RHETORIC-- Cicero

RHETORIC

Cicero

S. Sreekumar

[In unit I of M.Phil syllabus of Bharathiar University, there is a lesson on Rhetoric. This lesson and the one on Quintillion are related to that. Refer to the posting on modern rhetoric to find out more on rhetoric]

In Greece and Rome, oratorical ability was expected of all those who wanted to hold positions of authority in public life. Moreover clear exposition and persuasive reasoning were necessary for litigation. Cicero and Quintilian are the great orators whose works are discussed here.

Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC)

He made his name in the Roman law-courts. He was the greatest of the Roman orators.

Cicero mastered a periodic style in which complex syntactical structure is not only finely attuned to the ear in rhythm and cadence, but also allows point to be planted in a cunningly appropriate order.

Cicero was capable of playing on the responses of his audience with “shrewd emotional appeals, with witty mockery, sarcasm or innuendo”.

Cicero contributed to the theory of rhetoric with De Oratore, a study of oratory in general. Cicero wrote another book on Roman orators—Brutus or De Claribus Oratoribus

·      De Oratore is written in the form of a dialogue.

·        Cicero says that the good orator has to be able to argue wisely and persuasively. He is a better advocate of the expert’s opinion than the expert himself.

Cicero defends himself against the charge that his cleverly planned oratory was ‘over-elaborate’ and stilted.[dull, affected]

·        Cicero goes on to illustrate three styles of oratory:

(a) The Plain, (b) the middle, and (c) the grand.

The plain style is without any decoration, but clipped and correct. Limited use of metaphors is allowed, but attempts at rhetorical flourish are not permitted. Wit and humor are permitted occasionally.

The middle style has a ‘minimum of muscle’ and a ‘maximum of sweetness’. It is fuller than the plain style, more restrained than ornate and copious style.

The grand style is ‘full, copious, weighty, and ornate’. The style has splendor and fullness. It expresses emotions and influences opinions.

The perfect orator is one “who can speak of humble things plainly, lofty things with gravity, middling things with the blended style”. 

When dealing with technical matters over the choice of words, the use of metaphor and figures of speech, what refers to rhetoric applies to poetry also.

Dr. S. Sreekumar