''Paradeigma'' (;

plural In many languages, a plural (sometimes list of glossing abbreviations, abbreviated as pl., pl, , or ), is one of the values of the grammatical number, grammatical category of number. The plural of a noun typically denotes a quantity greater than ...

: ''paradeigmata'') is a technique used in Ancient Greek rhetoric used to compare the situation of the audience to a similar past event, like a

parable A parable is a succinct, didactic story, in prose or verse, that illustrates one or more instructive lessons or principles. It differs from a fable in that fables employ animals, plants, inanimate objects, or forces of nature as characters, whe ...

(). It offers counsel on how the audience should act.Liddel, Henry G., and Robert Scott
"Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon."
Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, παράδειγ-μα. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2014. Aristotle was a prominent ancient rhetorician who explicitly discussed the use of ''paradeigmata''. In the Greek tradition many ''paradeigmata'' are mythological examples, often in reference to a popular legend or well-known character in a similar position to the audience.Willcock, M. M. "Mythological Paradeigma in the ''Iliad''", ''The Classical Quarterly'' New Series, Vol. 14, No. 2 (Nov., 1964), pp. 141–154. Homer's '' The Iliad'' (24.601–619) – Achilles is trying to encourage

Priam In Greek mythology, Priam (; , ) was the legendary and last king of Troy during the Trojan War. He was the son of Laomedon. His many children included notable characters such as Hector, Paris, and Cassandra. Etymology Most scholars take the e ...

to eat rather than continue to weep for his dead son

Hector In Greek mythology, Hector (; , ) was a Trojan prince, a hero and the greatest warrior for Troy during the Trojan War. He is a major character in Homer's ''Iliad'', where he leads the Trojans and their allies in the defense of Troy, killing c ...

. He brings up Niobe, a woman that had lost twelve children but still found the strength to eat. He is trying to counsel Priam to do what he should by using Niobe as a ''paradeigma'', an example to guide behaviour. It is also the etymological root of the English word "

paradigm In science and philosophy, a paradigm ( ) is a distinct set of concepts or thought patterns, including theories, research methods, postulates, and standards for what constitute legitimate contributions to a field. The word ''paradigm'' is Ancient ...

References

Rhetorical techniques Aristotelianism {{rhetoric-stub

See also

References