Read the _Rhetorical Equipment_ of Phrynichus the Arabian[642] in
thirty-six books. It contains a collection of words and clauses, some
of which, gracefully expressed and arranged in a novel manner, are
enlarged into complete members.[643] Many of these are to be found in
the collection of Helladius, but there they are dispersed throughout
the bulky work, whereas here they are all collected together, the aim
of Phrynichus being to make a list of special words, while Helladius,
being simply a lexicographer, added them to the common stock and
included them amongst the rest.
The writer flourished during the reign of Marcus Aurelius and his son
Commodus, to whom the work is dedicated and inscribed, “Phrynichus to
Commodus Caesar, greeting.” In the preface he exhorts Commodus to the
pursuit of learning, at the same time praising his own work, of which
he says that he had already composed thirty-seven books and dedicated
them to the emperor, and promising to write as many more if his life
should be spared. As we have said, we have only read thirty-six
books, containing words beginning with the first down to the last
letter of the alphabet.
In spite of his assertion that he dedicated the work to the emperor,
he appears to have inscribed the separate books to different persons.
Thus, the first, second, and third books are addressed to a certain
Aristocles,[644] in the hope that it may serve as an amusement and
source of recreation for him on his birthday; the fourth to a certain
Julian, a fellow-citizen and friend. The author adds that he had at
first intended to dedicate the whole to Aristocles, but after by
the royal decree he became a member of the great council at Rome,
he decided to adopt Julian instead as his friend and associate in
his labours and to make use of his services as the judge and critic
of his writings. In spite of this promise, he dedicates the fifth
book to a learned friend of his, named Menodorus, who had previously
censured him for not having adequately investigated the inflexion
of words. The author says that the present book was written at the
request of Menodorus, and excuses the delay in completing it on the
ground that he is suffering from strangury, a common complaint of old
age, long and serious mental affliction, haemorrhage of the stomach,
and several other ailments. If, however, he should regain his health,
he promises to complete the present commission, and any other work
his friend may suggest that bears upon learning and good taste, and
has not yet been attempted. Nevertheless, the sixth book again is
dedicated to a different person--Tiberinus; the seventh to another
Menophilus, who he says is a consummate scholar and has supplied
whole passages in illustration of the matter of the sixth book, and
exhorts him to collect as many of these words as possible in his
writings. The eighth book is again dedicated to Julian, whom the
author asks to be good enough to correct any of his statements which
are unsatisfactory, for which illness must be his excuse. Inscribing
the ninth to Rufinus, he says that Aristocles first prompted him
to begin the book, but that he (Rufinus) will be responsible for
its completion, because, having seen the rest of it, he recognized
its usefulness and approved of his labours. Turning back again he
dedicates the tenth book to Aristocles, the next to Menodorus,
in which he states that he had just come across the orations of
Aristides,[645] who flourished at the time, and speaks very highly
of him. He also says that Marcianus the critic, neglecting Plato
and Demosthenes, expresses his preference for the letters of the
Roman Brutus[646] to all others and declares him to be the model of
stylistic excellence. The author says that he quotes this remark
not because he approves of this judgment, but to prevent any one
being surprised if some people think this man’s repute inferior
to that of Aristides, despite his splendid oratory; for Aristides
also, like other men distinguished for learning, has been assailed
by some who were jealous of his achievements. The eleventh book is
also dedicated to Menodorus; of the rest--that we may not incur the
charge of garrulity--one to Rheginus, another to Aristocles, another
to Basilides of Miletus, the sophist, in which he says that, as soon
as he found respite from disease, he wrote this book for him, and
begs him to correct the mistakes that may be due to illness. All the
other books, down to the end, which we have read, are dedicated to
Menophilus.
The work will no doubt be useful to aspiring authors and orators.
The compiler says that he has divided the words collected by him
into such as are adapted for oratory, written composition, and
conversation, for a derisive, contemptuous, or amatory style. The
best models, norms, and standards of undiluted and pure Attic speech
are considered by the author to be Plato, Demosthenes and the other
nine Attic orators, Thucydides, Xenophon, Aeschines[647] the son
of Lysanias the Socratic, Critias[648] the son of Callaeschrus,
and Antisthenes[649] with his two orations in praise of Cyrus and
Odysseus; of writers of comedy, Aristophanes and his band, where they
use Attic; of tragedians, Aeschylus the mighty-voiced, Sophocles the
sweet, and the all-wise Euripides. While preferring these to all
other authors, orators, and poets, he again puts first those whom (as
he says) Momus[650] himself would not blame and, even if the fabled
Corycian god[651] made grimaces at them, would not rejoice; these are
Plato, Demosthenes, and Aeschines the son of Lysanias because of the
excellence of his seven dialogues, which some consider not to have
been written by him, but ascribe them to Socrates. So much for these
matters.
The writer displays great learning, but is verbose and excessively
prolix. For the work, without omitting anything of importance, could
have been reduced to a fifth of its size, whereas the author, by an
ill-timed use of words, has spun it out to an unmanageable length,
and while collecting material for elegance and beauty of style, fails
to translate his own precepts into example.