Literary notes about philippic (AI summary)
The evolution of the term "philippic" in literature showcases its journey from classical rhetoric to modern literary invective. Initially epitomized by Cicero’s Second Philippic, the word was deeply rooted in the tradition of caustic oratory, as seen in its deliberate use of Latin phrases like "Cedant arma togae..." to evoke the gravitas of public discourse [1][2]. Later, thinkers such as Friedrich Nietzsche adopted the term to underline the philosophical and systemic critical function of a piercing argument, likening it to a structural keystone [3]. Even within literary narratives outside of strict political rhetoric, as observed in works by Benito Pérez Galdós and Edgar Allan Poe, the term "philippic" has been used to herald a scathing, disruptive denunciation that captures both classical rigor and explosive immediacy [4][5].
- 88 230 A. Peroration of Second Philippic Cicero, Phil. ii.
— from Helps to Latin Translation at Sight by Edmund Luce - Another line quoted in the 2nd Philippic is Cedant arma togae, concedat laurea laudi .
— from Helps to Latin Translation at Sight by Edmund Luce - In truth, the present philippic is as necessary to the completeness of the whole of Nietzsche’s system as the keystone is to the arch.
— from The Antichrist by Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche - filípica f philippic.
— from Doña Perfecta by Benito Pérez Galdós - A philippic at once so caustic and so classical, alighted like a bombshell among the hitherto peaceful citizens of Nopolis.
— from The Works of Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven Edition by Edgar Allan Poe
