XXIII. " Ab, therefore, the two principal quaiities required in Q.D orator, are perspicuity in stating the subject, and dig- nified ardour in moving the passions; and as he who fiies and inflames his audience, will always effect more thau ho who ooa barely inform and amuse them; we may oonjecturo &om the ahove naiTative, with which I was favoured by Rutiliu*, that Ltelius was mo6t admired for his elegance, and Golba for his pathetic foroe. But the energy peculiar to him was most remarkably eserted, when, having in his pnBtorsbip put to death some Lueitanians, ooutrary, it was believed, to hia pre- vious and express engagement, Titua Libo, the, tribuae, exu- perated the people against him, and preferred a bill which was to operate against hie conduct as a subsequent law. Marcus Cato, as I have before mentioned, thongh extremely old, spoke in support of the bill with great vehemence; whidi epoech he inserted in his book oi Aittiquitiee, a few days, ix at moat only a month or two, before his death. Oq this ocoo- eion, Galba not refusing to pl«id to the choi'ge, and submitting his tate to the generosity of the people, recommended his children to their protection, with tears iu hia eyes; and par- ticularly his young ward, the son of Caius Uallus Sulpiom his deceased friend, whose orphan state and piercing orieB, whiob were the more regarded, for the sake of hia iUuetrioot' father, excited their pity in a wonderful manner; and thus, as Cato informs us in his History, he escaped the flames ^vhicb would otherwise have consumed him, by employing tho childreo to move the compasaioa of the people. I likewise find (what may be easily judged from biB orations still extant) that bis prosecutor, Libo, was a man of some eloquence." ks I ooa- eluded these remarks with a short pause, "What con be the reason," said Brutus, "if there was so much m^t in the oratory of Galba, that there is no trace of it to be seen in hia orations? a circumstatioe which I have no opportunity to be eurpriBed at in others, who have left nothing behind them in writing."
XXIV, " The reasons," said I, "why some have not written anything, oBd others not so well as they spoke, are vay ^ different. Some of our orators, as being indolent, and n I to add the fatigue of private to public biisinesa,!
SEMARKS ON EMUfEKT ORATORS. 427 not praotiae composition; for most of the orations we are now poBseffled of were written, not before they were spoken, bat Bome time afterwards. Otbei'a did not choose the trouble of improving themBcIves, to wiiich nothing more contributes than frequent writing; and as to perpetuating the fame of their eloquence, tbey thought it cnneceBeary; supposing that their eminence in that respect was sufficiientlj established already, and that it would be rather diminished than in- creased by fiubmittiug any ■written specimen of it to the arbi- trary test of criticism. Some also wore aenaible that they apofee much better than they were able to write; which is generally the cose of those who ha^e a great geniuu, but little learning, such as Servius Galba. When he spoke, he was perhaps bo much animated by the force of his abilities, and the natural warmth and impetuosity of his temper, that his language was rapid, bold, and etriking; but afterwards, when he took up the pen in his leisvire hours, and his passion had sunk into a calm, hie elocution became dull and languid. This indeed can never happen to those whoso only aim is to he neat and polished; hecauae an orator may always bo master of that discretion which will enable him both to speak and write in tJie same agreeable manner; but no mau can revive at pleasure the ardour of his passions; and when that has once subsided, the fire and pathos of bis language will be estinguialied. Tins is the reaaon why the calm and easy spirit of Lcehus seems still to breathe in his writings; whereas the vigour of Galba is entirely withered away.
