Chapter CLIX

Read the twenty-one _Orations_ and nine _Letters_ of Isocrates.[652] His “deliberative”[653] speeches are those _To Demonicus_ and _To Nicocles_, containing useful advice; a second to Nicocles, and one _On the Peace_. The object of the _Panegyricus_ is the consideration of the means of ensuring harmony amongst the Greeks themselves, and of the best methods for carrying on war against the barbarians, but by far the greater part is devoted to a glorification of the Athenians. The _Areopagiticus_ is also one of the “deliberative” speeches, inciting the Athenians to virtue by the praise of their ancestors, and by censuring their descendants. The _Plataicus_ and the _Archidamus_ are also “deliberative”; in the latter he urges the Spartans to make war against the Thebans on the question of the Messenians. In the oration _Against the Sophists_ he attacks his political opponents. The next speech is an _Encomium of Busiris_,[654] as the title indicates. The eleventh is an _Encomium of Helen_. The twelfth, _Evagoras_,[655] is a eulogy of that king, dedicated to his son Nicocles. The _Philippus_ is a “deliberative” speech, recommending Philip to endeavour to promote harmony amongst the Greeks and devote his attention to a united advance against the barbarians in Asia. The _Panathenaicus_ is a eulogy of Athens and the ancestors of the Athenians, which he says he began to write when he was ninety-four years of age, but was prevented by a three-years’ severe attack of illness from completing it until he was ninety-seven. The speech called _Antidosis_ (exchange of properties) appears to belong to the class of “forensic” speeches and contains a defence against the slanders of one Lysimachus against him. This speech, the longest of those of this class, was composed when he was eighty-two years of age, and the matter is more mixed and varied than that of the rest; he inserts extracts from his other speeches, in order to show that he is not corrupting the young men, but promoting the common welfare. The speech _Against Callimachus_, as also the _Aegineticus_ (dealing with a claim to inheritance), the speech _Against Euthynus_ on behalf of Nicias, the _Trapeziticus_ (an action against a banker), and _Against Lochites_ (a claim for damages for outrage and assault) are also “forensic.” These are the twenty-one orations of Isocrates that we have read. Of his nine _Letters_, one is addressed to Dionysius the tyrant of Sicily, another to Archidamus, two to Philip, one to Alexander, one to Antipater, one to Timotheus, and the ninth to the Archons of Mytilene.[656]

This writer preferred to give instruction in rhetoric rather than take part in the management of public affairs, like the other nine orators, of whom Demosthenes was one; although even before their time he had a great reputation as a rhetorician, and, later, was in no way considered their inferior. His chief characteristics, as at once becomes obvious to the reader, are purity and distinctness, and excessive care in the workmanship of his speeches, which frequently degenerates into superfluous orderliness and over-elaboration. His infinite capacity for taking pains generates want of taste rather than of resourcefulness in argument. He lacks impressiveness,[657] sincerity, and liveliness,[658] but in his political orations he makes admirable use of dignity and perspicuity in equal proportions. His style is feeble, and the use of evenly-balanced clauses _ad nauseam_, as much as anything else, shows his excessive attention to petty detail. But we acknowledge the general excellence of his language, and only make these criticisms to point out where it has gone astray and does not do justice to itself. For, in comparison with some of those who undertake to compose speeches, even his faults appear virtues.