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Institutio Oratoria (Quintilian)
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Institutio Oratoria

Author: Quintilian
Translator: Harold Edgeworth Butler
1901
Superest
genus
decipiendi
opinionem
aut
dicta
aliter
intellegendi
,
quae
sunt
in
omni
hac
materia
vel
venustissima
.
Inopinatum
et
a
lacessente
poni
solet
,
quale
est
,
quod
refert
Cicero
,
Quid
huic
abest
nisi
res
et
virus
?
aut
illud
Afri
,
Homo
in
agendis
causis
optime
vestitus
;
et
in
occurrendo
,
ut
Cicero
,
audita
falsa
Vatinii
morte
,
cum
obvium
libertum
eius
interrogasset
, "
Rectene
omnia
? "
dicenti
, "
Recte
, "
Mortuus
est
? "
There remains the prettiest of all forms of humour, namely the jest which depends for success on deceiving anticipations or taking another's words in a sense other than he intended. The unexpected element may be employed by the attacking party, as in the example cited by Cicero, "What does this man lack save wealth and—virtue?" or in the remark of Afer, "For pleading causes he is most admirably—dressed." Or it may be employed to meet a statement made by another, as it was by Cicero on hearing a false report of Vatinius' death: he had met one of the latter's freedmen and asked him, "Is all well?" The freedman answered, "All is well." To which Cicero replied, "Is he dead, then?"
1902
inquit
.
Plurimus
autem
circa
simulationem
et
dissimulationem
risus
est
,
quae
sunt
vicina
et
prope
eadem
;
sed
simulatio
est
certam
opinionem
animi
sui
imitantis
,
dissimulatio
aliena
se
parum
intelligere
fingentis
.
Simulavit
Afer
,
cum
in
causa
subinde
dicentibus
Celsinam
de
re
cognovisse
,
quae
erat
potens
femina
:
Quis
est
,
inquit
,
iste
?
Celsinam
enim
videri
sibi
virum
finxit
.
But the loudest laughter of all is produced by simulation and dissimulation, proceedings which differ but little and are almost identical; but whereas simulation implies the pretence of having a certain opinion of one's own, dissimulation consists in feigning that one does not understand someone else's meaning. Afer employed simulation, when his opponents in a certain case kept saying that Celsina (who was an influential lady) knew all about the facts, and he, pretending to believe that she was a man, said, "Who is he?"
1903
Dissimulavit
Cicero
,
cum
Sex
.
Annalis
testis
reum
laesisset
,
et
instaret
identidem
accusator
ei
,
Dic
,
M
.
Tulli
,
numquid
potes
de
Sex
.
Annali
?
versus
enim
dicere
coepit
de
libro
Ennii
annali
sexto
:
"
Quis
potis
ingentis
causas
evolvere
belli
? "
Cicero on the other hand employed dissimulation when Sextus Annalis gave evidence damaging to the client whom lie was defending, and the accuser kept pressing him with the question, "Tell me, Marcus Tullius, what have you to say about Sextus Annalis?" To which he replied by beginning to recite the Sixth book of the Annals of Ennius, which commences with the line,
"Who may the causes vast of war unfold?"
This kind of jest finds its most frequent opportunity in ambiguity,
1904
Cui
sine
dubio
frequentissimam
dat
occasionem
ambiguitas
:
ut
Cascellio
,
qui
consultatori
dicenti
, "
Navem
lividere
volo
, "
Perdes
, "
inquit
.
Sed
averti
intellectus
et
aliter
solet
,
cum
ab
asperioribus
ad
leniora
deflectitur
:
ut
qui
interrogatus
,
quid
sentiret
de
eo
,
qui
in
adulterio
deprehensus
esset
,
Tardum
fuisse
respondit
.
as for example, when Cascellius, on being consulted by a client who said, "I wish to divide my ship," replied, "You will lose it then." But there are also other ways of distorting the meaning; we may for instance give a serious statement a comparatively trivial sense, like the man who, when asked what he thought of a man who had been caught in the act of adultery, replied that he had been too slow in his movements.
1905
Ei
confine
est
,
quod
dicitur
per
suspicionem
:
quale
illud
apud
Ciceronem
querenti
,
quod
uxor
sua
ex
fico
sese
suspendisset
,
Rogo
,
des
mihi
surculum
ex
illa
arbore
,
ut
inseram
;
intelligitur
enim
quod
non
dicitur
.