XXV. " We may also reckon in tlie number of middling orators, the two broljiers LnciBS and Spurius Mummiua, both whose orations are still in being; the style of Lucius is plaia and antiquated; but that of Spnrins, though equally unembellished, is more close and compact; for he was well versed in the doctrine of the Stoics. The orations of Spurius Alpinus, their contemporary, are very numerous; and we have several by Lucius and Caius Aurelius Oresta, who wore esteemed indiSercut apeak:erE. Fublins Popilius also was a worthy citizen, and had a moderate share of elocution; but hia son Caius was really eloquent. To these we may add Caius Tuditanns, who waa not ouly veiy polished and grace- ful in his manners and appearance, but had an elegant turn of expression; and of the same class was Uarons Octayius, a man of inflexible constancy in every just aad laudable 1 brutcb; or, meaauro; and wbo, after being insulted nnd diegraced tn the most public oianner, defeated bia rival Tiberius Gracchus by the mere dint of bis perseverance. But Marcus iEmiliua Lepidua, who was sumamed Porcina, and flouriBhed at the same time as Galba, though he was indeed something younger, was esteemed an orator of the first enuaence; and really appears, ii-om bis orations wbiob are still extant, to have been a masterly writer. For he was the first spedcer among the Eomans wbo gave ua a specimen of the ea^. graoeiiilnesB of the Greeks; and who was distinguished- 1^ the measured flow of his language, and a style regularly polished and improved by art. His manner was carefiilly studied by Cains Carbo and Tiberius Gracchus, two accom- plished youths, who were nearly of an age: but we must defer tbeir character as public speokera, till we have finidied our accoimt of their elders. For Qiiintna PompeiuB, oondder- ing the time in which be lived, was no contemptible orstoi^ and actually raised himself to the highest honours of the state by bis own personal merit, and without being reoom- mended, aa usual, by the quality of his ancestors. Lucioa CassiuB too derived his infiuence, which was very conaiderablB, not indeed from the highest powers, yet from a toleraUa share of eloquence; for it ia remarkable that he made himielf popular, not as otbora did, by bia complaisance and liberality, but by the gloomy rigour and severity of his manners. Hia law for collecting the votes of the people by way of ballo^ was strongly opposed by the tribune Marcus Autiua Briso, who was supported by Marcus Lepidus, one of the coubuIb: and it was afterwards objected to Africanns, that BrtBa dropped the opposition by his advice. At this time the two Crepioa were very serviceable to a number of clients by their superior judgment and eloquence; but still more ao by tbejr extensive interest and popularity. But the written speeches of Pompeiua (though it must be owned they have rather an antiquated air) discover an amazing sagacity, and are very &r from being dry and spiritlesa.
XXVI. "To these we must add Publiua Crassus, an orator of uncommon merit, who waa qualified for the profession by the united efforts of art and nature, and enjoyed some other advantages which were almost peculiar to his family. For he had contracted an afBnity with that accomplished speaker rSerriua Galba above-mentioned, by giving his daughter in EMABE3 OS EMINENT OBATOBS. 429 marri^e to Galba'a son; and being likewise himself the bod of MuciuB, and the brother of FubUus Sctevola, he hod a fine opportunity at home (which he made the best nee of) to gain a thorough knowledge of the civil law, He was a man of unusual application, and was ranch beloved by his fellow- citizens; being constantly employed either in giving his advice, or pleading causes in the forum. Contemporary with the speakers I have meutioned were the two Caii Fannii, the sons of Caius and Marcus, one of whom, (the son of CaiuB,) who was joint consul with Domitius, has left us anex- celleat speech against Gracchus, who proposed the admission of the Latin and Italian allies to the ireedom of Rome." " Do you really think, then," Kaid AtticuB, " that Fannius was the author of that oration 1 For wheu we were young, there were different opinions about it. Some asserted it was written by Caius Persius, a man of letters, and much extolled for hia learning by Lucilius; and others believed it the joint pro- duction of a number of nohiemen, each of whom contributed hia best to complete it" " This I remember," said I j " but I coidd never persuade myself to coincide with either of them. Their suspicioo, I believe, was entirely founded oa the character of Fannius, who was only reckoned among the muidlinff orators; whereas the speech in question is esteemed the best which the time afiorded. But, on the other hand, it is too much of a piece to have been the mingled composition of many; for the flow of the periods, and the turn of the language, are perfectly similar, throughout the whole of it. And OS to Persiua, if he had composed it for Fannius to pro- noimce, Gracchus would certainly have taken some notice of jt in his reply; beoaiise Fanaiua rallies Gracchus pretty severely, in one part of it, for employing Menelaua of ilaratho, and several others, to compose hia speeches. We may add, that Fannius himself was no contemptible orator; for he pleaded a number of causes, and his tribuneship, which was chiefly conducted under the management and direction of Publius Africanna, exhibited much oratory. But the other Oaiua Fannius (the son of Marcus and son-in-law of Coiua IiEeliua) was of a rougher cast, both in bis temper and manuer of speaking. By the advice of his father-in-law, (of whom, by the by, he was not remarkably fond, because he had not voted for his admission into the college of augurs, but gave the preference to his younger son-in-lan-, Quiutua SctevoUi; BBCTUB; OB, though Laltiia politely cxcueed himself, by sajdng that the preference was not given to the youngest BOii, but to his wife the eldest daaghter,) by hia advice, I my, he atteiided the lectures of Fanietlua. Hia abilities oa a speaker may ba easily inferred from hia hietary, which is neither destitute <4 elegance, nor a. perfect model of compoBition. As to hia brother Muoiiis, the augur, whenever be was called upoa to defend himself, he always pleaded his own cause; as, for in- stance, in the action which was brought against him for bribery by Titus Albucius. But he was never ranked among tbo orators; hia chief merit being a critical knowledge of the civil law, and an uncommon aocurac^' of judgme^ Lucius Cfelius Antipater, hkewiae, (aa you may see by ha works,) was an elegant and a perspicuous writer for the tinia he lived inj he was also an excellent lawyer, and taught the principles of jurisprudence to many Dthiers, particularly to Lucius Craaaua.
