Marcus Cornelius Fronto→Unknown|c. 162 AD|Marcus Cornelius Fronto|From Rome (career hub)|AI-assisted
Fronto to Velius Rufus the elder, greeting.
The figures of speech are what most adorn an oration. Now there are two kinds of figures: for either they are figures of words, or figures of thought. Among the figures of words is the trope of metaphor. I used this figure when I said "sewer" of a body in which there is neither sound blood nor pure water nor any clear fluid, but everything is corrupted, as in a swamp. But the thing that escapes most people, you ought to know, since you are a man of vigor, strong both by your training and far more by your nature, that figures of speech of this measured sort, in another way <...> [two pages are missing]
to Velius Rufus Senex, greeting. The figures in a speech are what most set off a speech. There are two kinds of figures, for there are verbal figures or figures of thought. Among the former are trope and metaphor. I employed this figure when I applied the word slough to a body in morass, everything rotting. What, however, escapes most people, I should know, that you, a strenuous man and a strong by training, and much more by nature . . . .
ad amicos 1.11 [177 Hout; 2.86 Haines]
Fronto Velio Rufo seni salutem.
Figurae orationis sunt, quae maxime orationem ornant. Duplex autem genus est figurarum: Aut enim verborum figurae sunt aut sententiarum. In figuris verborum est tropos metaphora. Hac figura usus sum, cum ‘cloacam’ dixi de cirpore, in quo neque sangis sincerus neque aqua pura neque ullus umor liquidus, sed ita ut in palude corrupta omnia. Quod autem plerosque fugit, te hominem vehementem et cum doctrina tum multo magis natura validum scire oportet ejus modicae oratorias aliter <...;gt;
[duae paginae desunt]
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Fronto to Velius Rufus the elder, greeting.
The figures of speech are what most adorn an oration. Now there are two kinds of figures: for either they are figures of words, or figures of thought. Among the figures of words is the trope of metaphor. I used this figure when I said "sewer" of a body in which there is neither sound blood nor pure water nor any clear fluid, but everything is corrupted, as in a swamp. But the thing that escapes most people, you ought to know, since you are a man of vigor, strong both by your training and far more by your nature, that figures of speech of this measured sort, in another way <...> [two pages are missing]
AI-assisted translation - This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.
Latin / Greek Original
ad amicos 1.11 [177 Hout; 2.86 Haines] Fronto Velio Rufo seni salutem. Figurae orationis sunt, quae maxime orationem ornant. Duplex autem genus est figurarum: Aut enim verborum figurae sunt aut sententiarum. In figuris verborum est tropos metaphora. Hac figura usus sum, cum ‘cloacam’ dixi de cirpore, in quo neque sangis sincerus neque aqua pura neque ullus umor liquidus, sed ita ut in palude corrupta omnia. Quod autem plerosque fugit, te hominem vehementem et cum doctrina tum multo magis natura validum scire oportet ejus modicae oratorias aliter <...;gt; [duae paginae desunt]