Declamation of the Philosopher, Physician, and Orator

All these things, however, have been spoken fiercely enough against the philosophers and physicians. Let no one of you, most distinguished men, take these things as if they were said in my own person. For such an attack is far from me, but [it is said] as if in the person of an orator pleading his case against the brothers—the one a philosopher, the other a physician—who, when he has diluted and elevated his brothers' professions, has most valiantly protected the oratorical discipline and the name of the orator. So that he said not only those exordiums of all judges, which are and can be said by us, but also that he has shone, strengthened, and raised up the cause of eloquence with many supports, which I omit for the present. Content to have related only that, which the orator, having expanded through the widest fields of rhetoric, added such things.

He says: "That eloquence, O judges, is one of the highest virtues and is most useful to the state is so clear and so admitted that it does not need proof. For when the orator is defined as 'a good man skilled in speaking,' and rhetoric as 'the science of speaking well,' it must be confessed that it is useful. It consists of goodness, it excels in elegance, it shines with brightness. By its help and work, all excellent and great things are done. Indeed, the founders of cities, not so much by philosophical doctrine as by oratorical elegance and the lure of eloquence, enticed wandering men to civilization and a political way of living. Similarly, the founders of laws—to whom nothing is more refined, polished, and sententious—supported by the buttresses of eloquence, founded most healthy and most eloquent laws, which later interpreters spoiled with barbaric interpretations. The formers of republics, the commanders of military armies, could not have ruled by councils and moderated great things without a learned voice and the power of an orator. Finally, almost all writers, even if they are most eminent in every kind of learning, without the pigments of the orator and the oratorical tool, immediately cause nausea to the reader and move bile. To such an extent is all writing without elegance close to disgust, and so great a power has that 'soul-bending' speech, called by the poet the queen of all things. Deservedly among the Romans—than which no republic was ever greater, none holier, none richer in good examples—was there always the highest dignity for orators. And as Cornelius Tacitus is the author, no one has achieved great power without eloquence. To say nothing of others, was not Marcus Tullius that rule of speaking and law of discourse, whose talent was equal to the Roman Empire, who advanced the borders of Latin eloquence, and who was raised from the humility of birth and station to the consulship and the highest dignity? What could be devised more useful in the Roman republic? By his persuasion, the Roman tribes abandoned the Agrarian law, that is, [the state's] provisions. His tongue's lightning broke Catiline’s auda[city].

Exordium of the judges

Orator a good man.

Lure of eloquence

Founders of laws are Orators.

Writing without eloquence is unpleasant.

Highest dignity for orators.

Talent of Tully equal to the Roman Empire.