§11.3.55est interim et longus et plenus et clarus satis spiritus, non tamen firmae intentionis ideoque tremulus, ut corpora, quae aspectu integra nervis parum sustinentur; id βρασμόν Graeci vocant.
Sometimes there is a breath that is sufficiently long, full, and clear, but yet not of firm tension and therefore tremulous, like bodies which, while whole in appearance, are insufficiently supported by their sinews; this the Greeks call brasmos.
sunt qui spiritum cum stridore per raritatem dentium non recipiunt, sed resorbent.
There are some who, with a whistling sound through the gaps of their teeth, do not [merely] draw in breath, but suck it back.
sunt qui crebro anhelitu et introrsum etiam clare sonante imitentur iumenta onere et iugo laborantia.
There are some who, by frequent panting that sounds clearly even inwards, imitate beasts of burden laboring under a load and a yoke.
§11.3.56quod adfectant quoque, tanquam inuentionis copia urgeantur maiorque vis eloquentiae ingruat, quam quae emitti faucibus possit.
This they even affect, as if they were pressed by the abundance of their invention and a greater force of eloquence were rushing in than can be emitted from the throat.
est aliis concursus oris et cum verbis suis colluctatio.
Others have a clashing of the mouth and a struggle with their own words.
iam tussire et exspuere crebro et ab imo pulmone pituitam trochleis adducere et oris humore proximos spargere et maiorem partem spiritus in loquendo per nares effundere, etiamsi non utique vocis sunt vitia, quia tamen propter vocem accidunt, potissimum huic loco subiciantur.
Furthermore, coughing and spitting frequently, and bringing up phlegm from the bottom of the lungs as if by pulleys, and bespattering those nearest with the moisture of the mouth, and expelling the greater part of the breath through the nostrils in speaking, even though these are not strictly faults of the voice, yet because they happen on account of the voice, may most properly be subjoined to this place.
§11.3.57sed quodcunque ex his vitium magis tulerim quam, quo nunc maxime laboratur in causis omnibus scholisque, cantandi, quod inutilius sit an foedius, nescio.
But I would rather endure any of these faults than that of singing, with which people now especially struggle in all cases and schools, and whether this is more useless or more foul, I do not know.
quid enim minus oratori convenit quam modulatio scenica et nonnunquam ebriorum aut comissantium licentiae similis?
For what is less fitting for an orator than scenic modulation, which is sometimes like the license of drunken people or revellers?
§11.3.58quid vero movendis adfectibus contrarium magis quam, cum dolendum, irascendum, indignandum, commiserandum sit, non solum ab his adfectibus, in quos inducendus est iudex, recedere, sed ipsam fori sanctitatem Lyciorum et Carum licentia solvere? nam Cicero illos ex Lycia et Caria rhetoras paene cantare in epilogis dixit.
What indeed is more contrary to moving the emotions than, when one must feel pain, anger, indignation, or pity, not only to depart from these emotions into which the judge ought to be led, but even to dissolve the very sanctity of the forum with the license of the Lycians and Carians? For Cicero said that those rhetoricians from Lycia and Caria almost sang in their epilogues.
nos etiam cantandi severiorem paulo modum excessimus.
We have exceeded even that slightly more severe manner of singing.
§11.3.59quisquamne, non dico de homicidio, sacrilegio, parricidio, sed de calculis certe atque rationibus, quisquam denique, ut semel finiam, in lite cantat? quod si omnino recipiendum est, nihil causae est, cur non illam vocis modulationem fidibus ac tibiis, immo me hercule, quod est huic deformitati propius, cymbalis adiuvemus.
Does anyone—I do not say in a trial for homicide, sacrilege, or parricide—but at least in a trial about accounts and calculations, does anyone indeed, to make an end of it once for all, sing in a lawsuit? But if this is to be admitted at all, there is no reason why we should not assist that modulation of the voice with stringed instruments and pipes, or rather, by Hercules, which is closer to this deformity, with cymbals.
§11.3.60facimus tamen hoc libenter; nam nec cuiquam sunt iniucunda quae cantant ipsi, et laboris in hoc quam in agendo minus est.
Yet we do this willingly; for what they sing themselves is not unpleasant to anyone, and there is less labor in this than in pleading.
et sunt quidam, qui secundum alia vitae vitia etiam hac ubique audiendi, quod aures mulceat, voluptate ducantur.
And there are some who, following other vices of life, are also led everywhere by this pleasure of hearing what soothes the ears.
Quid ergo? non et Cicero dicit esse aliquem in oratione cantum obscuriorem? et hoc quodam naturali initio venit? ostendam non multo post, ubi et quatenus recipiendus sit hic flexus et cantus quidem sed, quod plerique intelligere nolunt, obscurior.
What then? Does not even Cicero say that there is a certain more obscure singing in speech? And that this comes from a certain natural beginning? I shall show not long after, where and to what extent this inflection and indeed singing is to be admitted, but a more obscure one, which most people refuse to understand.
§11.3.61iam enim tempus est dicendi, quae sit apta pronuntiatio.
For now it is time to say what is a fitting delivery.
quae certe ea est, quae iis, de quibus dicimus, accommodatur.
Which certainly is that which is accommodated to those things of which we speak.
quod quidem maxima ex parte praestant ipsi motus animorum, sonatque vox, ut feritur; sed cum sint alii veri adfectus, alii ficti et imitati, veri naturaliter erumpunt, ut dolentium, irascentium, indignantium, sed carent arte, ideoque sunt disciplina et ratione formandi.
Which indeed for the most part the movements of the mind themselves provide, and the voice sounds as it is struck; but since some emotions are real, others feigned and imitated, the real ones break out naturally, like those of people grieving, angry, or indignant, but they lack art, and therefore must be formed by training and reason.
§11.3.62contra qui effinguntur imitatione, artem habent; sed hi carent natura, ideoque in iis primum est bene adfici et concipere imagines rerum et tanquam veris moveri.
On the other hand, those which are fashioned by imitation have art; but they lack nature, and therefore in their case the first thing is to be properly affected and to conceive the images of things and to be moved as if by real ones.
sic velut media vox, quem habitum a nobis acceperit, hunc iudicum animis dabit.
Thus the voice, as an intermediary as it were, will give to the minds of the judges whatever state it has received from us.
est enim mentis index ac totidem, quot illa, mutationes habet.
For it is the index of the mind, and has just as many changes as the mind itself has.
§11.3.63itaque laetis in rebus plena et simplex et ipsa quodammodo hilaris fluit; at in certamine erecta totis viribus et velut omnibus nervis intenditur.
Therefore, in happy matters, it flows full, simple, and itself in a way cheerful; but in a contest, it is raised up with all its strength and stretched as if with all its sinews.
atrox in ira et aspera ac densa et respiratione crebra; neque enim potest esse longus spiritus, cum immoderate effunditur.
Fierce in anger, and harsh, dense, and with frequent respiration; for the breath cannot be long when it is poured out immoderately.
paulum in invidia facienda lentior, quia non fere ad hanc nisi inferiores confugiunt; at in blandiendo, fatendo, satisfaciendo, rogando, lenis et summissa.
A little slower in exciting ill-will, because hardly anyone except inferiors flees to this; but in flattering, confessing, satisfying, and entreating, it is gentle and subdued.