Cicero and Rhetoric

(Originally written January 17, 2007 in Book 12)

Roman Rhetoric

Rhetoric enabled upper class individuals to rise socially and gain influence (ethos was key).

Roman sense of character alters rhetoric.

Cicero is unique - not from a family with political connections - a "new man" who used rhetoric to influence people.

Education

- Primary means of communication was still oral
- Based on Isocrates

Cicero
106-43 BC
-Saw philosophy as integrally tied to rhetoric
-Ideas changed over time
-Alters meaning of "kairos" to propriety
-Built on Stoicism
-Patriotic

De Inventione

Stasis Theory
- Fact/conjectural
- Quality/Definition
- Nature of the act/ qualitative
- Legal process/ translative

4 Strands of Stasis
- Fact - if he did do it
- Quantity - How much was done
- Quality - what was the level of action
- Justice - what is the reasonable penalty
- Equitability - what are the customs of the area

Stasis: at what point the argument turns

Oratoryian attractive but difficult study
- Vast knowledge
- Distinctive style
- Understand mental emotions
- Humor
- Wit
- Culture
- Quickness in attack, defense on attack
- Delicate charm
- Memory

"Excellence in speaking cannot be made manifest unless the speaker fully comprehends the matter he speaks about" (296)

- Consumate knowledge

Orators must have:
- Subtlety of the logician
- Thoughts of the philosopher
- Diction of the poet
- Memory of the lawyer

5 Divisions of necessary skills
1) Find what to stay
2) Use order and understand appropriate weight
3) Memory
4)
5)

Relation of oratory to philosophy
- Both require wealth, free time and intellect
- Both have the power of molding men's minds
- We must understand humanity to practice oratory

Divisions of Rhetoric
1) Invention
2) Arrangement
3) Expression
4) Memory and Delivery

Educational Theory

Aim of education: highly educated young men trained in eloquence

Method:
1) Read and listen
2) Learn Proofs

Talent is most important, but training is necessary

Romans placed more emphasis on training than the Greeks

Purpose of Rhetoric

Def. - a science using language and arguments to convince

Oration: 6 Parts - exordium, narration, partition, confirmation, refutation, peroratio

Power of rhetoric - he believed that the power of speech, along with natural ability, could shape the character and shape of society

Purpose: convince audience that he is who he would like them to believe he is and that his audience is touched in a way that moves them to accept his words

Educational Program
1) Grammar School
2) Logic School
3) Rhetoric school

Progymnasmata
- Narrative
  - action, agent, time, place, manner, cause
- Description
 Time: length, movement,recurrence
 Action: motion, direction, velocity, force
- Fable
 Retelling of a story,flat characters that personify virtues and vices
- Proverb
- Anecdote
- Refutation/confirmation
- Common place
- Praising and blaming
- Comparison
- Speech in character
- Thesis
- For and against laws