6533b860fe1ef96bd12c387d

RESEARCH PRODUCT

L'irosa eloquenza delle strumae

Valentina Bonsangue

subject

Power (social and political)Linguistics and LanguagePersuasionEnthymemeReading (process)media_common.quotation_subjectPhilosophyLawLanguage and LinguisticsEpistemologymedia_commonCicero

description

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate how Cicero in his in Vatinium employs the iconic power of the body of the accused, Vatinius, and its repulsive strumae as a logical tool to support his persuasion strategy, thereby creating an enthymeme based upon the premises provided by the features of the body. This way of reasoning rests upon a strongly oriented and often distorting reading of the physical characteristics of the body in accordance with the physiognomic and pathognomonic doctrines. As a result, the de-formities of Vatinius's body, instead of being used to commend Vatinius, become important elements in Cicero's strategy of belittling his opponent's authority.

https://doi.org/10.1525/rh.2013.31.1.58