Institutes of Oratory

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This single-volume English translation of "Institutio Oratoria" is the first of its kind, presenting a comprehensive treatise on the orator's education by Roman rhetorician Marcus Fabius Quintilianus, written during the reign of Emperor Domitian (81-96 CE). In twelve books, Quintilian covers various aspects of education, including the training of young children, rhetorical theory (focusing on argument invention, arrangement, style, memory, and performance), literary criticism, gesture, rhythm, and the ethics of persuasion. His work has significantly influenced education from Late Antiquity through the Renaissance and into modern times. The translation is based on the Rev. John Selby Watson's version, first published in 1856 in two volumes, now in the public domain. This edition updates Watson's respected translation to align with contemporary language use. While other editions of Watson's translation exist, they are often low-quality scans of out-of-copyright versions that typically present only part of the work, despite claiming to be complete. This re-typeset edition stands out as the only one to offer the entire text of Quintilian's work in a single volume.