The Rlietorica of Philodemus. 333 



is healthful persuades, or rather that mode of Hfe persuades 

 one who wishes to be well. Such power might be useful to one 

 who is to practice medicine, but does not make one healthy. 



. . . if few of the statements depending- on opinion are I, 329, col. 

 true — we ought to say on vain opinion — his remarks are foolish, 

 "not referring to clear evidence" and "the rhetors are not 

 wholly lacking in this." But for treating the subject under 

 discussion his example from music seems of no value. 



The arguments of philosophy are not conjectural but rigorous. I, 330, col. 



Speeches may he pleasing and beautiful, but one would not j !!j ^q] 

 care for them unless they are useful. IX. 



Encomium may be a proper field for guesswork, but cannot be col. X. 

 called a science. 



All their training is directed toward speaking before crowds i, 332, col. 

 and courts. But none of them practices saying anything for ■^^• 

 himself or his kin. If they have an action involving five minas 

 they study and strain to persuade ; but the one who is going to 

 spend a talent on evil pleasures because of vanity, and waste 

 himself as well as the talent, [him they do not try to persuade]. 



For they profess to make new statesmen, and useful to the T, 333, col. 

 state and their friends; in the same breath they defend their -^^'^T- 

 art by saying that the art is not bad, but errors come from those 

 who use it badly, as if it were possible for men who fulfill the 

 ideal of usefulness to city and friends to use the power of 

 rhetoric unwisely. 



Imagine a general planning the strategy of the battle of I. 333' col. 

 Marathon. "You have visited Marathon?" some one asks. 

 "No." "You have a detailed description of the place?" "No." 

 "Then why do you try to plan strategy when you do not even 

 know if the place exists?" Such are the counsellors who seem 

 to be clever in cities. 



[A rhetorician says] sometimes some wicked men use the art. I, 334, col. 

 But if they fulfil the ideal of being useful to city and friends, ^^X- 

 it is impossible for them to use it unwisely, nor can the unwise 

 and scoundrels and receivers of bribes be useful to city and 

 friends. 



Discusses whether or not a rhetorician is a philosopher. I, 335, col. 



XXI 

 The rhetors never having served as generals are not thought j g ^.^i 



likely to conquer, so that some speak more distinctly than . . . XXIII. 



