087 Rhetoric and the Sophists
The History of Ancient Greece
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Gorgias' Incommium of Helen
The incommium, or praise of Helen, can be classified as an Epidictic speech. It was said to have been Gorgias' number one showpiece when he arrived in a new location. In this speech, Gorgias rids her of the blame that she faced for allowing herself to be seduced and for leaving Sparta with Paris which triggered the Trojan War. He discusses the possible reasons for Helen's journey to Troy by explaining that she could have been persuaded in one of four ways - physical force, by love, or by speech.
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