The Orator's Education: v. 1, Bk. 1-2

Quintilian,borninSpainaboutA.D.35,becameawidelyknownandhighlysuccessfulteacherofrhetoricinRome.TheOrator'sEducation(InstitutioOratoria),acomprehensivetrainingprogramintwelvebooks,drawsonhisownrichexperience.Itisaworkofenduringimportance,notonlyforitsinsightsonoratory,butforthepictureitpaintsofeducationandsocialattitudesintheRomanworld.Quintilianoffersbothgeneralandspecificadvice.Hegivesguidelinesforproperschooling(beginningwiththeyoungboy);analysesthestructureofspeeches;recommendsdevicesthatwillengagelistenersandappealtotheiremotions;reviewsawiderangeofGreekandLatinauthorsofusetotheorator;andcounselsonmemory,delivery,andgestures.DonaldRussell'snewfive-volumeLoebClassicalLibraryeditionofTheOrator'sEducation,whichreplacesaneighty-year-oldtranslationbyH.E.Butler,providesatextandfacingtranslationfullyuptodateinlightofcurrentscholarshipandwelltunedtotoday'staste.Russellalsoprovidesunusuallyrichexplanatorynotes,whichenablefullappreciationofthiscentralworkinthehistoryofrhetoric.