_ars dicendi_—the art of speaking; oratory.
_ad dicendum se conferre_—to devote oneself to oratory.
_dicendi_[1] _praecepta tradere_—to teach rhetoric.
_rhetor, dicendi magister_—a teacher of rhetoric.
_facultas dicendi_—oratorical talent.
_natum, factum esse ad dicendum_—to be a born orator.
_facilem et expeditum esse ad dicendum_ (Brut. 48. 180)—to be a ready,
fluent speaker.
_rudem, tironem ac rudem_ (opp. _exercitatum_) _esse in dicendo_—to be
an inexperienced speaker.
_disertum esse_ (De Or. 1. 21. 94)—to be fluent.
_eloquentem esse_ (De Or. 1. 21. 94)—to be a capable, finished speaker.
_eloquentia valere_—to be very eloquent.
_dicendi arte florere_—to be very eloquent.
_eloquentiae laude florere_—to be a distinguished orator.
_vis dicendi_—oratorical power.
_multum dicendo valere, posse_—to have great weight as a speaker.
_eloquentiae principatum tenere_—to be considered the foremost orator.
_primum_ or _principem inter oratores locum obtinere_—to be considered
the foremost orator.
_oratorum principem esse_—to be considered the foremost orator.
_orationem conficere_—to compose a speech.
_orationem commentari_ (Fam. 16. 26)—to prepare, get up a speech.
_oratio meditata_ (Plin. 26. 3. 7)—a prepared speech.
_subito, ex tempore_ (opp. _ex praeparato_) _dicere_—to speak extempore.
_oratio subita_—an extempore speech.
_oratio perpetua_—a continuous discourse.
_oratio accurata_[2] _et polita_—a carefully prepared speech.
_oratio composita_—an elaborate speech.
_contentio_ (opp. _sermo_) (Off. 2. 48)—pathetic address; emotional
language.
_copiose dicere_—to speak very fluently.
_ornate dicere_—to speak well, elegantly.
_libere dicere_ (Verr. 2. 72. 176)—to speak frankly, independently.
_plane, aperte dicere_—to speak openly, straightforwardly.
_perspicue, diserte dicere_—to speak in clear, expressive language.
_missis ambagibus dicere_—to speak without circumlocution.
_accommodate ad persuadendum dicere_—to be a persuasive speaker.
_aggredi ad dicendum_[3]—to come forward to make a speech; to address
the house.
_verba facere apud_[4] _populum, in contione_—to address a meeting of
the people.
_in contionem (in rostra) escendere_[5] (only of Romans)—to mount the
rostra.
_orationem habere_ (Tusc. 5. 33. 94)—to make a speech.
_initium dicendi facere_—to begin to speak.
_finem dicendi facere_—to cease speaking.
_perorare_—(1) to make one's peroration; (2) to deliver the closing
speech (in a case where several speeches have been made).
_animos audientium permovere, inflammare_—to make an impression on
one's audience.
_animos tenere_—to rivet the attention of...
_audientiam sibi (orationi) facere_—to obtain a hearing.
_solutum et expeditum esse ad dicendum_—to be never at a loss for
something to say.
_lingua promptum esse_—to have a ready tongue.
_celeritas in respondendo_—readiness in debate, in repartee.
_bonis lateribus_[6] _esse_—to have good lungs.
_linguae solutio_—volubility.
[1] Note the way in which the Latin language prefers a concrete
expression in the plural to represent our abstract "rhetoric," cf.
_musica (-orum), astra, numeri, soni_ = music, astronomy, arithmetic,
acoustics (_vid._ vii. 14).
[2] _accuratus_ is only used of things, never of persons.
[3] _surgere ad dicendum_ is only used of some one who has been till
now seated (De Or. 2. 78. 316).
[4] _apud_ is used of appearing before an official assembly, e.g.
_apud populum, apud senatum, apud iudices_. _coram_ is used of an
informal casual meeting.
[5] _escendere_ is more common than _ascendere_, cf. _in contionem
escendere_ (Cic. Att. 4. 2. 3; Liv. 2. 7. 7, etc. etc.) Similarly _in
rostra escendere_ (Cic. Liv.), _in tribunal escendere_ (Liv.) Later
_suggestum, rostra escendere_ (Tac. Ann. 15. 59; ibid. 13. 5.).
[6] _latus_ is never used in the singular in good Latin with the
meaning "lungs,", "breath," "vigour," cf. Cic. _iam me dies, vox,
latera deficient si..._ In a somewhat similar way _lacerti_ is used of
oratorical vigour, e.g. _ipse hastas...oratoris lacertis viribusque
torquebit_ (De Or. 1. 57. 242).