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Rhetoric's explanation and treatment is proper to the discoursers. Cicero, book 1, De Oratore. A thing is explained either by exposition or by argumentation; to that the simple question is referred, to this the composite. This is referred to here.

in the form of discourse, and granting the knowledge of things to other arts, it assumes the treatment for itself. Whether the nature of a thing must be explained and examined by reason and method, which the Greeks call methodon method: or whether something must be either confirmed or refuted by argumentation. For every question is explained either by exposition or by arguments, from which there exists a double method, which we shall treat next.

On the question, or the double theme. III.

THERE are therefore two genera of questions or themes, of which one is Simple, the other Composite. The Simple contains one thing, the nature of which must be explained; either proposed in one word: as, what wisdom is, what study is: or even in several, but declaring one thing; as, what the study of wisdom is, in Greek philosophia philosophy. Here it is asked whether it is a genus, species, difference, property, or accident. And whether it is a substance, or quantity, or quality, etc. But which places are to be used in explaining a simple question will be handed down below after the methods of defining and dividing. The Composite, or coupled, is that which encompasses two or more things: as, is wisdom to be sought? Where it is asked whether it is true, false, affirming, denying, saying universally or in part, necessary or fortuitous. Those things which are simple, when recalled by the discourse and examined particularly, do not rarely cease to have doubt. For almost the same places, and in the composite