Philosophy And Religion In The Oratory

Tacitus'A Dialogue on Oratory plays an important role in the works of Tacitus, in which Tacitus showed the conflict of philosophy and religion in Roman by discussing oratory. How to comprehend Tacitus'A Dialogue on Oratory is of paramount importance to understand Tacitus and his other works. This essay tries to interpreter A Dialogue on Oratory chapter by chapter, investigates its religion and philosophy elements from the perspectives of political philosophy, and reveals the purpose of Tacitus composing the works at that time.The first chapter will supply an introduction. The second chapter will infer some general themes of this dialogue by analyzing the title and the form of this works. The third chapter will analyze the inquiry raised by Fabius at the beginning of this works, and the characters and scene of this dialogue. Following the dynamic process of this works, the fourth and fifth chapters will firstly analyze the discussion between Aper and Maternus about what way of life is better, the way of orator or the way of poet, then investigate the discussion among Aper, Messala and Maternus after Messala breaking in about what causes the degeneration of oratory. The sixth chapter will dealt with the end of this dialogue, while the last chapter will make a conclusion about the whole works.