Institutio Oratoria

I will, however, postpone my demonstration of what I regard as the best method of narration till I come to deal with narration as required in the courts. [*](Book IV. chap. ii.) In the meantime, it will be sufficient to urge that it should be neither dry nor jejune (for why spend so much labour over our studies if a bald and naked statement of fact is regarded as sufficiently expressive?); nor on the other hand must it be tortuous or revel in elaborate descriptions, such as those in which so many are led to indulge by a misguided imitation of poetic licence.

Both these extremes are faults; but that which springs from poverty of wit is worse than that which is due