not quite oirrBCt^ Cicero appears to mean, that of the two memben the voiue was once rsieed and oni» lowered in each.
' OcBlliuBB tent bos praixptU oratorit; but we muBt undoubtedly redd oraioriis with Pearce.
' AtticUH was Bioeediiigly rleaasii with this trenliae, and commendod it Bitremely, but objected to the diarniflaion of Scicyola. froia tbe dispatatian, after he hod been mtroduoed into the first dialogue.
I I and let ua also, as the day 13 bo fiir advaueed, consulti heiUth."^ The propgBal pleased the whole compimj. T then said, "Indeed, I could wish that I had not 1: appointment ■with Lselius to go to that part of the T territory to-day. I would willingly hear Antoniua;" J he rose from hia seat, he smiled and added, " for he J offend me bo much when he pulled our civil lav he amused me wheu he professed himself iguorant oM' it."
I In thia book Antoninii givea insttuctionii reBpecting ii tor;, and the Brrangemeata of the different porta o pactcncntB in nhich he woa thouglit tu hare attained great e: though hia latiguage was not lUwnya highly Btudied oi Cio. de Clar. Orat. c. ST. As humour in Bpeukiug woi a part of iDTention, CaiuB Julius deear, ivho was called the tail iJDue niau of hie time, speaks Qopioua^ on that eubject, c. ' I. TuBRB was, if you remember, brother Quintus, a persuasion in ua when we were boys, that Liiciua Crasai: acquired no more learning thau he had been enabled t' _ from instruetion in his youtli, and that Mareus Antoniua entirely destitute and ignorant of all erudition whatsoever; and tliere were many who, though they did not believe that Buch. was really the case, yet, that tbey might more easily deter us from the pursuit of learning, when we were inflame * defends himself by the eiajnplo of their " god Plato," ax he calls In his book Be Sspulilicd; whore the scene being laid in the houaa un old goutleman, Cephalus, the old man, after bcamig a pirt in '' fii'st conversation, excuses himself, saying, that he must go to praj(__, and returns do more, Plato not thinking it suitable to hie age to be detained in the company through BO long a difieourse. With greater rensan, therefore, he saya Uiat he had used the same caution in the ease of 8c£eioU; Blnoe it was not to be supposed that a person of hie dignity, Bitreuia age, and iuSrm health, would spend eereral succeesive days in onotliia' man's house: that the first day's dialogue related to his parUculor profefluian, but tbo other two chiefly to the rules and precepts of ^e art, ai which it was not proper* for one.of Scmvola's temper a&d character to be present only aa a hearer. Ad Attic, iv. 16. S, ' Itetirc froiirthe heat, like Scicrolu, and take rest.
Tim OEiTOB.
with a desire of attaiuing it, took a pleasure in reporting ■what I have said of those orators; bo that, if men of no learning had acquired tbe greatest wisdom, and an incredible degree of eloquence, all our industry might Beem Tain, and the earnest perseverance of our Either, one of tbe best and moat Benaible of men, in educating us, might appear to be folly. These reiiHonera we, as boys, used at that time to refute, with the aid of witnesses whom we bad at home, our fetier, Cains Aculeo our relative, and Lucius Cicero our uncle; for our iather, Aculeo (who man-led our mother's sister, and -whom Crlbsus esteemed the most of all his friends), and our own uncle (who went with Antoniua into Cilicia, and quitted it at the same time with him), often told us many particulars about CrasBus, relative to his studies and learning; and aa we, with our cousiiiB, Aculeo's sons, lemned what Crasana approved, and were instructed by the masters whom he engaged, we bad alao frequent opportunities of observing (since, though boys,^ we coidd understand thia) that he spoke Greek so well that be might have been thought not to know any other language, and he put such questions to our masters, and discoursed upon such subjects in bis conversation with them, that nothing appeared to be Dew or strange to him.
But with regard to Antonius, although we had frequently heard fi-om our uncle, a person of the greatest learning, how he had devoted himself, both at Athens and at Rhodes, to th& conversation of the most learned men; yet I myself alao, when quite a youth, often asked him many questions on the sulqect, aa far as the bashfulneaa of my early years would permit. What I am writing will certainly not be new to you, (for at that very time you heard it fi'om me,) namely, that from many and various convursatiouB, he appeared to me neither ignorant nor uuaceomplishod in anything in thosebranches of knowledge of which I could form any opinion. But there was such peculiarity iu each, that Crossua desired not so much to be thought unlearned aa to hold learning in contempt, and to prefer, on every subject, the understanding of our countrymen to that of the Greelts; while Autonius thought that his oratory would be better received by the Eoman peojile, if he were believed to have had no learning at ' TllB WordB r DB oujltoke; oh, all; and thus the one ima^nod that be should have moro authority if he appeared to despiso the Greeks, and the other if he seemed to kaow nothing of them.
