§9.4.63sed eorum facilior ratio est, non enim cohaerent aliis nec praecedentibus serviunt; exordium sumunt cum clausula cum praecedentibus cohaereat: quamlibet sit enim composita ipsa, gratiam perdet, si ad eam rupta via venerimus.
But the rule for beginnings is easier, for they do not cohere with other parts nor serve what precedes; whereas the conclusion coheres with what goes before: for however well composed it may be in itself, it will lose its grace if we come to it by a broken path.
namque eo fit, ut, cum Demosthenis seuera videatur compositio, τοῖς θεοῖς εὔχομαι πᾶσι καὶ πάσαις; et illa (quae ab uno, quod sciam, Bruto minus probatur, ceteris placet) κἂν μήπω βάλλῃ μηδὲ τοξεύῃ, §9.4.64Ciceronem carpant ut his, familiaris coeperat esse balneatori, et non minus dura archipiratae.
For this reason, while Demosthenes' composition appears severe in "τοῖς θεοῖς εὔχομαι πᾶσι καὶ πάσαις" and in that other passage (which, as far as I know, is disapproved by Brutus alone, but pleases everyone else) "κἂν μήπω βάλλῃ μηδὲ τοξεύῃ", they criticize Cicero in such passages as "familiaris coeperat esse balneatori", and in the no less harsh "archipiratae".
nam balneatori et archipiratae idem finis est qui πᾶσι καὶ πάσαις et qui μηδὲ τοξεύῃ sed priora sunt severiora.
For "balneatori" and "archipiratae" have the same ending as "πᾶσι καὶ πάσαις" and "μηδὲ τοξεύῃ", but the former are more severe.
est ut eo quoque nonnihil, §9.4.65quod hic singulis verbis bini pedes continentur, quod etiam ut carminibus est praemolle; nec solum ubi quinae, ut ut his, syllabae nectuntur, fortissima Tyndaridarum, sed etiam quaternae, cum versus cluditur Appennino et armamentis et Orione.
There is also no small factor in this, that here two feet are contained in single words, which is too soft even for poetry; and this is true not only where five syllables are joined, as in "fortissima Tyndaridarum", but even four, when a verse is closed by "Appennino" and "armamentis" and "Orione".
§9.4.66quare hoc quoque vitandum est, ne plurium syllabarum verbis utamur ut fine.
Wherefore this also must be avoided, lest we use words of too many syllables as an ending.
mediis quoque non ea modo cura sit, ut inter se cohaereant, sed ne pigra, ne longa sint, ne, quod nunc maxime vitium est, brevium contextu resultent ac sonum reddant paene puerilium crepitaculorum.
In the middle parts, too, let there not be only this care, that they cohere with each other, but let them not be sluggish, nor too long, nor, which is now the greatest fault, bounce with a context of short syllables and produce a sound almost like that of children's rattles.
nam ut initia clausulaeque plurimum momenti habent, §9.4.67quotiens incipit sensus aut desinit, sic ut mediis quoque sunt quidam conatus iique leviter insistunt.
For as beginnings and conclusions have the greatest importance, whenever a sense begins or ends, so also in the middle parts there are certain efforts, and they rest lightly.
currentium pes, etiamsi non moratur, tamen vestigium facit.
The foot of those running, even if it does not linger, nevertheless makes a footprint.
itaque non modo membra atque incisa bene incipere atque cludi decet, sed etiam ut iis, quae non dubie contexta sunt nec respiratione utuntur, illi velut occulti gradus sint.
Therefore, it is fitting not only for members and incisa to begin and close well, but also that in those passages which are undoubtedly woven together and do not use a pause for breath, there should be, as it were, those hidden steps.
§9.4.68quis enim dubitet, unum sensum ut hoc et unum spiritum esse? animaduerti, iudices, omnem accusatoris orationem ut duas divisam esse partes; tamen et duo prima verba et tria proxima et deinceps duo rursus ac tria suos quasi numeros habent et spiritum sustinemus, sicut apud rhythmicos aestimantur.
For who would doubt that this is one sense and one breath? "animaduerti, iudices, omnem accusatoris orationem ut duas divisam esse partes"; nevertheless, both the first two words, and the next three, and then again two, and three, have their own, as it were, numbers, and we sustain our breath, just as they are estimated among rhythmicians.
§9.4.69hae particulae prout sunt graves, acres, lentae, celeres, remissae, exultantes, proinde id, quod ex illis conficitur, aut severum aut luxuriosum aut quadratum aut solutum erit.
According as these particles are heavy, sharp, slow, rapid, gentle, or exultant, accordingly that which is composed of them will be either severe, or luxurious, or balanced, or loose.
§9.4.70quaedam etiam clausulae sunt claudae atque pendentes, si relinquantur, sed sequentibus suscipi ac sustineri solent, eoque facto vitium, quod erat ut fine, continuatione emendatur.
Certain conclusions also are lame and hanging if they are left, but they are usually taken up and sustained by what follows, and by this action the fault, which was at the end, is corrected by continuation.
non vult populus Romanus obsoletis criminibus accusari Verrem durum, si desinas; sed cum sit continuatum iis quae sequuntur, quanquam natura ipsa divisa sunt, nova postulat, inaudita desiderat, salvus est cursus.
"non vult populus Romanus obsoletis criminibus accusari Verrem" is harsh if you stop there; but when it is continued by what follows, although they are divided by nature itself, "nova postulat, inaudita desiderat", the flow is saved.
§9.4.71ut adeas, tantum dabis male cluderet, nam et interim versus pars ultima est; excipit ut cibum vestitumque introferre liceat, tantum; praeceps adhuc firmatur ac sustinetur ultimo nemo recusabat.
"ut adeas, tantum dabis" would end badly, for indeed it is sometimes the last part of a verse; "ut cibum vestitumque introferre liceat, tantum" takes it up; the precipitous flow is still strengthened and sustained by the last part, "nemo recusabat".
§9.4.72versum ut oratione fieri multo foedissimum est totum, sed etiam ut parte deforme, utique si pars posterior ut clausula deprehendatur aut rursus prior ut ingressu.
To have a whole verse occur in prose is by far the most shameful thing, but it is also ungraceful in part, especially if the latter part is detected as a conclusion, or again the former part as an entrance.
namque idem contra saepe etiam decet, quia et claudit interim optime prima pars versus, dum intra paucas syllabas, praecipue senarii atque octonarii.
For indeed, the opposite of this is also often fitting, because even the first part of a verse sometimes closes excellently, provided it is within a few syllables, especially of a senarius or an octonarius.
§9.4.73in Africa fuisse initium senarii est, primum pro Q. Ligario caput claudit;
"in Africa fuisse" is the beginning of a senarius, and it closes the first head "pro Q.
esse uideatur, iam nimis frequens, octonarium inchoat; talia sunt Demosthenis, πᾶσι καὶ πάσαις et πᾶσιν ὑμῖν, et totum paene principium.
Ligario"; "esse uideatur", now too common, begins an octonarius; such are those of Demosthenes, "πᾶσι καὶ πάσαις" and "πᾶσιν ὑμῖν", and almost his whole opening.
et ultima versuum initio conveniunt orationis:
And the last parts of verses suit the beginning of prose.