"Antonius then," said Crassus, " left me nothing but words, and took the substance for himseE." " Well," remai'ked Cteear, " if he has left you the more difficult part, wo have reason to desire to liear you; if that which is the easier, you have no reason to refiise." " And in regard to what yon said, CrassuB," interposed Catulus, "that if we would stay and pas the day with you here, you would comply with our wishes, do you not think it binding on your honourl" Cotta then smiled, and said, " I might, Crassus, escuae you; but take oare that Catulua has not made it a matter of religioua fiiith; it ia a point for the censor'a cognisance; and tou Bee how disgraceful it would be for a person of cans THE OHAHACTER OF THE ORATOB.
dignity^ to render himself obnosioua to anch censure." "Do as you pleasa, then," replied Crassus; " but for the present, as it is time, I think we must rise, and take some repose; in ths afternoon, if it is then ^reeable to jou, I ivill say something on these points, unless perclianoe you may wish to put me off till to-morrow." They ajl replied tliat they were ready to hear him either at once, or in the afternoon if he prefeiTed; as soon however as poaaible.
Cicero, iq tho iDtroduction to this book, litnients the sad deatbs of CrasBUB and AntoiuiiB. Ue then procaedB to relate Ciaaeuti'a further remarkB on elotiuence, and especioUj un style and delivery, in whkh ha wofi thought to excel all other epeskerii. Bee Cic. de Clar. Oiab. 0. 38. He shuws that an orator abould opeak correctly, perepieuoualy, elegintty, uid to the purpose. Style is to be omaznented by n taste- ' f al ohoioa of nords. snd by tropes and Sgures; and it must hava a oertein riiythm or harmony. Some obBerratlons are added on action and delivery in geneiiJ. In c. 14 a digresEsian is roade on the praiaes of eloquence, nnd the comhinatioti of a knowledge of philosophy, especudly the Academic and Feripabetic, with the study of it.
I. When I proceeded to execute ray design, brother Quintus, of relating and committing to writing in this third book, the remarks which Crassus made after the disBertation of Antooias, bitter remembrance renewed in my mind its former concern and regret; for the genius worthy of immortality, the learning, tbe virtue that were in Lucius CrasauH, were all extinguished by sudden death, within ten days from the day whiob is comprised in this and the former book. When ha returned to Bomo on the last day of the theatrical entertainments," he was put into a violent emotion by that oration which was i-eported to have been delivered in an assembly of the people by Philippus, who, it was agreed, had deulared, " that he miist look for another counoil, as he could not : hod cftrry on the government with such a senate;" and on the morning of the thirteenth of September, both Crnaaus and a Ml senate came into the house on the call of Drusus. There, when DruBua had made many compiainta againat Philippua, he brought formally before the senate tbe fact that the oonBul liad thrown such grievous obloquy 6n that order, in his speech to the people. Here, as I have often heard it unanimoiisly said by men of the greatest judgment, although indeed it continually happened to Crasaua, ■whenever he had delivered a speech more exquisite than ordinary, that he was always thought never to have spoken better, yet by universal oouseiit it -was then determined, that all other orators had always been eicelled by CraBSuH, but that on that day he had been etoelled by himself; for he deplored the misfortune unsupported condition of the senate; an order whose hei ta,ry dignity was then being torn from it by a consul, some lawless ruf&an, a consul whose duty it was to act part of a good parent or trusty guardian towards it; but.
that it waa not surprising, if, after he had ruined the commonwealth by his own ooimsels, he should divorce the counsels of the senate from the commonwealth. When he bad applied these erpressions, which were like firebrands, to PhilippuB, who was a man of Tiolence, as well as of eloquence, and of the utmost vigour to resist opposition, he could not restrain himself, but burst forth into a furious flame, aud resolved to bind Crasaus to good behaviour, by forfeiting his securities.' On that occaaion, many things are reported to have been uttered by Crassus with a sort of divine sublimity, refusing to acknowledge as a, consul him who would not allow him to possess the senatorial dignity: Bo you, said he, wAo, wlien. you ihavghi the general authority of the whole tenatorial order entrusted to you as a pledge, yet perfidiously annulled it in the view of Ike Soman people, imagine that I can be terrified by tuck petty forfeitures as those f It is not tuck pledges t&at are to be forfeited, if yoi* would bind Lucius Craaus to silence; for that purpose you must cut out ihit tongue; and even if U ' Pignoriina ablatia. The BeDa.tors and othen were oMigei] to attend iiate when the; were sucuiaaned, and to be submissive to tlie >r magistrates, or they might be pmiiehed by fine aad (listraJDt ir praperty. See Livy, iO, 38; xliii IB; Plin. Ep. iv. 28; Cio. S; Suet JuLclT; Aiiatn a Roman Antiquities " ~ ^ C. II.] OS THE CHARACTER OF THE OBATOB. 333 he torn out, the freedom in my very breath mil eonfuund your avdaciti/.
