These things, therefore, being discussed, let us now show whence polite and the most approved diction is derived. To speak politely, therefore, is the province of an ingenious man, or of one who is exercised in elocution. But to show the sources from whence polite diction is derived belongs to this method, i e. to rhetoric. We shall, therefore, unfold and enumerate what they are. Let the beginning, therefore, be this: to learn easily is naturally delightful to all men; but names signify something. Hence such names as cause us to learn, are most pleasing. Foreign tongues, therefore, are unknown; but proper words we know. Metaphor, however, especially causes diction to be polite. For when the poet says that “Old age is stubble,” he produces in us learning and knowledge through the genus, i.e. through the agreement of old age and stubble; since both produce a defloration. The images, therefore, of poets produce indeed the same thing; and hence, if they are well employed, the diction will appear to be polite. For an image, as we have before observed, is a metaphor, differing from it in the collocation; on which account it is less pleasing because it is a longer simile; and it does not say this thing is that. Hence in a metaphor the mind does not investigate the similitude; i e. its attention is not diverted from the object to which it is directed. That diction, therefore, and those enthymemes must necessarily be polite, which cause us to learn or produce in us knowledge rapidly. Hence, neither are superficial enthymemes approved; (for we call those enthymemes superficial, which are manifest to every one, and which require no investigation) nor such as when produced, are not understood; but those only render the diction polite, which are understood as soon as they are uttered, though there was no previous knowledge of them, or which shortly after lead us to the knowledge of something, of which we were ignorant. For by the latter enthymemes discipline is as it were produced, but by no means by the former. Enthymemes, therefore, of this kind are approved, from the sense or meaning of the diction. Urbanity, however, is produced in the figure or form of the diction, if contraries are opposed to contraries, as in the Oration of Isocrates de Pace, “And they thought that the peace which is common to the other Greeks, was war to their own private affairs.” For here war is opposed to peace. Urbanity also is produced in names or words, if they are metaphorical; and the metaphor is neither foreign; for this is difficult to understand; nor superficial; for this does not affect the hearer. Farther still, urbanity in diction is produced, if the thing itself is. placed before the eyes; for it is more necessary to see what has been, than what will be done. It is requisite, therefore, to pay attention to these three things, viz. metaphor, antithesis, and energy. As, however, there are four kinds of metaphors, those are most approved which subsist according to analogy; as when Perioles said, “That youth perishing in battle was taken away from the city, just as if some one should take away the spring from the year.” And as Leptines said of the Lacedæmonians, “That the Athenians should not suffer Greece to be deprived of its other eye.” Thus too Cephisodotus, when Chares was anxious to give an account of the Olynthiac war, said indignantly, “That while he endeavoured to give the people an account of his conduct, he kept them in a furnace.” And the same person once exhorting the Athenians to forage in Eubœa, said, “It was necessary that the decree of Miltiades should proceed to the Euboic expedition. And Iphicrates, when the Athenians had made a league with Epidautus, and the sea coast, said indignantly, “That they had deprived themselves of the viatica of war.” And Pitholaus, called the Athenian ship which was denominated Paralus, the club (ropalon) of the people. He also called Sestus, the granary of the Pyrœum. Pericles, likewise exhorted the Athenians to destroy Ogina, as the oppthalmy of the Pirœum. And Merocles, naming a certain worthy person said, “That he was in no respect more depraved than this person, for with respect to him, he had taken three per cent interest, but that he himself had taken ten per cent.” And the iambic of Anaxandrides upon his daughters that were a long time before they married. “The virgins have passed beyond the appointed day of wedlock.” To these may be added, what Polyeuctus said on one Speusippus who was a restless man and apoplectic, “That he could not be quiet, though he was bound by fortune in the Pentasyringian disease.” Cephisodotus likewise called three-banked gallies, various baking-houses. But the dog i.e. Diogenes called taverns, the Attic Phiditia. And Asion said, “That the Athenians had poured forth their city into Sicily;” for this is a metaphor, and places the thing before the eyes. Asion adds, “That the Athenians had so poured forth their city into Sicily, that Greece vociferated.” For this also is after a manner a metaphor, and places the thing before the eyes. Cephisodotus also exhorted the Athenians to beware “That they did not make their assemblies hostile congresses.” And Isocrates said, “That the sophists addressed themselves to those who run together in the public assemblies.” And as in the funeral oration of Lysias, “It was but just that Greece should cut off her hair on the tomb of those who died at Salamis because her liberty was buried with their virtue.” For if he had said, “That it was but just Greece should weep, in consequence of virtue being buried with those who died at Salamis” it would have been only a metaphor, and the thing would have been placed before the eyes. But the words “liberty was buried with virtue,” have a certain antithesis. And as Iphicrates said, “The path of my oration is through the midst of the transactions of Chares.” For this is a metaphor according to analogy; and the words, “through the midst,” places the thing before our eyes. And to say, “To call on dangers to give assistance to dangers,” is to place the thing before the eyes, and is a metaphor. Another instance is that of Lycoleon in defence of Chabrias, “Neither will you revere his suppliant brazen statue?” For this is a metaphor in the present time, but not always, and places the thing before the eyes. For he being in danger, the statue supplicates for him; and supplication is attributed to an inanimate statue, which is the property of an animated thing. And, “A monument of the works of the city.” And, “They meditated by every possible way to have groveling conceptions.” For to meditate is to increase something. And again, “That god enkindled the light of intellect in the soul.” For both light and intellect accord in illuminating. And, “For we do not dissolve war, but defer it.” For both deferring and a peace of this kind signify something future. And to say, “That the compacts of peace are a trophy much more beautiful than those which are procured in war. For the latter are obtained for things of small consequence, and through one fortune; but the former, for every battle.” For both a trophy and a compact are indications of victory. And “That cities through the censure of men suffer great punishment.” For punishment is a certain just injury. And thus we have shown how polite diction may be derived from metaphor according to the analogous and from placing a thing before the eyes.
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