Rhetoric and the art of fostering virtue from eloquence in the discourse of the Hispanic humanists of the XV century

Abstract

This article analyzes briefly the role that Rhetoric played during the Spanish Renaissance to nurture humanist values, and particularly, the idea that it is possible to teach and learn to be virtuous by means of an appropriate language; that is, the language of Civic Rhetoric inspired on the Greek and Latin Classical authors, in order to create a citizen conscience on the people. Some outstanding examples of authors from the Spanish Renaissance are presented, and it is explained the way they developed a clearly humanist perspective through their essays, poetry and historical writings.