§10.7.12sed hic usus ita proderit, si ea de qua locuti sumus ars antecesserit, ut ipsum illud, quod in se rationem non habet, in ratione versetur.
But this practice will be useful in such a way, if that art of which we have spoken precedes, that this very thing, which in itself has no reason, may be engaged in reason.
nam mihi ne dicere quidem videtur nisi qui disposite, ornate, copiose dicit, sed tumultuari.
For to me, he does not even seem to speak, unless he speaks in an orderly, ornate, and copious manner, but only to make a tumult.
§10.7.13nec fortuiti sermonis contextum mirabor unquam, quem iurgantibus etiam mulierculis superfluere video, cum eo quod, si calor ac spiritus tulit, frequenter accidit ut successum extemporalem consequi cura non possit.
Nor shall I ever admire the connection of accidental speech, which I see overflowing even in quarreling women, with this qualification, however, that, if heat and spirit have carried one away, it frequently happens that careful preparation cannot catch up with extemporaneous success.
§10.7.14deum tunc adfuisse, cum id evenisset, veteres oratores, ut Cicero, dictitabant.
The ancient orators, like Cicero, used to say repeatedly that a god was present when that happened.
sed ratio manifesta est.
But the reason is obvious.
nam bene concepti adfectus et recentes rerum imagines continuo impetu feruntur, quae nonnumquam mora stili refrigescunt et dilatae non revertuntur.
For well-conceived emotions and fresh images of things are carried by a continuous impulse, which sometimes cools down by the delay of the pen, and once deferred does not return.
utique vero, cum infelix illa verborum cavillatio accessit et cursus ad singula vestigia restitit, non potest ferri contorta vis, sed, ut optime vocum singularum cedat electio, non continua, sed composita est.
In any case, indeed, when that unhappy caviling of words has been added and the course has stopped at every single step, the discharged force cannot be carried on, but, even if the choice of individual words turns out extremely well, it is not continuous, but piecemeal.
§10.7.15quare capiendae sunt illae, de quibus dixi, rerum imagines, quas vocari φαντασίας indicavimus, omniaque, de quibus dicturi erimus, personae, quaestiones, spes, metus habenda in oculis, in adfectus recipienda.
Therefore, those images of things of which I spoke, which we indicated are called phantasiai, must be grasped, and all things of which we are about to speak—persons, questions, hopes, fears—must be held before our eyes and received into our feelings.
pectus est enim, quod disertos facit, et vis mentis.
For it is the heart and the power of the mind that make men eloquent.
ideoque imperitis quoque, si modo sint aliquo adfectu concitati, verba non desunt.
And therefore, even to the unskilful, if only they are excited by some emotion, words are not lacking.
§10.7.16tum intendendus animus, non in aliquam rem unam, sed in plures simul continuas; ut, si per aliquam rectam viam mittamus oculos, simul omnia quae sunt in ea circaque intuemur, non ultimum tantum videmus sed usque ad ultimum.
Then the mind must be directed, not to some single thing, but to several continuous things at once; so that, if we cast our eyes along some straight road, we see at the same time all things that are in and around it, not looking only at the last, but all the way to the last.
addit ad dicendum etiam pudor stimulos, mirumque videri potest, quod, cum stilus secreto gaudeat atque omnes arbitros reformidet, extemporalis actio auditorium frequentia, ut miles congestu signorum, excitatur.
Shame also adds spurs to speaking, and it may seem wonderful that, while writing enjoys privacy and dreads all observers, extemporaneous action is excited by the crowd of the auditorium, as a soldier is by the gathering of standards.
§10.7.17namque et difficiliorem cogitationem exprimit et expellit dicendi necessitas, et secundos impetus auget placendi cupido.
For the necessity of speaking both expresses and forces out more difficult thought, and the desire of pleasing increases secondary impulses.
adeo pretium omnia spectant, ut eloquentia quoque, quanquam plurimum habeat in se voluptatis, maxime tamen praesenti fructu laudis opinionisque ducatur.
To such a degree do all things look to a reward, that eloquence also, although it has in itself the greatest pleasure, is nevertheless chiefly led by the present fruit of praise and reputation.
§10.7.18nec quisquam tantum fidat ingenio, ut id sibi speret incipienti statim posse contingere, sed, sicut in cogitatione praecipimus, ita facilitatem quoque extemporalem a parvis initiis paulatim perducemus ad summam, quae neque perfici neque contineri nisi usu potest.
Nor should anyone so trust his own talent as to hope that this can happen to him immediately when beginning, but, as we prescribe in reflection, so also we shall lead extemporaneous facility from small beginnings gradually to the highest point, which can neither be perfected nor maintained except by practice.
§10.7.19ceterum pervenire eo debet, ut cogitatio non utique melior sit ea sed tutior, cum hanc facilitatem non prosa modo multi sint consecuti, sed etiam carmine, ut Antipater Sidonius et Licinius Archias (credendum enim Ciceroni est), non quia nostris quoque temporibus non et fecerint quidam hoc et faciant.
Moreover, one must arrive there, so that reflection is not necessarily better than it, but only safer, since many have attained this facility not only in prose but even in verse, as Antipater of Sidon and Licinius Archias (for we must believe Cicero), not because in our times also certain people have not both done this and do it.
quod tamen non ipsum tam probabile puto, (neque enim habet aut usum res aut necessitatem) quam exhortandis in hanc spem, qui foro praeparantur, utile exemplum.
Which, however, I do not think so commendable in itself (for the thing has neither use nor necessity) as a useful example for encouraging those who are being prepared for the forum into this hope.
§10.7.20neque vero tanta esse unquam debet fiducia facilitatis, ut non breve saltem tempus, quod nusquam fere deerit, ad ea quae dicturi simus dispicienda sumamus, quod quidem in iudiciis ac foro datur semper.
Nor indeed should the confidence of facility ever be so great that we do not take at least a short time—which will almost nowhere be lacking—for considering those things which we are about to say; which indeed is always given in trials and the forum.
neque enim quisquam est, qui causam quam non didicerit agat.
For there is no one who pleads a case which he has not studied.
§10.7.21declamatores quosdam perversa ducit ambitio, ut exposita controversia protinus dicere velint; quin etiam, quod est in primis frivolum ac scenicum, verbum petant, quo incipiant.
A perverse ambition leads certain declaimers to wish to speak immediately upon the controversy being exposed; nay even, what is especially frivolous and theatrical, they ask for a word with which to begin.
sed tam contumeliosos in se ridet invicem eloquentia, et qui stultis videri eruditi volunt, stulti eruditis videntur.
But eloquence in turn laughs at those who are so insolent toward her, and those who wish to seem learned to fools, seem fools to the learned.
§10.7.22si qua tamen fortuna tam subitam fecerit agendi necessitatem, mobiliore quodam opus erit ingenio, et vis omnis intendenda rebus, et in praesentia remittendum aliquid ex cura verborum, si consequi utrumque non dabitur.
If, however, some fortune should create so sudden a necessity of pleading, there will be need of a more flexible talent, and all force must be directed to the facts, and for the present something must be relaxed from the care of words, if it is not granted to attain both.
tum et tardior pronuntiatio moras habet et suspensa ac velut dubitans oratio, ut tamen deliberate, non haesitare videamur.
Then both a slower pronunciation has delays, and a suspended and as it were hesitating speech, so that, however, we may seem to deliberate, not to hesitate.