The Speeches of Scipio Africanus in the Third Decade of Livy's Ab Urbe Condita

Abstract

The Introduction includes a review of the salient literature. This shows that many of the studies amount to an unimaginative treatment; little attention has been paid to the psychagogic aspects and their influence. The study starts from this point vis-a-vis Quintilian's judgment, cum personis tum rebus accommodata sunt (X.l.lOl). Chapter 1 outlines the applicable tradition of rhetoric. The starting-point is docere (didactic) and delectare (epideictic). Emphasis is put on the Hellenistic doctrines Livy inherited from Cicero. The elements traced are the individual's position in historiography, the didactic moral aspects underlying form and presentation, the concept of suitability, and the influence of epideictic. Polybius' relevant programme for political historiography (11.56.1 0) is considered vis-a-vis "tragic" history. Livy' s germane attitudes are then culled from Cicero's synthesized canons. Chapter 2 is a discussion of the sources for the speeches. The approach adopted is that Livy's "epic" techniques of characterization can be assessed only if it is established for which of the speeches Polybius was the indisputable primary source. The structural allocation of the speeches is considered in Chapter 3. Attention is given to Scipio's position at the centre of the decade and to Hellenistic techniques of presentation (accelerating or retarding the action, increasing the tension, intensifying the psychagogy). The findings are assessed against Quintilian's judgment (X.l.lOl ). Chapter 4 is a detailed discussion of the major speeches. Livy's vivid characterization of Scipio is considered· in the light of the underlying psychagogy, as set off against the formal rhetorical background (the genera causarum, the genera dicendi, the various topoi, and the technical formulation of the linguistic elements). The lively total portrayal is favourably assessed against Quintilian's judgment (X.l.1 01 ). Livy's and Polybius' respective presentations of Scipio in the relevant speeches (Liv. XXVIII.27 -29 = Pol. XI.28-29; Liv. XXX.30 = Pol. XV.6-7. Liv. XXX.31 = Pol. XV.8) are analysed in Chapter 5. Especial attention is given to the differences of portrayal based on general programmatical divergences in the outlook of the two historians (the moral element as against the political, the oratorical style as against the plain). The palm goes to Livy for his tnore vivid, itnpressive, and specifically Roman portrait. Chapter 6 embodies the conclusions. The portrait is reviewed against the background of Livy's conception of historiography, the position allotted to the speeches, the portrayal they embody, and the use made of Polybius. The effect of the salient features in the framework of the whole study - history as an oratorical concept having a moral value; the arresting allocation of the speeches; the disposition of the topoi, the influence of the rhetoric and psychagogy; the effect of the source-divergences - is related to the overall presentation, which is then briefly vindicated.

Die Inleiding gee 'n oorsig van die belangrikste literatuur wat aandui dat baie van die studies op 'n verbeeldinglose behandeling neerkom. Min aandag is aan die invloed van die psygagosiese aspek gewy. Die studie neem 'n aanvang met hierdie punt, met inagneming van Quintilianus se oordeel cum personis tum rebus accommodata sunt (X.l.l 01 ). Hoofstuk 1 omlyn die relevante retoriese tradisie. Die begrippe docere (didaktiek) en delectare (die epideiktiese) dien as uitgangspunt. Die invloed van die Hellenistiese leerstellinge wat Livius van Cicero geerf het, word beklemtoon. Die volgende elemente word nagespoor: die posisie van die indiwidu in die geskiedskrywing, die didakties-morele aspekte wat vorm en aanbieding ten grondslag le, die toepaslikheidsbegrip en die invloed van die epideiktiek. Polubios se relevante program vir die politieke geskiedskrywing (11.56.1 0) word teenoor die "tragiese" geskiedskrywing behandel. Daarna word Livius se toepaslike houdinge uit Cicero se "kanon" opgevang. Hoofstuk 2 is 'n bespreking van die bronne van die toesprake. Die uitgangspunt is hier dat Livius se "epiese" karakteriseringstegnieke beoordeel kan word slegs indien daar vasgestel is vir watter toesprake Polubios die ontwisbare primere bron is. Die strukturele plasing van die toesprake word in Hoofstuk 3 behandel. Aandag word aan Scipio se posisie in die middelpunt van die dekade gewy en aan Hellenistiese aanbiedingstegnieke ( versnelling of vertraging van die aksie, verhoging van die spanning, intensifisering van die psygagogie ). Die bevindinge word opgeweeg teen Quintilianus se oordeel in X.l.l 0 1. Hoofstuk 4 is 'n bespreking van die belangrikste toesprake. Livius se lewendige uitbeelding van Scipio word in die lig van die onderliggende psygagogie oorweeg teenoor die formele retoriese agtergrond (die genera causarum, die genera dicendi, die verskillende to poi, en die tegniese formulering van die taal-elemente ). Die lewendige geheel-uitbeelding word gunstig gemeet aan Quintilianus se oordeel in X.l.lOl. Livius en Polubios se onderskeie aanbiedinge van Scipio in die relevante toesprake (Liv. XXVIII.27-29 = Pol. XI. 28-29; Liv. XXX.30 = Pol. XV.6-7. Liv. XXX.31 = Pol. XV.8), word in Hoofstuk 5 ontleed. Aandag word veral gewy aan die verskille in aanbieding wat op algemene programmatiese afwykings in die benadering van die twee geskiedskrywers gebaseer is (die morele teenoor die politieke, die oratoriese styl teenoor die eenvoudige ). Livius verdien die louere weens sy lewendiger, indrukwekkender en meer spesifiek Romeinse uitbeelding. Hoofstuk 6 bevat die gevolgtrekkings. Die portret word in oenskou geneem teenoor die agtergrond van Livius se opvatting van geskiedskrywing, die posisie wat aan die toesprake toegewys word, die uitbeelding wat hulle bevat, en die gebruik wat van Polubios gemaak word. Die effek van die belangrikste kenmerke teen die raamwerk van die hele studie - die geskiedskrywing as 'n oratoriese begrip met 'n sedelike strekking; die opvallende plasing van die toesprake; die plasing van die topoi, die invloed van die retoriek en die psygagogie; die implikasies van die bronneafwykings - word met die algemene uitbeelding in verband gebring en lg. word dan kortliks geregverdig.