erotesis

1. (rhetoric) A figure of speech whereby a question is asked in confident expectation of a negative answer.Examples: "he would ſometimes break off in a ſudden and ſpirited Epiphonema, or rather Erotesis […] and demand it categorically of his antagoniſt, Whether he would take upon him to ſay, he had ever remember'd,—whether he had ever read,–or even whether he had ever heard tell of a man, call'd Tristram, performing any thing great or worth recording?–No–, he would ſay,–Tristram!–The thing is impoſſible."; "By Erotesis, what we know we ask, Prescribing, for effect, a needless task."rhetoric