XXVIL " As to CaiuB Carho and Tiheriua Gracchus, I wish tliey had been as well inclined to maintain peace and good order in the state, aa they were qualified to support it by their eloquence; their glory would then have never been excelled. Bnt the latter, for his turbulent iribuneahip, wbioh he catered upon with a heart full of resentment gainst the great aud good, on account of the odium he had brought upOQ himself by the treaty of Nunaantia, was slain by the hands of the republic; and the other, being impeached of a aeditioas affectation of popularity, rescued himself from the severity of the judges by a voluntary death. That both of them were eicellent ape^era, is very plain irom the general testimony of their contemporaries; for, iws to their speeches now extant, though I allow them to be very skilful and judicious, they are certainly defective in elocution. Gracchus had the advautt^ of being carefuUy instructed by his mother Cornelia from his very childhood, and hia mind was enriched with all the stores of Grecian Kteratnre; for he was constantly attended by the ablest masters from Greece, and particularly, in his youth, by Diophanes of Mitylene, who was the most eloquent Grecaaix^ his age; but though he was a man of uncommon geoin^ k* had but a short time to improve and display it. Ai Corbo, hia whole life was spent in trials, and forensic debi a said, by very sensible men who heard li vothers by oui' friend Lucius Gellius, who lived in iiis family luth, by iebaUH amca»^ HEUAREB on EHTHElfT ORATORB.
in the time of hia consulship, to have been a sonorouB, a Suent, and n spirited Epcnker, and likewise, apon occasion, Tery pathetiCj very engaging, and osceeBively humorons: Gellina used to add, that he applied himself very closely to his studies, and bestowed much of his time in writing and private declamation. He was, therefore, esteemed the best pleader of hia time; for no sooner had he begun to distin- gaish himself in the forum, but the depniTity of the ageigava birth to a number of law-suits; and it was first found neccB- sary, in the time of fais youth, to settle the form of publio trials, which had never been done before. We accordingly find that Lucius Piso, then a tribune of the people, was the first who proposed a law against bribery; which he did when Censorinus and Manilius were consuls. This Piso too was A professed pleader, who moved and opposed a great number of laws; he left some orations behind him, which are now lost, and a book of annals very indifferently written. But in the public trials, in which Carbo was concerned, the assistance of an able advocate had beooroe more necessary than ever, in consequence of the law for voting by baUota, which was pro- posed and carried by Lucius Casaiiia, in the consulship of Lepidus and Mancinus.
