The topos of Divine Testimony in Luke-Acts. James R. McConnell

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The topos of Divine Testimony in Luke-Acts - James R. McConnell


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might refer while giving a speech. In De or. he writes,

      And indeed when, while a man is speaking—as often happens—such commonplaces [loci] have cropped up as demand some mention of the immortal gods, of dutifulness, harmony, or friendship, of the rights shared by citizens, by men in general, and by nations, of fair-dealing, moderation or greatness of soul, or virtue of any and every kind. (De or. 1.13.56)

      Later in De or., Crassus encourages Antonius to go beyond what seems to be the current understanding of locus, saying,

      [R]ather please omit that part of your programme which none of our friends here wants, touching the commonplaces [locis] which supply us with what we have to say in our cases: although you discuss these things with brilliant originality, they are for all that really rather easy and widely current in maxims. Produce for us the sources of what you so often handle and always in inspired fashion. (De or. 2.29.127)

      Here, at the very least, Cicero provides evidence that he is familiar with an understanding of a locus as a proverb or maxim, or perhaps (as seen above) a stock theme, exemplary model, or pattern to which orators often refer.

      A second, slightly different view of locus is found in Inv. Here, Cicero describes a “common” locus, “common” distinguishing an argument that can be used in multiple cases. It is, therefore, an argument of a more general nature. Cicero writes,

      In every case some of the arguments are related only to the case that is being pleaded, and are so dependent on it that they cannot advantageously be separated from it and transferred to other cases, while others are of a more general nature, and adaptable to all or most cases of the same kind. These arguments which can be transferred to many cases, we call common topics [locos communes]. A common topic either contains an amplification of an undisputed statement . . . or of a doubtful statement against which there are also plausible lines of argument . . . A speech, however, is occasionally rendered distinguished or brilliant by introducing common topics and some topic [locis communibus et aliquo loco] backed up by arguments when the audience is already convinced. (Inv. 2.14.47–15.48)

      Locus in Ad Herennium

      I will now explore the concept of locus as described in other Latin and Greek authors, beginning with the rhetorical treatise Ad Herennium. In Rhet. Her., in the author’s discussion of amplification, he lists ten areas from which to draw loci in support of summarizing statements (epilogoi) found in the speech. The author writes:

      Amplification is the principle of using Commonplaces [per locum communem] to stir the hearers. To amplify an accusation it will be most advantageous to draw commonplaces from ten formulae. (Rhet. Her. 2.30.47)

      Locus in Quintilian

      Topos in Theon

      Theon, in the Progymnasmata, provides evidence of a similar distinction between two concepts of locus/topos already seen in Cicero and Quintilian. Within the Progymnasmata there is an exercise entitled ΠΕΡΙ ΤΟΠΟΥ. Within this exercise Theon defines what he means by τόπος:

      A commonplace is therefore a source of a formal argument directed at one who has made a particularly bad (or good) moral decision. It is ‘formal’ in that Theon suggests a specific structure for a commonplace (see Theon, Progymnasmata 107 [Kennedy, ed. and trans., 44]). In this passage one sees the structure which Theon proposes, as well as suggestions for the proofs. Although he does not specifically use the term topos, the language that Theon utilizes concerning the selection of proofs sounds much like the description of a topos that I have been considering.

      In the descriptions of other preliminary exercises, however, Theon does use the term topos in the sense of a particular theme or motif used within an argument. For example, in his discussion of refutation and confirmation (found within the section on narrative in Kennedy’s edition of the Progymnasmata), Theon states:


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