Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria, Harold Edgeworth Butler (Translator), 7.9.6

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[6] Thus arises the Greek theme about Leon and Pantaleon, who go to law because the handwriting of a will makes it uncertain whether the testator has left all his property to Leon or his property to Pantaleon. ¹ Groups of words give rise to more serious ambiguity. Such ambiguity may arise from doubt as to a case, as in the following passage: ² —

I say that you, O prince of Aeacus' line,

Rome can o'erthrow.

Or it may arise from the arrangement of the words,

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

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Current edition Perseus

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

Editions (1)

Institutio Oratoria Perseus (Quintilian. Institutio Oratoria, Volume 1-4. Butler, Harold Edgeworth, editor. Cambridge, Mass; London: Harvard University Press, William Heinemann Ltd., 1920-1922.) — 7.9.6 focus

[6] sic apud Graecos contendunt Λέων et Πανταλέων , cum scriptura dubia est, bona omnia Λέοντι an bona Πανταλέοντι relicta sint. in coniunctis plus ambiguitatis est. fit autem per casus, ut

aio te, Aeacida, Romanos sincere posse.

Notes on the current edition

Institutio Oratoria

1. i. e. whether he wrote πάντα Λέοντι or Πανταλέοντι.

2. Enn. Ann. 186. An ambiguous oracle quoted by Cicero ( de Div. II. lvi.). It might equally mean that Rome or Pyrrhus would conquer. Cp. the oracle given to Croesus:

If thou cross the Halys, thou shalt destroy a mighty empire.

Quintilian Institutio Oratoria 7.9.6

Harold Edgeworth Butler (Translator)

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