II. It appeared that a multitude of other espresaious were then uttered by him with the moat vehement efforta of mind, thought, and spirits; and that that resolution of hia, which the senate adopted in a full house, waa proposed by hira with the utmost magnificence and dignity of languf^e, Tltat the cotBttsel and fidelity of the senate had never been viaiitinff lo the eommonmealtk, in order to do juttiee to the Roman people; and he was present (aa appears from the names entered in the register) at the recording of the resolution. This however was the loat swan-like note and speech of that divine orator; and, as if expecting to bear it agaio, we used, after hia death, to go into the senate-bouse, that we might contemplate the spot on which he had last stood to apeak; for we heard that he woa seized at the time with a pain in his aide while he waa speaking, and that a copious perspiration foUowed; after which he was struck with a chillness, and, returning home in a fever, died the seventh day after of pleurisy. 0 how fallacious are the hopes of mortals, how frail is our condition, and how inaignifieaat all our ambitious efforta, which are often broken and thrown down in the middle of their course, and overwhelmed as it were in their voyage, even before they gain a sight of the harbour! For as long as the life of Crassua was perplexed with the toils of ambition, so long was he more distinguished for the performance of private duties, and the praises due to hia genius, than for any benefit that he reaped from bis greatness, or for the dignified rank which ha bore in the republic; but the firat year which, after a discharge of an the honourable offices of tho state, opened to him the entpanoe to supreme authority by universal consent, overthrew all his hopes, and all bis future schemes of life, by death. This was a melancholy occurrence to his friends, a grievous calamity to hia country, and a heavy afBiction to all the virtuous part of mankind; but such misfortunes afterwards fell upon the commonwealth, that life does not appear to me to have been taken away from Lucius Crasaai by the immortal goda aa a privation, but death to have been bestowed on him as a blessing. He did not live to behold Italy blazing with war, or the senate overwhelmed with popular odium, or the leading men of the atate accused of 334 SE oRATORii; OR, [b. la the most heinous crimes, or the affliction of his daughter, ■ or the baniBhment of his soii-at-law,^ (tr the most calamitouB flight of Caius Marius, or that moat atrocioua of all alaugbtere after hia return, or, finally, that republic in every "Way diegraced, in which, while it continued most flourishing, he had by far the pre-eminence over all other men in glory.
III. But led away as I am by my reflections to touch upon the power and vicisaitudea of fortune, my observations Bhall not expatiate too widely, but sball be confined almost to the very pereonages who are contained in this dialogue, ■which I have begun to detail. For who would not call the death of Lucius OaBsuB, which has been go often lamented by multitudes, a. happy one, when he calls to mind the late of those very persons who were almost the last that held diacourae with him? For we ourselves remember, that Quintus CatuluB, a man distinguished for almost every species ot merit, when he entreated, not the security of faia fortunea, but retreat into esile, was reduced to deprive himself of life. ' It was then, too, that that illustrioiis head of Harons Antonius, by whom the lives of so maay citizens had been preserved, yraa fixed iipon the very rostra on which he had so strenuously defended the republic when consul, and which he bad adorned with imperial taipiues when censor. Not iar irora his was exposed the head of Caiua Julius, (who was betrayed by hia Tuscan host,) with that of Lucius Julius his brother; so that he who did not behold such atrocities may justly be thou^t to have prolonged hie life during the existence of the constitution, and to have expired together with it. He neither beheld his near relation, Publins Crassus, a man of the greatest diagnanimity, slain by his own hand, nor saw the image of Vesta sprinkled with the blood of the pontifei, his colleague j tmd (such were his feelings towards his countrj-) even the cruel death of Caiua Carbo, hia greatest enemy, that occnrred on the same day, would have caused additional grief to him. He did not behold the horrible and miserable late of tboee young men who had devoted themselves to him; of whom Caius Cotta, whom he had left in a promiaiiig condition, was erpelled, through popular prejudice, from his office of * Hia daughter Licinis. was married to TubliuB Scipto, tlie gnmdaQa of BerapioD, who was iiutrumeatal Id the deeith tif l^braiua Qrscohio. Ci^ Brut 68. Ellmdt.
