From the days of Plato through the European Renaissance until today, speakers and writers have learned to think and communicate in a logical, clear manner through practicing a set of rhetorical exercises called progymnasmata (pro-jim-NAS-mah-tah), familiarly referred to as the progym.
Many progymnasmata existed over the centuries, but one of the few extant progymnasmata is that of Aphthonius of Antioch. Although not much is known of Aphthonius, we do know that he was a grammarian, fabulist, and sophist of the fourth century CE. Some rhetoricians theorize that Aphthonius was of African ancestry, and it is known that he lived in Syria. Of Aphthonius’ Progymnasmata, William Smith writes the following in the Dictionary of Greek and Roman Mythology and Biography:
Previous to the time of Aphthonius, the progymnasmata of Hermogenes were commonly used in schools; Aphthonius found them insufficient, and upon their bases, he constructed his new work, which contained fourteen progymnasmata, while that of his predecessor contained only twelve. Soon after its appearance, the progymnasmata of Aphthonius became the common school-book of this branch of education for several centuries. On the revival of letters, the progymnasmata of Aphthonius recovered their ancient popularity, and during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, they were used everywhere...in schools and universities, as the text-book for rhetoric [sic]. (1.225)
The progymnasmata of Aphthonius require student writers to hone the critical reading, thinking, and writing skills acquired in prior courses and to recognize and to emulate the rhetorical tropes used by classic authors, such as Plato, Aristotle, Aesop, de Pizan, Shakespeare, Bacon, Austen, Bulfinch, and many others. Student writers expand and expound on these complex works while learning higher criticism skills to carry them through the remainder of their educations.
The progymnasmata remain a flexible, adaptable method of introducing to student writers a wide variety of compositional modes and rhetorical techniques. The exercises range from the simple to the more complex, from the applicative to the abstract. They connect rhetorical study to “real life” concerns and experiences. The exercises lend themselves well to student writers seeking to incorporate multiple foci. The cultural milieu in which the progymnasmata were produced was one of the most diverse in history, and I have included supplementary readings from authors of varying times, places, perspectives, and abilities. The greatest value of the progymnasmata remains the same as it was in Aphthonius’ time: helping people to become active, thinking, contributing members of a free society.
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