XXVIII. " I have likewise been often assured by the poet Attios, (an intimate friend of his,) that your ancestor Decimns Brutus, the sou of Marcus, waa no inelegant speaker; and that, for the time he lived in, ho was well versed both in the Greek and Eoman literature. He ascribed the same accom- plishments to QuintuH Masimus, the graudson of Lucius Paulua; and added that, a bttle prior to Maximus, the Scipio, by whoso instigation (though only in a. private capacity) Tiberius Gracchus was assassinated, was not only a man of great ardour in all other respects, but very warm and spirited in his manner of speaking, Publiua Leiitulus too, the father of the senate, had a sufficient share of eloquence for an honest and useful magistrate. About the same time Lucius Furius Pbilus was thought to speak our language as elegantly and more correctly than any other man; Publius Scfevola to be very acute and judicious, and rather more fluent than FhiluBj Manius Manilius to po&sess almost an equal share of judgment with the latter; and Appiua Claudius to be equally fluent, but more warm and pathetic. Marcus Fulvius Flaecus, and CaiuB Cato the nephew of Atricanus, were likewise tolerable I I I orntDi's; aome of the writings of Flaccus are still i in which nothing, however, is to be seen but the n Pnblius Deciua was a professed rival of Flaccua; he too n not destitute of eloquence; but his style was too bold, as hia temper was too violent, Marcus Dnisus, the son of Claudius, who, in his ttibuneship, baffled' his colleague Graccbue (then raised to the same office a second time), was a nervous speaker, and a man of great popularity: and next to himvas lus brother Caius Drusiis. Your kinscuBa also, my BratQ^ (Marcus PeunuB,) successfully opposed the tribune Graoohvs who was something younger than him self For Gracoluu Tpas quBBstor, and Pennua (the eon of that Marcus, who was joint consul with Qnintus JiUua) was tribune, in the consul- ship of Marcus Lepidua and Lnoiua Orestes; but after enjoy- ing the jBdlleship, and a prospect of succeeding to the high^ honours, he was snatched off by an uutimely death. As to Titus Flaminiuns, whom I mysolf have seen, I can leant nothing but that he spoke our language with great accuracy. XXIX. " To these we may join Caius Curio, Marcus ScauruB, Publiua Eutili\w, and Caius Gracchus. It will not be amiss to give a short account of Scaurua and RutilJua; neither of whom, indeed, had the reputation of being a firstlate orator, though each of them pleaded a number of causes. But some deserving men, who were not remarkable for their geuiiis, may be justly commended for their iudustry; not tiiat the persons I am speaking of were really destitute of genius, but only of that piirticular kind of it which distin- guishes the orator. For it is of little consequence to disooTfiC what is proper to be said, unless you are able to express it in a fi:ee and agreeable manner; and even that will be insuffi- cieut, if not recommended by the voice, the look, and tho gesture. It is needless to add, that much depends upon art; for though, even without this, it is possible, by the mere forte of nature, to say many striking things; yet, as they will alter all bo nothing more than so many lucky hits, wo shall not be sble to repeat them at our pleasure. The style of Scaurus, who was a very sensible and an honest man, was remarkably ' SafflaL In tlie origimd it runa, Caitm Oracchum caUtjaim, tUniM Tnbimwn. fecit: but Wee, was undoubtedly a migtake of the tnoi- ■criber, as being contrary not oul y to the truth of history, but to Ciaero's ~ra account of the matter in lib. iy, De Fmibna. Pighiua therofoB IS very jiioperly recommeuijed the word frtgii iaatend of /cert.
grave, aud comiuauded the reapect of the hearer; bo that, when he was speaking for hia client, you would rather have thought he waa giving evidence in bia favour, than pleading hia cause. This manner of apeaking, however, though but indifferently atiapted to the bar, was very much bo to a calm debate in the senate, of whicli Scaurua was then esteemed the father; for it not only bespoke his prudence, but, what was still a more important recommendatioD, his credibility. This advantage, which it is not easy to acquire by art, he derived entirely from nature; though you know that even liere we have some precepts to assist us. We have several of hia orations still extant, and three books inscribed to Lucius Fufidius, containing the history of his own life, which, though a very useful work, is scarcely read by anybody. But the jTietitution of Cyrue, by Xenopbon, is read by every one; which, though an excellent performance of the kind, is much less adapted to our manners and form of government, and not superior in merit to the honest simplicity of Scaurus.
XXX. " Fufidius himself was likewise a tolerable pleader j but Eutilius was distinguished by his solemn and austere way of speaking; and both of them were naturally warm and spirited. Accordingly, after they had rivalled en<3h. other for the consulship, he who had lost his election, irmne- diately aued bis competitor for bribery; and Scaurua, the defendant, being honourably acquitted of the charge, re- turned the compliment to Rutilius, by commencing a similar prosecution gainst him. Eutilius was a man of great indus- try and application; for which ho was the more respected, because, besides his pleadings, he undertook the office (which was a very troublesome one) of giving advice to all who applied to him, iu matters of law. His orations are very dry, but his juridical remarks are excellent; for he was a learned man, and well versed in the Greek iiterature, and was likewise an attentive and constant hearer of Pansetius, and a thorough proficient ia the doctrine of the Stoics; whose method of dis- coursing, though very close and artful, is too precise, and not at all adapted to engage the attention of common people. That self-confidence, therefore, which is so peculiar to the sect, was displayed by Mm with amazing firmness and resolution; for though he waa perfectly innocent of the ohai^, a prosecution was commenced against him for bribery (a trial which raised a violent commotion in the city), and yet.
