The Progymnasmata

A Brief Introduction and Directory of Examples

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The Progymnasmata¹ is a series of classical writing exercises which are intended to prepare a student for formal Rhetoric.² Contrary to many modern writing programs, which often only teach a few forms of writing (e.g. research and thesis papers being the most common), the Progymnasmata is composed of many multi-faceted writing exercises to workout all of the “writing muscles” belonging to human creativity.

Learning to Gather, Organize, and Retell Information (Pre-Rhetoric)

1. Fable: This exercise teaches the student to capture the moral of a story and how to retell it from various angles and perspectives without losing the original point.

2. Narrative: This exercise teaches the student to identify the key details of an event or story and how to write an ordered account while emphasizing certain aspects to create a particular effect in their audience.

3. Description: This exercise teaches the student to accurately depict the appearance of a place or thing using detail and vivacity (life). 

Learning to Praise or Blame (Pre-Rhetoric)

4. Chreia & Maxim: These exercises teach the student to praise the wisdom of a quote, saying, proverb, or general maxim and to demonstrate the value of adhering to it.

5. Refutation & Confirmation: These exercises teach the student to evaluate a story or narrative and to demonstrate why it should (or should not) be accepted as credible.

6. Commonplace: This Exercise teaches the student to praise or blame a virtue or vice in the abstract and then to associate it with an individual who deserves to be praised or blamed in particular.

7. Encomium & Invective: These exercises teach the student the various means by which a person, place, thing, or idea may be praised or blamed.

8. Comparison: This exercise builds upon the previous exercise (Encomium and Invective) and teaches the student how to place two things of the same kind next to one another so as to add greater emphasis to their praise or blame of a particular person, place, thing, or idea.

Learning to Mimic a Person or Create a Believable Character (Pre-Rhetoric)

9. Impersonation and Characterization: These exercises teach the student how to mimic the tone and character of another author or speaker, or to create a character and speak consistently in a tone that is harmonious with that created persona.

Learning to Defend the True, Good, and Beautiful (Rhetoric Proper)

10. Thesis/Theme: In this exercise the student learns how to choose a worthy topic or theme and how to argue in favor of a particular claim related thereunto.

11. Law:  In this exercise the student learns how to defend or attack an already existing law or a proposed law.

1. The word “Progymnasmata” is Greek. The prefix “pro” means before and “gymnasmata” refers to exercises (like the English word gymnasium), literally these are exercises to master prior to the study of Rhetoric.

2. The art of persuasion via the written and spoken word.