ABSTRACT
Antique artistic prose had followed metrical laws in its cadences. A direct connection between antique epideixis and medieval poetry is to be found in poems in praise of cities and countries. The rules for eulogies of cities were developed in detail by late antique theory. Isidore found models in antique chorographical and historical writing; then himself became a model not only for the historians but also for the epic poets of the Middle Ages. The majority of lyric themes, which the modem poet "creates" out of his "experience," were included in the list of epideictic topoi by late antique theory. Aristotle's teaching on the art of poetry must, then, be seen in connection with his entire system: as a parallel discipline to ethics, politics, rhetoric, economics. The rhetorical topos "all sing his praises," "he is worthy of song," easily becomes the statement: "There are songs about him.".
