§3.10.1ἐπεὶ δὲ διώρισται περὶ τούτων, πόθεν λέγεται τὰ ἀστεῖα καὶ τὰ εὐδοκιμοῦντα λεκτέον.
Since these matters have been defined, we must discuss the sources from which clever and well-received sayings are produced.
ποιεῖν μὲν οὖν ἐστὶν τοῦ εὐφυοῦς ἢ τοῦ γεγυμνασμένου, δεῖξαι δὲ τῆς μεθόδου ταύτης. §3.10.2εἴπωμεν οὖν καὶ διαριθμησώμεθα· ἀρχὴ δʼ ἔστω ἡμῖν αὕτη.
Now, producing them is a matter of natural talent or of practice, but showing them is the task of this study. Let us speak, then, and enumerate them; and let this be our starting point.
τὸ γὰρ μανθάνειν ῥᾳδίως ἡδὺ φύσει πᾶσιν ἐστί, τὰ δὲ ὀνόματα σημαίνει τι, ὥστε ὅσα τῶν ὀνομάτων ποιεῖ ἡμῖν μάθησιν, ἥδιστα.
To learn easily is naturally pleasant to everyone, and words signify something, so that those words which produce learning in us are the most pleasant.
αἱ μὲν οὖν γλῶτται ἀγνῶτες, τὰ δὲ κύρια ἴσμεν· ἡ δὲ μεταφορὰ ποιεῖ τοῦτο μάλιστα·
Now, strange words are unknown, and we know proper words; but metaphor does this most of all.
ὅταν γὰρ εἴπῃ τὸ γῆρας καλάμην, ἐποίησεν μάθησιν καὶ γνῶσιν διὰ τοῦ γένους· ἄμφω γὰρ ἀπηνθηκότα. §3.10.3ποιοῦσιν μὲν οὖν καὶ αἱ τῶν ποιητῶν εἰκόνες τὸ αὐτό·
For when a poet speaks of old age as "stubble," he produces learning and knowledge through the genus, since both have lost their bloom. The similes of the poets also produce the same effect; therefore, if they are well done, they appear clever.
διόπερ ἂν εὖ, ἀστεῖον φαίνεται. ἔστιν γὰρ ἡ εἰκών, καθάπερ εἴρηται πρότερον, μεταφορὰ διαφέρουσα προθέσει· διὸ ἧττον ἡδύ, ὅτι μακροτέρως· καὶ οὐ λέγει ὡς τοῦτο ἐκεῖνο· οὐκοῦν οὐδὲ ζητεῖ τοῦτο ἡ ψυχή. §3.10.4ἀνάγκη δὴ καὶ λέξιν καὶ ἐνθυμήματα ταῦτʼ εἶναι ἀστεῖα ὅσα ποιεῖ ἡμῖν μάθησιν ταχεῖαν·
For a simile is, as has been said before, a metaphor differing by a preface; wherefore it is less pleasant because it is longer, and it does not say that "this is that"; consequently, the soul does not even seek this. It is necessary, then, that both style and enthymemes be clever which produce quick learning in us.
διὸ οὔτε τὰ ἐπιπόλαια τῶν ἐνθυμημάτων εὐδοκιμεῖ (ἐπιπόλαια γὰρ λέγομεν τὰ παντὶ δῆλα, καὶ ἃ μηδὲν δεῖ ζητῆσαι), οὔτε ὅσα εἰρημένα ἀγνοοῦμεν, ἀλλʼ ὅσων ἢ ἅμα λεγομένων ἡ γνῶσις γίνεται, καὶ εἰ μὴ πρότερον ὑπῆρχεν, ἢ μικρὸν ὑστερίζει ἡ διάνοια·
Therefore, neither superficial enthymemes are well received (for we call superficial those which are obvious to everyone and require no search), nor those which, when spoken, we do not understand; but rather those of which either the knowledge arises at the moment of being spoken, even if it did not exist before, or the mind lags only a little behind.
γίγνεται γὰρ οἷον μάθησις, ἐκείνων δὲ οὐδετέρου. §3.10.5κατὰ μὲν οὖν τὴν διάνοιαν τοῦ λεγομένου τὰ τοιαῦτα εὐδοκιμεῖ τῶν ἐνθυμημάτων, κατὰ δὲ τὴν λέξιν τῷ μὲν σχήματι, ἐὰν ἀντικειμένως λέγηται, οἷον
καὶ τὴν τοῖς ἄλλοις κοινὴν εἰρήνην νομιζόντων τοῖς αὑτῶν ἰδίοις πόλεμον
· ἀντίκειται πόλεμος εἰρήνῃ· §3.10.6τοῖς δʼ ὀνόμασιν, ἐὰν ἔχῃ μεταφοράν, καὶ ταύτην μήτʼ ἀλλοτρίαν, χαλεπὸν γὰρ συνιδεῖν, μήτʼ ἐπιπόλαιον, οὐδὲν γὰρ ποιεῖ πάσχειν.
For in these cases there is, as it were, a learning process, but in neither of the former. As far as the meaning of what is said is concerned, then, such enthymemes are well received; but as far as style is concerned, they are well received in respect to form if they are expressed antithetically, such as: "regarding the peace common to others as a war private to themselves." War is antithetical to peace. And in respect to words, they are well received if they contain a metaphor, and this being neither far-fetched, for it is difficult to see, nor superficial, for it produces no effect.
ἔτι εἰ πρὸ ὀμμάτων ποιεῖ· ὁρᾶν γὰρ δεῖ πραττόμενα μᾶλλον ἢ μέλλοντα.
Furthermore, they are well received if they bring things before the eyes; for one ought to see things being done rather than in the future.
δεῖ ἄρα τούτων στοχάζεσθαι τριῶν, μεταφορᾶς ἀντιθέσεως ἐνεργείας.
We must, therefore, aim at these three: metaphor, antithesis, and actuality.