On the other hand we shall employ cola by
preference when narrating facts, or relax the texture of our periods by
considerable pauses and looser connexions, always excepting those
passages in which narration is designed for decorative effect and not
merely for the instruction of the audience, as for example the passage
in the Verrines where Cicero
The full periodic style is well adapted to the exordium of important cases, where the theme requires the
orator to express anxiety, admiration or pity: the same is true of commonplaces and all kinds of amplification. But it should be severe when we are prosecuting
and expansive in panegyric. It is also most effective in the peroration.
But we must only employ this form of rhythmical structure in its full
development, when the judge has not merely got a grasp of the matter,
but has been charmed by our style, surrendered himself to the pleader
and is ready to be led whither we will, by the delight which he
experiences. History does not so much demand full, rounded rhythms as a
certain continuity of motion and connexion of style. For all its cola are closely linked
The demonstrative type of oratory requires freer
and more expansive rhythms, while forensic and
deliberative oratory will vary the
arrangement of their words in conformity with the variety of their
themes. I must now turn to discuss the first of the two points which I
mentioned above.
or that long syllables are best adapted to express dignity, sublimity and ornateness. That is to say, while the gentler form of utterance requires length of vowel sounds, sublime and ornate language demands sonority as well. On the other hand, passages of an opposite character, such as those in which we argue, distinguish, jest or use language approximating to colloquial speech, are better served by short syllables.
Consequently in the exordium we shall vary our
structure to suit the thought. For I cannot agree with Celsus, when he
would impose a single stereotyped form upon the exordium and asserts that the best example of the structure
required for this purpose is to be found in Asinius: e. g., si, Caesar, ex omnibus mortalibus, qui sunt ac
fuerunt, posset huic causae disceptator legi, non quisquam te potius
optandus nobis fuit.
If, Caesar, one man of all that are or have ever been
could be chosen to try this case, there is none whom we could
have preferred to you.
I do not for a moment deny that the structure of this passage is
excellent, but I refuse to admit that the form of rhythmical structure
which it exemplifies should be forced on all exordia. For there are various ways in which the exordia
to the pro Milone, the pro
Cluentio and the pro Ligario?
The statement of fact as a rule requires slower
and what I may be allowed to call more modest feet; and the different
kinds of feet should, as far as possible, be intermixed. For while the
style of this portion of our speech is generally marked by restraint of
language, there are occasions when it is called upon to soar to greater
heights, although on the other hand its aim will at all times be to
instruct the audience and impress the facts upon their minds, a task
which must not be carried out in a hurry. Indeed my personal opinion is
that the statement of fact should be composed of
long cola and short periods. Arguments,
inasmuch as they are characterised by energy and speed, will employ the
feet best adapted to these qualities. They will not however acquire
rapidity at the expense of force by employing trochees,
Trochee (u u u).
which employ long and sonorous vowels, are specially well served by the
amplitude of the dactyl and the paean, feet which, although they contain a majority of short
syllables, are yet not deficient in time-length. On the other hand,
where iambus, not merely because that foot contains but two
syllables, with the result that its beat is more frequent, making it
unsuited to gentle language, but also because every foot gives the
effect of an ascent, as they climb and swell from short to long, a fact
which renders them superior to the choreus, which
sinks from long to short.
Subdued passages, such as occur in the peroration, also require slow syllables, which must, however,
be less sonorous. Celsus insists that there is a special form of
rhythmical structure which produces a particularly stately effect: I do
not know to what he refers and, if I did, should not teach it, since it
must inevitably be slow and flat, that is to say unless this quality is
derived from the words and thoughts expressed. If it is to be sought for
its own sake, independent of such considerations, I cannot sufficiently
condemn it. But, to bring this discussion to a close,
I would remark that our rhythm must be designed to suit our delivery. Is
not our tone subdued as a rule in the exordium,
except of course in cases of accusation where we have to rouse the judge
or fill him with indignation, full and clear in the statement of fact, in argument impetuous and rapid not merely
in our language, but in our motions as well, expansive and fluent in commonplaces and descriptions and, as a rule,
submissive and downcast in the peroration?
But the motions of the body also have their own appropriate rhythms,
while the musical theory of rhythm determines the value of metrical feet
no less for dancing than for tunes. Again, do we not adapt our voice and
gesture to the nature of the themes on which
Consequently, where necessary, we must borrow the pompous effect
produced by the spondees and iambi which compose the greater portion of the rhythms of
tragedy, as in the line,
But the comic senarius, styled Lo, I am lord
at Argos, where to me I Pelops the sceptre
left.
trochaic, contains a number of pyrrhics
and trochees, which others call tribrachs, but loses in dignity what it gains in speed,
as for example in the line,
Violent and abusive language, on the other hand, even
in verse, as I have said, employs the Ter. Eun. I. i. 1.
What
shall I do then? Not go even now?
pyrrhic never forms a separate
foot, but does form part of the anapaest,
tribrach and dactyl and it
is in this connexion that it is mentioned by Quintilian.
iambic for
its attack: e.g.,
As a general rule, however, Who save a lecherous gambling
glutton can endure to gaze on such a sight as
this
if the choice were forced upon me, I should prefer my rhythm to be harsh
and violent rather than nerveless and effeminate, as it is in so many
writers, more especially in our own day, when it trips along in wanton
measures that suggest the accompaniment of castanets. Nor will any
rhythm ever be so admirable that it ought to be
For we shall really be indulging in a species of versification if we seek to lay down one law for all varieties of speech: further, to do so would lay us open to the charge of the most obvious affectation, a fault of which we should avoid even the smallest suspicion, while we should also weary and cloy our audience by the resulting monotony; the sweeter the rhythm, the sooner the orator who is detected in a studied adherence to its employment, will cease to carry conviction or to stir the passions and emotions. The judge will refuse to believe him or to allow him to excite his compassion or his anger, if he thinks that he has leisure for this species of refinement.
It will therefore be desirable from time to time that in certain
passages the rhythm should be deliberately dissolved: this is a task of
no small difficulty, if the appearance of effort is to be avoided. In so
doing we must not come to the assistance of the rhythm by introducing
bhyperhata
As a matter of fact no word will be so intractable as to baffle all our attempts to find it a suitable position; but it must be remembered that when we avoid such words, we do so not to enhance the charm of our rhythm, but to evade a difficulty. I am not, however, surprised that Latin writers have paid more attention to rhythmical structure than the Athenians, since Latin words possess less correctness and charm.
Nor again do I account it a fault in Cicero that, in this respect, he
diverged to some extent from the practice of