§9.4.137summissa, qualia ut epilogis sunt, lentas et ipsa, sed minus exclamantes exigunt.
Subdued passages, such as those in epilogues, demand rhythms that are themselves slow, yet less exclamatory.
vult esse Celsus aliquam et superiorem compositionem, quam equidem si scirem, non docerem; sed sit necesse est tarda et supina, verum nisi ex verbis atque sententiis.
Celsus wishes there to be some even "superior" style of composition, which for my part, if I knew of it, I would not teach; but it must of necessity be slow and supine, unless indeed this arises from the words and thoughts.
per se si id quaeritur, satis odiosa esse non poterit.
If it is sought for its own sake, it cannot fail to be thoroughly offensive.
§9.4.138denique, ut semel finiam, sic fere componendum quomodo pronuntiandum erit.
In short, to make an end once for all, our composition must be almost as our delivery will be.
an non ut prooemiis plerumque summissi, (nisi cum ut accusatione concitandus est iudex aut aliqua indignatione complendus) ut narratione pleni atque expressi, ut argumentis citati atque ipso etiam motu celeres sumus, ut locis ac descriptionibus fusi ac fluentes, ut epilogis plerumque deiecti et infracti?
For are we not usually subdued in introductions (except when in an accusation the judge must be excited or filled with some indignation), full and distinct in narrative, rapid in argument and swift in our very movement, flowing and diffuse in common topics and descriptions, and for the most part dejected and broken in epilogues?
§9.4.139atqui corporis quoque motui sunt sua quaedam tempora et ad signandos pedes non minus saltationi quam modulationibus adhibetur musica ratio numerorum.
And yet even for the movement of the body there are certain times of its own, and the musical principle of rhythm is applied to marking the feet no less in dancing than in vocal modulations.
quid? non vox et gestus accommodatur naturae ipsarum, de quibus dicimus, rerum? quo minus id mirere ut pedibus orationis, cum debeant sublimia ingredi, lenia duci, acria currere, delicata fluere. itaque tragoediae,
What? Are not voice and gesture adapted to the nature of the very things of which we speak? Therefore, you should wonder the less at this in the feet of prose, since they ought to march in sublime passages, be led in gentle ones, run in sharp ones, and flow in delicate ones.
§9.4.140ubi necesse est, adfectamus etiam tumorem ex spondeis atque iambis quibus maxime continetur:
"
en impero Argis, sceptra mi liquit Pelops. "
At ille comicus aeque senarius, quem trochaicum vocant, pluribus trochaeis, qui trochaei ab aliis dicuntur, pyrrhichiisque decurrit;
Thus, in tragedy, where it is necessary, we affect even a swelling style from spondees and iambs, of which it is chiefly composed: "Lo, I rule in Argos; Pelops left the sceptre to me." But that comic senarius of the same length, which they call trochaic, runs on with more trochees (which are called trochees by others) and pyrrhics; but in proportion as it gains in speed, it loses in weight: "What then shall I do?
§9.4.141sed quantum accipit celeritatis, tantum gravitatis amittit:
"
quid igitur faciam? non eam ne nunc quidem
"
Aspera vero et maledica, ut dixi, etiam ut carmine iambis grassantur:
"
quis hoc potest videre, quis potest pati,
nisi impudicus et vorax et aleo?
"
In universum autem, §9.4.142si sit necesse, duram potius atque asperam compositionem malim esse quam effeminatam et enervem, qualis apud multos et cotidie magis lascivissimis syntonorum modis saltat.
Shall I not go even now?" But rough and abusive passages, as I said, run wild with iambs even in poetry: "Who can look on this, who can endure it, except a shameless man, a glutton, and a gambler?" But in general, if it should be necessary, I would prefer a harsh and rough composition to one that is effeminate and enervated, such as dances nowadays among many, and daily more so, to the most wanton measures of the syntoni.
ac ne tam bona quidem ulla erit, ut debeat esse continua et ut eosdem semper pedes ire.
And no composition will be so good that it ought to be continuous and always move in the same feet.
§9.4.143nam et versificandi genus est unam legem omnibus sermonibus dare; et id cum manifestae adfectationis est (cuius rei maxime cavenda suspicio est), tum etiam taedium ex similitudine ac satietatem creat; quoque est dulcius, magis perdit amittit que et fidem et adfectus motusque omnes, qui est ut hac cura deprehensus.
For to impose one law upon all speeches is a feature of verse-making; and while this shows a manifest affectation (the suspicion of which is most to be avoided), it also creates weariness and satiety from similarity; and the sweeter it is, the more it destroys and loses both credibility and all feelings and emotions, when it is detected as having this care.
nec potest ei credere aut propter eum dolere et irasci iudex, cui putat hoc vacare.
Nor can a judge believe or feel grief and anger because of him whom he thinks has leisure for this.
§9.4.144ideoque interim quaedam quasi solvenda de industria sunt; et quidem illa maximi laboris, ne laborata videantur.
And therefore we must sometimes break up certain passages, as it were, on purpose; and indeed, it requires the greatest labor to prevent our labor from being seen.
sed neque longioribus, quam oportet, hyperbatis compositioni serviamus ne, quae eius rei gratia fecerimus, propter eam fecisse videamur; et certe nullum aptum atque idoneum verbum permutemus gratia levitatis.
But let us not serve the composition with longer hyperbata than is fitting, lest we seem to have done for the sake of the composition what we did for its sake; and certainly let us not exchange any suitable and proper word for the sake of smoothness.
§9.4.145neque enim ullum erit tam difficile, quod non commode inseri possit, nisi quod ut evitandis eiusmodi verbis non decorem compositionis quaerimus, sed facilitatem.
For there will be no word so difficult that it cannot be conveniently inserted, except that in avoiding such words we seek not the beauty of composition, but ease.
non tamen mirabor Latinos magis indulsisse compositioni quam Atticos, cum minus ut verbis habeant severitatis et gratiae; §9.4.146nec vitium duxerim, si Cicero a Demosthene paulum ut hac parte descivit.
Yet I shall not wonder that the Latins indulged more in composition than the Attics, since they have less of severity and grace in their words; nor should I count it a fault if Cicero deviated a little from Demosthenes in this part.
Sed quae sit differentia nostri Graecique sermonis, explicabit summus liber.
But what the difference is between our language and the Greek, the final book will explain.
compositio (nam finem imponere egresso destinatum modum volumini festino) debet esse honesta, iucunda, varia.
Composition (for I hasten to put an end to this volume, which has exceeded its destined measure) ought to be noble, pleasing, and varied.
§9.4.147eius tres partes: ordo, coniunctio, numerus.
Its three parts are order, connection, and rhythm.
ratio ut adiectione, detractione, mutatione; usus pro natura rerum, quas dicimus: cura ita magna, ut sentiendi atque eloquendi prior sit; dissimulatio curae praecipua, ut numeri sponte fluxisse, non arcessiti et coacti esse videantur.
The method lies in addition, omission, and alteration; its practice depends on the nature of the things we say; the care must be so great that thinking and speaking take precedence; the concealment of care is paramount, so that the rhythms may seem to have flowed spontaneously, and not to have been summoned and forced.