De Oratore
Cicero's dialogue on the ideal orator as moral guide.
De Oratore (On the Orator) is a dialogue on rhetoric written by the Roman statesman and orator Cicero in 55 BC. Cicero composed it after his return from exile, a period marked by street violence and the destruction of his house by the gangs of Clodius. In the dialogue, Cicero refers to Neoptolemus as an example of a person who acquired a name through his actions, and also uses Neoptolemus as portrayed in Ennius’ tragedy to argue that an orator should engage with philosophy only to a limited extent.
- author
- Marcus Tullius Cicero
- year_written
- 55 BC
- setting_year
- 91 BC
- field
- Rhetoric, Philosophy
- nationality
- Roman
- known_for
- Describing the ideal orator as a master of both rhetorical technique and moral p
Lore & Background
In his work De Oratore, Cicero refers to Neoptolemus as an example of a person who acquired a name through his actions. Neoptolemus was originally called Pyrrhus but gained the name 'Neoptolemus' through his exploits at Troy. Cicero uses this story to make a joke about a Roman politician named Nummius, whose name resembles the Latin word nummus ('coin'). Since Nummius was known for distributing money during elections, Cicero quips that he 'found a name' in the Campus Martius, a large public area in ancient Rome where citizens gathered for various civic activities, including elections, just as Neoptolemus found one at Troy. Cicero, in another passage of his work, refers to Neoptolemus as portrayed in Ennius’ tragedy to argue that an orator should engage with philosophy only to a limited extent, enough to gain useful insight, but not so deeply as to become a professional philosopher. He uses Neoptolemus as a literary example because the character was associated with practical action rather than only abstract theorizing.
Reader's Guide
De Oratore holds a significant place in the history of rhetoric and political thought. Cicero wrote it during a period of personal and political turmoil—after his return from exile and amid the violence of Clodius's gangs—and used the dialogue to imagine the orator as a moral guide for a state in moral and political decline. By merging rhetorical technique with philosophical principles, Cicero argued that oratory, if unprincipled, could endanger the community, and thus the ideal orator must be both technically skilled and ethically grounded. The work's influence extends beyond its immediate context. It preserved and transmitted Greek rhetorical concepts to the Roman world and later to European education. Its description of the method of loci contributed to the development of memory techniques. The dialogue's structure, inspired by Plato, set a model for philosophical dialogues on practical arts. Cicero's insistence that the orator must have wide knowledge—in law, history, and ethics—shaped the ideal of the learned public speaker for centuries. De Oratore remains a key text for understanding Roman rhetoric, the political crises of the late Republic, and Cicero's own intellectual legacy.
Did You Know?
- Cicero uses Neoptolemus as an example of a person who acquired a name through his actions, originally called Pyrrhus but gaining the name 'Neoptolemus' through his exploits at Troy.
- Cicero makes a joke about a Roman politician named Nummius, whose name resembles the Latin word nummus ('coin'), by comparing him to Neoptolemus finding a name at Troy.
- Cicero refers to Neoptolemus as portrayed in Ennius’ tragedy to argue that an orator should engage with philosophy only to a limited extent.
- Cicero uses Neoptolemus as a literary example because the character was associated with practical action rather than only abstract theorizing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is De Oratore?
De Oratore, meaning 'On the Orator,' is a philosophical dialogue on rhetoric written by the Roman statesman Cicero in 55 BC. Set in 91 BC during the last days of the orator Lucius Licinius Crassus, it envisions the ideal speaker as a moral guide for a troubled state.
Who wrote De Oratore and when was it composed?
The work was authored by Marcus Tullius Cicero in 55 BC, shortly after his return from political exile. It sits at the intersection of rhetoric and philosophy and draws heavily on his Roman political experience.
What is the setting of the De Oratore dialogue?
The conversation takes place in 91 BC, during the final days of Lucius Licinius Crassus, who is gravely ill. This timing places the discussion against a backdrop of political instability in the late Roman Republic.
Why did Cicero write De Oratore?
Cicero composed the dialogue after his return from exile, a period marked by street violence and the destruction of his home by the gangs of Clodius. The work let him articulate a vision of the orator as a stabilizing moral force amid political crisis.
What is the central argument of De Oratore?
Cicero insists that a truly great orator must pair mastery of rhetorical technique with deep moral and philosophical knowledge. Rather than being a mere technician of persuasion, the ideal speaker serves as an ethical guide for the entire state.
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