Kerr, Robert Anthony (2002) Criticism in Quintilian. PhD thesis. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/5575/ Copyright and moral rights for this thesis are retained by the author A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the Author The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the Author When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given Glasgow Theses Service http://theses.gla.ac.uk/ [email protected] University of Glasgow Faculty of Arts Department of Classics CRITICISM IN QUINTILIAN Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Arts for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy <0 Robert Anthony Kerr, Apri12002 IMAGING SERVICESNORTH Boston Spa, Wetherby West Yorkshire, LS23 7BQ www.bl.uk PAGE NUMBERSARE CUT OFF IN THE ORIGINAL patn'meo, uiro bono ABSTRACT The Institutio Oratoria of Quintilian (Marcus Fabius Quintilianus) is a work that follows in a tradition of writing on rhetoric, a tradition that dates back to the fifth century BC. My thesis establishes Quintilian and his work within this tradition, and encourages the reader both to consider one aspect of the convention of technical instruction in rhetoric, namely criticism, and to reflect on the originality of criticism in Quintilian' s work. Accordingly, I have two main aims. Firstly, I intend to give full detail of examples of criticism in the Institutio Oratoria, and this will include identifying, where possible, people who are targeted by Quintilian for criticism. Thus, in detailing examples - which I do by paraphrase and translation - and assigning them to chapters in this thesis, I follow the structure that Quintilian provides for his work in the preface to his first book. Targets of criticism include groups, such as parents, pupils, teachers, philosophers, actors, dancers, and specific individuals. My second aim is to assess the originality of Quintilian's criticism. Thus, I examine the works of predecessors, notably, but not exclusively, other writers on rhetoric, whose works are extant or partly extant. My findings indicate that there is much criticism that can serve as precedent for criticism in the Institutio Oratoria. However, it is evident that Quintilian has not indulged in mere repetition. He has changed and adapted criticisms in a way that reflects his educational and forensic background. He also implies that many of these still relate to his own time. I have also found that much criticism lacks apparent precedent - apparent, because other works on rhetoric that precede the Institutio Oratoria and have not survived could feasibly have provided precedents for criticisms in Quintilian's work that appear novel- and I suggest that the underlying intention of this is to relate practice more closely to theory, and theory more closely to practice. A small number of criticisms relate to different, more personal agendas, and some of these, together Withthe indications of educational and forensic insight and perspective that permeate criticism in the Institutio Oratoria, are the main evidence we have ~o indicate that Quintilian is the author of novel criticisms. I also consider a number of questions related to these aims. A brief analysis of the extent of criticism of named individuals in works of rhetoric that precede the Instttuuo Oratoria, which is mirrored to some degree by instances of general criticism, suggests that Cicero played a major role in the development of criticism as a convention of writing on rhetoric. The effect of recurring themes of criticism, such as those directed against philosophers, excess ~ffeminacy, theatricality and the poetic, t and morality, is weakened because such cnti~ms have precedent, but that directed against teachers appears novel and, I belie~~:yidence of Quintilian's lack of toleration of this group. As to the question of the existence of fault, the evidence suggests that Quintilian had no need to indulge in fabrication. Lastly, there is the question of the relationship between criticism and disposition. I argue that most of the criticism in the Institutio Oratoria is impartial, but there is evidence that, in some cases, Quintilian appears more impatient and frustrated. I also suggest that the amount of criticism in his work, particularly that which seems of an obvious nature, shows Quintilian to be of a fastidious nature. CONTENTS page Acknowledgments i Introduction ii CHAPTER 1: EARLY EDUCATION - Book I 1 CHAPTER 2: THE WORK OF THE RHETOR AND CHARACTERISTICS OF RHETORIC - Book II 43 CHAPTER 3: INVENTIO - Books m-rv 76 CHAPTER 4: INVENTIO AND ARRANGEMENT - Books V-VII 103 CHAPTER 5: STYLE - Books Vill-IX 131 CHAPTER 6: STYLE - Books X-XI.i 178 CHAPTER 7: MEMORY AND DELIVERY - Book XI.ii-XI.iii 212 CHAPTER 8: THE FORMATION OF THE ORATOR - Book XII 237 CHAPTER 9: CONCLUSIONS 272 BffiLlOGRAPHY APPENDIX: LIST OF PASSAGES EXAMINED Aclmowledgments The completion of this thesis has only been made possible by the support and assistance of many people. Eileen, my wife, has always been a source of encouragement and strength. Katrina and Colette who, for all their short lives, have been aware that their dad "needs to do his notes", have shown toleration remarkable for their years, and still have managed to put a smile on my face when the notes were not going so well. The perceptive questioning and attention to detail of Professor Roger Green, my main supervisor, has encouraged me to focus on the words of Quintilian and to seek out the underlying thought, and to better appreciate this great writer and educator. I am very grateful for the patience that Professor Green has displayed, especially during the 'dark years' when I was coming to grips with the topic, for his direction, and for the many lengthy meetings that we have had. I am grateful also for the support and advice offered by Graham Whitaker regarding the use of library facilities, and by Dr. Malcolm Green and Dr. Costas Panayotakis on sections of the lnstitutto Oratorio. In the Department of Education, I would like to thank Dr. Walter Humes who first 'introduced' me to Quintilian during my M.Ed. course. Mr. Hamish Paterson and Professor Eric Wilkinson, initially my supervisors in that Department, have both been a source of encouragement and inspiration. Lastly, I would like to thank my brother Paul for providing the 'hardware' necessary to produce this thesis, my colleagues at Motherwell College who have always shown concern and interest in my progress, and the College itself for the generous amount of 'study time' that has been granted to me. Introduction Quintilian Marcus Fabius Quintilianus was born around AD 351 at Calagurris in Spain', Not much is known about his life, but small pieces of biographical information can be gleaned from various sources'. It is fairly certain that he received some of his education at Rome" since, as he himself attests (V.vii.7), he attached himself to Domitius Afer, a successful advocates. However, it seems that Quintilian returned to Spain at some point to practice advocacy, as Jerome reports that Galba, the governor of Spain, having been proclaimed emperor, 6 brought him to Rome in AD 68 , Quintilian taught rhetoric there, though he probably did not start for several years owing to the disruption caused by the civil war', When a programme of social reconstruction was begun under the emperor Vespasian (AD 69-79)8,Quintilian was appointed to the chair of rhetoric and he received I No precise dates are attested (Clarke (1967), pp.27-28; Kennedy (1969), p.1S). Kennedy (1994), p.177 allows for the possibility of a date as late as AD 40. :z Ausonius xi.l. 7 (Green). 3 Clarke (1967), p.2S. The Chronicle of Jerome (c.AD 347-420) provides some information, which may well have come from a chapter in Suetonius' work, De Grammaticts et Rhetoribus, which is now lost ~ennedy (1969), p.142 note 5). See also Cousin (1975) vol.I, p.viiff. Perhaps even under the grammarian, Remmius Palaemon (Suetonius De Gramm.23; see also Kaster (1995), p.230), though Quintilian makes no such suggestion when he mentions Palaemon (I.iv.20). See also OCD, Hornblower & Spawforth (1996) and Kennedy (1969), p.142 note 7. , QuintiIian makes a number of references, for example: V.x.79; VI.iii.42; VIII.v.16; XII.xi.3 (unless they are attributed, references are to the OCT, Winterbottom (1970) edition of Quintilian's Institutio Oratoria.y. See also Dialogus 13 and Annals IV.S2 where Tacitus implies that Mer was an 'informer' (delator), that is someone who prosecuted other people for self-advancement and reward. (;Chronicle ccxi olymp' = AD 68 (Fotheringham (1923), p.268. See also OCD (Olympiad); Von Albrecht (1997), p.1648. This was when Galba marched on Rome to claim power after the suicide of Nero (see CAlI X (1996), p.256ff.). He gathered an impressive company for the journey (Suet.Galha X) and Sibler (1920), p.207 speculates that Quintilian was asked because of his pre-eminence as an advocate. 7 McDermott & Orentzel (1979), pp.12, 15. S See Woodside (1942), p.126ff. ii a large salary", He taught for twenty years (I pr.l) and numbered among his pupils the younger Pliny'" and perhaps even Juvenal!', He may also have continued his work as advocate, and cases he mentions (egJV.i.19; IX.ii.73) may relate to this time. When he retired, probably in the early 90s AD, he then wrote the Instittaio Oratoria (II.xii.12), which took a little more than two years to complete".