This is the start of a series on classical quotations, which feature quite a bit in Western culture. Classical quotations can be quite a good way in to learning more about Greek and Roman culture. They provide a starting-point, then you can work your way in to other parts of the culture by learning the background to what was said. The ancient Greeks and Romans were renowned for coming up with memorable and v quotable lines, sometimes terse and making a point well, other times memorable for being attractive. So, why were the Greeks and Romans good at this ? There were perhaps two main reasons: (1) Their cultures were v much spoken as well as written. This meant they were v aware of the sounds and rhythms of words; and became adept at making points in a clear, distinctive way. They would carry a lot of information in their memories, and more distinctive phrases could be remembered more easily.
(2) Oratory was an important part of education and career. To get anywhere in public life (government, law, military), you had to be a good public speaker. More affluent people would undergo rigorous training in how to speak in a clear and distinctive way, so that audiences understood them, were persuaded and remembered what they were saying. As a result, they learned how to say things in memorable ways.
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