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Book 4 - Introduction
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The grandsons of the sister of Domitian committed to the tuition of Quintilian; a new motive for eare in composing his work. He proceeds to speak of the exordium of a speech, the statement of facts, the proof, the refutation of adverse allegations, and the peroration.
1. AFTER finishing, my dear Marcellus Victor, the third book of the work dedicated to you and completing about the fourth part of my task, there have occurred to me a motive for fresh diligence and a deeper solicitude as to the judgment that I may deserve from the public. Hitherto, we were but comparing studies, as it were, between ourselves, and if my method of instruction was but little approved by others, I thought myself likely to be quite contented with our domestic advantage, deeming it sufficient to regulate the education of your son and my own. 2. But since Domitian Augustus has vouchsafed me the charge of his sister's grandsons, I should not sufficiently feel the honor of his divine judgment if I were not to estimate the greatness of my undertaking as proportioned to this distinction. 3. For what pains can I spare in the cultivation of the morals of youth in order that the most upright of censors may have reason to approve them? Or in promoting their studies, that I may not be found to have disappointed, in this respect, the expectations of a prince most eminent, not only in other accomplishments, but also in eloquence? 4. And if no one is surprised that the greatest poets have often invoked the Muses, not only at the beginning of their works, but, on advancing in their course, and arriving at some point of great importance, have renewed their addresses and used ,as it were, fresh solicitations. 5. I myself shall surely be pardoned also if I now do that which I omitted to do when I entered on my subject and call all the deities to my aid, especially that God than whom there is no deity more auspicious or more peculiarly favorable to learning, in order that he may inspire me with ability proportioned to the expectation which he has raised of me, may propitiously and kindly support me, and render me in reality such as he has supposed me to be.
6. For such devotional feeling, this, though my greatest, is not my only reason, for as my work advances, the parts on which I am entering are more important and more difficult than those which have preceded them. It is now to be shown, in the next place, what is the process of judicial causes, which are extremely numerous and diversified; what is the purpose of the exordium; what is the proper form of a statement of acts; what constitutes the force of proofs, either when we confirm our own assertions or overthrow those of our adversary; and what is the power of a peroration, either when the memory of the judge is to be refreshed by a short recapitulation, or when, what is far the most effective, his feelings are to be excited. 7. On these particulars, some authors, as if they dreaded the weight of the whole in a body, have preferred to write separately, and even thus have published several books on each of them. Having ventured to embrace them all, I see before me a labor almost boundless and am oppressed with the very thought of the task which I have undertaken. But as I have begun, I must persevere, and if I fail in strength, must nevertheless proceed with courage.
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