Ancient declamation—the practice of delivering speeches on the basis of
fictitious scenarios—defies easy categorization. It stands at the crossroads
of several modern disciplines. It is only within the past few decades
that the full complexity of declamation, and the promise inherent in its
study, have come to be recognized. This volume, which contains thirteen
essays from an international team of scholars, engages with the multidisciplinary nature of declamation, focusing in particular on the various
interactions in declamation between rhetoric, literature, law, and ethics.
Contributions pursue a range of topics, but also complement each other.
Separate essays by Brescia, Lentano, and Lupi explore social roles—their
tensions and expectations—as defined through declamation. With similar
emphasis on historical circumstances, Quiroga Puertas and Tomassi consider
the adaptation of rhetorical material to frame contemporary realities.
Schwartz draws attention to the sometimes hazy borderline between
declamation and the courtroom. The relationship between laws and declamation, a topic of abiding importance, is examined in studies by Berti,
Breij, and Johansson. Also with an eye to the complex interaction between
laws and declamation, Pasetti offers a narratological analysis of
cases of poisoning. Citti discovers the concept of natural law represented
in declamatory material. While looking at a case of extreme cruelty,
Huelsenbeck evaluates the nature of declamatory language, emphasizing
its use as an integral instrument of performance events. Zinsmaier looks
at discourse on the topic of torture in rhetorical and legal contexts.
E. Amato, F. Citti, B. Huelsenbeck (éd.), Law and Ethics in Greek and Roman Declamation, Berlin-Boston, W. de Gruyter (coll. « Law & Literature », 10), 2015, VI + 336 p., ISBN 978-3-11-040188-2.
