试析雅典城邦演说繁荣的原因

On the reasons of the prosperity of oratory in Athens

本文从雅典民主政治分析入手,指出雅典城邦演说之所以繁荣,是基于雅典高度发达的民主政治。雅典民主政治下公民对城邦政策和案件审判的直接表决使得演说成为政治领袖必须掌握的一门技能。雅典民主政治下的言论自由为公民演说创造了一个宽松自由的氛围,使演说的繁荣成为可能。在这种背景下,"智者"的出现顺应了历史潮流,他们活动于雅典城邦,收费授徒,传授演说的技能,进一步推动了雅典城邦演说的繁荣。

From analyzing Athenian democracy, this article holds that the reason why oratory in Athens developed and got prosperous is owing to the higher develpoed Athenian democracy. In Athenian democracy, the decision - making by the citi- zens makes the demagogues should grasp the art of speech. Free speech which citizens share in Athenian democracy provodes free atmosphere for speech, which makes the prospersity of oratory possible. Under this circumstance, Sophists came into be- ing. They took activities in Athens, and taught the art of speech for money, which promotes the prosperity of ancient Greek oratory further.