The Three Genres of Oratory
Aristotle argued that every speech is one of three kinds: a courtroom accusation, a piece of political advice, or a ceremonial tribute.
In his 'Rhetoric,' Aristotle (4th c. BCE) sorted all public speaking into three genres. Judicial (forensic) oratory belongs to the law court, arguing about past acts to establish justice. Deliberative oratory belongs to the assembly, advising on future action and what will benefit the city. Epideictic oratory belongs to ceremonies, offering praise or blame. Each genre, in Aristotle's scheme, has its own audience, its own slice of time, and its own goal. The classification went on to anchor rhetorical education from the Greek schools through Rome and into the medieval and Renaissance curriculum.
How it traveled
- ExordiaAthens · -349explains
- Against TimarchusAthens · -346explains
- On the False EmbassyAthens · -343explains
- On the EmbassyAthens · -343explains
- AntidosisAthens · -338explains
- RhetoricChalcis · -335explains
- On the CrownAthens · -330explains
- Against MeidiasAthens · -322explains
- Divisiones AristoteleaeChalcis · -322explains
- De InventioneFormiae · -84explains
- In C. VerremFormiae · -70explains
- Pro A. CluentioFormiae · -66explains
- On OratoryFormiae · -55explains
- OratorFormiae · -46explains
- De Optimo Genere OratorumFormiae · -46explains
- Partitiones OratoriaeFormiae · -43explains
- Institutio OratoriaRome · 95explains
- Vitae decem oratorumChaeronea · 120explains
- Adversus MathematicosAlexandria · 190explains
- In Aristotelis artem rhetoricam commentarium—explains
- Περὶ ἰδεῶν λόγου—explains
- Ars Rhetorica—explains
- Περὶ ἐπιδεικτικῶνLaodicea on the Lycusexplains
- De Demosthenis dictioneRomeexplains
- Ars Rhetorica [attributed]Smyrnaexplains
- Historical LibrarySyracuse (Sicily)explains
- De LysiaRomeexplains
- Scholia in Iliadem—explains
- De IsocrateRomeexplains
- Διαίρεσις τῶν ἐπιδεικτικῶνLaodicea on the Lycusexplains
- Περὶ μεθόδου δεινότητος [Sp.]—explains
Key passages(20)
In Aristotelis artem rhetoricam commentarium · Anonymi in Aristotelis Artem Rhetoricam
In Aristotelis artem rhetoricam commentarium · Anonymi in Aristotelis Artem Rhetoricam
In Aristotelis artem rhetoricam commentarium · Anonymi in Aristotelis Artem Rhetoricam
Ars Rhetorica [attributed] · Aelius Aristides
Ars Rhetorica [attributed] · Aelius Aristides
Hence, although the method of deliberative and forensic Rhetoric is the same, and although the pursuit of the former is nobler and more worthy of a statesman than that of the latter, which is limited
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The kinds of Rhetoric are three in number, corresponding to the three kinds of hearers. For every speech is composed of three parts: the speaker, the subject of which he treats, and the person to whom
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Therefore there are necessarily three kinds of rhetorical speeches, deliberative, forensic, and epideictic. The deliberative kind is either hortatory or dissuasive; for both those who give advice in p
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Further, to each of these a special time is appropriate: to the deliberative the future, for the speaker, whether he exhorts or dissuades, always advises about things to come; to the forensic the past
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Each of the three kinds has a different special end, and as there are three kinds of Rhetoric, so there are three special ends. The end of the deliberative speaker Is the expedient or harmful; for he
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A sign that what I have stated is the end which each has in view is the fact that sometimes the speakers will not dispute about the other points. For example, a man on trial does not always deny that
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Speaking generally, of the topics common to all rhetorical arguments, amplification is most suitable for epideictic speakers, whose subject is actions which are not disputed, so that all that remains
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The deliberative style is exactly like a rough sketch, for the greater the crowd, the further off is the point of view; wherefore in both too much refinement is a superfluity and even a disadvantage.
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Deliberative speaking is more difficult than forensic, and naturally so, because it has to do with the future; whereas forensic speaking has to do with the past, which is already known, even by divine
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Fragmenta Logica et Physica · Chrysippus
De Optimo Genere Oratorum · Cicero