Of a similar nature are jests whose point lies in insinuation. Such was the reply which Cicero quotes as given to the man who complained that his wife had hung herself on a fig-tree. "I wish," said someone, "you would give me a slip of that tree to plant." For there the meaning is obvious, though it is not expressed in so many words.
1906
Et
hercule
omnis
salse
dicendi
ratio
in
eo
est
,
ut
aliter
quam
est
rectum
verumque
dicatur
:
quod
fit
totum
fingendis
aut
nostris
aut
alienis
persuasionibus
aut
dicendo
quod
fieri
non
potest
.
Indeed the essence of all wit lies in the distortion of the true and natural meaning of words: a perfect instance of this is when we misrepresent our own or another's opinions or assert some impossibility.
1907
Alienam
finxit
Iuba
,
qui
querenti
,
quod
ab
equo
suo
esset
aspersus
,
Quid
?
Tu
,
inquit
,
me
Hippocentaurum
putas
?
suam
C
.
Cassius
,
qui
militi
sine
gladio
decurrenti
,
Heus
,
commilito
,
pugno
bene
uteris
,
inquit
.
Et
Galba
de
piscibus
,
qui
cum
pridie
ex
parte
adesi
et
versati
postera
die
appositi
essent
,
Festinemus
,
alii
subcenant
,
inquit
.
Tertium
illud
Cicero
,
ut
dixi
,
adversus
Curium
;
fieri
enim
certe
non
poterat
ut
,
cum
declamaret
,
natus
non
esset
.
Juba misrepresented another man's opinion, when he replied to one who complained of being bespattered by his horse, "What, do you think I am a Centaur?" Gaius Cassius misrepresented his own, when he said to a soldier whom he saw hurrying into battle without his sword, "Shew yourself a handy man with your fists, comrade." So too did Galba, when served with some fish that had been partially eaten the day before and had been placed on the table with the uneaten sides turned uppermost: "We must lose no time," he said, "for there are people under the table at work on the other side." Lastly there is the jibe that Cicero made against Curius, which I have already cited; for it was clearly impossible that he should be still unborn at a time when he was already declaiming.
1908
Est
et
illa
ex
ironia
fictio
,
qua
usus
est
C
.
Caesar
.
Nam
cum
testis
diceret
a
reo
femina
sua
ferro
petita
,
et
esset
facilis
reprehensio
,
cur
illam
potissimum
partem
corporis
vulnerare
voluisset
:
Quid
enim
faceret
,
inquit
,
There is also a form of misrepresentation which has its basis in irony, of which a saying of Gaius Caesar will provide an example. A witness asserted that the accused attempted to wound him in the thighs, and although it would have been easy to ask him why he attacked that portion of his body above all others, he merely remarked, "What else could he have done, when you had a helmet and breastplate?"
1909
cum
tu
galeam
et
loricam
haberes
?
Vel
optima
est
simulatio
contra
simulantem
,
qualis
illa
Domitii
Afri
fuit
:
vetus
habebat
testamentum
,
et
unus
ex
amicis
recentioribus
,
sperans
aliquid
ex
mutatione
tabularum
,
falsam
fabulam
intulerat
,
consulens
eum
,
an
primipilari
seni
iam
testato
rursus
suaderet
ordinare
suprema
iudicia
.
Noli
,
inquit
,
facere
;
offendis
illum
.
Best of all is it when pretence is met by pretence, as was done in the following instance by Domitius Afer. He had made his will long ago, and one of his more recent friends, in the hopes of securing a legacy if he could persuade him to change it, produced a fictitious story and asked him whether he should advise a senior centurion who, being an old man, had already made his will to revise it; to which Afer replied, "Don't do it: you will offend him."
1910
Iucundissima
sunt
autem
ex
his
omnibus
lenia
et
,
ut
sic
dixerim
,
boni
stomachi
:
ut
Afer
idem
ingrato
litigatori
conspectum
eius
in
foro
vitanti
per
nomenclatorem
missum
ad
eum
,
Amas
me
,
inquit
,
quod
te
non
vidi
?
