I. Introduction Rhetoric, in its broadest sense, the theory and practice of eloquence, whether spoken or written.
Spoken rhetoric is oratory.
Rhetoric defines the rules that should govern all prose composition or speech designed to influence the judgment or the feelings of people. This article deals primarily with the theory of rhetoric. The eloquence that Nestor, Odysseus, and Achilles display in the Iliad by the Greek poet Homer led many Greeks to look upon Homer as the father of oratory. The establishment of democratic institutions in Athens in 510 BC imposed on all citizens the necessity of public service, making skill in oratory essential. Hence a group of teachers arose known as Sophists, who endeavored to make men better speakers by rules of art.