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Rhetorical Views: A Follow-up On Cicero's View

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Vivian Listner

Eng. 570-BO1

Liberty University

Professor Holt

2/19/20

                                                                       Rhetorical Views: A Follow-up on Cicero's View                                             

Cicero knew about the demands it took to be a rhetorician. He was diverse in his thinking. For example, he fought for justice in every sense of the word. He viewed it as a way into future generations’ thinking. His “posterity” (Kennedy, A. George, 1994, p.128) kept him on high ground. He never stopped believing in the hype. Though he broke chains of “wisdom” so-to-speak, rhetoric for Cicero was an art form at the very least. He was defining the terms himself. He would even compose letters to friends (128). He might have been considered shrewd or “pompous” (128) but he took matters seriously. His had a “gift” (129). He used an “extension” (129) of ethos (130) to make rhetorical decisions. As it seems, he ordered “character” (130) as a means to great knowledge of justice and promise. He was profoundly viewing rhetoric in terms of what was good, or what helped the people fight for justice.

The “promise”, was followed by Quintilian on how or what makes rhetoric useful. Through Quintilian’s book, “Institutes” he informs/enlightens the reader on two components for further thought. As in education, we must owe it to ourselves to understand the power of knowledge. For Quintilian speech was a form of education.  In other words, refining our innate knowledge. Two, a well-rounded education was vital to the cause. Without certain aspects of education in its full form, rhetoric is misunderstood. Also, it must take on a “real-life application” (Butler, H.E., 2001, pp. 363) hence the form of a profession. The three offices are: “Indications” (362), which bring about the “promise” (or future generational promise). “Style” plays a vital role in any speech given by the “mature orator” (363) also play a role in a speech. “Art” will be skillful at best. It is about how to redefine an action through one’s own gift(s) in a profession. The “necessary orator’s” (363) speech must profit his/her good sense of being good. His quality of mind is shaped by the posterity he/she holds.

a. Perhaps moral obligation is a given considering that Cicero was all about the sense of one’s self being good, and promising. He was an idealist thinker with so much information. Yet, he dwelled neatly on the premise of taking rhetoric to the public through continuous thought on the subject. He also re-challenged that thinking. For example, he definitively spoke about the good nature of the public as listeners. Perhaps the speech “speaks for itself” (mine). In other words, promotes an obligation within the words of the speech.

Perhaps, a speech is more of a gift. Perhaps Cicero found it “complex” (132) to begin with. He must’ve known about obligation through his notions of making core decisions on truth. He was viewing this subject as a means to profit the listener, not the orator. In a way, that could be viewed as being moral. He was an alibi. Example:

“Cicero’s defense of Roscius has three parts, combing stasis of the fact with that form of stasis quality that shifts responsibility for the action to another person ultimately responsible for guilt” (130). Another example of Cicero’s goodness: “Who stood to gain?” (130)

3) Quintilian placed more depth on education because he must've sensed that the public would gain more from a knowledgeably wiser person. This prompts my understanding that his view of rhetoric was about the public, not the orator. This links up with Cicero’s views on “goodness” and “justice.” “Fathers have high hopes for their sons for a reason” (363). In Quintilian’s major works, the “Institutes” he brought about consensus that education makes a good, prosperous orator. He/she makes use for the public as listeners.

“Children view it as mimicry” and “should read aloud poets works…”

These are just a few examples to attach to my case: That he was looking to make “better, honest people” out of rhetoric.

Questions: How do we know what is good and true on the listener’s behalf? What makes rhetoric a promise?

                                                                References

  Cicero, M. “Institutio Oratoria” (trans. Butler. H.E.). In Bizzell, Patricia, Herzberg, Bruce (2001). The rhetorical tradition: Readings from classical times to the present. (2nd ed., pp. 363). Boston, MA: Bedford/St.Martin's.

Kennedy, George, A., (1994). A New History of Classical Rhetoric. (pp. 130-132)

            Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press.  

 

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