Search results for "Thucydide"
showing 10 items of 16 documents
Spiegare o mentire? Due vie della comunicazione politica in Tucidide
2021
Chosen as word of the year in 2016 by the Oxford Dictionaries, post-truth is a very recent neologism, spread on the wave of recent political events (particularly Brexit and Trump's election in 2016). What I would like to emphasise here is that post-truth, along with fake-news, refers to issues that are by no means new nor exclusively linked to modernity. I am referring in particular to the debate in ancient Greece on the relationship between truth and lies in political action and the relationship between 'fact' and the discourse that represents it (i.e. between ergon and logos).
Retorica e costruzione del consenso in Tucidide: il caso di Mitilene.
2016
In his account of the Peloponnesian war, Thucydides explicitly insists on some dilemmas linked to the wider matter of deliberative process: in particular, the relationship between nature, profit and justice, truth and lie, speech and action. The story of the uprising of Mytilene is particularly useful, intertwining the antilogy between the two speakers (Cleon and Diodotus) with the so-called metanoia: the Athenian deliberative rethinking puts on focus the complex problems of the building of consensus in the democratic decision-making processes. Here we examine only one point of the two rich and articulate speeches: the opportunity of discussing again what has been already decided in a corre…
Un mondo senza confini, un potere senza limiti. Temi e retoriche identitarie dell’«eccezionalismo» ateniese
2022
Partendo dalla categoria politica di “eccezionalismo”, che è stata utilizzata per descrivere la politica estera degli Stati Uniti, soprattutto nel XX secolo, questo paper propone una analisi comparata con la politica ateniese di V secolo, soprattutto durante il suo impero marittimo: in tale contesto la nozione di “eccezionalismo” sembra adatta per comprendere alcuni aspetti della sua politica e i rapporti tra “eccezionalismo” e democrazia. Starting with the political category of 'exceptionalism', which has been used to describe US foreign policy, especially in the 20th century, this paper proposes a comparative analysis with 5th century Athenian policy, especially during its maritime empire…
Tucidide e la psicologia di massa: alcune considerazioni
2012
The matter of the psychology in Thucydides has tormented the scholars. The purpose of the following paper is to consider the use of psychology in Thucydides. A series of psychological generalization found in the History shows that Thucydides’ interest was not involved in psychology and in behaviour, but in the rules of human behaviour. In front of unexpected events, the mass is not able to conserve a straight mind: swing of mood are one of its characteristics. In his History Thucydides ascribes a precise and determinate semantics to each one of the words that express psychological information. Here, in addition, one discovers a wealth of vocabulary expressing the notion of fear itself in al…
Le arringhe dei Generali alle truppe fra retorica e realtà
2010
Since war is the dominant subject matter in ancient Historiography, the general's speech to his men before battle is attested in almost all historians. The aim of the work was the study of the commander exhortations before the battle in Thucydides. Particular attention was devoted to the exhortations by two commanders during the Peloponnesian War: Brasidas, from Sparta, and Demosthenes, from Athens. The scope was to investigate what arguments they used in order to spurring the troops in the battle with audacity. Fact or Fiction? Thucydides had been a general himself. The speeches which he puts into generals' mouths before battle are not rhetorical invention. They keep as close as possible t…
Agamennone βουληφόρος? La sovranità alla prova del processo deliberativo
2022
Starting with the Iliad, Agamemnon is mostly depicted at the centre of dramatic deliberative situations. This feature is also present in fifth-century literature, particularly in some plays in which Agamemnon’s decision-making ability in uncertainty comes into tension with other characters in order to determine the ‘right’ decision and adequate leadership features. In this paper, I will focus on the Euripides’ play Iphigenia in Aulis (405 a.C.). In this tragedy the behaviour of the Achaean king draws our attention, as he is not equipped to handle his role and responsibilities. In the same years, also historiography is interested in the nature and risks of the deliberative process, as Thucyd…
Un dieu peut-il mourir ? Enquête sur la fin des cultes dans l’Antiquité gréco-romainedirigé par Karin Mackowiak et Christian Stein
2018
THE POWER OF THE FEW. THE IDEA OF OLIGARCHY IN THE THUCYDIDEAN WORLD.
2020
Intervenir à titre privé dans la diplomatie de sa cité : l'exemple de la paix de Nicias chez Thucydide
2013
Act on private basis in diplomacy of one’s own city. The example of Nicias’ peace in Thucydides. During the diplomatic exchanges related at the beginning of the fifth book, Thucydides shows two explicit private interventions using words connected with idia. First, two ephores, Cleoboulos and Xenares, make private propositions. Then, an Athenian, Alcibiades sends a private messenger. Whereas these two actions are unique in the fifth book, because Thucydides’ vocabulary is specific, some other citizens express opinions different from the majority decisions. Some of them act against the policy of their City. Self-interest may incite some citizens to participate in civic action, and the private…
Tucidide e il marchese de Norpois. Memoria, obbligazione politica e ingratitudine
2023
This paper proposes some reflections on the problem of political ingratitude in international relations, particularly in the context of an imminent or already ongoing war. Recalling past benefits brings memory into play and emphasises the expectation produced by these benefits and the importance attached to the political obligations that should result from them. After providing some insights from Homer, attention will focus on Thucydides. Among the numerous case studies offered by the Athenian historian, particular attention will be paid to the conflict between Corcyra and Corinth in Book I and the political use of memory and gratitude in the speeches delivered in Athens by the ambassadors …