A history of classical Greek literature / by J.P. Mahaffy.

John Pentland Mahaffy

Date:: 1910

Credit: A history of classical Greek literature / by J.P. Mahaffy. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$advice to Sparta and Athens, from the study of a sophist, to unite against Persia was not likely to sway public councils. The whole importance of the speech is in its splendid form, which was in fact not only far superior to any previous piece of prose, but has not been surpassed either in Greek or modern writ- ing. It is accordingly a monumental piece of work, and, as such, not only deserved the ten years which the author devoted to its composition, but the great attention ever since paid to it by the students of rhetoric. Minute criticism has discovered slight inconsistencies in the political attitude, owing to the long interval between the composition of various parts, and even to enlightened Athenians, not to say to modems, the citation of mythical friendships as a reason for modern alli- ances, and the distortion of history for panegyrical purposes, are defects which mar the enjoyment of the perfect form in which these trivialities or falsehoods are disposed. There is, moreover, an extreme equability of flow, a smoothness of dic- tion, a rounding of periods, which a modem orator would have varied with bolder figures of diction, with poetical quota- tions, or at least with that forcible terseness which was ad- mitted even in the stricter Attic prose writing. But, with all these reservations, the Panegyricus is still one of the masterpieces of prose, and has perhaps more constantly influenced careful writers in Greece, in Rome, and in the Renaissance, than any other harangue which could be named.* § 454. In advanced old age, when Isocrates had long seen the fruillessness of his endeavours to reconcile the leading states by persuasion, he found in the rise of Philip a practical hope of realising his ideas. He therefore addressed him the open letter entitled Philips calling upon him to insist upon peace among Swafifvovs aXXa koX iraph to7s &\\dis evrifnovs Syras, roffovrov S' oiroX*- \oi-Kev ri ir6\is i]ixu>v irepX rh (ppoveTy koX \4yeiv tovs &Wovs ayOpcirovs, ZcB' oi ravrris fiadTjTal twv &Wc»y SiSd(rKa\oi yeySyacri, Kal rh Twy '^Wijyuy oyoua ireirolr]Ke firiKeTi rod yeyovs aWd ttJs Siayolas SoKe7y efyat, Kal ftaWoy ^EWrjyas Ka\ei(r6ai rovs rrjs iraiSevaeus rrjs ^ robs r^s Koiyijs <p6ff€(as nerexoyras. ’ The oration on the Peace (after the Social War, 356 B.c.) is a similar practical exhortation to union among the Greeks, suggested by the circum- stances of the time.$

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