Cicero On the Ideal Orator

by May, James M.; Wisse, Jakob

• ISBN13: 9780195091984
• ISBN10: 0195091981
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-03-08
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

In On the Ideal Orator, (De oratore), Cicero, the greatest Roman orator and prosewriter of his day, gives his mature views on rhetoric, oratory, and philosophy. Cast in the lively, literary form of a dialogue, this classic work presents a daring view of the orator as the master of all languagecommunication while still emphasizing his role at the heart of Roman society and politics. Cicero's conception of the ideal orator represents his own original synthesis of the positions of the philosophers and the rhetoricians in the age-old quarrel between these disciplines. The first translation of De oratore in over fifty years, this volume is ideal for courses on Cicero and on the history of rhetoric/oratory. James May and Jakob Wisse provide an accurate and accessible translation which is based on--and contributes to--recent advances in our understanding of Deoratore and of the many aspects of ancient rhetoric, philosophy, and history relevant to it. Their translation reflects the many variations of Cicero's style, which are essential ingredients of the work. The volume includes extensive annotation, based on current scholarship and offering significantoriginal contributions as well. It is also enhanced by a full introduction covering all important aspects of both the work and its historical background; appendices on Cicero's works, figures of thought and speech, and alternate manuscript readings; a glossary of terms from rhetoric and Roman lifeand politics; and a comprehensive index of names and places.

Table of Contents

Introduction	3	(4)
The Roman Background: Politics and Culture	4	(2)
Orators in Politics	4	(2)
Greeks and Romans	6	(1)
De oratore in Cicero's Life	6	(3)
The Subject: The Ideal Orator	9	(4)
Form I: Dialogue Technique	13	(5)
Form II: ``Rhetorical'' Techniques and The Way to Read De oratore	18	(2)
Background I: The Quarrel between Rhetoricians and Philosophers, and Cicero's Position in It	20	(6)
Brief History of the Quarrel	20	(3)
The Issues in the Quarrel: Cicero's Position	23	(3)
Background II: Traditional Rhetoric and Cicero's Alternative	26	(12)
Preliminary Questions	27	(1)
The Basic Systems, and Cicero's Choice	28	(4)
The Individual Activities	32	(6)
Background III: Cicero's ``Sources''	38	(2)
This Translation	40	(2)
The Text	42	(1)
Synopsis of the Work	42	(7)
Further Reading and Bibliography	49	(7)
Abbreviations	56	(243)
TRANSLATION: On the Ideal Orator
Book 1	57	(68)
Book 2	125	(99)
Book 3	224	(75)
Appendix A: Cicero's Works	299	(2)
Appendix B: Figures of Thought and Speech	301	(6)
Appendix C: List of Readings	307	(13)
Glossary	320	(12)
Index of Names and Places	332	(31)
General Index	363