O. II.] ox THB OHARAOTKR OF THE ORATOE.
he torn out, l/ie freedom in my very hreaili will audacity.
II. It dppeflred that a, multitude of other Qxpresaious were then uttered by him with the most vehement efforts of mind, thought, and spirits; and that that resolution of his, which the eenate adopted in a full house, was proposed by him with the utmost to^nifioenoe and dignity of language, That the counsel and fidelity of the tenaie had never been inajiiinff io the commonwealth, in order to do Justice to the Roman people; and he was present (as appears from the names entered in the register) at the recording of the resolution. Tliis however was the lost swan-like note and speech of that divine orator; and, as if expecting to bear it egaia, we used, after his death, to go into the Benate-house, that we might contemplate the spot on which he had last stood to speak; for we heard that he was seized at the time with a pain in his aide while he was speaking, and that a copious perspiration followed; after which he was struck with a chillness, and, returning home in a fever, died the seventh day after of pleurisy. 0 how fallacious are the liopes of mortals, how frail is our condition, aud how insignificaat all our ambitious efforts, which are often broken and thrown down in the middle of their course, and overwhelmed as it were in their voyage, even before they gain a sight of the harbour! For as long as the life of Crassus was perplexed with the toils of ambition, so long was he more distingniabcd for the performance of private duties, and the praises due to his genius, than for any benefit that he reaped from his greatness, or for the dignified rank which he bore in the republic; but the firat year which, after a discharge of all the honourable offices of the state, opened to him. the entrance to supreme authority by universal consent, overthrow all liis hopes, and all his future schemes of life, by death. This was a melancholy occurrence to his friends, a grievous calamity to his country, and a heavy affliction to all the virtuous part of mankind; tut such misfortunes after-"wards fell upon the commonwealth, that life does not appear to me to have been taken away from Lucius Crassus by the immortal gods as a privation, but death to have been bestowed on him as a blessing. He did not live to behold Italy blazing with war, or the senate overwhelmed with popular odium, or the leading men of the state accused of DE OBiTOBE; OK, [b. III.
doea not, though what is written of him is written in a divine spirit, conceive somcthiog still greater of him about whom it is written: and it is also mj request, not iuileed to you, my brother, who attribute to me perfection in all things, but to others who shall take this treatise into their han(£, that they would entertain a nobler conception of Lucius Crassua than any that is expressed by me. For I, who was not present at this dialogue, and to whom Coins Cotta communicated only the topics Rud heads of the dissertation, have endeavoured to shadow forth in the conversation of the speakers those peculiar styles of oratory, in which I knew that each of them was conspicuous. But if any person shall be induced by the common opinion, to think either that Antoniua wm more jejune, or Crassus more eiuberant in style, than they have been respectively described by me, he will be amongtho number of those who either never heard these great men, or who have not abilities to judge; for each of them was (aa I have esplained before) superior to all other speakers, in application, and genius, and leiiming, as well as excellent in his particular style, so that embellishment in language was not wanting in Antonius, nor redundant in Crassus.
