ABSTRACT
As we have observed, because the poet identifies with his subject, and because epideixis is inherently reflexive, the poet is elevated along with the person praised by their common regard for virtue, a shared moral belief system. He is further elevated by demonstrating his skill in expressing those beliefs in the form of poetic praise and by his ability to immortalize those celebrated. With his ability to praise successfully - by making his subject an exemplar of it, and by showing virtue to be attractive - he raises himself along with his subject. I say ‘may be called a motivational concern’ because we cannot know for certain that the result of epideixis - self-elevation - was something of which the poet was aware. It is, however, difficult to believe that he was not.
