La tradición del exemplum en el discurso historiográfico y político de la España imperial

Abstract

This paper examines the theories of the rhetorical exemplum as presented in sixteenth-century historiographical works, especially in connection with the writing of texts on the education of the prince. I study how the example is presented both as a tool of argumentation —as stated by Aristotle—, and as an instrument of amplification —as explained by Erasmus—. I analyze how the modem example (as presented in European historiography, and practised in treatises de regimine principum) is linked to classical rhetorical theory. The final section of the paper shows how all these relations are present in the works of humanist authors from the imperial court of Philip II. These authors wrote both texts on historiography, and books on the prince's education: Sebastián Fox Morcillo, Fadrique Furió Ceriol, Benito Arias Montano, and Luis Cabrera de Córdoba. Emphasis is given to the importance of exemplum as a link between the understanding of the past and the preparation for the future, and also between the presentation of particular facts and the explanation of general principles.