On the Diplomatic Function of Some Metaphorical Expressions Related to the Semantic Field of Sight in the Hittite International Treaties

 = Paper = 

A metaphor has, since antiquity, been considered a figure of speech. Following the formulation of the so-called conceptual metaphor theory, Lakoff and Johnson defined in 1980 metaphor as a feature characterizing not only the language but also the thought and action. Therefore, metaphors can be found in the everyday language of any culture. In this paper, I will analyze the metaphors related to the semantic field of sight that are present in the Hittite state treaties and I will demonstrate their relevance in the political-diplomatic discourse.