Et
dispensatori
,
qui
,
cum
reliqua
non
responderent
,
dicebat
subinde
, "
Non
comedi
;
pane
et
aqua
vivo
, "
Passer
,
redde
quod
debes
. "
Quae
ὑπὸ
τὸ
ἦθος
vocant
.
But the most agreeable of all jests are those which are good humoured and easily digested. Take another example from Afer. Noting that an ungrateful client avoided him in the forum, he sent his servant to him to say, "I hope you are obliged to me for not having seen you." Again when his steward, being unable to account for certain sums of money, kept saying, "I have not eaten it: I live on bread and water," he replied, "Master sparrow, pay what you owe." Such jests the Greeks style ὑπὸ τὸ ἦθος or adapted to character.
1911
Est
gratus
iocus
,
qui
minus
exprobrat
quam
potest
,
ut
idem
dicenti
candidate
,
Semper
domum
tuam
colui
,
cum
posset
palam
negare
,
Credo
,
inquit
,
et
verum
est
.
Interim
de
se
dicere
ridiculum
et
quod
in
alium
si
absentem
diceretur
urbanum
non
erat
,
quoniam
ipsi
palam
exprobratur
,
It is a pleasant form of jest to reproach a person with less than would be possible, as Afer did when, in answer to a candidate who said, "I have always shown my respect for your family," he replied, although he might easily have denied the statement, "You are right, it is quite true." Sometimes it may be a good joke to speak of oneself, while one may often raise a laugh by reproaching a person to his face with things that it would have been merely bad-mannered to bring up against him behind his back.
1912
movet
risum
:
quale
Augusti
est
,
cum
ab
eo
miles
nescio
quid
improbe
peteret
et
veniret
contra
Marcianus
,
quem
suspicabatur
et
ipsum
aliquid
iniuste
rogaturum
:
Non
magis
,
inquit
,
faciam
,
commilito
,
quod
petis
,
quam
quod
Marcianus
a
me
petiturus
est
.
Of this kind was the remark made by Augustus, when a soldier was making some unreasonable request and Marcianus, whom he suspected of intending to make some no less unfair request, turned up at the same moment: " I will no more grant your request, comrade, than I will that which Marcianus is just going to make. "
1913
Adiuvant
urbanitatem
et
versus
commode
positi
,
seu
toti
ut
sunt
(
quod
adeo
facile
est
,
ut
Ovidius
ex
tetrastichon
Macri
carmine
librum
in
malos
poetas
composuerit
) ,
quod
fit
gratius
,
si
qua
etiam
ambiguitate
conditur
:
ut
Cicero
in
Lartium
,
hominem
callidum
et
versutum
,
cum
is
in
quadam
causa
suspectus
esset
,
Apt quotation of verse may add to the effect of wit. The lines may be quoted in their entirety without alteration, which is so easy a task that Ovid composed an entire book against bad poets out of lines taken from the quatrains of Macer. Such a procedure is rendered specially attractive if it be seasoned by a spice of ambiguity, as in the line which Cicero quoted against Lartius, a shrewd and cunning fellow who was suspected of unfair dealing in a certain case,
"Had not Ulysses Lartius intervened."
Or the words may be slightly altered, as in the line quoted against the senator who,
1914
Nisi
si
qua
Ulixes
intervasit
Lartius
;
seu
verbis
ex
parte
mutatis
,
ut
in
eum
qui
,
cum
antea
stultissimus
esset
habitus
,
post
acceptam
hereditatem
primus
sententiam
rogabatur
,
Hereditas
est
,
queam
vocant
sapientiam
,
pro
illo
,
felicitas
est
;
seu
ficti
notis
versibus
similes
,
quae
παρῳδία
dicitur
.
although he had always in previous times been regarded as an utter fool, was, after inheriting an estate, asked to speak first on a motion—
"What men call wisdom is a legacy,"
where legacy is substituted for the original faculty. Or again we may invent verses resembling well known lines, a trick styled parody by the Greeks. A neat application of proverbs may also be effective,
1915
Et
proverbia
opportune
aptata
:
ut
homini
nequam
lapso
et
,
ut
allevaretur
,
roganti
,
Tollat
te
qui
non
novit
.
