Mere Rhetoric

Metanoia   Welcome to Mere Rhetoric, the podcast for beginners and insiders about the ideas, people and movements who have shaped rhetorical history. I’m Mary Hedengren, Samantha’s the booth, Humanities Media Project sponsored us and I have nothing to regret.   Remember back when we talked about kairos? Just to remind you, here’s a poem, a Greek poem, translated by Jeffrey Walker, explain. This poem is ekphersis, a piece of writing that describes a piece of art, in this case a sculpture of Kairos done by Lysippos of Sicyon. The rest explains itself.   From where is your sculptor? Sicyon. What is his name? Lysippos. And who are you? Kairos the all-subduer. Why do you go on tiptoes? I’m always running. Why do you have Double wings on your feet? I fly like the wind. Why do you have a razor in your right hand? As a sign to men That I’m sharper than any razor’s edge. Why does your hair hang down in front? For him that meets me to grab, By God. Why is the back part bald? None that I have once passed by on my winged