Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (1870) - Volume 2.djvu/434

Rh 420 HERMOGENES. hear him, and admired and richly rewarded him for his wonderful talent. Shortly after this he was appointed public teacher of rhetoric, and at the age of seventeen he began his career as a writer, which unfortunately did not last long, for at the age of twenty-five he fell into a mental debility, which rendered him entirely unfit for further literary and intellectual occupation, and of which he never got rid, although he lived to an advanced age ; so that he was a man in the time of his youth, and a child during his maturer years. After his death his heart is said to have been found covered with hair. (Philostr. Fit. Soph. ii. 7 ; Suid. Hesych. s. v. 'Epfxoyeurjs ; Eudoc. p. 1 65 ; Schol. ad Herinog. irtpX (TToiaeaiv, in Olearius's note on Philostr. I. c.) If we may judge from what Hermogenes did at so early an age, there can be little doubt that he would have far excelled all other Greek rhetorici- ans, if he had remained in the full possession of his mental powers. His works, five in number, which are still extant, form together a complete system of rhetoric, and were for a long time used in all the rhetorical schools as manuals. Many distinguished rhetoricians and grammarians wrote commentaries upon them, some of which are still extant ; many also made abridgments of the works of Hermogenes, for the use of schools, and the abridgment of Aph- thonius at length supplanted the original in most schools. The works of Hermogenes are : — (I.) T^X''^ prjropiKT^ -jrepl rwv (TTaaeav, was composed by the author at the age of eighteen, and on the principles laid down by Hermagoras. The work treats of the points and questions which an orator, in civil cases, has to take into his consider- ation ; it examines every one separately, and thence deduces the rules which a speaker has to observe. (See the whole reduced to a tabular view in West- ermann's Gesch. der Griech. Beredtsam/ceit, p. 325.) The work is a very useful guide to those who prepare themselves for speaking in the courts of justice. We still possess the commentaries which were written upon it by Syrianus, Sosipater, and Marcellinus. It is printed in the Rlietores of Aldus, vol. i. pp. 1 — 179, and has been edited separately at Paris (1530 and 1538, 4to. ex off. Wechelii), by J. Caselius (Rostock, 1583, 8vo.), E. Sturm (Argentorat. 1570, with a Latin transl. and scholia), G. Laurentius (Col. Allobrog. 1614, 8vo.), and M. Corales (Venice, 1799, 4to.). The extant scholia are printed in Walz, Rlietor. Graec. vols. iv. vi. and vii. (2.) Uepl evpeaews (De Inventione), in four books, contains instructions about the proper composition of an oration, discussing first the introduction, then the plan of the whole, viz. the exposition of the subject, the argumentation, the refutation of ob- jections that may be raised, and lastly, on the oratorical ornament and delivery. Every point which Hermogenes discusses is illustrated, as in the preceding work, by examples taken from the Attic orators, which greatly enhance the clearness and utility of the treatise. It is printed in Aldus's RAetores, in the editions of G. Laurentius, Wechel, and Sturm, mentioned above, but best in Walz's Rhetor. Graec. vol. iii. We still possess scholia on the work by an anonymous commentator, printed in Aldus's Rfietores, vol. ii. p. 352, &c. (3.) Uepl idewu (De Formis Oraioriis), in two books, treats of the forms of the oratorical style, of which Hermogenes distinguishes seven, viz. (Tcupi^- veiOy fxeytdos. KdWos^ yop'y6Tr]s, ^dos, di^deia. HERMOGENES. SeivoTTjs, and their subdivisions; he examines thera from eight difi'erent points of view, and shows how by a skilful application of them the orator is most sure of gaining his end. In this discussion, too, every point is illustrated by examples, chiefly from the orators, accompanied by some very ingenious remarks. The work is printed in the editions of Aldus and Laurentius, and separately at Paris, 1531, 4to., and with a Lat. transl. and notes by Sturm, Argentorat, 1571, 8vo. The best edition is that in Walz, Rhet. Graeci, vol. iii., who has also published the Greek commentaries by Syrianus and Joh. Siceliota (vols. vi. and vii. Comp. Spengel, ^vvaywyii rex. pp. 195, &c., 227, &c.) (4.) Uep] /xedStov deiv6TT}Tos {De apto et soJerti genere dkendi Methodus), forms a sort of appendix to the preceding work, and contains suggestions for the proper application of the rules there laid down, together with other useful remarks. It is printed in the editions of Aldus, Wechel, Laurentius, Sturm, and best in Walz's Rhet. Graec. vol. iii., who has also published the Greek commentaries by Gre- gorius Corinthius (vol. vii.). The work is said to have been left unfinished by the author, and to have been completed by two later rhetoricians, Mi- nucianus and Apsines. (Matth. Camariota, Com/x?wcf. Rhet. p. 12, ed. Hoeschel, Augsburg, 1594, 4to.) (5.) TLpoyvfivdcriJLaTa, that is, pnictical instruc- tions in oratory according to given models. A very convenient abridgment of this work was made by Aphthonius, in consequence of which the original fell into oblivion. But its great reputation in an- tiquity is attested by the fact, that the learned grammarian, Priscian, made a Latin translation of it, with some additions of his own, under the title of Praeexercitanmita Rhetorica ex Hermogene. (Putschius, Gram. Lat. p. 1329, &c. ; Fr. Pithoeus, Rhetor. Lat. p. 322, &c.) This Latin version of Priscian was for a long time the only edition of the Progymnasmata, until the Greek original was found in a MS. at Turin, from which it was published by Heeren in the Bihlioth.fur alte Lit. und Ktmst, parts viii. and ix. (Gottingen, 1791), and by Ward in the Classical Journal, parts v. — viii. A separate edition was published by G. Veesenmeyer, Nurnberg, 1812, 8vo. It is also contained in Krehl's edition of Priscian, vol. ii. p. 419, &c., but best in Walz's RJietor. Graec. vol. i. p. 9, &c., who has collated six other MSS. besides the Turin one. Some of the works of Hermogenes are lost, such as a commentary on Demosthenes (e/s A7]fj.oa6evr)v VTroixvT^fiaTa, Syrian, ad Hermog. Pruleg. ad Ideas, p. 195, ed. Spengel), of which a work on the Lep- tinea, to which Hermogenes himself alludes (De Method. 24), may have been only a part. Another work, which is likewise lost, was entitled avy- ypa/j-ixa irep) irpooi/xiov. (Schol. in Hermog. ap. Walz, vol. iv. p. 31, ap. Aldum, ii. p. 176.) Suidas and Eudocia (p. 165) further mention a work of Hermogenes in two books, Uepl Kolris Svpias, which is not noticed anywhere else, and of which no trace has come down to us. All the extant works of Hermogenes bear strong marks of the youthful age of the author ; for it is clear that his judgment and his opinions have not yet become settled ; he has not the consciousness of a man of long experience, and his style is rather difi^use, but always clear and unaffected. He is moderate in his judgment and censure of other rhetoricians, has a correct appreciation of the merits of the earlier Greek orators, and every where shows