Ex
historia
etiam
ducere
urbanitatem
eruditum
est
:
ut
Cicero
fecit
,
cum
ei
testem
in
iudicio
Verris
roganti
dixisset
Hortensius
, "
Non
intelligo
haec
aenigmata
. "
Atqui
debes
,
inquit
,
cum
Sphingem
domi
habeas
; "
acceperat
autem
ille
a
Verre
Sphingem
aeneam
magnae
pecuniae
.
as when one man replied to another, a worthless fellow, who had fallen down and asked to be helped to his feet, "Let someone pick you up who does not know you." Or we may shew our culture by drawing on legend for a jest, as Cicero did in the trial of Verres, when Hortensius said to him as he was examining a witness, "I do not understand these riddles. "You ought to, then," said Cicero, "as you have got the Sphinx at home." Hortensius had received a bronze Sphinx of great value as a present from Verres.
1916
Subabsurda
illa
constant
stulti
simulatione
;
quae
,
nisi
fingantur
,
stulta
sunt
:
ut
,
qui
mirantibus
,
quod
humile
candelabrum
emisset
,
Pransorium
erit
,
inquit
.
Sed
illa
similia
absurdis
sunt
acria
,
quae
tanquam
sine
ratione
dicta
feruntur
:
ut
servus
Dolabellae
,
cum
interrogaretur
an
dominus
eius
auctionem
proposuisset
,
Domum
,
inquit
,
vendidit
.
Deprehensi
interim
pudorem
suum
ridiculo
aliquo
explicant
:
Effects of mild absurdity are produced by the simulation of folly and would, indeed, themselves, be foolish were they not fictitious. Take as an example the remark of the man who, when people wondered why he had bought a stumpy candlestick, said, "It will do for lunch." There are also sayings closely resembling absurdities which derive great point from their sheer irrelevance, like the reply of Dolabella's slave, who, on being asked whether his master had advertised a sale of his property, answered, "He has sold his house." Sometimes you may get out of a tight comer by giving a humorous explanation of your embarrassment,
1917
ut
,
qui
testem
dicentem
se
a
reo
vulneratum
interrogaverat
an
cicatricem
haberet
,
cum
ille
ingentem
in
femine
ostendisset
,
Latus
,
inquit
,
oportuit
.
Contumeliis
quoque
uti
belle
datur
:
ut
Hispo
obiicienti
atrociora
crimina
accusatori
,
Me
ex
te
metiris
,
inquit
.
Et
Fulvius
Propinquus
legato
interroganti
an
in
tabulis
,
quas
proferebat
,
chirographus
esset
,
Et
verus
,
inquit
,
domine
.
as the man did who asked a witness, who alleged that lie had been wounded by the accused, whether he had any scar to show for it. The witness proceeded to show a huge scar on his thigh, on which lie remarked, "I wish he had wounded you in the side." A happy use may also be made of insult. Hispo, for example, when the accuser charged him with scandalous crimes, replied, "You judge my character by your own" ; while Fulvius Propinquus, when asked by the representative of the emperor whether the documents which he produced were autographs, replied, "Yes, Sir, and the handwriting is genuine, too!"
1918
Has
aut
accepi
species
aut
inveni
frequentissimas
,
ex
quibus
ridicula
ducerentur
;
sed
repetam
necesse
est
,
infinitas
esse
tam
salse
dicendi
quam
severe
,
quas
praestat
persona
,
locus
,
tempus
,
casus
denique
,
qui
est
maxime
varius
.
Such I have either learned from others or discovered from my own experience to be the commonest sources of humour. But I must repeat that the number of ways in which one may speak wittily are of no less infinite variety than those in which one may speak seriously, for they depend on persons, place, time and chances, which are numberless.
1919
Itaque
haec
,
ne
omisisse
viderer
,
attigi
;
illa
autem
,
quae
de
usu
ipso
et
modo
iocandi
complexus
sum
,
audeo
confirmare
esse
plane
necessaria
.
His
adiicit
Domitius
Marsus
,
qui
de
urbanitate
diligentissime
scripsit
,
quaedam
non
ridicula
,
sed
cuilibet
severissimae
orationi
convenientia
eleganter
dicta
et
proprio
quodam
lepore
iucunda
;
quae
sunt
quidem
urbana
sed
risum
tamen
non
habent
.
