Classical Rhetoric and Its Christian and Secular Tradition from Ancient to Modern Times by Kennedy George A

Author:Kennedy, George A.
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press
Published: 1999-04-14T04:00:00+00:00

Rhetoric may be studied by the young and by those not engaged in something more important, Augustine continues, but the Christian speaker must beware of forgetting what should be said while considering the artistry of the discourse (4.4). In fact, study of rules is not necessary at all, for eloquence can be learned from imitation of eloquent models (4.5). Imitation had, of course, been a major pedagogical tool of classical rhetoricians, based on a canon of models such as those discussed in Quintilian 10.1. Augustine would replace that canon with a new canon of the Scriptures and the Fathers of the Church.

The description of Christian eloquence (4.6–26) begins with the statement that the expositor and teacher of the Scriptures should teach the good and extirpate the bad. There is thus both a positive and a negative form, as there was in the three species of civic oratory. Augustine anticipates here his later discussion of the duties of the orator, saying that the Christian teacher should “conciliate those who are opposed, arouse those who are remiss, and teach those ignorant of his subject” (4.6). In the subsequent discussion, he finds many examples of classical rhetorical techniques in writings of Paul and the Old Testament book of Amos, including climax, periodic sentences, and tropes. But he concludes of Amos, “A good listener warms to it not so much by diligently analyzing it as by pronouncing it energetically. For these words were not devised by human industry, but were poured forth from the divine mind both wisely and eloquently, not in such a way that wisdom was directed toward eloquence, but in such a way that eloquence did not abandon wisdom” (4.21). As to the virtues of style as seen in the Scriptures or practiced by a Christian, clarity is the only real consideration (4.23), though appropriateness was noted earlier (4.9). Ornamentation and grammatical correctness, the two other traditional virtues of style, are not of great importance to Augustine (4.24).

Next (4.27–33) comes consideration of the three duties of the orator—to teach, to delight, and to move—which Cicero had developed out of the Aristotelian modes of proof. To teach is, of course, the most important, but Augustine holds that it is necessary to delight listeners in order to retain them as listeners and to move them in order to impel them to do what is right. Moving is equated with persuasion (4.27). Moreover, “When that which is taught must be put into practice and is taught for that reason, the truth of what is said is acknowledged in vain and the eloquence of the discourse pleases in vain unless that which is learned is implemented in action” (4.29). Persuasion is thus not left entirely to God. Ultimately, the orator needs both expertise and divine guidance: “He who would both know and teach should learn everything which should be taught and acquire a skill in speaking appropriate to an ecclesiastic, but at the time of the speech itself he should think what the Lord says more suitable to good thought” (4.

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