Apollonius Molon

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Apollonius Molon was one of the most important Greek rhetors of the 1st century BC. He worked as a lawyer before settling down and setting up a school of rhetoric. Molon was born in Alabanda , but later lived in Rhodes . He acted as ambassador for his adopted home and traveled as such to Rome twice .

Act as a teacher

Even a pupil of Menekles , Molon passed on his knowledge in his school on Rhodes. Although some of his students spoke Latin and despite the dominant role of the Roman Empire , the scholar Molon did not speak Latin . Thanks to his brilliance and fame, he was given the great honor of auditing in the Roman Senate in a language other than Latin.

The most famous disciples of Molon were Cicero , who from 79 to 77 BC. Stayed in Rhodes, and Caesar , whom Molon taught for a year (75–74 BC). According to ancient voices, Cicero was Molon's favorite student and became his friend during his studies.

Molon taught his students to keep speeches simple and understandable. The " Asian style" was common in his time , which included ornate phrases and complicated speeches. The scholar rejected this style and requested the simple word. He also asked his students to sit down immediately as soon as they had stoked emotions in their audience, "[...] because nothing dries faster than a tear".

Cicero and others learned from Molon everything that was necessary to give a political speech: long speeches without notes, speeches in the great outdoors, keeping the attention of the crowd and speaking against the crowd, as well as gestures and posture.

The opinion expressed by Josephus that Molon was "an anti-Judaist" is likely to be incorrect. Rather, the Stoics of Poseidonios were probably the target of his criticism. No work by Molon has survived. It is believed that the works were lost in the turmoil of the Great Migration Period.

Quotes

According to Plutarch , Molon said to Cicero : “You, Cicero, I praise and admire you, but I have to regret Greece when I see that the last privilege that still remained to us Greeks has passed to the Romans through you: education and the art of the word. "

Cicero said of his teacher: "He was not only talented as a lawyer and in writing speeches, but especially gifted in improving and correcting and teaching wisely in his way [...]".

Molon on emotions: "[...] nothing dries faster than a tear".

swell

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Folker Siegert: Flavius ​​Josephus: About the originality of Judaism . P. 28.
personal data
SURNAME Apollonius Molon
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Greek rhetorician
DATE OF BIRTH 2nd century BC Chr.
PLACE OF BIRTH Alabanda
DATE OF DEATH 1st century BC Chr.
Place of death Rhodes