Classics & Ancient History » Classics News and Events (tag [philosophy])

The Art of Veiled Speech, from Antiquity to Modern Times: 1st May 2025, 4pm

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 11:59:00 GMT

Subtexts are all around us. In conversation, business transactions, politics, literature, philosophy, and even love, the art of expressing more than what is explicitly said allows us to live and move in the world. But rarely do we reflect on this subterranean dimension of communication. Words don't just say what they say, and often we can understand (as listeners) and convey (as speakers) more, or something else entirely, than what is expressly said. Every day, we send out double-meaning messages and decipher those sent to us by others, without even taking notice. Greco-Roman rhetoric provides invaluable theoretical tools for thinking about this phenomenon, notably with the rhetorical notion of “figured speech”. History offers striking examples of the use of innuendo in ancient and modern political contexts. In personal and public life, veiled speech has many functions, including diplomatic, poetic, humorous and polemical. It also raises difficulties, as it carries the risk of misunderstanding. Criteria can therefore be proposed to remedy uncertainty and guarantee interpretation.

Classical Association Annual Conference 2024: Delegate Information

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 10:04:38 GMT

Full details for delegates, speakers, and chairs.

Upcoming Lectures on Seneca by Victoria Rimell

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 12:10:00 GMT

Lectures relating to Leverhulme Research Fellowship project, Care of the Other: Seneca and the Work of Mourning.

Tragedy, the Greeks, and Us - Seminar for launch of new Centre for Research in Post-Kantian European Philosophy

Wed, 09 Oct 2019 07:40:00 GMT

The new Centre will be formally launched on Tuesday 15 October 2019 with a special seminar devoted to Simon Critchley's provocative new publication, The Greeks, Tragedy and Us. Professor Critchley (New School, New York) will talk about his book and reply to responses to it by Andrew Cooper (Philosophy, Warwick) and David Fearn (Classics, Warwick). The seminar will be held in Room S0.11, Social Sciences Building, and will start promptly at 5:30 pm. It will be followed by a Drinks Reception. All Welcome.

Classical Texting- "Prudens Simplicitas: The Decline of Simplicitas"

Fri, 15 Dec 2017 10:42:49 GMT

Martina Russo, PhD candidate in the Department of Classics and Ancient History at Warwick, has published on the concept of simplicitas in Latin Literature. Read it here.

Odysseus and Aeneas: Precedents to Machiavelli’s Prince?

Tue, 18 Apr 2017 09:44:04 GMT

Read Matthew Smith's Classical Texting blogpost on Machiavelli, Homer, and Virgil's multi-talented leaders here.

Plato on Boaty McBoatface

Thu, 15 Dec 2016 14:03:30 GMT

Read George Webster's blog entry on Plato, democracy and Boaty McBoatface here: https://blogs.warwick.ac.uk/classicaltexting/