But as it is, who would not be disheartened when he sees those who lived in the time of
 the Trojan war, and even earlier, e.g. Heracles, Theseus,
 and the Argonauts. celebrated in song and tragedy, and yet foresees that even if
 he himself surpass their valorous achievements he will never be thought worthy of such
 praise? The cause of this is envy, which has this as its only good—it is the greatest evil
 to those who feel it. For some are so ungenerous by nature that they would listen more
 gladly to the praise of men of whose existence they are uncertain rather than of those who
 may have been their own benefactors. Men of intelligence, however, should not let themselves be enslaved by men whose minds
 are so perverted; on the contrary, they should ignore such as these and accustom their
 fellows to hear about those whom we are in duty bound to praise, especially since we are
 aware that progress is made, not only in the arts, but in all other activities, not
 through the agency of those that are satisfied with things as they are, but through those
 who correct, and have the courage constantly to change, anything which is not as it should
 be. I am fully aware that what I propose to do is difficult—to eulogize in prose the virtues
 of a man. The best proof is this: Those who devote themselves to philosophy Really oratory and rhetoric: for the meaning of “philosophy”
 in Isocrates see the General Introd., Vol. I, p. xxvi. venture to speak on many
 subjects of every kind, but no one of them has ever attempted to compose a discourse on
 such a theme. Prose encomia existed before this time, but
 they were mostly exercises on mythical subjects written by Sophists. And I can
 make much allowance for them. For to the poets is granted the use of many embellishments
 of language, since they can represent the gods as associating with men, conversing with and aiding in
 battle whomsoever they please, and they can treat of these subjects not only in
 conventional expressions, but in words now exotic, now newly coined, and now in figures of
 speech, neglecting none, but using every kind with which to embroider their poesy. With this passage compare Aristot. Poet. 1457b . 
 Orators, on the contrary, are not permitted the use of such devices; they must use with
 precision only words in current use and only such ideas as bear upon the actual facts.
 Besides, the poets compose all their works with meter and rhythm, while the orators do not
 share in any of these advantages; and these lend such charm that even though the poets may
 be deficient in style and thoughts, yet by the very spell of their rhythm and harmony they
 bewitch their listeners. Cf. Plat. Rep. 601b .