I have, therefore, touched on the topics of humour that I may not be taxed with having omitted them; but with regard to my remarks on the actual practice and manner of jesting, I venture to assert that they are absolutely indispensable. To these Domitius Marsus, who wrote an elaborate treatise on Urbanity, adds several types of saying, which are not laughable, but rather elegant sayings with a certain charm and attraction of their own, which are suitable even to speeches of the most serious kind: they are characterized by a certain urbane wit, but not of a kind to raise a laugh.
1920
Neque
enim
ei
de
risu
sed
de
urbanitate
est
opus
institutum
,
quam
propriam
esse
nostrae
civitatis
et
sero
sic
intelligi
coeptam
,
postquam
Urbis
appellatione
,
etiamsi
nomen
proprium
non
adiiceretur
,
Romam
tamen
accipi
sit
receptum
.
And as a matter of fact his work was not designed to deal with humour, but with urbane wit, a quality which he regards as peculiar to this city, though it was not till a late period that it was understood in this sense, after the word Urbs had come to be accepted as indicating Rome without the addition of any proper noun. He defines it as follows:
1921
Eamque
sic
finit
:
Urbanitas
est
virtus
quaedam
in
breve
dictum
coacta
et
apta
ad
delectandos
mouendosque
homines
in
omnem
adfectum
animi
,
maxime
idonea
ad
resistendum
vel
lacessendum
,
prout
quaeque
res
aut
persona
desiderat
.
Cui
si
brevitatis
exceptionem
detraxeris
,
omnes
orationis
virtutes
complexa
sit
.
Nam
si
constat
rebus
et
personis
,
quod
in
utrisque
oporteat
dicere
perfectae
eloquentiae
est
.
Cur
autem
brevem
esse
eam
voluerit
,
nescio
,
cum
idem
atque
" Urbanity is a certain quality of language compressed into the limits of a brief saying and adapted to delight and move men to every kind of emotion, but specially suitable to resistance or attack according as the person or circumstances concerned may demand. " But this definition, if we except the quality of brevity, includes all the virtues of oratory. For it is entirely concerned with persons and things to deal with which in appropriate language is nothing more nor less than the task of perfect eloquence. Why he insisted on brevity being essential I do not know,
1922
in
eodem
libro
dicat
fuisse
in
multis
narrandi
urbanitatem
.
Paulo
post
ita
finit
,
Catonis
(
ut
ait
)
opinionem
secutus
,
Urbanus
homo
erit
,
cuius
multa
bene
dicta
responsaque
erunt
,
et
qui
in
sermonibus
,
circulis
,
conviviis
,
item
in
contionibus
,
omni
denique
loco
ridicule
commodeque
dicet
.
Risus
erunt
,
quicunque
haec
faciet
orator
.
since in the same book he asserts that many speakers have revealed their urbanity in narrative. And a little later he gives the following definition, which is, as he says, based on the views expressed by Cato: " Urbanity is the characteristic of a man who has produced many good sayings and replies, and who, whether in conversation, in social or convivial gatherings, in public speeches, or under any other circumstances, will speak with humour and appropriateness. If any orator do this, he will undoubtedly succeed in making his audience laugh. "
1923
Quas
si
recipimus
finitiones
,
quidquid
bene
dicetur
,
et
urbane
dicti
nomen
accipiet
.
Ceterum
illi
,
qui
hoc
proposuerat
,
consentanea
fuit
illa
divisio
,
ut
dictorum
urbanorum
alia
seria
,
alia
iocosa
,
alia
media
faceret
.
Nam
est
eadem
omnium
bene
dictorum
.
Verum
mihi
etiam
iocosa
quaedam
videntur
posse
in
non
satis
urbana
referri
.
But if we accept these definitions, we shall have to allow the title of urbane to anything that is well said. It was natural therefore that the author of this definition should classify such sayings under three heads, serious, humorous and intermediate, since all good sayings may be thus classified. But, in my opinion, there are certain forms of humorous saying that may be regarded as not possessing sufficient urbanity.
1924
Nam
meo
quidem
indicio
illa
est
urbanitas
,
in
qua
nihil
absonum
,
nihil
agreste
,
nihil
inconditum
,
nihil
peregrinum
neque
sensu
neque
verbis
neque
ore
gestuve
possit
deprehendi
;
ut
non
tam
sit
in
singulis
dictis
quam
in
toto
colore
dicendi
,
qualis
apud
Graecos
ἀττικισμὸς
ille
reddens
Athenarum
proprium
saporem
.
