Isocrates

Greek orator and prose writer, born in Athens, Greece. In his youth, he joined the circle of Socrates, but abandoned philosophy for speech writing. He then became an influential teacher of oratory (c.390 BC), and presented rhetoric as an essential foundation of education.

Isocrates (436–338 BC), Greek rhetorician, was one of the ten Attic orators. In his time, he was probably the most influential rhetorician in Greece and made many contributions to rhetoric and education through his teaching and written works.

Greek rhetoric is commonly traced to Corax of Syracuse, who first formulated a set of rhetorical rules in the fifth century BC. His pupil, Tisias, was influential in the development of the rhetoric of the courtroom, and by some accounts was the teacher of Isocrates.

The demand for rhetorical training was so high that a number of philosophers and teachers set up their own schools to train orators.

Isocrates was born to a wealthy family--his father owned a successful flute factory--and received a fine education.

Isocrates' professional career is said to have begun as a logographer, or a hired courtroom speech writer. Around 392 BC he set up his own school of rhetoric, and proved to be not only an influential teacher, but a shrewd businessman.

Isocrates' program of rhetorical education stressed the ability to use language to address practical problems, cases where absolute truth was not obtainable. He considered natural ability and practice to be more important than rules or principles of rhetoric. Rather than delineating static rules, Isocrates stressed "fitness for the occasion," or kairos--the rhetor's ability to adapt to changing circumstances and situations.

Because of Plato's attacks on the Sophists, Isocrates' school of rhetoric and philosophy came to be viewed as unethical and deceitful. Isocrates saw the ideal orator as someone who must not only possess rhetorical gifts, but possess also a wide knowledge of philosophy, science, and the arts.

On the art of rhetoric, he was also an innovator. Like most rhetoricians, he saw rhetoric as a method of clarifying the truth, rather than one of obscuring it.

Of the 60 orations in his name available in Roman times, 21 were transmitted by ancient and medieval scribes. In addition to the orations, other works include his autobiographical Antidosis and educational texts, such as Against the Sophists.