The Rhctorica of Philodemus. 315 



foolish. Then their talk about spider webs, bits and saws for 



cutting millet seeds is nonsense.^" . . . It is clearly proven 



that the art of the rhetor is of no assistance for a life of 



happiness. 



[The sophist says] it is better to estimate rouchlv on large I. 250, col. 



'~ ^- XVIII 



subjects than to treat accurately of some small subject of no 



importance. Perhaps we can add to the accomplishments of 



rhetoric that it can talk in a general way about subjects of no 



importance. The comparison of great and small subjects is kept up 



at the end of the column in the reference to fishing for tunnies and 



sprats. 



. to one who wonders why they can see clearly into a T, 252, col. 



■y'TV 



dark and difficult subject, and are unable to see what is m plain ^^^• 

 sight of all, they apply the figure of the owl. Such remarks as 

 they made about oaths and counsels, not only no philosopher but 

 not even a man of ordinary taste would. . . . The doctrines 

 of the philosophers are not too finespun for practical life, and 

 the doctrines of the rhetors are not suitable, so that having 

 demonstrated that the doctrines of the politicians are like one or 

 the other — they compare us to owls. 



Their next statement is that there is no distinction between i 253, col. 

 justice and injustice except that commonly accepted by the people, XIX, 1. 35, 

 and that those who assume a different standard are like those 

 who seek to substitute a coinage of their own for that established 

 by the state; the new coinage is useless, for it will not pass 

 current and the maker's life would not be safe. 



By rhetoric neither [is accomplished] as it seems, but political 

 science is not investigated or taught by the rhetoricians, either 

 exclusively or to a higher degree than by others. 



The philosophers of our school agree with ol ttoXXol on a 

 question of what is just and good, dift'ering from them only in 

 this that they arrive at their conclusions by logic as well as by 

 feeling, and never forget these conclusions, but always compare j 254, col, 

 the chief good with things indiiTerent. They do differ from XXI. 

 01 TToAAot about the means to attain happiness, and do not think 

 that offices, power, conquests and the like are proper means 



" Following the restoration of Schneidewin, p. 14 : • • • rpvirdpuv kuI 

 Tpibvuv olcTTiffiv /c^7xpoi<s Kai to. Toiavra TpvwuxrL Kal 5i.awpiov<ri. 



