ABSTRACT
The literature of antiquity in our possession represents a fraction of the works generated by ancient authors. This is true of Aristotle's works. Numerous scholars have attempted to reconstruct the "lost" works of Aristotle and to correct extant texts. Philological interpretation and correction of the extant Rhetoric has clarified greatly Aristotlelian rhetorical theory, yet the content and philosophy of his lost rhetorics remain largely unknown. This chapter reviews philological research attempting to reconstruct and interpret Aristotle's lost rhetorics and to show, where possible, their influence upon his mature philosophy of rhetorical discourse. Primary evidence confirms the ancient existence of Aristotle's "lost" rhetorics, although it is unclear why they disappeared and the Rhetoric remains. According to the testimony of ancient catalogers Aristotle authored numerous tracts on rhetoric. The Gryllus is philologically interesting on several counts, including its atypical title, Aristotle's motivation for composing it, and its relationship to the Rhetoric.