For to my thinking urbanity involves the total absence of all that is incongruous, coarse, unpolished and exotic whether in thought, language, voice or gesture, and resides not so much in isolated sayings as in the whole complexion of our language, just as for the Greeks Atticism means that elegance of taste which was peculiar to Athens.
1925
Ne
tamen
iudicium
Marsi
,
hominis
eruditissimi
,
subtraham
,
seria
partitur
in
tria
genera
,
honorificum
,
contumeliosum
,
medium
.
Et
honorifici
ponit
exemplum
Ciceronis
pro
Ligario
apud
Caesarem
,
Qui
nihil
soles
oblivisci
nisi
iniurias
;
However, out of respect to the judgment of Marsus, who was a man of the greatest learning, I will add that he divides serious utterances into three classes, the honorific, the derogatory and the intermediate. As an example of the honorific he quotes the words uttered by Cicero in the pro Ligario with reference to Caesar, "You who forget nothing save injuries."
1926
et
contumeliosi
,
quod
Attico
scripsit
de
Pompeio
et
Caesare
,
Habeo
,
quem
fugiam
;
quem
sequar
,
non
habeo
;
et
medii
,
quod
ἀποφθεγματικόν
vocat
et
est
ita
,
cum
dixerit
,
Nec
grave
mortem
accidere
viro
forti
posse
nec
inmaturam
consulari
neque
miseram
sapienti
.
Quae
omnia
sunt
optime
dicta
;
sed
cur
proprie
nomen
urbanitatis
accipiant
,
non
video
.
The derogatory he illustrates by the words used by Cicero of Pompey and Caesar in a letter to Atticus: "I know whom to avoid, but whom to follow I know not." Finally, he illustrates the intermediate, which he calls apophthegmatic (as it is), by the passage from Cicero's speech against Catiline where he says, " Death can never be grievous to the brave nor premature for one who has been consul nor a calamity to one that is truly wise. " All these are admirable sayings, but what special title they have to be called urbane I do not see.
1927
Quod
si
non
totius
,
ut
mihi
videtur
,
orationis
color
meretur
,
sed
etiam
singulis
dictis
tribuendum
est
,
illa
potius
urbana
dixerim
,
quae
sunt
generis
eiusdem
,
quo
ridicula
dicuntur
et
tamen
ridicula
non
sunt
,
ut
de
Pollione
Asinio
seriis
iocisque
pariter
accommodato
dictum
est
esse
eum
omnium
horarum
;
If it is not merely, as I think, the whole complexion of our oratory that deserves this title, but if it is to be claimed for individual sayings as well, I should give the name only to those sayings that are of the same general character as humorous sayings, without actually being humorous. I will give an illustration of what I mean. It was said of Asinius Pollio, who had equal gifts for being grave or gay, that he was "a man for all hours,"
1928
et
de
actore
facile
dicente
ex
tempore
,
ingenium
eum
in
numerato
habere
;
etiam
Pompeii
,
quod
refert
Marsus
,
in
Ciceronem
diffidentem
partibus
,
Transi
ad
Caesarem
,
me
timebis
.
Erat
enim
,
si
de
re
minore
aut
alio
animo
aut
denique
non
ab
ipso
dictum
fuisset
,
quod
posset
inter
ridicula
numerari
.
and of a pleader who was a fluent speaker extempore, that "his ability was all in ready money." Of the same kind, too, was the remark recorded by Marsus as having been made by Pompey to Cicero when the latter expressed distrust of his party: "Go over to Caesar and you will be afraid of me." Had this last remark been uttered on a less serious subject and with less serious purpose, or had it not been uttered by Pompey himself, we might have counted it among examples of humour.
1929
Etiam
illud
,
quod
Cicero
Caerelliae
scripsit
reddens
rationem
,
cur
illa
C
.
Caesaris
tempora
tam
patienter
toleraret
,
Haec
aut
animo
Catonis
ferenda
sunt
aut
Ciceronis
stomacho
;
stomachus
enim
ille
habet
aliquid
ioco
simile
.
Haec
,
quae
movebant
,
dissimulanda
mihi
non
fuerunt
;
in
quibus
ut
erraverim
,
legentes
tamen
non
decepi
,
indicata
et
diverse
opinione
,
quam
sequi
magis
probantibus
liberum
est
.
