Publisher's Synopsis
This lecture was delivered by Donald Russell, Fellow of St John's College, University of Oxford, to mark his retirement from the post of Professor of Classical Literature. It was given at the Hall of St John's College on 20th May, 1988.;The lecture discussed ancient views of the relation of poetry to other forms of literature, and sought to draw conclusions relevant to present-day study of the classics. Professor Russell contended that more attention should be paid to this form of prose, and especially to orators, if an adequate view of the distinctive qualities of classical literature was to be passed on to the next generation.