The Limitation of the Imperative in the Attic Orators

The imperative is one of the strongest constructions in any language being, as it is, an undisguised linguistic gesture of direct authority over the audience. Because of this strength, there exist in ancient Greek a variety of more 'polite' imperative constructions, each with its own rhetorical flavor. This paper systematically charts, locates, and analyzes the use of various imperative constructions in Attic oratory, a style known for its clarity of expression and precision of speech. In this ground of carefully written prose, Miller finds the circumstances under which imperatives were used and (just as importantly) when they were not. This provides a useful insight particularly to those involved in Greek prose composition, but also to any engaging in a close reading of Attic Greek texts.