Book 10
6.4
For this reason I must postpone some of my remarks to the portion of this work reserved for the treatment of that topic. XI. ii. 1 sqq. At length, however, our powers will have developed so far that the man who is not hampered by lack of natural ability will by dint of persistent study be enabled, when it comes to speaking, to rely no less on what he has thought out than what he has written out and learnt by heart. At any rate, Cicero records that Metrodorus of Scepsis, A philosopher of the Academic school, contemporary with Cicero, cp. de Or. ii. 360. Empylus of Rhodes, Empylus is not mentioned elsewhere. and our own Hortensius Cp. Brut. 301. were able to reproduce what they had thought out word for word when it came to actual pleading.
6.5
If, however, some brilliant improvisation should occur to us while speaking, we must not cling superstitiously to our premeditated scheme. For premeditation is not so accurate as to leave no room for happy inspiration: even when writing we often insert thoughts which occur to us on the spur of the moment. Consequently this form of preparation must be conceived on such lines that we shall find no difficulty either in departing from it or returning to it at will.
