Abstract
In the Institutio Oratoria of Quintilian we find a presentation of a theory of the virtues of eloquence: purity of language (latinitas), clarity (perspicuitas), appropriateness (aptum) and ornament (ornatus). All of them were originated by earlier Greek philosophers Aristotle and Theophrastus. Later this theory was taken on and elaborated by Roman rhetoricians – Cicero and Quintilian. Aristotle in his Rhetoric explicitly identified three of the four virtues (clarity, appropriateness and correctness). Theophrastus created a theory of four virtues of eloquence (correctness, clarity, appropriateness and ornament). His system was adopted by most of others. Dionysius, however, developed the most complex system of virtues. He presented a theory of virtues, which were divided into necessary (purity of language, appropriateness, lucidity and brevity) and accessory ones. The accessory virtues were further subdivided into another three groups. Rhetorica ad Herennium offered a three fold system: elegantia (including both correctness and clarity), compositio (similar to appropriateness) and diginitas (similar to ornament). Basically, in almost all aspects being closer to Cicero (who continues the tradition of Theophrastus), Quintilian is more focused on his theory of eloquence. He discusses the virtues of eloquence very widely and deeply, step by step, drawing a number of examples and including the educational process of an orator. Above all, although the theory of four virtues of Quintilian has been influenced by Ciceron, to some extent in general it does not claim originality and plays a paramount role in modern rhetorics, stylistic and pedagogy.
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
Most read articles by the same author(s)
-
Dalia Jakaitė,
The Unfading Eros of Love in the Latest Poetry by Kornelijus Platelis
,
Literatūra: Vol. 61 No. 1 (2019): Literature
-
Kyoko Koma,
La représentation de la femme japonaise dans Madame Chrysanthème de Pierre Loti
,
Literatūra: Vol. 52 No. 4 (2010): World Literatures
-
Audinga Peluritytė-Tikuišienė,
Lithuanian Literature in Search of Historical Truth: Three Decades of Independence
,
Literatūra: Vol. 63 No. 1 (2021): Literature
-
Kristina Mačiulytė,
Religious and civic identity in Grand Duchy of Lithuania Enlightenment sermons
,
Literatūra: Vol. 48 No. 7 (2006): Special Issue
-
Rimantas Kmita,
Eduardo Mieželaičio Žmogus kaip politinės religijos tekstas
,
Literatūra: Vol. 49 No. 1 (2007): Lithuanian Literature
-
Vaiva Narušienė,
Istorinės atminties fenomenas pirmosios XX a. pusės rašytojų kūryboje: Fabijono Neveravičiaus istoriniai romanai lietuvių ir lenkų literatūros kontekste
,
Literatūra: Vol. 54 No. 1 (2012): Lithuanian Literature
-
Vera Kotelevskaya,
Paul Celan and Osip Mandelstam: Poetry under the Critique of Language
,
Literatūra: Vol. 62 No. 2 (2020): Rusistica Vilnensis
-
Dalia Čiočytė,
Vladislavas Sirokomle’s poem Margiris: archetypical aspects of the poetic structure
,
Literatūra: Vol. 56 No. 1 (2014): Lithuanian Literature
-
Genovaitė Dručkutė,
Lietuvos vardas senuosiuose prancūzų tekstuose: įvaizdžio link
,
Literatūra: Vol. 51 No. 4 (2009): World Literatures
-
Галина Михайлова,
Стихотворные посвящения Анны Ахматовой в социо-культурном пространстве 1940–1960-х годов
,
Literatūra: Vol. 52 No. 2 (2010): Russian Literature