protherapeia  protherapeia
 pro-ther-a-pei'-a Gk. "previous care or treatment"
from pro, "before" and therapeia, "service"
proepiplexis
conciliation

Preparing one's audience for what one is about to say through conciliating words. If what is to come will be shocking, the figure is called prodiorthosis.
 
Examples
  Paul the apostle warms up his audience by beginning his speech on Mars hill with protherapeia:
Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are very religious...
—Acts 17:22
Related Figures
 

See Also
 

  • Arrangement: exordium
    The securing of goodwill was considered an essential part of the introduction of an oration.
 
  Sources: Bullinger 975


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Gideon O. Burton, Brigham Young University
Please cite "Silva Rhetoricae" (rhetoric.byu.edu)


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