Orator Passage 55

quo modo autem dicatur, id est in duobus, in agendo et in eloquendo. Est enim actio quasi corporis quaedam eloquentia, cum constet e voce atque motu. Vocis mutationes totidem sunt quot animorum, qui maxime voce commoventur. Itaque ille perfectus, quem iam dudum nostra indicat oratio, utcumque se adfectum videri et animum audientis moveri volet, ita certum vocis admovebit sonum; de quo plura dicerem, si hoc praecipiendi tempus esset aut si tu hoc quaereres. Dicerem etiam de gestu, cum quo iunctus est vultus; quibus omnibus dici vix potest quantum intersit quem ad modum utatur orator.

How something is said consists of two things: delivery and expression. Delivery is a sort of eloquence of the body, since it consists of voice and movement. The variations of the voice are as numerous as the emotions, which are moved above all by the voice. Therefore that perfect orator whom our discourse has long been indicating will apply a definite tone of voice according to whatever emotion he wishes to seem to feel and whatever movement he wishes to produce in his listener's mind. I would say more about this if this were the occasion for instruction, or if this were what you had asked. I would also speak of gesture and the facial expression joined with it. It can scarcely be said how much difference the orator's use of all these things makes.

La manière de parler comprend deux éléments: l’action et l’expression. L’action est comme une éloquence du corps, puisqu’elle se compose de la voix et du mouvement. Les variations de la voix sont aussi nombreuses que celles des âmes, que la voix émeut au plus haut point. Ainsi l’orateur parfait que notre discours désigne depuis longtemps donnera à sa voix la tonalité précise qui correspond à l’émotion qu’il voudra paraître éprouver et produire dans l’âme de l’auditeur. J’en dirais davantage si le moment était venu de donner des préceptes ou si telle était ta question. Je parlerais également du geste, auquel le visage est associé. On peut à peine exprimer l’importance de l’usage que l’orateur fait de tous ces moyens.