"keys" to rhetoric

Background

• Both Orations in Athens.
• Defended themselves from accusers who would benefit from a guilty verdict.
• Undermined Authority of Accusers.
• Played key roles in deciding the future of Athens be it good or bad.
• Aeschines accused Ctesiphon and Meletus, Socrates.

Orations

• Both had dissolved respect and credibility of the accusers.
• Ctesphion was found innocent and Aeschines forced into exile.
• Demosthenes gained more political power and had charges dropped.
• Socrates gained more respect from followers and sowed doubt in accusers.
• Audience was against the orator at first but many or most changed decision.

Affect of Rhetoric

• Considered some of the greatest political pleas ever written.
• Illustrates the last great phase of political life in Athens.
• Shows the eloquence of Socrates.
• Helped "open the doors" to rhetoric and persuasive techniques.

Mental representation

• Use few visual images prefer other methods to get their point across.
• Socrates calls himself a creature of flesh and blood not wood and stone.
• Demosthenes pokes fun at Aeschines family and their lower reputation.
• Grinding the ink, sponging the benches, sweeping the room.
• Demosthenes compares the state to a steed who is tardy because of his size.

Ethos

• Socrates didnt use much ethos and he preferred to just tell the truth.
• Demosthenes uses emotional appeal to convince Athenians to his cause.
• Says he would rather see Athens struggle for freedom than live as slaves.
• Talks about Athens past struggles and how he had helped defend them.
• Socrates does talk about the Oracle at Delphi and his experience there.

Literary approach

• Demosthenes style was agonistic rather than epideictic. 
• Use antanaclasis Socrates with the gods and Demosthenes with Athens.
• Employ the use of rhetorical questions to state obvious answers.
• Antimetabole used by socrates. Reprove them as I reprove you.