TJic RJictorica of Philodemus. 



329 



one wonders what state of political knowledge the philosopher 

 has reached. We do not deny that we lead our pupils in a dif- 

 ferent direction from politics, but they are led astray by sophists 

 and pay them money merely to get the reputation for political 

 ability. ^For "effect" and "deduction from premises" must be 

 subsumed under the knowledge of the wholes, and can come 

 in no other way. Nor does he show how he can know to what 

 extent the audience understands by means of experience, and to 

 what extent by means of dialectic, the man having been pre- 

 viously wretched and obscure.^® For all such things are derived 

 from physics, and from a weighing of the obscure and reason- 

 ing from the existent, and by no other means ; so that they travel 

 along a regular route, and are not guided by the experience of 

 some who have no knowledge of afifairs. He did not analyze 

 the next point. It should run as follows ; "One may be poten- 

 tially a rhetor if not actually one. For we say that the power 

 of building resides in others besides the actual builders when 

 we regard not the performance of the act but one's ability to 

 use the builders' tools ; the same is true of medicine and other 

 professions. Consequently why should we not say that rhetoric 

 is the attendant of the natural philosopher if when subjects are 

 proposed he can speak as well as any statesman or rhetor ?"^^ 

 Perchance he might reason about them as well as the rhetors, 

 but he could not make as good an appearance in public as an 

 experienced rhetor. The experienced man can speak when he 

 wishes, the theorist only after long practice. Furthermore the 

 one does many things by the rules of his art — for one cannot 

 learn the carpenters trade otherwise — the other does nothing by 

 rule ; for they say that the ability comes from philosophy, not 

 from the political activity itself. 



After due consideration of the mad proposition of Nausiphanes 

 we must conclude that he does not provide a proper philosophical 

 introduction to rhetoric. 



Now let us take up the story about Aristotle, that he taught 

 rhetoric in the afternoon, saying, " 'Tis a shame to be silent and 

 allow Isocrates to speak." He showed his opinion clearly enough 



n, 46, 

 col. 33. 



TI, 47, col, 

 XLVI. 



II, 48, 

 col. 34. 



II, 48, col. 

 XLVII. 



II. 49. 

 col. 35. 



II, 49, col. 

 XLVIII. 



II. 50, 

 col. 36. 



^Practically all the important words in this sentence are conjectures; 

 the sense is, to say the least, obscure. 

 ^^ The passage is much mutilated, and not at all satisfactorily restored. 



