Isocrates

Isocrates was born into a wealthy family but lost his fortune during the Peloponnesian Wars.

His teacher was Gorgias of Leontini. In 390 BC, he opened a school of oratory in Athens. He called his field "philosophy", although it was actually "rhetoric". For the successful education of a pupil, according to him, the following were necessary - (1) the natural talents of the pupil, (2) the interpretation and example of the teacher, (3) practical exercise. He did not hold the view that absolute knowledge could be attained, as Plato claimed. He set as his goal the art of justifying opinion and the sensitivity to situational appropriateness.

He saw monarchy as the best form of government, and so admired the Macedonian king Philip II. He saw in him the hope for the unification of Greece and the emergence of a unified force against the Persians.

Isocrates also played a role in the history of the development of Greek prose style. His style is characterised by the use of periods and parallelisms.

Isocrates made only minimal public speeches and tended to write his opinions down. Thirty of his writings and nine letters have survived. He addressed his Letters to Philip of Macedon, advising him on how to proceed with the conquest of Greece, how to reign, etc. Philip followed this advice until the end of his life. And so did Alexander the Great.