I may also add the words used by Cicero in a letter to Caerellia to explain why he endured the supremacy of Caesar so patiently: " These ills must either be endured with the courage of Cato or the stomach of Cicero, " for here again the word "stomach" has a spice of humour in it. I felt that I ought not to conceal my feelings on this point. If I am wrong in my views, I shall not, at any rate, lead my readers astray, since I have stated the opposite view as well, which they are at liberty to adopt if they prefer it.
1930
Altercationis
praecepta
poterant
videri
tunc
inchoanda
,
cum
omnia
,
quae
ad
continuam
orationem
pertinent
,
peregissem
,
nam
est
usus
eius
ordine
ultimus
;
sed
,
cum
sit
posita
in
sola
inventione
neque
habere
dispositionem
possit
nec
elocutionis
ornamenta
magnopere
desideret
aut
circa
memoriam
et
pronuntiationem
laboret
,
prius
quam
secundam
quinque
partium
,
hanc
quae
tota
ex
prima
pendet
tractaturus
non
alieno
loco
videor
;
quam
scriptores
alii
fortasse
ideo
reliquerunt
,
quia
satis
ceteris
praeceptis
in
hanc
quoque
videbatur
esse
prospectum
.
IV. With regard to the principles to be observed in forensic debate, it might seem that I should delay such instructions until I had finished dealing with all the details of continuous speaking, since such debates come after the set speeches are done. But since the art of debate turns on invention alone, does not admit of arrangement, has little need for the embellishments of style, and makes no large demand on memory or delivery, I think that it will not be out of place to deal with it here before I proceed to the second of the five parts, since it is entirely dependent on the first. Other writers have omitted to deal with it on the ground perhaps that they thought the subject had been sufficiently covered by their precepts on other topics.
1931
Constat
enim
ex
intentione
ac
depulsione
,
de
quibus
satis
traditum
est
;
quia
,
quidquid
in
actione
perpetua
circa
probationes
utile
est
,
idem
in
hac
brevi
atque
concisa
prosit
necesse
est
.
Neque
alia
dicuntur
in
altercatione
,
sed
aliter
,
aut
interrogando
aut
respondendo
.
Cuius
rei
fere
omnis
observatio
in
illo
testium
loco
excussa
nobis
est
.
For debate consists in attack and defence, on which enough has already been said, since whatever is useful in a continuous speech for the purpose of proof must necessarily be of service in this brief and discontinuous form of oratory. For we say the same things in debate, though we say them in a different manner, since debate consists of questions and replies, a topic with which we have dealt fairly exhaustively in connexion with the examination of witnesses.
1932
Tamen
quia
latius
hoc
opus
aggressi
sumus
neque
perfectus
orator
sine
hac
virtute
dici
potest
,
paululum
impendamus
huic
quoque
peculiaris
operae
,
quae
quidem
in
quibusdam
causis
ad
victoriam
vel
plurimum
valet
.
But since this work is designed on an ample scale and since no one can be called a perfect orator unless he be an expert debater, we must devote a little special attention to this accomplishment as well, which as a matter of fact is not seldom the deciding factor in a forensic victory.
1933
Nam
ut
in
qualitate
generali
,
in
qua
rectene
factum
quid
an
contra
sit
quaeritur
,
perpetua
dominatur
oratio
,
et
quaestionem
finitionis
actiones
plerumque
satis
explicant
et
omnia
paene
,
in
quibus
de
facto
constat
aut
coniectura
artificiali
ratione
colligitur
,
ita
in
iis
causis
,
quae
sunt
frequentissimae
,
quae
vel
solis
extra
artem
probationibus
vel
mixtis
continentur
,
asperrima
in
hac
parte
dimicatio
est
,
nec
alibi
dixeris
magis
mucrone
pugnari
.
For just as the continuous speech is the predominant weapon in general questions of quality (where the inquiry is as to whether an act was right or wrong), and as a rule is adequate to clear up questions of definition and almost all those in which the facts are ascertained or inferred by conjecture from artificial proof, so on the other hand those cases, which are the most frequent of all and depend on proofs which are either entirely inartificial or of a composite character, give rise to the most violent debates; in fact I should say that there is no occasion when the advocate has to come to closer grips with his adversary.
