Christine de Pizan is a humanist because she chooses to focus on the natural empathy, compassion, and reason that women possess. Similar ideas can be present in individuals that are not described by humanism, however, religion is often the basis. Although Christine de Pizan did refer to the Bible for examples to back up many of her arguments, her opinions were developed through knowledge and experience. Moreover, she was a humanist because she expressed her opinions in the civic sphere. She focused much of her career on trying to spread her opinions.
The Book and The Treasure were responses to The Romance of the Rose in that they were both arguing against the idea that women are strictly seducers. In The Book, she discusses the idea that women can suppress the stereotypes formed about them if given a chance to speak about themselves. She elaborates on this idea in The Treasure by arguing that the influence that women have as mothers, wives, etc., is in fact very powerful.
Rhetoric’s domain slightly changes from Ancient Athens to Ancient Rome in that the practice of rhetoric as an art began fading away, while the use of rhetoric in politics expanded. In Acient Athens, Sophists often use rhetoric to discuss a topic artistically. They persuaded their audience by using their imagination and skill to paint new ideas in the minds of their listeners. In some cases, the audience was politicians. Many rhetoricians in Ancient Athens sought to persuade the actions of politicians with rhetoric. However, rhetoric was not as significant to politics in Ancient Athens as it was in Ancient Rome.
Rhetoric in Ancient Rome differed from that of Ancient Athens in that some emporers, such as Galba, were greatly concerned with the thoughts of rhetoricians. As rhetoric gained presence in the political sphere of Ancient Rome its artistic characteristics faded. Emporers and other politicians sought to educate the youth of Ancient Rome, however, they did not combine rhetorical education with artistic practices as the Early Sophists did in Ancient Greece. Thus, rhetorics domain expanded towards politics and contracted away from art.
While each rhetorician was respected in the field of rhetoric for separate accomplishments, it is not uncommon to see their work compared. One of the most important similarities between Quintilian and Cicero was their concern for morality, or vir bonus. This concern was the result of their understanding of the power that rhetoric had to influence others. In this case, Quintilian and Cicero emphasized morality in rhetoric because they were worried it would be used to influence politicians in a negative way.
Quintilian and Cicero had similar goals for the role of rhetoric in Ancient Rome. Quintilian often discussed his desire for Roman Rhetoricians to play the role of “Wise Men” in Rome. Similarly, Cicero described his image of the ideal rhetor in Rome as a “moral guide.” Emphasis on morality was placed by both figures because, although Cicero died nearly a century before Quintilian was born, the Roman Empire was in a fragile state during both of their lives. Moreover, they felt that the influence of moral rhetoricians would go a long way towards preserving Rome.
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