But what their object was, is certainly nothing to our present purpose. It ja pertinent, however, to the treatise which I have commenced, and to thia portion of it, to remark Uiat no man could ever excel end reach eminence in eloqnonce, without learning; not only the art of oratory, but erveiy branoh of usefni knowledge, II. For almost all other arts can support themselves independently, and by their own resources; but to speak well, that is, to speak with learning, and skill, aad eieganco, has no definite province within the limits of which it is enclosed and restricted. Everything that can possibly fell under discussion among mankind, must be effectively treated by him who professes that he can practise this art, or he must relinquish all title to eloquence. For my own jart, therefore, though I confess that both in our own country and in Greece itself which always held this art in the highest estimation, there have arisen many men of extraordinary powers, and of the highest excellence in speaking,^ without thia absolute knowledge of eTorything; yet I afBrm that such a degree of eloquence as waa in Crassus and Antonius, could not exist without a knowledge of all subjects that contribute to form that wisdoin and that force of oratory which were seen in them. On this account, I had the greater satis&ction in committing to writing tliat dialogue which they formerly held on. these subjects; both that the notion which had always prevailed, that the one had no great learning, and that the other was wholly unlearned, might be eradicated, and that I might preserve, in the records of literature, the opinions which I thought divinely delivered by those consummate orators conoeraing eloquence, if I could by any means learn and fully register them; aad also, indeed, that I might, as fer as I should be able, rescue their fame, now upon the decline, from silence and oblivion. If they could have been known from writings of their own, I should, perhaps, have thought it less * Muihn tt ingeiUii et irwjmd lavde diomdi. Thia paaaage, na Ellendt obBerrea, is manlfeatl; corrupt. He propasea ingBniia mo^HM et laudt (KcmtK,- but thia aeeniB hardlj Cioergnian. Aldus Maautiiis noticed that an adjectiTe was apparently nonting to itt^sntM, but other edihin hsva tm THH CHARACTER OF THE OBATOK.
necessary for me to be titan elalwrate; but as one left but little in writing, (at least, there is little extant,) and that ha wrote in hia youth,^ the other almoat nothing, I thought it due from me to men of such genius, while we still retain a liTely remembrance of them, to reudei- their fame, if I could, imperishable. I enter upon this undertaking with the greater hopes of eSecting my object,- becausa I am not writing of ibe eloquence of Serviua Galba or Cains Carbo, concerning ■which I should bo at liberty to invent whatever I pleased, as no one now living could confute nae; but I publish ao account to be read by those who have frequently heard the men them-SBlves of whom 1 am speaking, that I may commend those two illustrious meu to such aa have never seen either of them, from the recollection, as a testimony, of those to whom both those orators were known, and who are now alive and present among us.
III. Nor do I now aim at instructing you, dearest and best of brothers, by means of rhetoricaJ treatises, which you regard as unpolished; (for what can be more refined or graceful than your own language t) but though, whether it be, as jou use to say, from judgment, or, as Isooratea, the fether of eloquence, has written of himself, from a sort of baahfulnesB and ingenuous timidity, that you have shrunk Irom speaking in public, or whether, as you sometimes joeoselj remark, you thought ono orator sufficient, not only for one family, but almost for a whole community, I yet think that these hooks will not appear to yon of that kind which may deservedly be ridiculed on account of the deficiency in elegant learning in those who have discussed the art of speaking; for nothing seems to me to be wanting in the conversation of CrasBUB and Antouius, that any one could im^ne possible to hs known or undorstood by men of the greatest genius, the keenest application, the moat consummate learning, and the utmost eiperience; as you wiU very easily be able to judge, who have been pleased to acquire the knowledge and tiieory <rf oratory through your own esertions, and to observe the practice of it in mine. But that we may the sooner accontplifdh the task which we have undertaken, and which is no ' Sp£ offffFcdior majorc ad jvobandum. That ad prnbandiiin i& to be jomed with spe, cot with, ajgredior, is ahown by EDeadt on b. i. c. 4.
ordinary one, let us leave our esordiuni, and proceed to the convereation and arguments of the charocters whom I have offered to your notice.
