Book 4, Chapter 25

55 “An orator, however, should certainly not be angry; to imitate anger is not unbecoming. Do we seem angry to you whenever we speak with particular sharpness and force in a case? And when, after the business is finished and past, we write out our speeches, do we write them in anger? ‘Does anyone attend to this? Bind him!’ Do you suppose Aesopus ever performed that in anger, or Accius wrote it in anger? Such passages are splendidly performed—and by an orator, if he really is an orator, better than by any actor—but they are performed calmly, with a tranquil mind.

“As for praising lust, what lust could prompt that? You bring me Themistocles and Demosthenes, and add Pythagoras, Democritus, and Plato. What? Do you call intellectual pursuits lust? Even when directed toward the best things, like those you cite, these pursuits ought to be calm and tranquil. And what sort of philosophers are they who praise distress, the single most detestable thing? But Afranius put it aptly: ‘Let him feel pain at anything, so long as he feels some pain.’ Yes, but he said it of a depraved and dissolute young man, whereas our inquiry concerns a steady and wise man. Indeed, let a centurion or standard-bearer have even that anger, or others whom there is no need to name, lest we reveal the rhetoricians’ mysteries. For a person who cannot use reason may usefully act on emotion. But our inquiry, as I often insist, concerns the wise person.”

55 “Anger is thoroughly out of place in a speaker, though pretending to be angry isn’t. Do you think I’m angry when I speak more sharply and forcefully in a case? And when I write speeches after the business is finished and past, am I angry as I write? ‘Is anyone watching this? Tie him up!’ Do you think Aesopus ever acted those words in anger, or Accius wrote them in anger? Such scenes are performed brilliantly, and a speaker, if he really is a speaker, performs them better than any actor. But they’re performed gently, with a peaceful mind.

“What craving lies behind a tribute to craving itself? Your examples are Themistocles and Demosthenes, then Pythagoras, Democritus, and Plato. Do you really call dedication to a pursuit craving? Even a commitment to the finest objects—such as those you mention—ought to stay peaceful and calm. And which philosophers would recommend distress, the most detestable thing there is? You may quote Afranius approvingly: ‘Let anything hurt him, provided something does.’ But his subject was a dissolute, ruined youth; ours is a wise, steady man. Leave even anger itself to a centurion, a standard-bearer, or others I needn’t name, lest I disclose the rhetoricians’ secrets. Emotional energy can serve those unable to use reason. But I keep stressing that it’s the wise person we’re investigating.”