Aristotle, The Art of Rhetoric 3.18.1419a25 = T 27 Radt
M = reading of the whole MS tradition
m = reading of part of the MS tradition
P = reading on a papyrus
m = reading of part of the MS tradition
P = reading on a papyrus
καὶ συμπεραινομένου συμπεραινομένου Richards: συμπεραινόμενον m: πρὸς τὸν συμπεραινόμενον m, ἐὰν ἐρώτημα ποιῆι τὸ συμπέρασμα, τὴν αἰτίαν εἰπεῖν, οἷον Σοφοκλῆς, ἐρωτώμενος ὑπὸ Πεισάνδρου εἰ ἔδοξεν αὐτῶι, ὥσπερ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις προβούλοις, καταστῆσαι τοὺς τετρακοσίους, ἔφη “τί δέ; οὐ πονηρά σοι ταῦτα ἐδόκει εἶναι;” ἔφη. “οὐκοῦν σὺ ταῦτα ἔπραξας τὰ πονηρά;” “ναί”, ἔφη, “οὐ γὰρ ἦν ἄλλα βελτίω.”
When drawing a conclusion, if the conclusion takes the form of a question, state the reason. For example, Sophocles, when asked by Peisander whether he had decided, like the other probouloi, to establish the Four Hundred, said that he had. “But why? Did these measures not seem immoral to you?” Sophocles said that they did. “So you went ahead and enacted these immoral measures?” “Yes,” said Sophocles, “for there was no better alternative.”
| Relevant guides | Sophocles |
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