an oration in praise of some extraordinary thing, person, or virtue.

The name is Greek, πανεγύρις; formed of πᾶν, "all," and εὐγένεια, "a festival;" because anciently held in public and solemn assemblies of the Greeks, either at their games, their feasts, fairs, or religious meetings.

To make their panegyrics the more solemn, the Greeks used to begin with the praises of the deity in whose honour the games, &c., were celebrated; then they proceeded to the praise of the people or country where they were celebrated; then to the princes or magistrates who presided at them; and at length to the champions, especially the conquerors, who had gained the prizes in them.