Through a meticulous examination of events, both poet and orator evaluate the past while establishing standards or ideologies. This collection not only highlights the artistic interplay between drama and oratory but also encourages readers to appreciate the enduring impact of these forms of expression in shaping public discourse in ancient Athens.