The Art of RhetoricBy: Aristotle With the emergence of democracy in the city state of Athens in the years around 460 BC, public speaking became an essential skill for politicians in the Assemblies and Councils and even for ordinary citizens in the courts of law. In response, the technique of rhetoric rapidly developed, bringing virtuoso performances and a host of practical manuals for the layman. While many of these were little more than collections of debaters' tricks,