§11.3.121his accedunt vitia non naturae sed trepidationis, cum ore concurrente rixari, si memoria fefellerit aut cogitatio non suffragetur, quasi faucibus aliquid obstiterit, insonare, in adversum tergere nares, obambulare sermone inperfecto, resistere subito et laudem silentio poscere; quae omnia persequi prope infinitum est; sua enim cuique sunt vitia. §11.3.122pectus ac venter ne proiciantur, observandum; pandant enim posteriora, et est odiosa omnis supinitas.
To these are added faults not of nature but of trepidation, such as, when the memory has failed or the thought does not support, to wrangle with the mouth clashing, to make a sound as if something were obstructing the throat, to wipe the nose in the face of people, to walk about with speech unfinished, to stop suddenly and demand praise by silence; to pursue all of which is almost infinite, for each has his own faults. Care must be taken that the breast and belly be not projected; for they hollow the back, and all backward leaning is offensive.
latera cum gestu consentiant.
Let the sides agree with the gesture.
facit enim aliquid et totius corporis motus, adeo ut Cicero plus illo agi quam manibus ipsis putet.
For the motion of the whole body also does something, so much so that Cicero thinks more is done by that than by the hands themselves.
ita enim dicit in Oratore: nullae argutiae digitorum, non ad numerum articulus cadens, trunco magis toto se ipse moderans et virili laterum flexione. §11.3.123femur ferire, quod Athenis primus fecisse creditur Cleon, et usitatum est et indignantes decet et excitat auditorem.
For he says thus in the Orator: "no trickery of fingers, no joint falling to the rhythm, but rather governing himself with the whole trunk and with a manly bending of the sides." To strike the thigh, which Cleon is believed to have been the first to do at Athens, is both customary and becomes those who are indignant and excites the hearer.
idque in Calidio Cicero desiderat; non, frons, inquit, percussa, non femur. quanquam, si licet, de fronte dissentio.
And Cicero misses this in Calidius; "no forehead," he says, "struck, no thigh." Although, if it is permitted, I dissent about the forehead.
nam etiam complodere manus scenicum est pectus caedere. §11.3.124illud quoque raro decebit cava manu summis digitis pectus appetere, si quando nosmet ipsos alloquimur, cohortantes, obiurgantes, miserantes; quod si quando fiet, togam quoque inde removeri non dedecebit.
For even to clap the hands is theatrical, and to beat the breast. It will also rarely be becoming to touch the breast with a hollowed hand and the tips of the fingers, if ever we address ourselves, encouraging, reproaching, pitying; which if ever it is done, it will not be unbecoming for the toga also to be removed from there.
in pedibus observantur status et incessus.
In the feet, stance and gait are observed.
prolato dextro stare et eandem manum ac pedem proferre, deforme est. §11.3.125in dextrum incumbere interim datur sed aequo pectore, qui tamen comicus magis quam oratorius gestus est.
To stand with the right foot advanced and to bring forward the same hand and foot is unsightly. To lean on the right foot is sometimes allowed, but with the breast even, which however is a comic rather than an oratorical gesture.
male etiam in sinistrum pedem insistentium dexter aut tollitur aut summis digitis suspenditur.
It is also bad when those standing on the left foot have the right either raised or suspended on the tips of the toes.
varicare supra modum et in stando deforme est et, accedente motu, prope obscenum.
To straddle beyond measure is both unsightly in standing and, with motion added, almost obscene.
procursio opportuna brevis, moderata, rara. §11.3.126conveniet etiam ambulatio quaedam propter immodicas laudationum moras, quanquam Cicero rarum incessum neque ita longum probat.
A forward step, when opportune, should be short, moderate, and rare. Some walking also will be suitable on account of the immoderate delays of applauses, although Cicero approves of rare and not so long a gait.
discursare vero et, quod Domitius Afer de Sura Manlio dixit, satagere, ineptissimum, urbaneque Flavus Verginius interrogavit de quodam suo antisophiste, quot milia passuum declamasset. §11.3.127praecipi et illud scio, ne ambulantes avertamur a iudicibus, sed sint obliqui pedes ad consilium nobis respicientibus.
But to run about and, as Domitius Afer said of Sura Manlius, "to be bustling," is most foolish; and Flavus Verginius wittily asked about a certain rival of his, how many miles he had declaimed. I know it is also prescribed that we should not turn our backs on the judges while walking, but that our feet should be oblique, with us looking back at the court.
id fieri iudiciis privatis non potest.
This cannot be done in private trials.
verum et breviora sunt spatia, nec aversi diu sumus.
But both the spaces are shorter, and we are not turned away for long.
interim tamen recedere sensim datur.
Sometimes, however, it is allowed to retreat gradually.
quidam et resiliunt, quod est plane ridiculum. §11.3.128pedis supplosio ut loco est opportuna, ut ait Cicero, in contentionibus aut incipiendis aut finiendis, ita crebra et inepti est hominis et desinit; iudicem in se convertere.
Some even leap back, which is clearly ridiculous. Stamping of the foot, as it is opportune in its place, as Cicero says, either in beginning or ending disputes, so when frequent it is the mark of a foolish man and ceases to turn the judge toward himself.
est et illa indecora in dextrum ac laevum latus vacillatio alternis pedibus insistentium.
There is also that unbecoming swaying to the right and left side of those standing on alternate feet.
longissime fugienda mollis actio, qualem in Titio Cicero dicit fuisse, unde etiam saltationis quoddam genus Titius sit appellatum. §11.3.129reprehendenda et illa frequens et concitata in utramque partem nutatio, quam in Curione patre irrisit et Iulius, quaerens, quis in lintre loqueretur, et Sicinius; nam cum, adsidente collega, qui erat propter valetudinem et deligatus et plurimis medicamentis delibutus, multum se Curio ex more iactasset, nunquam, inquit, Octavi, collegae tuo gratiam referes, qui nisi fuisset, hodie te istic muscae comedissent. §11.3.130iactantur et humeri; quod uitium Demosthenes ita dicitur emendasse ut, cum in angusto quodam pulpito stans diceret, hasta humero dependens immineret, ut, si calore dicendi vitare id excidisset, offensatione illa commoneretur.
Most of all must we flee effeminate action, such as Cicero says was in Titius, whence even a certain kind of dance was called Titius. Also to be censured is that frequent and excited nodding to both sides, which both Julius mocked in Curio the father, asking who was speaking in a boat, and Sicinius; for when, while his colleague was sitting by, who on account of ill health was both bandaged and smeared with many medicines, Curio had tossed himself much according to his custom, "You will never," he said, "Octavius, return thanks to your colleague, but for whom the flies would have eaten you up there today." The shoulders too are tossed; which fault Demosthenes is said to have corrected in this way, that, when he spoke standing on a certain narrow platform, a spear hanging down over his shoulder threatened him, so that if in the warmth of speaking it had escaped him to avoid it, he would be warned by that blow.
ambulantem loqui ita demum oportet, si in causis publicis, in quibus multi sunt indices, quod dicimus quasi singulis inculcare peculiariter velimus.
To speak while walking is appropriate only if in public causes, in which there are many judges, we wish to hammer in what we say, as it were, to each one individually.