1934
Nam
et
firmissima
quaeque
memoriae
iudicis
inculcanda
sunt
et
praestandum
quidquid
in
actione
promisimus
et
refellenda
mendacia
.
Nusquam
est
denique
qui
cognoscit
intentior
.
Nec
immerito
quidam
quanquam
in
dicendo
mediocres
hac
tamen
altercandi
praestantia
meruerunt
nomen
patronorum
.
For all the strongest points of the argument have to be sharply impressed on the memory of the judge, while we have also to make good all the promises we may have made in the course of our speech and to refute the lies of our opponents. There is no point of a trial where the judge's attention is keener. And even mediocre speakers have not without some reason acquired the reputation of being good advocates simply by their excellence in debate.
1935
At
quidam
litigatoribus
suis
illum
modo
ambitiosum
declamandi
sudorem
praestitisse
contenti
cum
turba
laudantium
destituunt
subsellia
pugnamque
illam
decretoriam
imperitis
ac
saepe
pullatae
turbae
relinquunt
.
Some on the other hand think they have done their duty to their clients by an ostentatious and fatiguing display of elaborate declamation and straightway march out of court attended by an applauding crowd and leave the desperate battle of debate to uneducated performers who often are of but humble origin.
1936
Itaque
videas
alios
plerumque
iudiciis
privatis
ad
actiones
advocari
alios
ad
probationem
.
Quae
si
dividenda
sunt
officia
,
hoc
certe
magis
necessarium
est
,
pudendumque
dictu
,
si
plus
litigantibus
prosunt
minores
.
In
publicis
certe
iudiciis
vox
illa
praeconis
praeter
patronos
ipsum
,
qui
egerit
,
citat
.
As a result in private suits you will generally find that different counsel are employed to plead and to prove the case. If the duties of advocacy are to be thus divided, the latter duty must surely be accounted the more important of the two, and it is a disgrace to oratory that inferior advocates should be regarded as adequate to render the greater service to the litigants. In public cases at any rate the actual pleader is cited by the usher as well as the other advocates.
1937
Opus
est
igitur
inprimis
ingenio
veloci
ac
mobili
,
animo
praesenti
et
acri
.
Non
enim
cogitandum
,
sed
dicendum
statim
est
et
prope
sub
conatu
adversarii
manus
exigenda
.
Quare
cum
in
omni
parte
huiusce
officii
plurimum
facit
,
totas
non
diligenter
modo
sed
etiam
familiariter
nosse
causas
,
tum
in
altercatione
maxime
necessarium
est
,
omnium
personarum
,
instrumentorum
,
temporum
,
locorum
habere
notitiam
;
alioqui
et
tacendum
erit
saepe
et
aliis
subiicientibus
(
plerumque
autem
studio
loquendi
fatue
modo
)
accedendum
;
quo
nonnunquam
accidit
,
ut
nostra
credulitate
aliena
stultitia
erubescamus
.
For debate the chief requisites are a quick and nimble understanding and a shrewd and ready judgment. For there is no time to think; the advocate must speak at once and return the blow almost before it has been dealt by his opponent. Consequently while it is most important for every portion of the case that the advocate should not merely have given a careful study to the whole case, but that he should have it at his fingers' ends, when he comes to the debate it is absolutely necessary that he should possess a thorough acquaintance with all the persons, instruments and circumstances of time and place involved: otherwise he will often be reduced to silence and forced to give a hurried assent to those who prompt him as to what he should say, suggestions which are often perfectly fatuous owing to excess of zeal on the part of the prompter. As a result it sometimes happens that we are put to the blush by too ready acceptance of the foolish suggestions of another.
1938
Neque
tantum
cum
his
ipsis
monitoribus
clam
res
erit
;
quidam
faciunt
aperte
ut
quoque
rixentur
.
Videas
enim
plerosque
ira
percitos
exclamantes
,
ut
iudex
audiat
contrarium
id
esse
,
quod
admoneatur
,
sciatque
ille
,
qui
pronuntiaturus
est
in
causa
,
Moreover, we have to deal with others beside these prompters who speak for our ear alone. Somego so far as to turn the debate into an open brawl. For you may sometimes see several persons shouting angrily at the judge and telling him that the arguments thus suggested are contrary to the truth, and calling his attention to the fact that some point which is prejudicial to the case has been deliberately passed over in silence.