M. T. Cicero and H. P. Grice

Speranza

A short survey of ancient and modern logical,
rhetorical and argumentative approaches (e.g., Aristotle, Quintilian,
Quine, Anscombre and Ducrot) can be made studying the properties of paradoxical
utterances.

This survey can be followed by a tentative definition of
paradoxes as seemingly contradictory utterances triggering
conversational implicatures in the sense of Grice.

We can take a corpus of about 80 paradoxical utterances from
Cicero's speeches to show how they are used

(1) for a devastating criticism of Cicero's political enemies,

(2) a milder form of criticism in the case of his friends, when their political activities have
failed,

(3) a praise of successful policies of Cicero and his political friends and

(4) a defense of unsuccessful activities started by Cicero
and his friends.