I find it particularly interesting that Cicero warns against impassioned rhetoric here in favor of sounding "calm", "gentle", and "mild". He says that an audience is more easily won by someone who seems level and in control of his or her emotions. "But attributes useful in an advocate are a mild tone, a countenance expressive of modesty, gentle language, and the faculty of seeming to be dealing reluctantly and under compulsion with something you are eager to prove."(329) Basically, a calm, concise delivery is key here.
However, in the very next section, Cicero begins to talk about the importance of inspiring emotion into your audience, leaning them to agree with your own point by inspiring good feelings about it and by spreading bad feelings for the opposing opinion. This may be my own opinion here, but I feel like wild, impassioned speaking where the orator loses his/herself in the passion of the delivery is one of the most powerful tools available to any orator in order to inspire emotion.
It is rather hard to inspire indignance without raising your voice..
I share your interest in the idea of being in control of one's emotions, but also sounding calm, gentle, and mild, But probably because I, too enjoy listening to wild and impassioned speaking. I think there is something to be said, however, for the fine line between 'impassioned' and 'wild' and remaining in control.
ReplyDeleteThe only example I have to offer for this is what I witnessed as a dancer. We would spend so much time finding the balance between literally giving a dance your all, and losing control of your body. As a dancer, that line was hard to walk because it was frequently difficult to know when you were going to step over the line until it was too late. I think that this can be related to what Cicero had to say about remaining in control of one's emotions.
There is something to be said for a rhetor's ability to walk up to that line without crossing it; about being able to speak with emotion, but also control. In my opinion, when that balance is achieved, rhetoric is most effective.