III. BOOK did not agree with his fellow-delegates in esta blishing the government of the Four Hundred? he answered in the affirmative. Being further asked, whether this measure was not fraught with mischief? he allowed it. "But did not you concur in this evil measure ?" “I did, because nothing better was to be done." In the same manner the Lacedæmonian replied, when standing trial for his mal-administration as one of the Ephori. He was asked whether his colleagues, who had previously been condemned and punished, did not appear to him to have met with their deserts? he answered affirmatively. Being farther asked, whether he had not concurred in the same obnoxious measures? he acknowledged it. But when instead of coming directly to the conclusion against him, the accuser again asked, whether he ought not to suffer the same punishment with his colleagues? he answered, "No; for they were corrupted by bribes, but I acted according to the dictates of my own judgment, believing the things done to be right." As the conclusion is the end in view, when that is attained, no further interrogatories should be put; nor can the conclusion itself be ever safely converted into a question, unless when we are sure of victory through the superabundant merits of our Ridicule. cause. Ridicule 16 appears to be of a certain use in 136 The chapter De Ridiculis no longer exists among the fragments composing the Art of Poetry. The subject, however, is treated on Aristotle's principles, by Cicero, l. ii. De Orator.; by Quintilian, 1. vi. Institut.; and by Demetrius Phalereus, or rather Dionysius Halicarn. de Elocut. XVIII. debate; and Gorgias said rightly, that serious CHAP. arguments should be met by ridicule, as ridiculous ones by seriousness. But of the ridiculous, and its different kinds, we have treated in our "Poetics." Some of these kinds only are tolerable in a man of education and character; the rest are beneath him. Irony is more liberal than buffoonery, because irony is exercised for our own amusement, but buffoonery is directed to the gratification of others, for whose sakes we submit to play the fool, in order, thereby, to excite their laughter. XIX. logue or sion; its four parts, and the ends to which they are direct ed. THE epilogue, or conclusion, is composed of CHAP. four parts, and directed to four objects. The first is to render the audience favourably dis- The epiposed towards ourselves, and the contrary conclutowards our adversary. The second is, to augment or diminish: to enhance the merit of our own proceedings, to depreciate those of our opponent; to extenuate the wrongs which we have done, to aggravate those which we have suffered. The third is to work on the passions of the hearer and the fourth, to impress on his memory those points which the interest of our cause requires him to remember. All these matters follow naturally upon the preceding parts of the discourse; the narrative and the proof. For, after having stated the facts, and substantiated them by argument, it is natural to assume to ourselves the praise to which our own conduct may be entitled, and to load our adversary with the blame which his unwor III. BOOK thy behaviour may deserve; and to fortify and brighten 137 both these points by every topic that ingenuity can suggest. To have done this will conciliate the judges to ourselves, and alienate them from our opponent; for there are but two ways in which we can excite their good will; we must show that our intentions and actions have been such as to merit either the general praise of mankind, or at least the particular favour and approbation of those whom we address. The direct contrary of this must be shown with regard to the adversary: and the topics which are to be employed for effecting all of these purposes, have been explained in preceding parts of this work. After having established the facts in question, it naturally follows to enlarge and magnify them; for as the enlargement of natural bodies must proceed from that of their pre-existent parts, so it is from expatiating on things previously said and proved in discourse, that we must either amplify our own merits, or aggravate the demerits of our opponents. With the topics for thus enlarging and magnifying, the reader has been already furnished, as well as with those of a contrary nature but of the same tendency; for extenuating our own misconduct, or depreciating the good conduct of an adversary. When the facts have been proved, their moral qualities ascertained. and their importance, by due exertions of skill, impressed and heightened, then is the time for 157 επιχαλκεύειν. XIX. an appeal to the passions, and for calling forth CHAP. to our aid pity, anger, indignation 138, hatred, envy, and resentment: and the means of exciting all these passions, and of making them subservient to our views, were investigated in the topics previously exhibited on that subject. ter to be at the com ment and The fourth and last object of the conclusion The matremains still to be spoken of, that of assisting abridged the memory. This doubtless is to be done by differently frequent repetition; and authors have therefore menceadvised that an abridgement of the matter the conshould be given both at the beginning and at clusion. the end, without explaining the different principles on which these abridgements should be made. At the beginning, the matter ought to be so abridged as to show exactly the state of the question, and to serve as a perpetual admonition, to what point the hearers ought to direct their attention. At the end, a recapitulation ought to be given of proofs and arguments, with a view to recall and inculcate on the audience the matter most useful to our cause. This peroration may commence, "I have now shown the truth of all those things which I proposed to establish :" here recapitulating the speaker's various promises, and his various performances, and accordingly as circumstances require, either comparing and contrasting them with those of the adversary, or simply enumerating them, the one after the other; or, in the way of irony, "such mighty things has he at 138 deivwols. See Quintilian, 1. vi. c. 2. Conf. 1. viii. c.3. III. BOOK tempted and effected, while I have been contented with plain matters of fact:" or, "How much would he have boasted, if, instead of feeble conjectures, he could have advanced substantial proofs like mine !" or, in the way of simple interrogation, "What has he shown? What have I not demonstrated ?" In any of these figured modes of speech, the peroration may be couched; or, as before said, in the bare recapitulation of the adversary's arguments and our own. The end of the whole ought to be free from conjunctions, to make the hearers aware that our discourse is at its close. "I have spoken; you have heard; the whole matter is before you : I now wait decision.' your 139 139 Almost the precise words in which Lysias concludes his pleadings against Eratosthenes. See my "Translation of Lysias, &c. p. 280. |