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Риторический жанр приветственной речи в теории и практике поздней античности
The article examines one of the popular genres of epideictic eloquence in late Antiquity — the welcome speech — in the theoretical and practical aspects. The rhetorical canon of welcoming speeches was described in detail by Menander of Laodicea (3nd century) in the treatise “On Epideictic Eloquence” and, obviously, was compiled by him on the basis of extensive ora-torical literature — both previous and modern rhetoric. The representative of the latter was, in particular, the major orator of the Second Sophistic and well known to Menander Aelius Aristides (2nd century), as evidenced by repeated references to the orator in some places of the mentioned treatise. This article examines in detail — including a comparison with Menander’s rhetorical canon — two of Aristides’ “Smyrnian Orations” that fall under the category of “welcomes”. The upshot of this comparative analysis is that these speeches by Aristides only partly correspond to Menander’s recommendations regarding the composition of welcoming speeches. Moreover, both in its form and content, Aristides’ “Smyrnian Orations” reveal much greater similarities with another genre of epideictic eloquence, namely the “encomium”, also Вестник СПбГУ. Язык и литература. 2025. Т. 22. Вып. 2445very popular in late antiquity. The explanation for this may be as follows. Firstly, the existence of a certain rhetorical canon did not mean for the speaker a strict need to follow it all. The speakers, although limited by the existing tradition, nevertheless enjoyed sufficient freedom in the choice and arrangement of the material. Secondly, the set of topoi could vary in speeches depending on the circumstances of their delivery, the political status of the addressee, as well as the goals and objectives that faced the speaker. The speaker could, at his discretion, exclude some topoi from his speech, expand or reduce others. And thirdly, the higher the professional level of the speaker and the greater talent he possessed, the greater the individuality of style and the greater the deviation from the canon one could expect from him. These factors are confirmed in the speeches of Aelius Aristides, who throughout antiquity was considered the master of encomium.