TUGAS
PENDEKATAN QUINTILIANES
12
JILID
THE
INSTITUTES OF ORATORY
SUMBER
INTERNET[1]
1. Overview of Books I–II
In the first two books, Quintilian
focuses on the early education of the would-be orator, including various
subjects he should be skilled in, such as reading and composition. “He offers
us indeed not so much a theory as a curriculum. For instance in ch. iv of Book
I he discusses certain letters, the derivation of words, and parts of speech;
in ch. v, the necessity of correctness in speaking and writing, choice of
words, barbarisms, aspiration, accent, solecisms, figures of speech, foreign
words, and compound words; in ch. vi, analogy, and in ch. viii, orthography”
(Laing). Regarding the age at which the orator’s training should begin,
Quintilian refers to the views of Hesiod and Eratosthenes, but accepts
Chrysippus’ view that a child’s life should never be without education
(Quintilian 1.1.15-19).
Quintilian sees these formative years as
the most critical to the education of an orator: “The infancy of the mind is as
important as the infancy of the body and needs as much attention” (Quintilian
1.1.1-24). The role of the orator’s nurse is greatly emphasized as “it is she
that the boy will hear first, [and] it is her words that he will imitate”
(Laing, 519). Parents play an equally important role, their education being a
determining factor in the orator’s progress. Thirdly, the paedagogus, (the
slave who attends the young orator) “must be well educated and ready at all
times to correct errors in grammar” (Laing, 520). Finally, Quintilian stresses
that the orator should be educated by “the most accomplished teacher” (1.1.22).
This ideal teacher is described in detail in (2.2.5).
In Book II, Quintilian defines rhetoric
as an art, while classifying the three types of arts: theoretical, practical,
and productive (2.17-18). He concludes that rhetoric partakes of all three
categories, but associates it most strongly with the practical (2.18.1-5).
Rhetoric is also divided into three categories: (1) art, (2) artist, and (3)
work (2.14.5). Quintilian then moves into an exploration of rhetoric's nature
and virtue, following it with a comparison of oratory and philosophy (2.19-21).
It should also be noted that Quintilian uses these two terms, rhetoric and
oratory, interchangeably (see Book II).
2. Overview of Books III–V
Books III-IX explore and develop the
various types of oratory, focusing on the structure and methods of persuasion.
Thus, these books are “concerned primarily with the art of rhetoric” (Walzer,
40).
In Book III, Quintilian begins with an
apology to his readers for the dry, technical nature of his writing (3.1). The
following chapters discuss the origins of rhetoric (3.2), as well as its nature
and various divisions (3.3). Quintilian then asks whether there are more than
three types of oratory (3.4) before discussing cause (3.5) and the status of a
cause (3.6). Three overarching forms of oratory are discussed: panegyric (3.7),
deliberative (3.8), and forensic (3.9).
A significant portion of the text is
structured around Aristotle's 5 canons of rhetoric: Books III to VI concern the
process of invention, arrangement in Book VII, and style in Books VIII and IX.
In Book IV, Quintilian discusses Cicero's parts of an oration (4.1-5). Book V
is largely a discussion of proofs, designated as artificial or unartificial
(5.1).
3. Overview of Book VI
The central theme of Book VI is
laughter,[1] and it is discussed extensively in chapter three.[2] Aristotle's
three artistic appeals, ethos, pathos, and logos, are also discussed in Book VI
(6.2).
4. Overview of Books VII–IX
Book VII covers arrangement, one of
Aristotle's 5 canons of rhetoric. Style is discussed in Books VIII and IX.
5. Overview of Book X
In Book X, Quintilian surveys the past
contributions of Latin and Greek authors to rhetoric(10.1). Following this
discussion, Quintilian argues that the orator should imitate the best authors
if he wishes to be successful (10.1.5), "For there can be no doubt that in
art no small portion of our task lies in imitation, since, although invention
came first and is all-important, it is expedient to imitate whatever has been
invented with success" (10.2.1). Writing is then discussed (10.3),
followed by correction (10.4), varied forms of composition: translation,
paraphrase, theses, commonplaces, and declamations (10.5), premeditation
(10.6), and improvisation (10.7).
6. Overview of Book XI
In Book XI, Quintilian emphasizes the
orator's choice of appropriate subject matter at varying times (11.1). He
further stresses the role of the audience within oratory: "Their power and
rank will make no small difference; we shall employ different methods according
as we are speaking before the emperor, a magistrate, a senator, a private
citizen, or merely a free man, while a different tone is demanded by trials in
the public courts, and in cases submitted to arbitration" (11.1.43). Also
discussed are the orator's memory (11.2) and delivery (11.3), the final canons
of Aristotle's rhetoric.
7. Overview of Book XII
Book XII addresses the career of the
educated orator after he has completed his training. In the preface, Quintilian
expresses, for the first time, that he is theorizing beyond the work of others:
Now there is "Nothing before and
nothing behind but the sky and the Ocean." One only can I discern in all
of the boundless waste of waters, Marcus Tullius Cicero, and even he, though
the ship in which he entered the seas is of such size and so well found, begins
to lessen sail and to row a slower stroke, and is content to speak merely of
the kind of speech to be employed by the perfect orator. But my temerity is
such that I shall essay to form my orator's character and to teach him his
duties. Thus I have no predecessor to guide my steps and must press far, far
on, as my theme may demand (Quintilian 12.Pref.4).
Above all else, Quintilian advocates
that a good orator must be a vir bonus, a good man (12.1.1). To aid the orator
in becoming a good man, Quintilian discusses methods for influencing his
character, coupled with the study of philosophy (12.2). Quintilian then
emphasizes the study of civic law as essential to orator's ability to advise
the state (12.3). Also discussed are the orator's ability to draw from past and
present examples (12.4), as well as a certain "loftiness of the soul"
that situates the orator above fear (12.5.1). Quintilian does not offer a
specific age at which the orator should begin to plead; he reasons that this
age "will of course depend on the development of his strength"
(12.6.2). The orator's careful selection of cases is then discussed, alongside
the question of payment (12.7). In (12.8), Quintilian stresses that the orator
must devote time and effort to his study of cases. But above his other duties,
Quintilian makes clear that the orator "should never, like so many, be led
by a desire to win applause to neglect the interest of the actual case"
(12.9.1). Lastly, Quintilian compares various styles of Greek and Roman oratory
(especially Atticism and the Asiatic style), also commenting on artistic styles
of painting and sculpture (12.10). As he concludes, Quintilian discusses when
the orator should retire and examines the possible advantages of such a career.
His final words urge the orator to devote himself fully to the task:
"Wherefore let us seek with all our hearts that true majesty of oratory,
the fairest gift of god to man, without which all things are stricken dumb and
robbed alike of present glory and the immortal record of posterity; and let us
press forward to whatsoever is best, since, if we do this, we shall either
reach the summit or at least see many others far beneath us" (12.11.30).
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