V. As soon therefore as they had withdrawn before noon, and reposed themselves a little, Cotta said that he particularly observed that Crassus employed all the time about the middle of the day in the most earnest and profound meditation; and that he himself, who was well acquainted with the coimtenance which he assumed whenever he was going to speak in public, and the nature of his looks when he was fixed in contemplation, and had ofteu remarked them in causes of the gre»,teBt importance, came on purpose, while the rest were asleep, into the room in which CrassuB had Iain down on a couch prepared for him, aud that, as soon as he perceived him to be settled in a thoughtful posture, he immediately retired J and that almost two hours passed in that perfect Btillnesa. Afterwards, when they all, as the day was now verging to the afternoon, waited upon Crassus, Ciesar said, ',' Well, Crassus, shall we go and take our seats! though we ouly come to put you in mind of your promise, and not to demand the performance of it." Crassus then replied, "Do you imagine that I have the assurance to think that I can continue longer indebted to such friends as you, especially in i: CHARACTEIt OF THE OBATOl!, an obligation of this nature}'' you?" said Ctesar; "a seat ir that is the most ehady and cool!" "Very well," replied CrassuB, "for there is iu that spot a seat not at all unsuitod for this discourse of oure." This arrangement being agreeable to the rest of the company, they went into the mood, and sat down tixere with the most earnest desire to listen.
Crassua then said, " Not only the influence of your authority and friendship, but also the ready compliance of Antonius, have taken from me all liberty of refUsal, though I had aa excellent pretest for refusing. In the partition, however, of this dissertation between us, Antonius, when he assumed to himself the part of speaking upon those matters which form the subject of the orator's speech, and left to me to explain how they should be embellished, divided things which are in their nature incapable of separation; for as every speech consists of the matter and the language, the language OftQ have no place if you take away the matter, nor the matter receive any illustration if you take away the language. Indeed, the great men of antic[uity, embracing something of superior magnificence in their ideas, appear to me to have seen further into the nature of things than the visual faculties of our minds can penetrat*; as they said that all these things, above and below, formed one ^stem, and were huked together in strict union by one and the same power, aad one principle of universal harmony in nature; for there is no order of things which can either of itself, if forcibly separated from the rest, preserve a permanent existence, or without which the rest can maintain their power and eternal duration.
VI. " But, if this reasoning appear to be too comprehensive to be embraced by human sense and understanding, yet that saying of Plato is true, and certainly not unknown to you, Catulua, ' that all the learning of these liberal and polite departmentsofknowledgeislinked together in one bondof union; for when the power of that reason, by which the causes and events of things are known, is once thoroughly discerned, a certain wonderful agreement and harmony, as it were, in all the sciences is discovered.' But, if this also appear to be too sublime a. thought for us to contemplate who are prostrate on the earth, it, however, certainly is our duty to know and remember tiiat which we have embnioed, which we profess, which we have taken npon ourBelres. Since eloquence, as I observed yesterday, and Antonius signiiied in some pofisagea of his discourse this morning, is one and the eamo, into whatever tracts or regions of debate it may be carried: for whether it discourses cenoemiug the nature of the heavens or of the earth, — whether of divine or human power, — whether it speaks from a lower, or an equal, or a superior place, — whether to impel an audience, or to instruct, or to deter, or to iacite, or to dissuade, or to inflame, or to aoothe, — whether to a email or to a large assembly, — whether to strangers, to friends, or alone, — its language is derived through different channeln not from different sources; and, wherever it directs its courae, it is attended with the same equipment and decoration. Bui since we are overwhelmed by opinions, not only those of the vulgar, but those also of men imperfectly instructed, who treat of those things more easily when divided and torn asunder which they have not capacity to comprehend in a general view, and who sever the language from the thoughto like the body from the sonl, neither of which separations can be made without deetructioa, I will not undertake in this discourse more than that which is imposed upon me; I will only signify briefly, that neither can embelliahmenta irf language be found without arrangement and expression of thoughts, nor can thoughts be made to shine without the light of language. But before I proceed to touch upon those particulars by which I think language is beautified and illumined, I will state briefly what I think concerning eloquence in general.
