The Art of Rhetoric
Techne is the Greek work for art. Today, art is known for having no rules or boundaries. In ancient Athenian times, art was a practiced and technical skill. In the Gorgias by Plato, the art of rhetoric is defined, but not practiced. According to Plato, rhetoric is used to delegate power, justice, and legislation. The rhetoric used in the Encomium of Helen was also lacking in art. In this speech, rhetoric was used to persuade by using poetry and eloquent meter. Although different from modern societies, ancient Athens had a very art-dominated society. In the Gorgias, Plato depicts Gorgias as a professional teacher of the art of persuasion as the means to political success. Gorgias was a sophist and a rhetorician. He regarded the art of rhetoric superior to all arts. Gorgias believed that words acquire their own meaning, because they are not connected by the bonds of being anything but themselves. Words become open to each and every meaning and hence become meaningless. It is here then that Gorgias states that words are the instrument of suggestion, persuasion, and belief. Gorgias feels that rhetoric is precisely the art of producing these words and can be said to be the art of persuasion. Gorgias' definition of art, however, is
Gorgias uses his speech to persuade others to not hate Helen for her various sinful acts. In the Encomium of Helen by Gorgias, there is also a lack of artful discourse. The only reference to art in this speech is that Gorgias, himself, is an artist by being experienced and skilled at rhetoric. Not only are the dialogues considered art, but politics is seen as a "dirty" line of work. In the Encomium of Helen, the use of poetry helps Gorgias to state his position in an eloquent way. Although Gorgias has a beautiful style of prose in the Encomium of Helen, according to the Athenian definition of art, Helen lacks true art. After his position of rhetoric as the use of speech to persuade has been proven wrong, Gorgias also asserts that rhetoric confers the greatest good, namely political power. According to Socrates, true art is beneficial to the practitioner and to society as a whole. This goes hand in hand with Plato's testimony that Gorgias and Polus need to learn the true meaning of art. The Gorgias and the Encomium of Helen are both beautiful pieces of work. Being able to speak to Athenian society and to persuade legislation was also regarded as art. Socrates believes that Polus needs more practice in discourse because he is applying the wrong style of rhetoric to their discussion. There were references to true art in the Gorgias, but no where in the actual dialogue was there an actual use of art; not by ancient, political standards. In the Gorgias, Plato was able to define rhetoric as a true art, but failed to use rhetoric as an art.
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