![Book Cover of A Dialogue Concerning Oratory, or the Causes of Corrupt Eloquence](/image/book/a-dialogue-concerning-oratory-or-the-causes-of-corrupt-eloquence.webp)
A Dialogue Concerning Oratory, or the Causes of Corrupt Eloquence
'A Dialogue Concerning Oratory, or the Causes of Corrupt Eloquence' Summary
The dialogue itself, set in the 70s AD, follows the tradition of Cicero's speeches on philosophical and rhetorical arguments. It is set in the home of Curiatius Maternus, one of the speakers, to whom two leading lawyers of the day, Marcus Aper and Julius Secundus, have come to discuss a recent event; the fourth speaker, Lucius Vipstanus Messalla, arrives later. All four men are attested historical personages. The beginning of the work is a speech in defence of eloquence and poetry. It then deals with the decadence of oratory, for which the cause is said to be the decline of the education, both in the family and in the school, of the future orator. The education is not as accurate as it once was; the teachers are not prepared and a useless rhetoric often takes the place of the general culture.
After a lacuna, the Dialogus ends with a speech delivered by Maternus reporting what some believe is Tacitus's opinion. Maternus thinks that great oratory was possible with the freedom from any power, more precisely in the anarchy, that characterized the Roman Republic during the civil wars. It became anachronistic and impracticable in the quiet and ordered society that resulted from the institution of the Roman Empire. The peace, warranted by the Empire, should be accepted without regret for a previous age that was more favorable to the wide spread of literacy and the growth of great personality.
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
RomanPublished In
102 ADAuthor
![Cornelius Tacitus image](/thumbs/image/author/cornelius-tacitus.webp)
Cornelius Tacitus
Roman Empire
Publius Cornelius Tacitus was a Roman historian and politician. Tacitus is widely regarded as one of the greatest Roman historians by modern scholars. He lived in what has been called the Silver Age o...
More on Cornelius TacitusDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books
![Timaeus Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/timaeus.webp)
Timaeus by Plato (Πλάτων)
Timaeus is one of Plato's dialogues, mostly in the form of a long monologue given by Critias, written c. 360 BC. The work puts forward speculation on...
![Animals' Rights Considered in Relation to Social Progress Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/animals-rights-considered-in-relation-to-social-progress.webp)
Animals' Rights Considered in Relation to Social Progress by Henry Salt
In a world where the rights of animals were often dismissed, one visionary thinker dared to challenge the status quo and paved the way for a more comp...
![Herodotus' Histories Vol 3 Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/herodotus-histories-vol-3.webp)
Herodotus' Histories Vol 3 by Herodotus of Halicarnassus
The Histories of Herodotus of Halicarnassus is considered the first work of history in Western literature. Written about 440 BC, the Histories tell th...
![The Making of a Nation: The Beginnings of Israel's History Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/the-making-of-a-nation-the-beginnings-of-israels-history.webp)
The Making of a Nation: The Beginnings of Israel's History by Charles Foster Kent
"The Making of a Nation The Beginnings of Israel's History" from Charles Foster Kent. American Old Testament scholar (1867-1925).
![Bird World: A Bird Book for Children Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/bird-world-a-bird-book-for-children.webp)
Bird World: A Bird Book for Children by Jenny H. Stickney
It is an engaging and educational book that introduces young readers to the fascinating world of birds. Through its delightful pages, this book provid...
![The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The African Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/the-interesting-narrative-of-the-life-of-olaudah-equiano-or-gustavus-vassa-the-african.webp)
The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The African by Olaudah Equiano
The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, Or Gustavus Vassa, The African, first published in 1789 in London, is the autobiography of O...
![A Short History of Scotland Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/a-short-history-of-scotland.webp)
A Short History of Scotland by Andrew Lang
A Short History of Scotland is a concise introduction to the history of Scotland from Roman times to the last Jacobite rebellion, written by the autho...
![The Lives of the Twelve Caesars Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/the-lives-of-the-twelve-caesars.webp)
The Lives of the Twelve Caesars by Suetonius
De vita Caesarum, commonly known as The Twelve Caesars, is a set of twelve biographies of Julius Caesar and the first 11 emperors of the Roman Empire...
![Toxophilus Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/toxophilus.webp)
Toxophilus by Roger Ascham
Step into the world of archery and scholarly exploration with "Toxophilus" by Roger Ascham. Unveil the secrets of this timeless art as Ascham, an este...
Reviews for A Dialogue Concerning Oratory, or the Causes of Corrupt Eloquence
No reviews posted or approved, yet...