Epilogue, however, or peroration is composed from four things; from that which may cause the auditor to think well of the orator, and ill of his opponent; from amplification and extenuation; from that which may excite the passions of the auditor; and from recalling to the memory what has been said. For it is natural, after demonstration, for the orator to show, that what he has asserted is true, and that what his opponent has said is false; and thus to praise, and blame, and conciliate the good opinion of the audience. But of two things, it is requisite that the orator should direct his attention to one of them, viz. either to show that he is good to the audience, or that he is simply a worthy man; and that his opponent is bad to the audience, or that he is simply a bad man. We have shown, however, what the places are from which things of this kind are to be derived, viz. whence it may be inferred that men are worthy or depraved. In the next place, it is requisite to amplify or extenuate, according to nature, what has now been demonstrated. For it is necessary that it should be acknowledged a thing has been done, if the orator intends to speak of its magnitude; for the increase of bodies, is from pre-existent substances. But we have already shown whence the places of amplification and extenuation are to be derived. After these things, however, since it is evident what their quality and quantity are, the orator should excite the passions of the auditor; but these are, pity and indignation; anger and hatred; envy, emulation and contention. And we have before shown the places of these. Hence, it remains that in the peroration the orator should recal into the memory of the audience what has been before said. But this is to be done in such a way, as others improperly teach us to do in proems; for that a thing may be easily understood, they order us to repeat it frequently. In proems, indeed, it is necessary to speak of the thing, which is the subject of discussion lest the audience should be ignorant what that is which is to be decided; but here in peroration, the arguments which have been employed, must be summarily repeated. The beginning, however, of the peroration should be, “That the orator has accomplished what he promised;” so that he must then explain what those things are of which he has spoken, and on what account they were discussed by him. But the repetition should be made from a comparison of what has been said by the opponent. And it is requisite to compare either such things as have been said on the same subject, both by the orator and his opponent; or such things as have not been said by both of them on the same subject; as, “And he indeed said this on the subject, but I that, and for these reasons.” Or the repetition should be made from irony; as, “For he said this, but I that;” and, “What would he have done, if he had shown that those things were transacted, and not these.” Or from interrogation; as, “What has not been shown?” Or thus, “What has the opponent shown?” Either, therefore, the repetition must be thus made, or it must be made from comparison, or the orator must repeat in a natural order what he has said. And again, if he is so inclined, he may repeat what his opponent has said. That mode of diction, however, is adapted to the conclusion of the oration, which is called disjunctive, in order that it may be an epilogue, and not an oration; such as, “I have said, you have heard, you are masters of the subject, judge for yourselves.”
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