§10.1.1sed haec eloquendi praecepta, sicut cogitationi sunt necessaria, ita non satis ad vim dicendi valent, nisi illis firma quaedam facilitas, quae apud Graecos ἕξις nominatur, accesserit: ad quam scribendo plus an legendo an dicendo conferatur, solere quaeri scio.
But these precepts of elocution, just as they are necessary for thought, so they are not sufficiently powerful for the force of speaking, unless a certain firm facility, which is called 'hexis' among the Greeks, is added to them: to which whether more is contributed by writing, by reading, or by speaking, I know is a common question.
quod esset diligentius nobis examinandum, si qualibet earum rerum possemus una esse contenti.
This would have to be examined more carefully by us, if we could be content with any one of those things alone.
§10.1.2verum ita sunt inter se conexa et indiscreta omnia ut, si quid ex his defuerit, frustra sit in ceteris laboratum.
But all these things are so connected and inseparable from one another that, if any of them is lacking, the labor spent on the rest is in vain.
nam neque solida atque robusta fuerit unquam eloquentia nisi multo stilo vires acceperit, et citra lectionis exemplum labor ille carens rectore fluitabit; et qui sciet quae quoque sint modo dicenda, nisi tamen in procinctu paratamque ad omnes casus habuerit eloquentiam, velut clausis thesauris incubabit.
For eloquence will never be solid and robust unless it has received strength from much use of the pen, and without the model of reading, that labor, lacking a guide, will drift; and he who knows what should be said and in what manner, yet does not have his eloquence ready in battle array and prepared for all emergencies, will brood, as it were, over locked treasures.
§10.1.3non autem ut quidquid praecipue necessarium est, sic ad efficiendum oratorem maximi protinus erit momenti.
However, it does not follow that whatever is especially necessary is therefore immediately of the greatest importance for making an orator.
nam certe, cum sit in eloquendo positum oratoris officium, dicere ante omnia est, atque hinc initium eius artis fuisse manifestum est; proximam deinde imitationem, novissimam scribendi quoque diligentiam.
For certainly, since the duty of the orator consists in speaking, speaking is before all things, and it is manifest that the beginning of this art was from this; next came imitation, and last of all the diligence of writing also.
§10.1.4sed ut perveniri ad summa nisi ex principiis non potest, ita procedente iam opere etiam minima incipiunt esse quae prima sunt.
But just as one cannot arrive at the highest things except from the beginnings, so as the work now progresses, even the smallest things begin to be of primary importance.
verum nos non, quomodo instituendus orator, hoc loco dicimus; nam id quidem aut satis aut certe uti potuimus dictum est; sed athleta, qui omnes iam perdidicerit a praeceptore numeros, quo genere exercitationis ad certamina praeparandus sit.
But we are not speaking in this place of how an orator is to be educated (for that indeed has been discussed either sufficiently or at least as far as we were able), but of how an athlete, who has already thoroughly learned all his moves from his master, is to be prepared for contests by what kind of exercise.
igitur eum, qui res invenire et disponere sciet, verba quoque et eligendi et collocandi rationem perceperit, instruamus, qua ratione quod didicerit facere quam optime, quam facillime possit.
Let us therefore instruct him, who knows how to find and arrange materials, and has also understood the method of both choosing and placing words, by what method he can perform what he has learned as well and as easily as possible.
§10.1.5num ergo dubium est, quin ei velut opes sint quaedam parandae, quibus uti, ubicunque desideratum erit, possit? eae constant copia rerum ac verborum.
Is there then any doubt that a kind of wealth must be prepared for him, which he can use wherever it is desired? This consists of a store of things and of words.
§10.1.6sed res propriae sunt cuiusque causae aut paucis communes, verba in universas paranda; quae si in rebus singulis essent singula, minorem curam postularent, nam cuncta sese cum ipsis protinus rebus offerrent.
But materials are specific to each case or common to a few, whereas words must be prepared for cases in general; for if there were single words for single things, they would demand less care, since they would all present themselves immediately together with the things themselves.
sed cum sint aliis alia aut magis propria aut magis ornata aut plus efficientia aut melius sonantia, debent esse non solum nota omnia sed in promptu atque, ut ita dicam, in conspectu, ut, cum se iudicio dicentis ostenderint, facilis ex his optimorum sit electio.
But since some words are more appropriate, or more ornate, or more effective, or better sounding than others, they ought to be not only known but ready at hand and, so to speak, in sight, so that when they present themselves to the judgment of the speaker, an easy choice of the best of them may be made.
§10.1.7et quae idem significarent solitos scio ediscere, quo facilius et occurreret unum ex pluribus et, cum essent usi aliquo, si breve intra spatium rursus desideraretur, effugiendae repetitionis gratia sumerent aliud quod idem intelligi posset.
And I know that some were accustomed to learn by heart words that signify the same thing, so that one out of many might present itself more easily, and, when they had used one, if it were wanted again within a short space, they might, for the sake of avoiding repetition, take another which could be understood in the same sense.
quod cum est puerile et cuiusdam infelicis operae tum etiam utile parum; turbam tantum modo congregat, ex qua sine discrimine occupet proximum quodque.
But while this is childish and a matter of some fruitless labor, it is also of little utility; it only gathers a crowd, from which one may seize whatever comes next without discrimination.
§10.1.8nobis autem copia cum iudicio paranda est vim orandi non circulatoriam volubilitatem spectantibus.
For us, however, a store must be acquired with judgment, since we look to the power of oratory and not to the volubility of a charlatan.
id autem consequemur optima legendo atque audiendo; non enim solum nomina ipsa rerum cognoscemus hac cura, sed quod quoque loco sit aptissimum.
And this we shall attain by reading and hearing the best models; for by this care we shall not only learn the names themselves of things, but also what is most appropriate in each place.
§10.1.9omnibus enim fere verbis praeter pauca, quae sunt parum verecunda, in oratione locus est.
For there is a place in prose for almost all words, except a few which are insufficiently decent.
nam scriptores quidem iamborum veterisque comoediae etiam in illis saepe laudantur, sed nobis nostrum opus intueri sat est.
For the writers indeed of iambics and of the old comedy are often praised even for those, but for us it is enough to look to our own work.
omnia verba, exceptis de quibus dixi, sunt alicubi optima; nam et humilibus interim et vulgaribus est opus, et quae nitidiore in parte videntur sordida, ubi res poscit, proprie dicuntur.
All words, except those of which I have spoken, are best in some place; for there is need sometimes even of low and common words, and those which in a more elegant passage seem mean, are expressed properly when the subject demands it.