I I BBUTUBJ OB, though Lucius CroaBus and Marcua Antoniua, I lar dignity, were at that time in very high r oloqoence, he refused tha assiataace of either; rained to plead hia cause himselF, nhich 1 Cains CottBi, indeed, who woa his nephew, made a. short speech in his yindication, which he spoke in the true atyla of , an orator, though lie woa then but a youth. Quintus Maic»B too said much in his defence, with hia asaal accuracy and ' elegance; but not with that force and extension which tha mode of trial and the importance of the cause denuuided Butilius, therefore, was an orator of the Stoical, and Scnurus of the Antique cast; but they axe both entitled to our eotor mendation; because, in IksTn^ even this formal and unpromiang species of elocution has appeared among us with some d^iree of naerit. For as in the theatre, so in the forum, I would not have our applause confined to those alone who (lot the bu^ and more important characters; but reserve a share of it fct the quiet and unambitious performer, who is diatingui ' by a simple truth of gesture, without any violence. XXXI. " As I have mentioned the Stoics, I i some notice of Quintus jElius Tubero, the grandson of L PauUus, who made his appearance at the time we are speaki d£ He was never esteemed an orator,, but was a mun of ^ most rigid virtue, and strictly conformable to tha doctrine he professed; but, in truth, he had not sufficient ease and polish. In hia Triumvirate, he declared, contrary to the opinion of Publius A&icanus hia uncle, that the augurs had uo right of exemption irom sitting in the courts of justice; and OB in his temper, so in his manner of speaking, he was hoisfa, unpolished, and austere; on which account, he could nera raise himself to the honourable posts which were enjoyed by his ancestors. But he was a brave and steady citizeD, SM a waiTU opposer of Gracchus, as appears from Graccbns'i oration against him; wo have likewise soma of Tubero'a speeches against Gracchus. He was not indeed a aiiining ■orator: h«t he was a learned and very skilful disputant" '■ I find," said Brutus, "tiiat the case is much the same among us, as with the Greeks; and that the Stoics, in general, are very judicious at an arguraent, which they conduct by oer- toin rules of art, and are likewise very neat and exact in theit r JiBiguage; but if we take them from this, to speak ii iMy make a poor appeoraoce. Cato, however, miu I of it fct inguidia^^^ rwst ti^l of Lnij^H speak^^ j^MAREs OK EULHENT ORivTona. 435 oepted J in whoin, tliough aa rigid a Stoio as ever existed, I could not Irish for a more cDUBiiiama.te degree of eluqueuoe. I cou Iik.ewise discorer a moderate share of it in Faunius, — not BO much in Rutilitts; bat none at all iu Tubertk" " True," said I; " and ne may easily account &r it; their whole attention naa so closely confined to the study of logii^ that they never troubled themBelres to acquire the Cree, dif- fusive, and variegated style which is so neaeaeary for a, public speaker. But your uncle, you doubtless linow, was wise enough bo borrow only that &oni the Stoics which they were abl« to furnish for his purpose (the art of reasoning); but for the art of speaking, he had recourse to the masters of rhetorie, and exercised himself in the luatiner they directed. If, how- ever, we must be indebted for everything to the philobmphew, the Peripatetic diacipliue is, iu my mind,much the most pr<^r to form our language. For which reason, my Einiti^, I the more approve your choice, in attaching yourself to a seet, (I mean tlie philosophers of the old Academy,) in wluiee system a just audi accurate way of reasoning ia enlivened by aperpetual sweetness and fluency of eipresMtai; but even the deliuate and fioniug style of the Peripatetiaa and Academics is not sufficient to cooiplete aa orator; nor yet can he be complete without it. For- as the language erf the Stoics is teo close and contracted tO' suit the ears ol coBtmon people, so that of the latter is too diffusive and luxuriant for u spirited contest in the forum, or a pleading at thti bar. \VJjo had a richer style thau Plato! The philosophers tell us, that if Jupiter himself was to converse £n Greek, he would speak like Aioi. Who also was more nervous than Aratotlel Who sweeter than Tbeophraatus 1 We are told that even Demo- etheoea attended the lectures of Plato, and was fond of reading what he published; which, indeed, is suf&eiently evident from the turn and m^esty of hia Wguage; and be himself has expressly mentioned it in one of his letters. But the style of this escelient orator is, notwithstanding, much too violent for the academy; as that of the philosophers is too mild aud placid for the forum.