orators betake themselves to the study of the law. 80. There is is another example in the same speech,* animated with a spirit almost of poetry, and with an antapodosis, which renders it more effective as an embellishment: For as tempests are oftentimes excited by the influence of some particular sign in the heavens, and oftentimes arise suddenly, without any assignable cause, and from some undiscoverable origin, so in regard to such a tempest of the people at the comitia, though we may often understand by what influence it has been raised, yet its origin is often so obscure, that it seems to have arisen without any cause at all, 81. There are also short similes of this kind; as, Wandering through the woods after the manner of wild beasts; and that of Cicero in reference to Clodius,† From which trial he escaped naked, as from a house on fire. But similes like these will occur to the recollection of every one, from everyday conversation. With this kind of simile is connected the power of setting a thing before the eye, not only with plainness, but concisely and quickly. 82. Brevity, indeed, to which nothing is wanting, is justly extolled, but that kind of brevity which says nothing more than is necessary, (the Greeks call it ßgaxvλoyía, and it shall be noticed among the figures of speech,+) is less deserving of commendation. Yet it is very happy when it comprises much in few words, as in the phrase of Sallust, Mithridates corpore ingenti, perinde armatus, "Mithridates, of vast stature, and suitably armed."§ But obscurity attends on those who attempt such conciseness injudiciously. 83. A beauty akin to the preceding, but of higher merit, is emphasis, which intimates a deeper meaning than the words used actually express. There are, however, two kinds of it; one which signifies more than is said; the other which signifies something that is not said. 84. Of the former kind there is a specimen in Homer, where Menelaus says, that the Greeks descended into the horse; for by that one word he shows the vastness of the horse; and there is a similar specimen in Virgil, * C. 17. + See iii. 7, 2. Spalding. + IX. 3, 50. § From Sallust's History. Burmann gives a similar phrase from Florus, iii. 2, 3. Atrox cœlum, perinde ingenia. || Odyss. xi. 522. But the words are those of Ulysses, as Spalding bɛerves, not of Menelaus. Demissum lapsi per funem,* Descending by a rope let down, for thus also the height of the horse is signified. Virgil, too, when he says that the Cyclops lay stretched through the cave, measures the prodigious bulk of his body by the space of ground that it occupied. 85. The latter kind consists either in the entire suppression of a word in what we say, or in the omission of it at the close. As to the suppression of a word or thought, Cicero has given an instance of it in his speech for Ligarius. But if, Cæsar, in your present height of power you had not so much clemency in your own disposition as you have; in your own disposition, I say; I know how I am expressing myself; for he suppresses that which we nevertheless understand, that there were not wanting men to incite him to cruelty. An omission at the close is by droolútnois, which, as it is a figure, will be noticed in its proper place.§ 86. There is emphasis also in many common expressions; as, You must be a man; and, He is but a mortal ;|| and, We must live. T So like is nature in general to art. It is not enough, however, for eloquence to set forth the subjects of discussion clearly and vividly; but there are many and various modes of embellishing language. 87. The apλea of the Greeks, "simplicity" pure and unaffected, carries with it a certain chaste ornament, such as is so much liked in women; and there is a certain pleasing delicacy of style that arises from a nicety of care about the propriety and significancy of words. Of copiousness there is one kind that is rich in thought, and another that abounds with flowers. 88. Of force there is more than one species; for whatever is complete in its kind, has its proper force. Its chief manifestation, however, is deivwors, "vehemence" in exaggerating an indignity; in regard to other subjects a certain depth; in conceiving images of things, pavracía; in fulfilling as it were a proposed work, ἐξεργασία; to which is added επεξεργασία, a repetition of the same proof, or superabundant accumulation of argument. 89. Allied to these qualities is végysz, which has its name * En. ii. 262. § IX. 2, 54; 3, 60. Vivendum est.] That is, genio indulgendum; we must make the most of life. Turnebus. from action, and of which the chief virtue is to prevent what is said from being ineffective. There is also a kind of bitter force, which is commonly employed in invective, as in the question of Cassius,* What will you say when I shall invade your domain, that is, when I shall teach you that you do not know how to revile? A sort of sharp force, also, as in the saying of Crassus,† Should I consider you a consul, when you do not consider me a senator? But the chief power of an orator lies in exaggeration and extenuation. Each has the same number of expedients, on a few of which I shall touch; those which I omit will be of a similar character. 90. But they all have their sources in matter or in words. Of the invention and arrangement of matter, however, I have already treated; my present business is to show how expression may contribute to elevate or depress a subject. CHAPTER IV. Of amplification and diminution; things are exaggerated or extenuated by the terms applied to them, § 1, 2. Modes of augmentation, 3-9. By comparison, 10-14. By reasoning and inference, 15— 25. By an accumulation of terms or particulars, 26, 27. Modes of extenuation are similar, 28. Hyperbole, 29. 