The neit day, then, after the former convereation had taien place, about the second hour,' while CraaBua was yet in bed, and Sulpioiua sitting by him, and Antoniua walking with Cotta in the portico, on a sudden Quintua Catulus - the elder, with his trother Caius Julius,' arrived there; and when CraasuB heard of their coming, he arose in some haste, and they were all in a state of wonder, suspecting that the occasion of their arrival was of more than common importance. The parties having greeted each other with most friendly satutations, as their intimacy required, " What has brought you hither at laatl" Baid Crasfiua; "is it anything newl" "Nothing, indeed," said Catulus; "for you know it is the time of the public games. But (you may think ns, if you please," added he, " either foolish or impertinent) when Ciesar came yesterday in the evening to my Tusculan villa, from his own, he told me that he had met Scievola going from hence; from whom he said that lie had heard a wonderful account, namely, that you, whom I could never entice into such oouversation, though I endeavoured to prevail on you in everyway, had held long dissertations with Antonius on eloquence, and had disputed, as in the GChools, almost in the maimer of the Greeks; and my brother, therefore, entreated me, not being of myself, indeed, averse to liear you, but, at the same time, afraid we might make a troublesome visit to you, to come hither with him; for he said that Sesevola had told him that a great part of the discourse was postponed till to-dny. If you think we have acted too forwardly, you will lay the blame upon Cajsar, if too familiarly, upon both of us; for we are rejoiced to liave come, if we do not give you ' The second hour of the morning, Miawering to our eight o'clock.
' The same tbat was conaul with Coins MiuiuB. when the; obuiaed, in oonjunotion, the famous victory orerthe CimtrL ' Ha waa tho brothor of QuiatuB Catulus, l)y the raotbert aide, and about twenty years bis junior. Their mother'B name was Popilia. MUndt. Bee c. II. He waa remarkable far wit, but hia oratcF; is aaid to have wanted nerve. Bnit. n. 48. Cicero with great propriety mafcea tiulpicius sit with CraasuB, and Cotta walk vith Antomus; for SulpiciuB wished to reaeinbla Craasaa in hie atjle of oratory; Cotta preferred tlia maimer of Antaoiufl, Bnitua, c. 55.
,CTEB OF TEH ORATOR.
trouble by our viBit." IV. Crasaua replied, " Whatever object had brought you hither, I should rejoice to see at my house men for whom I have ao much affection aud frieudship; but yet, (to aay the truth,) I had rather it had been any other object than that ivhich you mention. For I, (to speak as I Jliink,) waa uoTer less Batisfied with myself than yesterday; though this happened more through my own good nature than any other fault of mine; for, while I complied with the request of these youths, I forgot that 1 was an old man, and did that which I had never done even when young; I spoko ou subjects that depended on a cei*tain degree of learning. But it has happened very fortunately for me, that as my part is finished, you have come to hear Antonius." " For my part, Crassua," returned Gsesar, " I am indeed desirous to hear you in that kind of fuller and continuous discussion, yet so that, if I cannot have that happiness, I can be contented ■with your ordinary conversatioa. I will therefore endeavour that neither my friend Sulpicius, nor Cotta, may seem to have more influence with j'ou than myself; and wiU certainly entreat you to show some of your good nature even to Catulns and me. But if you aro not so inclined, I will not press you, nor causa you, while you are afraid of appearing impertinent yourself, to think me impertinent." " Indeed, Offisar," replied Crassus, " I have always thought of all Latin words there was the greatest significance in that which you have just used; for he whom we call impertinent, seems to me to bear an appellation derived from not being pertinent; and that appellation, according to our mode of speaking, is of very Kitensive raeaubig; tor whoever either does not discern what occasion requires, or talks too much, or is ostentatious ot himself, or is foigetful either of the dignity or convenience of those in whose presence he is, or is in any respect awkward or presuming, ia called impertinent. With this fiiult that moat learned nation of the Greeks abounds; and, consequently, because tiio Greeks do not feel the influence of this evil, they have not ev,en found a name for tho foible; far though you make the most diligent inquiiy, you will not find out how the Greeks designate an impeHinent person. But of oil their other impertinences, which are innumerable, I do not know whether there be any greater than their custom of raising the most subtile disputatious on the moat difficult or I I I ohatobk; oh, tumaoeBsary pomts, in ■whatever place, and before whatever persons they think proper. This we were compelled to do by theBe youths yesterday, though against our wOl, and though we at first declined."
