Peitho Personified, Reified

Discussion

Peitho-Day Promotion!

“It is just and right and important, men of Athens, ... that our relations with the gods

shall be piously maintained. Therefore ... we have also sacrificed to Peitho.... Do you,

therefore, accept the blessings which the gods bestow.” (Demosthenes Exordia 54)

Peitho-Day Promotion

Copywriters

• Brain-storm pitches– Aims?– Means?

• grounded in readings!!

Account executives

• Vet pitches– Needs?– Criteria?

• grounded in readings!!

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Discussion: What We Were Doing

• brainstorming• employing

persuasions• taking your audience

into account

• providing feedback• critical perspective

Recap and Update

Phaedrus, peitho

Peithō Problematics

Opposites? Analogues?peitho (persuasion) bia (force, violence)

verbal persuasion non-verbal persuasionsexual persuasion non-sexual persuasion

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Phaedrus: Dialectic v. Rhetoric

Dialectic

• Dialogical• Dynamic• Truth-oriented

– wiser few

Rhetoric

• Monological• Static• doxa-oriented

– ignorant many

Peitho / peithō

Cult, Allegory, Myth

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Peithō: Word Notes

• peithesthai– “obey/comply”

• peithein– “persuade”

• “Peitho”– female name

• peithō– feminine noun

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Allegory-Personification

• Oceanid• Hesiod Theogony 349-363, Pherecydides of Athens

F 66

• Aphrodite’s daughter• Sappho fr. 90

• Kinship cont’d…• Fortune’s (Tukhe’s) mother• Foresight’s (Promathea’s) daughter

• Alcman fr. 64

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Peitho, Pandora in Hesiod

“… and the divine Graces and queenly Peitho put necklaces of gold upon her, ….” (Works and Days)

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Homer: Aphrodite’s “Girdle”

“As [Aphrodite] spoke she loosed from her bosom the curiously embroidered girdle into which all her charms had been wrought - love, desire, and that sweet flattery which steals the judgment even of the most prudent.” (Homer Iliad 14.214-217)

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More Myth: Trojan War. . .

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Myth Summary

• Judgment of Paris• Abduction of Helen• Sack of Troy• Returns

Aphrodite, Eros, Harmonia, bride, Peitho, Hebe, HimerosAthenian RF, ca. 420 BCE

Seduction-Consolation of Helen, Neo-Attic relief, 2nd 1/4 1st cent. BCE. Naples.

Seduction-Consolation of Helen, Neo-Attic relief, 2nd 1/4 1st cent. BCE. Naples.

Peitho

Helen Aphrodite

Eros

Alexandros (Paris)

Athenian RF vase, ca. 425 BCE

Peitho AphroditeMenelaus HelenEros

“Makron Vase” – early 5th BCE, Athenian

AeneasAlexandros

(Paris)

Eros

Helen

Aphrodite Peitho

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Sappho’s “Hymn to Aphrodite”

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Sappho’s “Ally”

“… don't let me be overcome with fevers and pains”“Now who is it I'm to persuade (peithein) to bring you back into her heart? Who is it, Sappho, who wrongs you?”"For if she now flees you, soon she will be chasing you. And if she won't accept your gifts, she'll instead be trying to give gifts to you. And if she doesn't love you, soon she will love you whether she likes it or not."

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Sexual-Political Peitho, Aphrodite

Pausanias Description of Greece 1.22.4When Theseus had united into one state the many Athenian demes, he established the cult of Aphrodite Pandemos [Aphrodite “Of the Whole People”?] and of Persuasion.

Nicander of Colophon, quoted by Athenaeus[Solon established public prostitution at Athens “for … youths in their prime.” Founds cult of Aphrodite Pandemos with proceeds.]

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Peitho Gender-Bender. . .

• female deities as masculinized

• persuasion heavily feminized

• Pandora – persuasion as a beautiful evil