VII. "There is no one of the natural senses, in my opinion, which does not include under its general comprehension many things dissimilar one to another, but which are still thought deserving of similar approbation; for we both perceive many things by the ear, which, although they all charm vs with their sounda, are yet often so various in themselves, that that which we hear last appears to be the most delightful; and almost innumerable pleasures are received by the eye, which all captivate iis in such a manner as to delight the same sense iu different ways; and pleasures that bear no sort of resemhlance to each other charm the rest of the senses in such a manner that it is difficult taj detemiiiie whicb a&brde the most esquisite enjoymenL But B observation which ia to be made in re^ud to nature may be applied also to the difibreut kinds of art. Sculpture is a. single art, in. 'which Myro, Folycletus, and Lysippus excelled; all of whom differed oce from another, but so that you would not wish any one of them to be unlike himself The art and science of painting is one, yet ZeuiiE, Aglaophou, and Apelles are quite unlike one another in themselveB, thou^ to none of tliem does anything seem wanting in hia peculiar style. And if this be wonderful, and yet true, in these, aa it were, mute arts, how much more wonderful is it ia language and speech t which, though employed about the same thoughts and words, yet admits of the greatest variations; and not so that some speakers are to be censured and others commended, but that those who are allowed to merit praise, merit it for different escoUences. This is fiilly exemplified in poets, who have the nearest affinity to orators: how distinct from each other are Ennius, Facuvius, and Accius; how distinct, among the Greeks, ^Eschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides; though almost equal praise may be attributed to them all in different kinds of writing. Then, behold and contemplate those whose art is the subject of our present inquiry; what a wide distinction there ia between the aocomplishments and natural abilities of orators! Isocratcs possessed swoetness, Lysias delicacy, Hyperides pointedness, jEschiues sound, and Demosthenea energy; and which of them was not escellent 1 yet which of them resembled any one but himself i Atricanus had weight, Lielius smoothness, Galba asperity, Carbo something of fluency and harmony; but whitji of these was not an orator of the first rank in those times i and yet every one attained that rank by a style of oratory peculiar to himself VIII. " But why should I search into antiquity for eiamplea, when I can point to present and living characters? What was ever more pleasing to the ear than the language of our friend Catiilus f language of such purity, that he appears to be almost the only orator that speaks pure Latin; and of such power, that with its peculiar dignity there is yet blended the utmost politeucss and wit. In a word, when I hear him, I always think that whatever you should add, or alter, or take iy, his language would bo impaired and deteriorated. Has I I I DE ORiTORE J OH, [b. in.
not our friend Caaar here, too, introduced a new kind of oratory, and brougbt before us an almost peculiar atjla of eloquence { Who haa ever, besides him, treated tragical Bubjects in an almost comic manner, setiouB subjects with pleasantly, gravs Bubjecta with gaiety, and autjects suited to the forum with a grace peculiar to the stage J in such a way that neither is the jocular style eicluded by the importance of the subject, nor is the weight of the matter lessened by the humour with which it is treated. Here are present with u3 two young men, almost of equal age, Sulpicius and Cotta; what things were ever ao dissimilar as they are one to another! yet what is BO excellent as they are in their respective styles 1 One is polished and refined, explaining thiugii with the greatest propriety and aptitude of expression; he always adheres to his cause, and, when ha has diaoovered, with his keen discemmeot, what he ought to prove to the judge, he directs im whole attention and force of oratory to that point, without regarding other arguments; while Sulpicius has a certain irresistible energy of mind, a most full and powerful voice, a most vigorous action, and consummate dignity of motion, united with such weight and eopiousneas of language, that he appears of all men the beat qualified hy nature for eloquence.
IX. "I now return to ourselves; (because there haa ever beea such a comparison made between us, that we are brought, aa it were, into judgment on account of rivalship, in the common conversation of mankind;) what two things caa be more dissimilar than Antonius's manner of speaking and my own 'i though he is such an orator that no one can possibly aurpass him; and I, though I am altogether dissatisfied with myself am yet in preference to others admitted to s parison with him. Do you notice what the manner of nius is! It ia bold, vehement, lull of eneigj and actio!
fortified and guarded on every point of the cause, apirite acute, eiplicit, dwelling upon every circumstance, retiring with honour, pursuing with -eagerness, terrifying, supplicating, eihibiting the greatest variety of language, yet without satiety to the ear; but as to myself, whatever I am as a speaker (since I appear to yoa to hold some place among speakers), I certainly differ very greatly from his style. What my talents are it becomes not me to say, because every one is least n to himself, and it is estremely difficult for any p ON THK OHAKiCTER OF THE OHATOK.