The Gods Themselves: Rhetoric and Myth in Sumer, Egypt, and Greece Before 355 BCE

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 Mediterranean and Near Eastern myths.

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 that guide speech and writing. These narratives show rhetoric to be an abstract field of knowledge with ontological significance. The Gods Themselves highlights 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 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.

Shawn D. Ramsey teaches communication and ethical reasoning in Doha, Qatar. He has published in journals including Rhetoric Society Quarterly, Rhetoric Review, and Journal for the History of Rhetoric.