Classics News and Events
The Art of Veiled Speech, from Antiquity to Modern Times: 1st May 2025, 4pm
Subtexts are all around us. In conversation, business transactions, politics, literature, philosophy, and even love, the art of expressing more than what is explicitly said allows us to live and move in the world. But rarely do we reflect on this subterranean dimension of communication. Words don't just say what they say, and often we can understand (as listeners) and convey (as speakers) more, or something else entirely, than what is expressly said. Every day, we send out double-meaning messages and decipher those sent to us by others, without even taking notice. Greco-Roman rhetoric provides invaluable theoretical tools for thinking about this phenomenon, notably with the rhetorical notion of 鈥渇igured speech鈥�. History offers striking examples of the use of innuendo in ancient and modern political contexts. In personal and public life, veiled speech has many functions, including diplomatic, poetic, humorous and polemical. It also raises difficulties, as it carries the risk of misunderstanding. Criteria can therefore be proposed to remedy uncertainty and guarantee interpretation.
In March 2019, Dr. Caroline Petit was awarded the M茅daille de Ch茅nier of the Acad茅mie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres (Paris), for her book Galien de Pergame ou la rh茅torique de la Providence. M茅decine, litt茅rature et pouvoir 脿 Rome, Brill, 2018. This quinquennal award distinguishes a book of significance in the field of Greek language and literature.
Out in September 2018: Caroline Petit鈥檚 book, Galien de Pergame ou la rh茅torique de la Providence: M茅decine, litt茅rature et pouvoir 脿 Rome is the first comprehensive study of the role of rhetoric in Galen鈥檚 舱耻惫谤别. Physician to several Roman emperors and author of the most impressive body of works in antiquity up to AD 350, Galen created a compelling figure of authority through his medical and philosophical works. The book analyses the range of Galen鈥檚 rhetorical mastery through five chapters, studying in turn Galen and the Hellenic tradition, Galen鈥檚 demonstrative and refutative tactics, the role of enargeia in Galen鈥檚 descriptions and narratives, his 鈥榟ymn鈥� to Nature in his main anatomical work, De usu partium, and finally autobiography and self-portrait in his 舱耻惫谤别.
Classical Texting- "Prudens Simplicitas: The Decline of Simplicitas"
Martina Russo, PhD candidate in the Department of Classics and Ancient History at 糖心TV, has published on the concept of simplicitas in Latin Literature. Read it .