Rhetoric In Quintili The Orator's Education

When Rome conquered Greece, it adopted many of her techniques of education. One of these was the emphasis on rhetoric (the art of speaking and writing well) as an independent field of study. Rhetoric became a sophisticated subject, and rhetorical training was in great demand in imperial Rome for anyone aspiring to a career in government or politics. Rome had no formal “state prosecutor” system as we do today; individuals needed to bring their own criminal or civil cases before a tribunal (iudices) and hire lawyers to argue on their behalf. Historians also were usually trained rhetoricians; the works of Livy, Tacitus, Sallust, Ammianus Marcellinus, and others are filled with robust speeches and artful epigrams that demonstrate the influence

This work, written in a clear and vigorous Latin, and filling five volumes in the Loeb Library series, is a virtual encyclopedia on proper speaking. Quintilian was the rector of a school of rhetoric, and wrote his masterwork in old age for the intended use of his son; but tragedy overtook his family, and both his sons died at young ages. He poured all his experience, his wisdom, and his repressed anguish into his work. Perhaps we, his readers, should consider ourselves his sons; for on every page we feel the magnetism and rectitude of a strong character backed by an unwavering moral

Here is a prescription not just to be a good speaker, but to be a good man. He recognizes that his training program is arduous, and has no illusions that most will be up to the task. Regarding the actual mechanics of giving a speech, Quintilian offers mountains of practical advice. Among the best bits of wisdom are:

1. Do not write your speech down unless you intend to deliver it verbatim, which will rarely happen. It will interfere with the spontaneity of the delivery. Instead, outline it, and know those topics thoroughly.

2. Clarity is the most important virtue of all. A written composition must be set aside for a time, then patiently revised again. A piece of writing that is laid aside, and then approached again, will appear to be almost the writing of another hand. Be ruthless with your pruning, and remember that your listeners will have little patience with verbosity.

3. Avoid wild gesticulations when speaking, but seek the mastery of effective hand movements. Quintilian has an entire section in his treatise on the proper types and employment of hand movements as an aid to