Does anyone have an entry for this word?

Richard Stengel discusses it in his book "You're Too Kind: A Brief History of Flattery" in the context of Hellenic ideas about democracy and freedom of speech.

He explains that it means "frankness of speech", in opposition to demagoguery.

Quote:
In the fifth century B.C., "parhesia" was the term the Greeks used for free speech. The idea was that a free man speaking before his fellow citizens was to speak freely, truthfully, sincerely. Frank speech was transparent speech. Parhesia was regarded as a foundation of democracy. It was both a right and a necessity. Parhesia was the unpleasant truth, not the pleasing fiction. The Greeks believed a democracy could survive only if men were truthful and frank.


Edit: Never mind. Stengel spells it with one r. But here it is with two:

Parrhesia

Last edited by Hydra; 03/10/2007 4:08 AM.