1. THE first mode of amplifying or extenuating, then, lies in the nature of the term which we apply to anything, as when we say, that a man who was beaten, was murdered; that one who is disingenuous, is a thief; or, on the other hand, that one who beat another, touched him, or that one who wounded another, hurt him. Of both there is an example in one passage of the speech for Cælius; If a woman, being a widow, lives freely; being bold, lives without restraint; being rich, lives luxuriously; being wanton, lives like a courtezan; should I, if a man salutes her somewhat familiarly, consider him as an adulterer? 2. For he calls a woman who was rather immodest, *We can scarcely doubt that Cassius Severus is meant. Spalding. Lucius Licinius Crassus, the celebrated orator, uttered these words in the senate, when he repulsed the lictor that Philippus sent to him. See Val. Max. vi. 2. Spalding. + C. 16. a courtezan; and says, that he who had been long connected with her, saluted her somewhat familiarly. This sort of am plification becomes stronger and more remarkable, when the terms of larger meaning are compared with those for which we substitute them; thus Cicero says in his speech against Verres,* We have brought before your tribunal, not a thief, but an open robber; not a simple fornicator, but a violator of all chastity; not a person guilty only of sacrilege, but an open enemy to everything sacred and religious; not a mere assassin, but a most cruel executioner of our countrymen and allies. 3. By the first term much is signified; by the second still more. I see that amplification, however, is effected chiefly in four ways; by augmentation, by comparison, by reasoning, and by accumulation. Augmentation is most effective, when even things of which we speak as inferior to others, are made to seem of importance. This may be done either by one step or by several. By augmentation we reach, not only the highest point, but some times, as it were, beyond that point. 4. To exemplify all these remarks a single instance from Cicerot will suffice: It is an offence to bind a Roman citizen, a crime to scourge him, almost treason to put him to death; and what shall I say that it is to crucify him? 5. For had the Roman citizen only been scourged, Cicero would have exaggerated the guilt of Verres one degree, by saying, that even a less kind of punishment than scourging was an offence; and had he only been put to death, the guilt would have been aggravated by another degree; but after having said, that to put him to death was almost treason, a crime than which there is no greater; Cicero adds, what shall I say that it is to crucify him? When he had come to that crime, which is the greatest of all, words were necessarily wanting to express anything beyond it. 6. An advance, beyond what seems highest, may also be made in another way; as in what Virgil says concerning Lausus : To say, than whom was none more beautiful, was to go apparently as high as possible, but something was afterwards added. 7. There is also a third way, in which we do not advance by steps, there being no more and most, but proceed at once to something than which nothing greater can be named: You killed your mother; what shall I say more; you killed your mother." For this is a kind of augmentation, to represent anything as so great that it cannot be augmented. 8. Language is amplified less evidently, but perhaps for that very reason more effectively, when, without any breaks, but in one continuous series and course, something always follows greater than what goes before; thus Cicerot reproaches Antony with his vomiting, In an assembly of the people of Rome, when holding a public office, when master of the horse. Every particular is an advance on that which precedes: To vomit from excessive drinking would have been of itself disgusting, even if not before a public assembly; it would have been disgusting before a public assembly, even if not of a whole people; before a whole people, even if not the people of Rome; even if he had held no office, or not a public office, or not that of master of the horse. 9. Another speaker might have distinguished these steps, and dwelt upon each of them; Cicero hastens to the summit at once, and gains it, not by climbing, but at the utmost speed. But as this kind of amplification looks always to something higher, so that which is made by comparison seeks to raise itself on something lower. For by elevating that which is beneath, it must of necessity exalt that which is placed above. 10. Thus Cicero, in the passage just quoted, says, If this had happened to you at a banquet, and over those immense cups of yours, who would not have thought it disgraceful? But when it occurred before an assembly of the Roman people, etc. And in one of his speeches against Catiline. If, assuredly, my slaves feared me, as all your fellow-citizens fear you, I should think that I must quit my house. 11. Sometimes, by mentioning an instance of something similar, we may make that which we wish to exaggerate appear greater: thus Cicero, in his speech * As no author's name is attached to this example, we may suppose it to be Quintilian's own. Spalding. Some would refer it to the case of Orestes. + Philipp. ii. 25. In Cat. i. 7. |