8. Reading remains for consideration. In
this connexion there is much that can only be
taught in actual practice, as for instance when the
boy should take breath, at what point he should
introduce a pause into a line, where the sense ends
or begins, when the voice should be raised or
lowered, what modulation should be given to each
phrase, and when he should increase or slacken
speed, or speak with greater or less energy.
[
2]
In
this portion of my work I will give but one golden
rule: to do all these things, he must understand
what he reads. But above all his reading must be
manly, combining dignity and charm; it must be
different from the reading of prose, for poetry is
song and poets claim to be singers. But this fact
does not justify degeneration into sing-song or the
effeminate modulations now in vogue: there is an
excellent saying on this point attributed to Gaius
Caesar while he was still a boy: “If you are singing,
you sing badly: if you are reading, you sing.”
[
3]
Again I do not, like some teachers, wish character
as revealed by speeches to be indicated as it is by
the comic actor, though I think that there should
be some modulation of the voice to distinguish such
passages from those where the poet is speaking in
person.
[
4]
There are other points where there is much
need of instruction: above all, unformed minds
which are liable to be all the more deeply impressed
by what they learn in their days of childish
[p. 149]
ignorance, must learn not merely what is eloquent;
it is even more important that they should study
what is morally excellent.
[
5]
It is therefore an admirable practice which now
prevails, to begin by reading Homer and Vergil,
although the intelligence needs to be further developed for the full appreciation of their merits: but
there is plenty of time for that since the boy will
read them more than once. In the meantime let his
mind be lifted by the sublimity of heroic verse,
inspired by the greatness of its theme and imbued
with the loftiest sentiments.
[
6]
The reading of tragedy
also is useful, and lyric poets will provide nourishment for the mind, provided not merely the authors
be carefully selected, but also the passages from
their works which are to be read. For the Greek lyric
poets are often licentious and even in Horace there
are passages which I should be unwilling to explain
to a class. Elegiacs, however, more especially erotic
elegy, and hendecasyllables, which are merely sections
of Sotadean verse
1 (concerning which latter I need
give no admonitions), should be entirely banished, if
possible; if not absolutely banished, they should be
reserved for pupils of a less impressionable age. As to
comedy, whose contribution to eloquence may be of
no small importance,
[
7]
since it is concerned with every
kind of character and emotion, I will shortly point
out in its due places what use can in my opinion
be made of it in the education of boys. As soon as
we have no fear of contaminating their morals, it
should take its place among the subjects which it is
specially desirable to read. I speak of Menander,
though I would not exclude others. For Latin
authors will also be of some service.
[
8]
But the
[p. 151]
subjects selected for lectures to boys should be those
which will enlarge the mind and provide the greatest nourishment to the intellect. Life is quite long
enough for the subsequent study of those other subjects which are concerned with matters of interest
solely to learned men. But even the old Latin poets
may be of great value, in spite of the fact that their
strength lies in their natural talent rather than in
their art: above all they will contribute richness
of vocabulary: for the vocabulary of the tragedians
is full of dignity, while in that of the comedians
there is a certain elegance and Attic grace.
[
9]
They
are, too, more careful about dramatic structure than
the majority of moderns, who regard epigram as the
sole merit of every kind of literary work. For
purity at any rate and manliness, if I may say so,
we must certainly go to these writers, since to-day
even our style of speaking is infected with all the
faults of modern decadence.
[
10]
Finally we may derive
confidence from the practice of the greatest orators
of drawing upon the early poets to support their
arguments or adorn their eloquence.
[
11]
For we find,
more especially in the pages of Cicero, but frequently in Asinius and other orators of that period, quotations from Ennius, Accius, Pacuvius, Lucilius, Terence,
Caecilius and others, inserted not merely to show
the speaker's learning, but to please his hearers
as well, since the charms of poetry provide a pleasant relief from the severity of forensic eloquence.
[
12]
Such quotations have the additional advantage of
helping the speaker's case, for the orator makes use
of the sentiments expressed by the poet as evidence
in support of his own statements. But while my
earlier remarks have special application to the
education of boys, those which I have just made
[p. 153]
apply rather to persons of riper years; for the love of
letters and the value of reading are not confined to
one's schooldays, but end only with life.
[
13]
In lecturing the teacher of literature must give
attention to minor points as well: he will ask his
class after analysing a verse to give him the parts of
speech and the peculiar features of the feet which
it contains: these latter should be so familiar in
poetry as to make their presence desired even in
the prose of oratory. He will point out what words
are barbarous, what improperly used, and what are
contrary to the laws of language.
[
14]
He will not do
this by way of censuring the poets for such peculiarities, for poets are usually the servants of their
metres and are allowed such licence that faults
are given other names when they occur in poetry:
for we style them
metaplasms,2 schematisms and
schemata,3 as I have said, and make a virtue of
necessity. Their aim will rather be to familiarise the
pupil with the artifices of style and to stimulate his
memory.
[
15]
Further in the elementary stages of such
instruction it will not be unprofitable to show the
different meanings which may be given to each word.
With regard to
glossemala, that is to say words not
in common use, the teacher must exercise no ordinary diligence,
[
16]
while still greater care is required in
teaching all the tropes
4 which are employed for the
adornment more especially of poetry, but of oratory
as well, and in making his class acquainted with the
two sorts of
schemata or figures known as
figures of
speech and
figures of thought.5