Roman authorities recommended that a very effective way to…
““Roman authorities recommended that a very effective way to persuade and move a person or a council to adopt a particular policy is to offer examples taken from history. Exemplification, as the author of the Ad Herennium wrote, ‘renders a thought more brilliant when used for no other purpose than beauty; clearer, when throwing more light upon what was somewhat obscure; more plausible, when giving the thought a greater verisimilitude; more vivid, when expressing everything so lucidly that the matter can, I may almost say, be touched by the hand’.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Historical examples clarify arguments, making ideas vivid, credible, and persuasive when used for illustration.
In simple terms: Using history makes arguments clearer and more convincing.
Key Takeaway
Use concrete historical cases to support points.
Themes
rhetoric
history
persuasion
clarity
credibility
Mood
analytical
educational
Type
didactic
inspirational
When to use this quote
- public speaking
- writing
- teaching
- debate
Key Concepts
exemplification
argumentation
didacticism
Questions to Reflect On
- What example best illustrates your point?
- When might a historical analogy mislead?
A Different Perspective
Historical analogies can oversimplify complex issues.