QUINTILIANUS


Marcus Fabius Quintilianus was born in Spain and lived in the first century AD. He was sent to Rome to be educated. He became the head of the teaching profession, and was supported by Vespasian, who paid his salary. Pliny the Younger was one of his pupils. He was also a lawyer. Between 93 and 95 AD the "Institutio oratoria" ("Education of an orator") was published.


Institutio oratoria II, 21, 18
An huius modi res neque in laudem neque in deliberationem neque in iudicium veniunt? Ergo cum de faciendo portu Ostiensi deliberatum est, non debuit dicere sententiam orator? Atqui opus erat ratione architectorum. When the construction of the harbour at Ostia was discussed, was it not an orator's duty to state his view? Yet it needed the technical knowledge of the architect.
Institutio oratoria III, 8, 16
Rem de qua deliberatur aut certum est posse fieri aut incertum. Si incertum, haec erit quaestio sola aut potentissima; saepe enim accidet ut prius dicamus ne si possit quidem fieri esse faciendum, deinde fieri non posse. cum autem de hoc quaeritur, coniectura est: an Isthmos intercidi, an siccari palus Pomptina, an portus fieri Ostiae possit, an Alexander terras ultra Oceanum sit inventurus. As for the proposal, its practicability is either certain or doubtful. If it is doubtful, this becomes the only or at least the most vital question. We shall often find ourselves saying first that a thing ought not to be done even if it could, and secondly that it cannot be done. When the question turns on this, we have Conjecture: can the Isthmus be cut through, can the Pontine Marsh be drained, can a harbour be made at Ostia, will Alexander discover lands beyond the Ocean?

Translation: Loeb, D.A. Russell.