V. " The Greeks, however, Craasua," rejoiced Catulus, " who were eminent and Ulustrioua in their respective states, as you ar^ and aa we all desire to be, in our own republic, bore no resemblance to those Greeks who force themselves on our ears; yet they did not in their leisure avoid this kind of discourse and disputation. And if they seem to you, as they ought to seem, impertinent, who have no regard to times, places, or persons, does this place, I pray, seem il] adapted to our purpose, in which the very portico where we are valking, and this field of exercise, and the seats in so many directions, revive in some degree the remembrance of the Greek gymnasia and disputations f Or is the time unseasonable, during so much leisure as is seldom afforded us, and is now afforded at a season when it is most desirable 1 Or ara the company uusuited to this kind of discussion, when ne are all of suoh a. character as to think that life is nothing without these studies l" " I contemplate all these things," aid Crassus, " in a quite different hght; for I think that even the Greeks themselves originally contrived their palcestne, and seats, and porticoes, for exercise and amusement, not for disputation; ance their gymnasia were invented many generations before the philosophers began to prate in them; and at this very day, when the philosophers occupy all the gymnasia, their audience would still rather hear the discus than a philosopher; and as soon aa it begins to sound, they all desert the philosopher in the middle of his discourse, though discussing matters of the utmost weight and consequence, to anoint themselves for eiercise; thus preferring the lightest amusement to what the philosophers represent to be of the utmost utiUty. As to the leisure which you say we have, I agree with you; but the enjoyment of leisure is not exertion of mind, but relaxation. VI. I have often heard from my &ther-in-law, in coQveraation, that his £ither-in-law Ltelius was almost always accustomed to go into the country with Scipio, and that they used to grow incredibly boyish again when they had escaped out of town, as if from a prison, into &o open fields. I scarcely dare to say it of such emineid ■3 ON THE CHAitACTEK OP THE ORATOR. 227 perHonB, yet SctevoJa is in the habit of relating that they used to gather Ehelle and pebbles at Caieta and Laurentum, and to descend to every sort of pastime and amusement For such is the case, that as we see birds form and build Heats for the sake of procreation and their own convenience, and, when they have completed any part, fly abroad ia freedom, disengaged from their toils, in order to alleviate their anxiety; 80 our minds, wearied with legal busineas and the labours of the city, exult and long to flutter about, as it were, relieved from care and Bolicitude. In what I said to Scrovoia, therefore, in pleading for Curius,' I said only what I thonghtu ' For if,' said I, ' Sosevola, no will shall be properly made but what is of your writing, all of ub citizens will come to you with our tablets, and you alone shall write all our wills; but then,' continued I, ' when will yon attend to public buainess 1 when to that of your friends! when to yonr own? when, in. a word, will you do nothing V adding, ' for he does not seem to me to be a free man, who does not sometimes do nothing;' of which opinion, CatuluH, I Still continue; and, when I come hither, the mere privilege of doing nothing, and of being &irly idle, delights me. As to the third remark which you added, that you are of such a disposition as to think life insipid without these studies, that observation not only does not encourage me to any discussion, hut even deters me from it. For as Caius Luciliits, a man of great learning and wit, nsed to say, that what he wrote he would neither wish to have read by the most illiterate persons, nor by those of the greatest learning, since the one sort understood nothing, and the other perhaps more than himself; to which piapose be also wrote, / do not tare to read Fergkis ^ (for he was, as we know, about the mcst learned of all oiir countrymen); but I wish io read Zarlioi Decimua (with whom we were also acquainted, a man of worth and of some learning, but nothing to Persius)^ Eo 1, if I am now to diecuaa these studies of ours, should not wish to do so before peasants, but much less before you; for I had rather that my talk sbotdd not be understood than be oeoBored."
' In the speecli which he made on behalf of Cnrius, on the oocaaida Bimljaned in bc»l: i c. 39. Promt.
' A. leBrned orator, who wrote in tha tima of the Graochi. and who. is mentioDEd b; Cicero, Brut. c. 26. Proiul. Of Dedmus Lfeliun nothing is known. EUtndt.
Q2 F SE ORATORS; Indeed, Catulua," rejoined Ctesnr, " I think I hiTO idready gained some profit' by coming hither; for tlieae iea.Bons for decliuiag a discussion have been to me a very agrcoahle discussion. But w!iy do we delay Antonius, whose part is, I hear, to give a dissertation upon eloquence in general, and for whom Cotta and Sulpicius have been some time waiting!" " But I," interposed Crassus, "will neither allow Autonius to speak a word, nor will I utter a syllable myself, unless I first obtain one favour from you." "What ia itJ" said Catulua. "That you spend the day here." Then, while Catulua hesitated, hecause he had promised to go to his brother's house, " I," said Julius, " will answer for both. We will do bo; and you would detain me even in case you were not to say a single word." Here Catulus smiled, and said, " My hesitation then is brought to an end; for I had left no orders at home, and he, at whose house I was to have been, has thus readily engaged ns to you, without waiting for my asseot."
