§11.3.109unde id quoque fluit vitium, ut iuvenes, cum scribunt, gestum praemodulati cogitatione sic componant, quomodo casura manus est.
From this also flows that fault, that young men, when writing, pre-modulate their gesture in thought and compose it in such a way as the hand is going to fall.
inde et illud vitium, ut gestus, qui in fine dexter esse debet, in sinistrum frequenter desinat. §11.3.110melius illud, cum sint in sermone omni brevia quaedam membra, ad quae, si necesse sit, recipere spiritum liceat, ad haec gestum disponere: ut puta novum crimen, C. Caesar, habet per se fine quendam suum, quia sequitur coniunctio; deinde et ante hanc diem non auditum satis circumscriptum est.
From this also that fault, that the gesture, which at the end ought to be to the right, frequently ends to the left. It is better to arrange the gesture according to these, since there are in all speech certain short members, at which, if it be necessary, it is permitted to take breath: as for example, 'a new crime, Gaius Caesar,' has in itself its own certain end, because a conjunction follows; then 'and before this day unheard of' is sufficiently limited.
ad haec commodanda manus est, idque dum erit prima et composita actio. §11.3.111at ubi eam calor concitaverit; etiam gestus cum ipsa orationis celeritate crebrescet.
To these the hand must be accommodated, and that while the delivery is fresh and composed. But when warmth has excited it, the gesture also will become frequent with the very speed of the speech.
aliis locis citata, aliis pressa conveniet pronuntiatio.
In some places a rapid, in others a restrained pronunciation will be suitable.
illa transcurrimus, congerimus, festinamus; hac instamus, inculcamus, infigimus.
Those we run through, accumulate, hasten; with this we press, hammer in, imprint.
plus autem adfectus habent lentiora; ideoque Roscius citatior, Aesopus gravior fuit, quod ille comoedias, hic tragoedias egit. §11.3.112eadem motus quoque observatio est.
But slower things have more emotion; and therefore Roscius was more rapid, Aesopus more solemn, because the former acted comedies, the latter tragedies. There is the same observation of movement too.
itaque in fabulis iuvenum, senum, militum, matronarum gravior ingressus est; servi, ancillulae, parasiti, piscatores citatius moventur.
Therefore in the plays of young men, old men, soldiers, matrons, the step is more solemn; slaves, maidservants, parasites, fishermen move more rapidly.
tolli autem manum artifices supra oculos, demitti infra pectus vetant; adeo a capite eum petere aut ad imum ventrem deducere, vitiosum habetur. §11.3.113in sinistrum intra humerum promovetur; ultra non decet.
But the masters forbid the hand to be raised above the eyes or lowered below the breast; so to seek it from the head or to bring it down to the bottom of the belly is considered faulty. To the left it is advanced within the shoulder; beyond is not becoming.
sed cum aversantes in laevam partem velut propellemus manum, sinister humerus proferendus, ut cum capite ad dextram ferente consentiat. §11.3.114mantis sinistra numquam sola gestum recte facit; dextrae se frequenter accommodat, sive in digitos argumenta digerimus sive aversas in sinistrum palmis abominamur sive obicimus adversas sive in latus utramque distendimus, §11.3.115sive satisfacientes aut supplicantes (diversi autem sunt hi gestus) summittimus sive adorantes attollimus sive aliqua demonstratione aut invocatione protendimus: vos Albani tumuli atque luci, aut Gracchanum illud: quo me miser conferam? in Capitolium? ad fratris sanguine madet: an domum? §11.3.116plus enim adfectus in his iunctae exhibent manus; in rebus parvis, mitibus, tristibus breves; magnis, laetis, atrocibus exertiores.
But when we push the hand as it were to the left side in aversion, the left shoulder must be brought forward, so that it may agree with the head turning to the right. The left hand never rightly makes a gesture alone; it frequently accommodates itself to the right, whether we arrange our arguments on our fingers, or shrink from things with palms turned away to the left, or oppose them turned forward, or stretch out both to the side, or lower them in apology or supplication (though these gestures are different), or raise them in adoration, or stretch them out in some demonstration or invocation: 'you, Alban hills and groves,' or that Graccan saying: 'whither shall I, miserable wretch, betake myself? to the Capitol? it drips with my brother's blood: or home?' For in these the joined hands exhibit more emotion; in small, mild, sad things they are short; in great, joyful, atrocious things more extended.
Vitia quoque earum subiicienda sunt, §11.3.117quae quidem accidere etiam exercitatis actoribus solent.
Their faults also must be subjoined, which indeed are accustomed to happen even to experienced actors.
nam gestum poculum poscentis aut verbera minantis aut numerum quingentorum flexo pollice efficientis, quae sunt a quibusdam scriptoribus notata, ne in rusticis quidem vidi.
For the gesture of one demanding a cup, or threatening blows, or making the number five hundred with bent thumb, which have been noted by some writers, I have not seen even among rustics.
§11.3.118at ut brachio exerto introspiciatur latus, ut manum alius ultra sinum proferre non audeat, alius, in quantum patet longitudo, protendat aut ad tectum erigat aut repetito ultra laevum humerum gestu ita in tergum flagellet, ut consistere post eum parum tutum sit, aut sinistrum ducat orbem aut temere sparsa manu in proximos offendat aut cubitum utrumque in diversum latus uentilet, saepe scio evenire. §11.3.119solet esse et pigra et trepida et secanti similis; interim etiam uncis digitis, ut aut a capite deiciatur aut eadem manu supinata in superiora iactetur.
But that, with the arm extended, the side is exposed, that one does not dare to bring the hand beyond the fold of the toga, while another stretches it out as far as its length extends, or raises it to the roof, or with the gesture repeated beyond the left shoulder so lashes it into the back that it is not very safe to stand behind him, or describes a left-hand circle, or with hand randomly scattered strikes against those nearest, or flaps both elbows to the opposite side, I know often happens. It is accustomed to be both sluggish and trembling and similar to one cutting; sometimes also with hooked fingers, so that it is either cast down from the head or thrown upward with the same hand turned palm up.
fit et ille gestus, qui, inclinato in humerum dextrum capite, brachio ab aure protenso, manum infesto pollice extendit; qui quidem maxime place iis, qui se dicere sublata manu iactant. §11.3.120adiicias licet eos, qui sententias vibrantes digitis iaculantur aut manu sublata denuntiant aut, quod per se interim recipiendum est, quotiens aliquid ipsis placuit, in ungues eriguntur; sed vitiosum id faciunt, aut digito, quantum plurimum possunt, erecto aut etiam duobus, aut utraque manu ad modum aliquid portantium composita.
There is also that gesture which, with the head inclined to the right shoulder, and the arm stretched from the ear, extends the hand with threatening thumb; which indeed especially pleases those who boast that they speak with raised hand. You may add those who throw sentences, vibrating them with their fingers, or threaten with raised hand, or, which of itself is sometimes to be admitted, as often as something has pleased themselves, rise onto their tiptoes; but they make this faulty, either with the finger raised as much as they possibly can, or even two, or with both hands composed in the manner of those carrying something.