§1.10.1haec de Grammatice, quam brevissime potui, non ut omnia dicerem sectatus, quod infinitum erat, sed ut maxime necessaria; nunc de ceteris artibus, quibus instituendos, priusquam rhetori tradantur, pueros existimo, strictim subiungam, ut efficiatur orbis ille doctrinae, quem Graeci ἐγκύκλιον παιδείαν vocant.
These things about grammar I have written as briefly as I could, not pursuing to say all things, which was infinite, but the most necessary; now about the other arts, in which I think boys should be instructed before they are delivered to the rhetorician, I will subjoin briefly, so that that circle of learning may be completed, which the Greeks call "encyclios paideia." For in nearly the same years the studies of other disciplines must also be entered upon, which, because they themselves are also arts and can be perfect without the knowledge of speaking, and on the other hand are not strong enough alone to form an orator, it is questioned whether they are necessary for this work.
§1.10.2nam iisdem fere annis aliarum quoque disciplinarum studia ingredienda sunt, quae, quia et ipsae artes sunt et esse perfectae sine orandi scientia possunt nec rursus ad efficiendum oratorem satis valent solae, an sint huic operi necessariae quaeritur. §1.10.3nam quid, inquiunt, ad agendam causam dicendamve sententiam pertinet, scire, quemadmodum data linea constitui triangula aequis lateribus possint? aut quo melius vel defendet reum vel reget consilia, qui citharae sonos nominibus et spatiis distinxerit? §1.10.4enumerent etiam fortasse multos quamlibet utiles foro, qui nec geometren audierint nec musicos nisi hac communi voluptate aurium intelligant.
"For what," they say, "does it pertain to pleading a cause or delivering an opinion, to know how, on a given line, triangles with equal sides can be constructed? Or in what respect will he defend a defendant better or guide counsels, who has distinguished the sounds of the lyre by names and intervals?" They may also perhaps enumerate many, however useful to the forum, who have neither heard a geometer nor understand musicians except by this common pleasure of the ears.
quibus ego primum hoc respondeo, quod M. Cicero scripto ad Brutum libro frequentius testatur, non eum a nobis institui oratorem, qui sit aut fuerit, sed imaginem quandam concepisse nos animo perfecti illius et nulla parte cessantis.
To whom I first answer this, which M. Cicero more frequently testifies in the book written to Brutus, that not that orator is being instructed by us who is or has been, but that we have conceived in our mind a certain image of that perfect one, deficient in no part.
§1.10.5nam et sapientem formantes eum, qui sit futurus consummatus undique et, ut dicunt, mortalis quidam deus, non modo cognitione caelestium vel mortalium putant instruendum, sed per quaedam parva sane, si ipsa demum aestimes, ducunt sicut exquisitas interim ambiguitates; non quia ceratinae aut crocodilinae possint facere sapientem, sed quia illum ne in minimis quidem oporteat falli.
For those who form the wise man, who is to be consummate in all respects and, as they say, a certain mortal god, think that he should be instructed not only in the knowledge of heavenly or mortal things, but they also lead him through certain things that are indeed small, if you should estimate them by themselves, such as exquisite ambiguities at times; not because the "horned" or "crocodile" questions can make a wise man, but because it behoves him not to be deceived even in the smallest things.
§1.10.6similiter oratorem, qui delet esse sapiens, non geometres faciet aut musicus quaeque his alia subiungam, sed hae quoque artes, ut sit consummatus, iuvabunt.
Similarly, the geometer or the musician, and the other things that I shall subjoin to these, will not make the orator, who ought to be a wise man, but these arts also, so that he may be consummate, will help.
nisi forte antidotus quidem atque alia, quae oculis aut vulneribus medentur, ex multis atque interim contrariis quoque inter se effectibus componi videmus, quorum ex diversis fit una illa mixtura, quae nulli earum similis est, ex quibus constat, sed proprias vires ex omnibus sumit; §1.10.7et nuta animalia mellis illum inimitabilem humanae rationi saporem vario florum ac sucorum genere perficiunt: nos mirabimur, si oratio, qua nihil praestantius homini dedit providentia, pluribus artibus egeat, quae, etiam cum se non ostendunt in dicendo nec proferunt, vim tamen occultam suggerunt et tacitae quoque sentiuntur?
"fuit aliquis sine iis disertus"
: §1.10.8sed ego oratorem volo.
Unless perchance we see that an antidote and other things which heal the eyes or wounds are composed of many and sometimes even contrary effects among themselves, from whose diverse elements that single mixture is made, which is similar to none of those of which it consists, but takes its own proper virtues from all; and dumb animals complete that inimitable taste of honey to human reason from a various kind of flowers and juices: shall we wonder if oratory, than which providence has given nothing more excellent to man, stands in need of more arts, which, even when they do not show themselves in speaking nor bring themselves forward, yet suggest a hidden force and are felt even when silent? "Someone was eloquent without these.": But I want an orator.
"non multum adiiciunt"
: sed aeque non erit totum, cui vel parva deerunt; et optimum quidem hoc esse conveniet; cuius etiamsi in arduo spes est, nos tamen praecipiamus omnia, ut saltem plura fiant.
"They do not add much.": But equally it will not be a whole, to which even small things are wanting; and indeed it will be agreed that this is the best; of which although the hope is on a steep ascent, yet let us prescribe all things, so that at least more things may be accomplished.
sed cur deficiat animus? natura enim perfectum oratorem esse non prohibet, turpiterque desperatur quidquid fieri potest.
But why should our mind fail? For nature does not forbid a perfect orator to exist, and it is shamefully despaired of whatever can be done.
atque ego vel iudicio veterum poteram esse contentus.
And indeed I could have been content even with the judgment of the ancients.
§1.10.9nam quis ignorat musicen (ut de hae primum loquar) tantum iam illis antiquis temporibus non studii modo verum etiam venerationis habuisse, ut iidem musici et vates et sapientes iudicarentur (mittam alios) Orpheus et Linus; quorum utrumque dis genitum, alterum vero, quia rudes quoque atque agrestes animos admiratione mulceret, non feras modo sed saxa etiam silvasque duxisse posteritatis memoriae traditum est.
For who is ignorant that music (that I may speak of this first) held so much not only of study but even of veneration in those ancient times, that the same men were judged to be musicians, prophets, and wise men, (to pass over others) Orpheus and Linus; both of whom, it is handed down to the memory of posterity, were begotten of gods, and the latter indeed, because he soothed even rude and rustic minds by admiration, led not only wild beasts but even rocks and woods.
§1.10.10itaque et Timagenes auctor est, omnium in litteris studiorum antiquissimam musicen extitisse, et testimonio sunt clarissimi poetae, apud quos inter regalia convivia laudes heroum ac deorum ad citharam canebantur.
And so Timagenes is authority that music stood as the oldest of all studies in literature, and the most famous poets are a testimony, among whom during royal banquets the praises of heroes and gods were sung to the lyre.
lopas vero ille Vergilii nonne canit errantem lunam solisque labores et cetera? quibus certe palam confirmat auctor eminentissimus, musicen cum divinarum etiam rerum cognitione esse coniunctam.
Indeed, does not that Iopas of Vergil sing the wandering moon and the labors of the sun and the rest? By which certainly the most eminent author openly confirms that music is conjoined even with the knowledge of divine things.