Quintilian was a Hispania- (Spain) born rhetorician that lived during the Roman Empire. His “Institutes of Oratory” is a celebrated work focused on the art of oration. Quintilian’s writing is perhaps more philosophical than most and focuses on the character of the speaker.

For it would have been better for us to have been born dumb and to have been left destitute of reasoning powers than to have received endowments from providence only to turn them to the destruction of one another.

Quintilian’s intentions here were to stress the concept that an orator must be a good person above all. The art of oratory, Quintilian believed, is potent and must be used for virtue over vice.

…the orator must not only instruct his audience, but must move and delight them… the difference between the orator and the dialectician is as great as that in the courses of rivers of an opposite character, for the force of streams that flow between high banks, and with a full flood, is far greater than that of shallow brooks with water struggling against the obstructions of pebbles.

Quintilian, like both Aristotle and Plato, made distinctions between oratory and dialectics, with the summation being that an orator must involve some level of emotion and personal interest to aid in the persuasion of his audience.

Like Quintilian, Cicero was of the Roman Empire and wrote on the similar subject of rhetoric and oratory. Known as having a massive influence on European language, Cicero’s knowledge and style can still be felt today. What I found compelling about Book 1 of “De Oratore” is the attention placed on the fact that orators simply must know what they are talking about in order to be effective.

It would have been nearer truth to say, that no man can be eloquent on a subject that he doers not understand; and that, if he understands a subject ever so well, but is ignorant how to form and polish his speech, he cannot express himself eloquently even about what he does understand.

Cicero elaborates on the need for emotion and an appeal to the audience by stating that the orator’s base of knowledge must be vast and extensive should he wish to be successful in oratory. To put it simply, an orator must know how to connect with an audience while having the intelligence and knowledge to back up his style.

In Cicero’s oration against Lucius Catilina, Cicero employs several of his know tactics of oration to make his points clear. Catilina, a Roman politician attempted to overthrow the Roman Republic. Reacting to this, Cicero examines his character and faults.

What? when lately by the death of your former wife you had made your house empty and ready for a new bridal, did you not even add another incredible wickedness to this wickedness? But I pass that over, and willingly allow it to be buried in silence… I come to those things which relate not to the infamy of your private vices, not to your domestic difficulties and baseness, but to the welfare of the republic and to the lives and safety of us all.

Here, Cicero establishes himself as a good and moral individual by briefly mentioning, yet bypassing Catiline’s personal life and all vices included. He also displays supreme knowledge of every facet of Catiline’s life, proof that Cicero was indeed a highly educated man. Lastly, Cicero appeals to the emotions of his listeners by displaying a concern for the Republic above all else.

A more contemporary example of supreme oratory can be found in political leaders or from any of those in power. John F. Kennedy’s 1961 inaugurational address was a turning point in American history, as great changes, social, political and otherwise, were about to take place.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEC1C4p0k3E

In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility — I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it — and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.