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I am fully aware that what I propose to do is difficult—to eulogize in prose the virtues of a man. The best proof is this: Those who devote themselves to philosophyReally oratory and rhetoric: for the meaning of “philosophy” in Isocrates see the General Introd., Vol. I, p. xxvi. venture to speak on many subjects of every kind, but no one of them has ever attempted to compose a discourse on such a theme.Prose encomia existed before this time, but they were mostly exercises on mythical subjects written by Sophists. And I can make much allowance for them. For to the poets is granted the use of many embellishments of language,
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since they can represent the gods as associating with men, conversing with and aiding in battle whomsoever they please, and they can treat of these subjects not only in conventional expressions, but in words now exotic, now newly coined, and now in figures of speech, neglecting none, but using every kind with which to embroider their poesy.With this passage compare Aristot. Poet. 1457b.
