Forms of Life and Forms of Discourse in Ancient Philosophy

Abstract

Mr. Administrator, Dear colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen, Each one of you expects two things from me on the occasion of this inaugural lecture: first of all, that I express my thanks to those who made my presence here possible and second, that I present the method that I will use to carry out the task entrusted to me.' Petrus Ramus, who held the chair in rhetoric and philosophy at the College Royal, opened his inaugural lecture, delivered in Latin, with words to this effect on 24 August 1551, only twenty years after the founding of this institution. We see that the practice of giving this lecture dates back more than four hundred years and that even at that time its major themes were already set. And I in turn will remain faithful to this venerable tradition today. More than a year has gone by already, dear colleagues, since you decided to create a chair in the History of Hellenistic and Roman Thought. Shortly thereafter you honored me by entrusting it to me.