Rhetoric and philosophy in the tradition of the Prolegomena: on the three genres of discourse

In the rhetorical Prolegomena of Late Antiquity and Byzantium the notion of the genre of discourse (or of rhetoric) and its tripartite division into the judicial, deliberative, and epideictic (or panegyric), ultimately derived from Aristotle’s Rhetoric, occupy a position of particular prominence. The first part of this article examines how this tripartition is presented and employed within the Prolegomena, highlighting not only its continuity with earlier rhetorical discussions but also the emergence of new and, at least in part, original developments. The second part analyses the treatment of the three genres in isagogic and exegetical texts of philosophical orientation, particularly within the Neoplatonic tradition, where comparable formulations and concerns frequently occur. Taken together, these materials show that the tripartition of genres provides a revealing case study for exploring the intersections, convergences, and mutual influences between rhetorical and philosophical schemata isagogica.