They then all turned their eyes upon Antonius, who cried out, " Be attentive, I say, be attentivo, for you shall hear a man from the schools, a. mau from the professor's chair, deeply versed in Greek learning;° and I shall on this account apeak witlk the greater coiifidenm, that Catulus is added to tbo Budiouce, to whom not only we of the Latin tongue, but even the Greeks themselves, are wont to allow refinement and elegance in the Greek language. Bat since the whole process of speaking, whether it be an art or a business, can be of no avail without the addition of assurance, I ' will teach you, my scholars, that which I have not learned myself, what I think of everi/ kind of speakiagj' When they all laughed, [" It is a matter that seems to me," proceeded he, " to depend very greatly ou talent, but only moderately on art; for art lies in things which are known; but all the pleading of an orator depends not on knowledge, but on opinion; for we both address ourselves to those who are ignorant, and speak of what we do not know ourselves; aud consequently our hearers think aud judge differently at different times couoeming the same subjects, and wo often take contrary aidesj not only so that Crassus sometimes speaks against me, or I against Crassus, when one of us must of > Natdtie ojnram / that ia, bme mUocAm. Enieati.
* Ironiodlf epolun.
ON TEE CHAnAOTEB OF THE ORATOB.
; "but even that each of tib, at i diSerent opinions on the same question; when more than one of those opinions cannot possibly be right. I will speak, therefore, as on a subject which is of a character to defend foisehcod, which rarely amvea at knowledge,^ and which ia ready to take advantage of the opiniouB and even errors of mankind, if you think that there is still reason why yon should listen to me."
VIII. "Wo think, indeed, that there ia very great reason," said Catulua, " and the more bo, as you seem resolved to use no ostentation; for you have commenced, not botietfully, hut rather, as yon think, with truth, than with any ianciful notion of the dignity of your Bubject." " As I have acknowledged then," continued Antonius, "that it ia not one of the greateat of arts, so I allow, at the same time, that certain artful directions may he given for moving tlie feelings and gaining the favour of mankind. If any one thinks proper to say that the knowledge how to do this is a great art, I shall not contradict him; for as many speakers speak upon causes in the forum widiout due consideration or method, while others, from study, or a certain degree of practice, do their busiaeas with more address, there is no doubt, that if any one sets himself to observe what is the cause why some speak better than others, be may discover that cause; and, consequently, he who shall extend such observation over the ■whole field of eloquence, will find in it, if not an art absolutely, yet something resembling an art. And T could wiah, that as I seem to see matters as they occur in the forum, and in pleadings, so I could now set them before you just as they are conducted 1 " But I must consider my own powers. I now assert only that of which I am convinced, that ialthough oratoiy is not an art. no excellence is superior to that of a consummate oratoEj For to say nothing of the advantages of eloquence, which has the highest influence in every well-ordered and free state, there is such delight attendant on the very power of eloquent speaking, that nothing more pleasing can be received into the ears or understanding of man. What music ' Quo: ad tcUntiam tion srepe jiervcniat, ElUadt eneloseB theee wotda in briicketa aa spnriouB, re^rBn^Dg tbem as n glasa on the preceding phrase that lias crept into the test. Tbeir abeecce is desirable.
DE OR&TORH; OR, can be found more Bweet thau the pronunciation of a wellordered oration 1 What poem more agreeable than the Bkilful structure of prose? What actor has ever given greater plea^ sure in imitating, than an orator gives in supporting, truths What penetrates the mind more keenly than an acute and quick suocesaion of argumentel What is mora admirable than thoughts illumined by brilliancy of eipreHsioa! What nearer to perfection than a speech replete with every variety of matter! for there ia no Buhject susceptible of being treated with elegance and effect, that may not Ml under the province of the orator. IX. It is hia, in giving coimael on important a&irB, to deliver his opinion with clearness and dignity; it is his to rouse a people when they are languid, and to calm them when immoderately excited. By the same power of lariguage, the wickedness of mankind is brought to destruction, and virtue to security. Who can exhort to tirtue mora ardently thau the orator! Who reclaim from vice with greater energy) Who can reprove the bad with more asperity, or praise the good with better gracel Who can break the force of unlawfiil desire by more effective reprehensiont Who can allevinte grief with mora Boothing conaolationl By what other voice, too, than that of the orator, is history, the evidence of time, the light of truth, the life of memory, the directress of life, the herald of antiquity, committed to immortality) For if there be any other art, which professes skill in inventing or