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
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
An Introduction to the Greek of the New Testament by George Lovell Cary
A collection of lessons (primarily in grammar) for New Testament Greek (also known as Koine) collected by a professor at Meadville Theological School...
Plan and Preface to a Dictionary of English by Samuel Johnson
The published dictionary was a huge book: with pages nearly 1½ feet tall and 20 inches wide, it contained 42,773 words; it also sold for the huge pric...
The English Language by Logan Pearsall Smith
A description and history of the development of the English Language and reflections on the influences that changed the language.
Our Knowledge Box by George Blackie
This practical guide to solving all sorts of problems includes secrets and discoveries covering the Liquor Trade, Druggists' Aids, Manufacturing Hints...
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...
A Popular History of Ireland by Thomas D'Arcy McGee
Thomas D'Arcy McGee was an Irish refugee and a father of the Canadian confederation. His work on Irish history is comprehensive, encompassing twelve b...
Home Education Series Vol. IV: Ourselves, Book I. Self-Knowledge by Charlotte Mason
Embark on a captivating journey of self-discovery with "Home Education Series Vol. IV: Ourselves, Book I. Self-Knowledge" by Charlotte Mason. Unveil t...
A Dictionary of English Synonymes by Richard Soule
A Dictionary of English Synonymes and Synonymous or Parallel Expressions, Designed as a Practical Guide to Aptness and Variety of Phraseology is a pro...
The Elements of Style by William Strunk
The Elements of Style is an American English writing style guide in numerous editions. The original was composed by William Strunk Jr. in 1918, and pu...
Reviews for A Dialogue Concerning Oratory, or the Causes of Corrupt Eloquence
No reviews posted or approved, yet...