The Gods Themselves

Illuminates the geographic and cultural diversity of ancient rhetoric The Gods Themselves examines ancient myth as a source of rhetorical precept and a tool of human persuasion. In this provocative work, Shawn D. Ramsey extends the history of rhetoric to 2650 BCE through archaeological, epigraphical, and textual sources from Sumer, Egypt, and Greece to the time of Plato. In his examination of "rhetorical myths"—the stories we tell ourselves about the stories we tell ourselves—Ramsey presents rhetoric as the knowledge of principles guiding speech and writing. Chapters in The Gods Themselves highlight myths that teach rhetorical theory or praxis, such as those featuring Sumerian goddess Nisaba and Egyptian deities Seshat and Thoth, figures who personify rhetorical concepts of archival knowledge and discourse creation. Ramsey then analyzes how these early myths influenced writings by the Greek thinkers Prodicus, Isocrates, and Plato. Underscoring myth's role in shaping rhetorical culture, this synchronic history bridges ancient traditions and their lasting influence on rhetorical theory.