Copy and Influence

I found the opening of Book II held an interesting contradiction from Rhetorica ad Herennium.  The anonymous author of the latter work disagrees strongly with Cicero's views of copying.  While in the Herennium the author disparages the use of excessive quotations and influences, Cicero deems copying "a rule for practice."  I am quite inclined to agree with Cicero on this matter.  In Analytical essays good quotations can be extremely helpful in both clarification emphasis.  Perhaps, the anon author would claim quotations can't qualify as proofs like hard evidence,but they can still add emphasis and lucidity.  I find Cicero's opening to Book II even more pertinent as a creative writer.  "We show the student whom to copy, and to copy in such a way as to strive with all possible care to attain the most excellent qualities of his model."  I feel that there was a marked change for the better in my writing when I began plagiarizing shamelessly.  Drawing on other places for style, anecdotes, themes and methods can be truly effective ways to enrich your own personal voice and prose.  Cicero goes on to explain how through extensive practice outside elements, bits that have been copied, can be seamlessly folded into one's own work.  He concludes his advice on copying with a pertinent note.  His advice is to "be watchful in making [your] choice," of who to copy.  This is particularly difficult advice to follow because matters of style and prose are largely subjective.  Emulating good writing is difficult enough, but the important subjective task of choosing writers to copy makes the challenge even greater.