Source edition
Isocrates, Vol. 3. Van Hook, Larue, editor. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd., 1945 (printing).
Source data
Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA (per Perseus's terms)
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This work is a rhetorical treatise in the form of a letter, written to criticize the deficient speeches of the sophist Polycrates and to demonstrate a proper model of encomium. The author points out the self-contradictions in Polycrates' defense of the mythical Egyptian king Busiris and his accusation of Socrates. To provide a correct example of praise, the author presents Busiris not as a monster, but as a noble ruler and the wise founder of Egypt's exemplary laws and political institutions. He highlights Egypt's division of labor, the intellectual achievements of the priestly class, and the piety of its citizens. Furthermore, the author exposes the chronological contradictions in the popular myths that defame Busiris, criticizing poets who slander the gods. Ultimately, the work warns that poor rhetoric harms the reputation of philosophy itself, advising the recipient to accept constructive criticism and improve his art.