Brutus, or On Eminent Orators Passage 283

sed ad Calvum - is enim nobis erat propositus - revertamur; qui orator fuit cum litteris eruditior quam Curio tum etiam accuratius quoddam dicendi et exquisitius adferebat genus; quod quamquamn scienter eleganterque tractabat, nimium tamen inquirens in se atque ipse sese observans metuensque ne vitiosum colligeret, etiam verum sanguinem deperdebat . Itaque eius oratio nimia religione attenuata doctis et attente audientibus erat inlustris, a multitudine autem et a foro, cui nata eloquentia est, devorabatur.

But let us return to Calvus, for he was our subject. As an orator he was more deeply educated in literature than Curio and also brought to speaking a more precise and refined style. Although he handled it knowledgeably and elegantly, by examining himself too much, constantly watching himself, and fearing that he might contract some fault, he lost even his true lifeblood. Accordingly, his speech, attenuated by excessive scruple, was brilliant to learned and attentive listeners, but was swallowed up by the multitude and by the forum, for which eloquence was born.

Mais revenons à Calvus, car c’est lui que nous avions en vue. Il fut un orateur plus instruit dans les lettres que Curio et apporta une manière de parler plus précise et plus recherchée. Bien qu’il la pratiquât avec science et élégance, en s’examinant trop, en s’observant lui-même et en craignant de recueillir quelque défaut, il perdait jusqu’au sang véritable de son éloquence. Ainsi son discours, amaigri par un scrupule excessif, brillait aux yeux des savants qui l’écoutaient attentivement, mais il était englouti par la foule et par le forum, pour lequel l’éloquence est née.