Polemic against polemics. Plutarch’s attacks on Epicureanism Plutarch’s attitude toward Epicurean philosophy is extremely hostile. According to him, at the core of Epicureanism is subversiveness, an attempt to attack the most fundamental components of Greek culture: traditional morality, religious beliefs, educational, and political commitment. Moreover, the Epicureans were the only philosophers in antiquity who openly criticised Socrates, first and foremost for his εἰρωνεία and “unreasonable” death. In the article, the main tenets of Epicureanism, as well as Plutarch’s polemical efforts, are centered around the figure of τετραφάρμα-κος, or the “fourfold remedy”.
In this paper, I intend to focus on some rhetorical strategies of argumentation which play crucial role in the therapeutic discourse of Roman Stoicism, namely in Musonius Rufus, Epictetus, Seneca, and Marcus Aurelius. Reference is made to Chaim Perelman’s view of ancient rhetoric as an art of inventing arguments. Moreover, it is pointed out that in rhetorical education (cf. Cicero, Ad Herennium, Quintilian, etc.) as well as in therapeutic discourse the concept of “exercise” and constant practice play a crucial role.
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