Quintilian on the Teaching of Speaking and Writing ― Translations from Books One, Two, and Ten of the "Institutio Oratoria"

Quintilian on the Teaching of Speaking and Writing, edited by James J. Murphy and Cleve Wiese, offers scholars and students insights into the pedagogies of Marcus Fabius Quintilianus (ca. 35–ca. 95 CE), one of Rome’s most famous teachers of rhetoric. Providing translations of three key sections from Quintilian’s important and influentialInstitutio oratoria (Education of the Orator), this volume outlines the systematic educational processes that Quintilian inherited from the Greeks, foregrounding his rationale for rhetorical education based on the interrelationship between reading, speaking, listening, and writing, and emphasizing the blending of moral purpose and artistic skill.

Translated here, Books One, Two, and Ten of the Institutio oratoria offer the essence of Quintilian’s holistic rhetorical educational plan that ranges from early interplay between seen- and heard-language to later honing offacilitas, the readiness to use language in any situation. Along with these translations, this new edition ofQuintilian on the Teaching of Speaking and Writing also contains an expanded scholarly introduction with an enhanced theoretical and historical section, an expanded discussion of teaching methods, and a new analytic guide directing the reader to a closer examination of the translations themselves.

A contemporary approach to one of the most influential educational works in the history of Western culture,Quintilian on the Teaching of Speaking and Writing provides access not only to translations of key sections of Quintilian’s educational program but also a robust contemporary framework for the training of humane and effective citizens through the teaching of speaking and writing.

James J. Murphy is a professor emeritus at the University of California, Davis. He is the author, coauthor, or editor of many books on rhetoric, includingA Short History of Writing Instruction and A Synoptic History of Classical Rhetoric.

Cleve Wiese is an assistant professor of English at Worcester State University in Worcester, Massachusetts. His work has appeared inKairos: A Journal of Rhetoric, Technology, and Pedagogy.