Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Harold Edgeworth Butler (Translator), 6.1.34

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[34] Invocation of the gods, again, usually gives the impression that the speaker is conscious of the justice of his cause, while it may produce a good effect if the accused throws himself on the ground and embraces the knees of the judges, unless his character, his past life and station prohibit a resort to this device: for there are some acts which require to be defended with no less boldness than was required for their commission. But we must take care not to carry matters with too high a hand, for fear of creating a bad impression by an appearance of over-confidence. ¹

Institutio Oratoria. Quintilian. Harold Edgeworth Butler (Translator). Cambridge, Mass.. 1920-1922.

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Institutio Oratoria (English) (Quintilian. Institutio Oratoria, Volume 1-4. Butler, Harold Edgeworth, translator. Cambridge, Mass; London: Harvard University Press, William Heinemann Ltd., 1920-1922.)

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Institutio Oratoria Perseus (Quintilian. Institutio Oratoria, Volume 1-4. Butler, Harold Edgeworth, editor. Cambridge, Mass; London: Harvard University Press, William Heinemann Ltd., 1920-1922.) — 6.1.34 focus

[34] et deorum etiam invocatio velut ex bona conscientia profecta videri solet; stratum denique iacere et genua complecti, nisi si tamen persona nos et anteacta vita et rei condicio prohibebit; quaedam enim tam fortiter tuenda quam facta sunt. verum sic habenda est auctoritatis ratio, ne sit invisa securitas.

Notes on the current edition

Institutio Oratoria

1. i.e. although such entreaties are effective, they cannot always be employed. Thus they would have been out of place in the case of Milo, whose character was such that it was necessary to defend him with a boldness worthy of the boldness required to perform the deed of which he was accused. Still we must not carry such methods ( e.g. such as Cicero employs on behalf of Milo) too far.

Quintilian Institutio Oratoria 6.1.34

Harold Edgeworth Butler (Translator)

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