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A New Understanding of Sophistic Rhetoric University of South Florida Scholar Commons Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate School 2009 A new understanding of sophistic rhetoric: A translation, with commentary, of Mario Untersteiner's "Le origini sociali della sofistica" Elisabeth LoFaro University of South Florida Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd Part of the American Studies Commons Scholar Commons Citation LoFaro, Elisabeth, "A new understanding of sophistic rhetoric: A translation, with commentary, of Mario Untersteiner's "Le origini sociali della sofistica"" (2009). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/2068 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A New Understanding of Sophistic Rhetoric: A Translation, with Commentary, of Mario Untersteiner‘s ―Le origini sociali della sofistica‖ by Elisabeth LoFaro A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of English College of Arts and Sciences University of South Florida Major Professor: Phillip Sipiora, Ph.D. Meredith Zoetewey, Ph.D. Patrizia LaTrecchia, Ph.D. Fraser Ottanelli, Ph.D. Date of Approval: November 6, 2009 Keywords: sophistry, composition, democracy, social theory, sophists © Copyright 2009, Elisabeth LoFaro Dedication To my father who did not live to see this day but told me the last time I saw him to finish what I started and without whom I would have never spoken English in the first place. I know that he is watching over my shoulder as I write these words. I love you, dad. Thank you for trying your hardest to give me more than everything. Acknowledgements I want to thank Professor Phillip Sipiora. From the moment he picked me up at the airport ten years ago to when he helped me get my academic life back on track, I could not have asked for a better mentor. He is an inspiration and model who will always hold a sacred place in my mind and heart. Thanks also to my committee members: Professor Meredith Zoeteway for clarifying those parts of the process that no one else could; Professor Patrizia LaTrecchia for her support, direction, and guidance, as well as her invaluable suggestions; Professor Fraser Ottanelli for all the time he spent helping me translate the most convoluted Italian, as well as reminding me of my home country. I would also like to thank Professor Victor Peppard for always having a moment for me, being so energizing and supportive, and reconnecting me to my culture by allowing me to teach Italian for his department. I also want to thank my friends and colleagues for believing in and supporting me even when I did not. Special thanks to Professor Laura Runge for fighting to keep my assistantship and offering the most firm yet understanding support, Professor Rosalie Baum for providing the most amazing conversations and offering her encouragement throughout my graduate education, and Professor Deats for sharing her knowledge and being an inspiration. Thank you also to Professor Hippocrates Kantzios for helping me with the Greek terms, allowing me to sit in his Beginning Classical Greek course, and being an invaluable source of knowledge and enthusiasm. My special thanks go to Constance, Shannon, and Keith for their friendship and support throughout the years. I would also like to thank Nancy Morriss, Deedra Hickman, Virginia Zsurka, and Lee Davidson not only for everything that they have done for me in all these years and do for the department but also for always doing so with a smile, brightening those days that were not at all bright. My particular thanks go to Karen, for standing by me through it all, assisting me when I would not leave my desk, and being the most special friend anyone could ask for; Caren for being the best listener and talker, as well as walking with me as I found my way back to the person I want to be. My thanks also go to Ric for providing such incredible support from across the country, being an amazing friend, and reminding me of the person I am. Finally, I thank Sean, for being my husband, Franko, Mark, Don, Sharmila, Chris, and everyone I have forgotten for their support throughout the years and their help with moving me (and all my books!) in the midst of everything. Perhaps most of all, I want to thank my mother, Giovanna Minerva-LoFaro, and my brother, Alessandro LoFaro, for helping me from afar to accomplish my goals, for supporting me not only financially but also emotionally, mentally, and psychologically, and for valuing my dreams even if it meant not having me there with them. Words cannot express how much I love and miss/ed you. Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................. IV Chapter One: Introduction ...................................................................................................1 Socio-Historical Context ..........................................................................................4 Development of the Poleis ..........................................................................5 Political Context.......................................................................................................9 Shift from Aristocracy to Tyranny to Democracy .....................................10 Cultural Context .................................................................................................................19 Development of Rhetoric and Sophistry ................................................................21 Teaching of Arête ...................................................................................................25 Philosophical Context ........................................................................................................26 Presocratics ............................................................................................................26 Sophists ..................................................................................................................31 Chapter Two: Literature Review .......................................................................................35 The Nineteenth-Century Recovery ........................................................................36 The Early Twentieth Century.................................................................................39 Mario Untersteiner and ―Le origini sociali della sofistica‖ ...................................53 Chapter Three: ...................................................................................................................57 1. The Pentecontaetia as the Age of the Problems Posed by Social Life .............57 i 2. The Crisis of the Aristocracy ..........................................................................63 a. The Idea of Community and its Gnoseological Consequences ...........63 b. Community and Individual in the Theories of the Sophists ................78 c. The Relativistic Experience of Aristocratic Society in the Travail for the Reconstruction of Proper Ideals .....................................................83 d. The Aporias of the Aristocrats .............................................................88 e. Influence of the Aristocratic Crisis ......................................................90 3. Origins of Sophistic Problems in the Political Wars of the Fifth Century.......92 4. War ...................................................................................................................95 5. Problems Posed by the Social Engagements of Religion ..............................100 6. The Problem of Techné ..................................................................................107 7. Conclusion .....................................................................................................109 Chapter 4: Analysis of Translation ..................................................................................111 Crisis of the Aristocracy ........................................................................................118 Sophistical Theories Regarding Community and Individual ................................127 Relativistic Experience of an Aristocratic Society Seeking to Reconstruct Its Ideals .....................................................................................................................130 The Aristocrats and the Problem of Teaching Virtue ............................................132 The Aristocratic Crisis and Constitutional Conception of Sophistry ....................134 Sophistic Problems in the Political Struggles in the Fifth Century .......................134 The War .................................................................................................................137 Problems Raised by Religion ................................................................................140 The Problem of Techné .........................................................................................145 ii Conclusion .............................................................................................................146 Chapter 5: Conclusion......................................................................................................147 Pedagogical and Rhetorical Value of Sophistry
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