Frigidity may be produced in diction in four ways. In the first place in double nouns i.e. in compound words; as in Lycophron when he says, “the many-fac’d heaven; the mighty-top’d earth; and the narrow-mouth’d shore.” And as Gorgias calls some one, a beggarly-mus’d flatterer; and those who take an oath improperly, or properly epiorkesantas, and kateuorkesantas. And as Alcidamas when describing some one who was in a rage, “His soul was full of ardour, but his face was of a fiery colour.” And speaking of the promptitude of a certain person to fight to the last, he calls him telesphoros, or enduring to the end. He likewise calls the power of persuading, telesphoros; and the bottom of the sea kuanochroon, or azure-coloured. For all these expressions appear to be poetical from duplication. This, therefore, is one cause of frigid diction. Another cause arises from the use of ancient words. Thus Lycophron calls Xerxes pelorion andra, or an immense man. And Sciron he calls, sinnis aneer, or a pernicious man. Alcidamas also, speaking of poetry, says no such athurma, or puerile sport is useful to poetry. And speaking of nature he uses the expression atasthalia or improbity. And of a certain person, he says, “that he was exasperated with the untamed anger of his mind.” In the third place, diction may become frigid from using epithets, which are either long, or unseasonable, or frequent. For in poetry it is becoming to say, white-milk. But in prose, epithets are partly more unbecoming, and partly, if they are too frequent, they cause prose to appear to be verse. Epithets, however, are sometimes to be used in prose; for they render the diction more unusual, and cause it to be foreign. But mediocrity must be regarded in the use of them, since otherwise a greater evil is produced than by speaking casually. For casual diction is not good, but the other is bad. Hence, the writings of Alcidamas appear to be frigid. For he uses epithets, not as seasonings, but as food; since they are so frequent in his writings, so great, and so apparent. Thus for instance, he does not merely say sweat, but moist sweat. And he does not say that some one went to the Isthmia or solemn games in honour of Neptune, but to the general assembly of the Isthmian games. Thus too, he does not say the laws, but legal institutes, the queen of cities. Nor does he say in running, but with the rapid impulse of the soul. Nor museum, but receiving the museum of nature. And the sad care of the soul, instead of merely saying care. Nor does he say favour, but the artificer of popular favour. And again he calls an orator the dispensator of the pleasure of the hearers. And, he did not hide himself in the branches but in the branches of the wood. And, he did not cover his body, but the shame of his body. And, desire the anti-rival of the soul. But this is at the same time a double word, and an epithet; so that it becomes poetical. Thus too speaking of improbity he says, the immense excess of improbity. Hence, those who speak poetically produce the ridiculous and the frigid, by their indecorous diction, and also occasion obscurity by their garrulity. For garrulity dissolves perspicuity, when it is introduced to him who knows the subject, by the obscurity which it occasions. Men, however, use double, or compound words, when a thing is anonymous, and the words may be easily joined, such as time-wasting. But if this is done frequently, the diction becomes entirely poetical. Hence, a double diction i.e. compound words, are most useful to dithyrambic poets; for the language of these is sonorous. But ancient names and dialects are most adapted to epic poets; for epic poetry is venerable and superb. And metaphors are most adapted to iambics; for these as we have before observed iambic poets now use.
Again, in the fourth place, frigidity is produced in metaphors. For there are indecorous metaphors, some indeed, on account of the ridiculous; for comic poets also use metaphors. But others are indecorous from being too venerable and tragical. Metaphors likewise are obscure, if they are far-fetched; as those of Gorgias, who calls certain things, green and sanguineous. And, you indeed have shamefully sown, and badly reaped these things. For this is too poetically said. Thus too, Alcidamas calls philosophy the bulwark of the laws; and the Odyssey a beautiful mirror of human life. And again he says, “nothing of this kind introduces puerile sport (αϑυρμα) in poetry.” For all these metaphors, from the causes already mentioned, are unadapted to procure persuasion. But what Gorgias said on a swallow which dropped its excrement as it flew towards him, is the best of tragical metaphors; for he said, “This is shameful O Philomel.” For if he said this to the bird, the action was not shameful; but to a virgin, it was shameful. His defamation therefore was proper, because he alluded to what the bird had been, and not to what it then was.
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