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‘With respect to διαβολή, (intentional and malicious) calumny or (accidental, undesigned) prejudice, one (the first) topic is anything from which arguments may be derived for removing offensive (unpleasant, injurious) suspicion: for it makes no difference whether (the charge or insinuation) has been actually spoken (expressed, in the shape of a direct personal calumny) or not’ (i.e. has merely been conceived, not openly stated; ὑπόληψις as a mere conception or supposition—against us by inference, from our words, actions, or manners, or altogether accidentally, when people have a bad opinion of us: in either case the prejudice requires to be removed); ‘and therefore this is a general rule’; includes everything, every kind of argument which tends to remove any bad opinion or prejudice which for whatever reason may be entertained against us: and this, whether the charge we have to meet be a direct statement, or merely an uncertified suspicion. This is illustrated by Rhet. ad Alex. 29 (30). 8, 9.

In Benseler's Isocrates, II 276, a ref. is given upon διαβολή to Isocr. τέχνη, Fragm. τέχν. No. 2 (from Anon. et Maxim. Planud. V 551. 10, Waitz), which runs thus: ἐν γὰρ ταῖς καταστάσεσι τά τε οἰκεῖα συνιστῶμεν (establish) καὶ τὰ τῶν ἐναντίων διαβάλλομεν πρὸς τὸ οἰκεῖον σύμφερον ἐργαζόμενοι τὰς καταστάσεις, ὡς Ἰσοκράτης ἐδίδαξεν.

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