Cicero's View on the Best Style of Orators - Term Paper Example

Cicero’s Background Information Born in 106 BC, Marcus Tullius Cicero was murdered in 743 BC. His life reached a climax during the decline and fall of the republic of the Roman, where he was an actor in many significant political events. Therefore, his writings are a very important source of information today as they give information about the events. Among other things, he was a lawyer, philosopher, politician and an excellent orator. Understanding his philosophy and the sense in his writing has left valuable memories about him. He valued politics than the study of philosophy as philosophy was only valuable only on its right, though it was more valuable because it provided him with a means to political action that was more effective (Anonymous 6). In his entire life, he only wrote philosophical works when he was prevented by force, from participating in politics. Cicero's View on the Best Style of Orators Orators can be classified as grand copious and dignified, while others are classified as thin, concise or subtle. Yet again, others are described as something in between the two and those are orators who say much of men and little of the subject matter. However, Cicero says that he is looking for perfection in oratory and hence, he cannot classify his orators in either of these categories. According to Cicero, the best orator has a duty to teach his audience, delighting them in his credibility and moving their minds indispensably. Cicero states that the ideal orator seeks perfection at all costs since anything that is a bit different from perfection becomes worse (Cicero 17). A good orator should also be very eloquent both in word and sentences. Cicero says that a good orator should speak in a manner that is pure and correct in order to attain the elegance in expressing his words appropriately and metaphorically. An orator should select the most suitable words when engaging in metaphor or when aiming to preserve a good resemblance. He/she should also be modest when using foreign terms. When teaching, shrewd sentences should be used, while aiming at giving pleasure, he should be musical, and use dignified sentences when aiming at giving exciting feelings. Words should also be arranged in such a way that smoothness and harmony are produced. Different sentiments also need to be arranged in a manner that is suitable. Just like a building requires foundation, Cicero says that memory is the foundation of an ideal orator, while actions give it light (Cicero 19). According to Cicero (23), the man who combines all these qualities in the highest possible perfection are therefore the most skillful and perfect orator. The one to whom they exist in a degree that is moderate is a mediocre orator, but a man with very slight extent of this is an inferior orator. Cicero says that Athenians were the best orators in Greece but Demosthenes was far much comparable to them, since he was the best orator. Demosthenes spoke in the best attic manner and since Attic orators were referred to Cicero, the ideal orators should be Attic, in order to speak well. Cicero adds that a good orator should use language and speech that is exciting. Cicero’s ideal oration is a form of dialogue that is lengthy and treatise. It is fully detailed hence tedious to those with little interested by rhetoric theory. It also has useful discussions about nature and relationships with philosophy, law and rhetoric. Cicero values rhetoric more than he values law or philosophy. He claims that a good orator must muster law and philosophy eloquence not being left behind. He further argues that in the past, rhetoric and philosophy were taught together but unfortunately they have now been separated. Cicero’s Theories Anonymous (17) believes that Cicero’s philosophy had a political purpose, since he little valued philosophy but was more concerned about politics. He believed that politicians of his time were corrupt and never possessed the character of virtuousness, which was the main attribute of the Roman. He believed that loss of this virtue is what caused difficulties in the Roman republic. He hoped that senate leaders would listen to him and change their characters and commit themselves to social stability and virtue before power, wealth and fame. This would consequently force others to adopt such standards thus flourishing the republic again. However, it is not certain if his belief was an admirable commitment to the virtue and nobility principle or blindness to exceedingly violent and turbulent political nature or both. Cicero used his philosophy to attain his political goals. To make his philosophy effective he had to reach the Roman audience by translating Greek literature into Latin. He hence summarized many of his works, inventing Latin words which lacked meaning. He also idealized the history of Romans so as to provide appropriate examples relating to their way of life. He started philosophical schools which had teachers like Stoics, Peripatetic’s, and Epicureans. Skepticism is a belief that there is no certain knowledge about the world among human beings. The skeptics’ academies therefore criticized arguments made by others because they offered very little about the positive. This was annoying and required the mental ability to see from every perspective concerning an issue, understanding and accepting that any belief is subject to change, no matter how much it is cherished. The modern scientific method is underlined by this concept, but the academies did not apply it that way. They treat even things with enough evidence like evolution like a theory, which is subject to change as required instead of eternal truth. Cicero embraced this approach and this might have led him to be interested in philosophy. Cicero needed to see as many parts of an argument as possible as a lawyer in order to effectively argue his client’s case. He also understood that he needed to deal with new issues and evidence so as to present a very strong case thus being forced to reconsider his strategies totally. To act and speak effectively like a politician, he also needed to grasp issues and flexibility in a similar degree because for a politician to be successful, he needs to be flexible in his views. Adopting the academism’s teachings further allowed Cicero to choose and pick anything he wanted from other schools of philosophy. This is claimed in his writings at various points. Finally, his dialogue form application is well explained by his academy’s allegiance. It enabled him to effectively argue with other people without particularly endorsing his position. However, he did not write consistently like other academy members. Taking skepticism to the extremes can cause complete inaction which was not compatible with the commitment of Cicero to political activities. Though it may not be a big problem to trained philosophers, it may be very dangerous to people generally because they may end up adopting immoral and lawless behavior (Anonymous 4). This is why Cicero was only wiling to apply it in some areas, but not in politics and ethics. He therefore turned to peripatetic’s and stoics because of doctrines. Cicero notes that Stoicism and Peripatetic’s are the same, the only difference being in regard to the observance of virtue; if human beings observed virtue as the only thing or if it was the only thing to be observed. The first view, states that things like health and money have no value while the second view observes that they have which cannot justify assuming virtue in order to get them. He used stoics in his teachings about ethics and politics since he was free to give in to any argument that was convincing. For example, in law, he says that he has set aside his skepticism because it is dangerous especially if people have no belief in the sanctity of justice and law (Anonymous 5). He essentially urges the elites in the Roman republic to adopt stoic ethical teachings. Cicero understood that stoics believe in the existence of gods that love human beings. The gods rewarded and punish people during and after life according to their conducts. Stoics argue that the most divine and virtuous life is one that does not seek pleasure. However, this does not mean that people should not seek pleasure. This, he illustrates with an example that it is good to enjoy sex with your wife only, and not with a wife of another man. Stoics also believe that people should follow natural laws that come from reasoning like politics since human beings are a political community. Therefore, each person has a duty in the community thus the need to take part in politics as a way of discharging these duties. Consequently, stoics join politics in order to help their communities as opposed to getting power, wealth, or public approval (Anonymous 8). Conclusion Just like there are many classes of poets, so are many classes of orators. According to Cicero, the best orator is the one who teaches, and delights the listeners besides moving the minds of his/her audience. An ideal orator makes his oration admirable and tolerable. He or she should not seek for attic speaking but the best way of speaking. According to Cicero, the best orator happens to be the ideal human being who understands the best way to live, acts by taking a role in politics and through speeches, he instructs others, through his life’s examples and good laws. Work Cited Anonymous. Cicero: Internet encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved on 23rd June, 2011 from http://www.iep.utm.edu/cicero/. Cicero, Marcus Tullius. The Ideal Orator. Editor William Guthrie. Cornhill Square; PR. P. & C. William Publishers. 1822 Original from Harvard University. Digitized June 27, 2006. Read More