ABSTRACT
Foerster in Libanios, Progymnasmata accepts only the ekphraseis of the battle, the three paintings, the Kalends, the drunken man and spring as by Libanios. The category of actions or events is central to the subjects of ekphrasis in all the versions of the Progymnasmata. For Quintilian, their youthful exuberance needs to be tempered as they learn; in fact, he finds this excess more promising than its opposite since it is easier to restrain existing practices than to create abilities that have never been developed. Quintilian's use of the verb 'lascivire' paints this danger in a moral light, like Theon's warning against useless detail. Libanios' model enkomia include the ox, the date palm and the apple tree. The key term enargeia is central to the distinction. The close link between ekphrasis and the exercise of diegema points to the rhetorical function of ekphrasis. Narration was a vital element of judicial speeches, which revolve around past actions.
