by Joseph Broadworth

Created on: November 27, 2011

The art of rhetoric and oratory was a seminal component of governance and leadership in the Classical World. It was a supreme skill, a meticulously crafted talent, and a well-honed ability used to present and persuade in equal measure. The polity of ancient Greece and Rome held rhetoric to be almost conclusive in itself, regardless of the message, a McLuhanesque development long before our time. It may also have been a time in which words spoke louder than actions, or at least instigated and controlled actions to a much greater degree. Some written speeches of Roman politician and master of oratory Marcus Tullius Cicero have survived down to the present day, and when reading them one can almost picture the man himself, 2,000 plus years back, standing firm in the Roman Forum, cadence and word rhythm cresting and ebbing, the poetic flow of the Latin language echoing in the ears of the mighty.

Rhetoric and oratory was taught in ancient Greece and Rome at a young age for those classes destined to be leaders or military officials. Often it was taught alongside classical philosophy, and what better arena to work oratorical magic than in the academies of Athens? Along with Cicero, Gaius Julius Caesar was said to be a charismatic and commanding speaker, which fit ominously alongside his military genius, allowing Caesar to become a dominant figure in late Republican Rome. Roman Emperor and Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius also valued rhetoric and oratory, and was taught by the best of his age. But alas, the question arises "do we still value oratory in this day and age"? I would answer yes, although not to a degree to which the ancients did.

Abraham Lincoln was a physically awkward man, and people often noted his homeliness and gangly gait. But contemporaries also mentioned that when he climbed a podium and began to speak, his eyes lit up like they were afire, his well-chosen and melodious words carried effortlessly (although some accounts recalled that his voice was rather high for a man of his size), and his charismatic authority was clearly evident. Now, this specific talent was unlearned in Lincoln's case, since his formal education probably amounted to a total of one year. His public speaking was almost completely an innate talent, not so much surprising to a man who wrote the now immortal words of the Gettysburg Address on the train on the way to speak it.

In the 20th century there have been influential leaders that have cleverly used rhetoric and oratory to evoke emotion and persuasion. On the dark side of oratorical charisma, we have Hitler. But opposed to him we have the stately parliamentary speeches of Winston S. Churchill, rallying Britain and her allies to persevere against the fascist menace. We can still hear recordings of Churchill's numerous and lengthy speeches, which allow us to fully appreciate their value in his own time and for us today.

Learn more about this author, Joseph Broadworth.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.