The Second Sophistic warwick第二智者华威.ac.uk.pptVIP

Ekphrasis in the Second Sophistic Philostratus, Lives of the Sophists (1.481 on name) ? ‘Ancient sophistic…discoursed on courage , on justice, on the heroes and gods and how the universe has been fashioned into its present shape. But the sophistic that followed it, which we must not call ‘new’ for it is old, but rather ‘second’, sketched the types of the poor man and the rich, of princes and tyrants, and handled arguments that are concerned with definite and special themes for which history showed the way.’ What is a sophist? Bowersock 1969: 13, ‘a virtuoso rhetor with a big public reputation’. Teacher of rhetoric Public orator, esp of epideictic rhetoric on themes taken from the past Often also wealthy, important citizens in home or adopted cities. Some famous sophists VS 1.8 Favorinus of Gaul VS 1.25: Polemon of Smyrna (born at Laodicea in Caria) VS 2.1 Herodes Atticus (of Athens) VS 2.23 Damianus of Ephesus Some Second Sophistic writers Lucian Pausanias, Guide to Greece Philostratus – Lives of the Sophists Life of Apollonius of Tyana Imagines Gymnasticus Heroicus Writers of Novels – eg Achilles Tatius Ekphrasis in Rhetorical Handbooks Theon, Progymnasmata 118-119 ‘Ecphrasis is a descriptive account which brings what is illustrated vividly (enargos) before one’s sight…the virtues of ecphrasis are in particular clarity and vividness, such that one can almost see what is narrated’ Topics for ecphrasis: persons, circumstances, places, periods Theon: customs Hermogenes: crises Aphthonius: animals and plants Nicolaos: statues and paintings Key Themes Enargeia (vividness) Mimesis Deceptions of Art Connoisseurship Allegory and need for interpretation Rivalry of Words and Images Mimesis and Enargeia Pliny, NH 35.65 Zeuxis and Parrhasius entered into competition. Zeuxis exhibited a painting of some grapes so true to nature that birds flew up to the wall of the stage. Parrhasius exhibited a linen curtain which was painted with such realism that Zeuxis demanded