Discussion Post Required + 2 Responses - Urgent. A+ Work Required. Real every Single Instruction

Pragmatism vs. Idealism: The Roman Rhetoricians

COLLAPSE

Top of Form

Roman orators Cicero and Quintilian, though their ideas at times overlapped, posited two different ideals of rhetoric. Cicero, who died years before Quintilian was even born, was the premier orator of Rome at a pivotal moment in Roman history, and thus his understanding of rhetoric was oriented around the state. Like Aristotle, Cicero advanced  a fairly pragmatic definition of rhetoric, emphasizing its persuasive appeal and its stylistic concerns over its ultimate purpose. He did note that rhetoric has the moral capacity for “testing truth,” but his primary concern lay with the qualities of excellent rhetoric, and thus he did not emphasize the ethical dimension of rhetoric (trans. 1942, p. 325). In Cicero’s conception, rhetorical excellence married knowledge to style; the perfect orator was “he who on any matter whatever can speak with fullness and variety” (trans. 1942, p. 297). In order to accomplish this goal, a rhetorician had to be educated in the arts and sciences as well as in speaking, and this broad education—the forerunner to a modern liberal arts degree, in a sense—made the rhetorician eminently versatile. Given the political instability that overshadowed Cicero’s own career, his emphasis on excellence seems shrewd. If the rhetorician devoted himself to excellence rather than to a moral or political stance, his talents were an asset rather than a liability in the event of a regime change. Cicero may have emphasized excellence rather than morality for the sake of expedience. 

Quintilian, on the other hand, was fundamentally idealistic in his approach to rhetoric. He famously understood rhetoric as excellent speaking by good men; indeed, he argued that only good men could truly be considered orators (trans. 1856, p. 385). Wicked men, he conceded, might borrow the tools of rhetoric and wield them with skill, but the audience, recognizing the incongruence of the man’s character and his words, would ultimately reject him. In order to produce men of character, Quintilian argued, excellent education was necessary, and it ought to begin as soon as possible. An excellent educator would not only pass on the skills Cicero championed but also an understanding of “what is honorable and good” (Quintilian, trans. 1856, p. 366). If this moral education began early in a young man’s life, he would have a sound foundation on which to build a reputation and a career, and he could continue growing in goodness throughout his life. Quintilian believed that, by genuinely embracing virtue, an orator could move others to do so as well—a worthwhile calling for anyone to pursue (trans. 1856, p. 420). Only the orator who was both good and well-spoken could shape culture for the better.

I found a great deal of food for thought in the writings of both men. For Cicero, my question deals with what he terms “vigorous language” (trans. 1942, p. 329). He says that such language is not always wanted; in what situations would he recommend its usage? 

Regarding Quintilian, my question is somewhat more philosophical. He argues that, since the soul is divine in its origin, it should not be enslaved by the earthly body (trans. 1856, p. 420). When I read this, I couldn’t help thinking of Paul’s argument in Romans 6-7 that deals with slavery to sin. Even though we as Christians ought to regard our bodies respectfully, to what extent can we agree with Quintilian’s argument here? Does his point here align with truth? 

References

Cicero, M. (trans. 1942/2001). De Oratore (E. W. Sutton & H. Rackham, Trans.). In P. Bizzell & B. Herzberg (Eds.), The rhetorical tradition: Readings from classical times to the present (pp. 289-339). Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s.

Quintilian, M. (trans. 1856/2001). Institutes of oratory (J. S. Watson, Trans.). In P. Bizzell & B. Herzberg (Eds.), The rhetorical tradition: Readings from classical times to the present (pp. 364-428). Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin's.

Bottom of Form