修辭教育與共和政體：西塞羅論理想演說家

Rhetorical Education and Republican Regime: Cicero on the Ideal Orator

胡全威(Chuan-Wei Hu)

《政治與社會哲學評論》 60期 (2017/03) Pp. 1-40

https://doi.org/10.6523/168451532017030060001

摘要

本文以西塞羅的《論理想演說家》（De Oratore）作為主要詮釋文本，指出西塞羅藉由幾位優異演說家作為對話角色，傳達演說家對於政體的貢獻。其中，西塞羅強調必須透過演說家的教育或設立理想演說家作為典範，作為維繫共和政體的重要關鍵。因此，本文論證西塞羅是以維繫共和體制存在作為前提，而勉勵演說家藉由廣泛的文化－人文教育（humanitas）薰陶，培養自身，獲得引導群眾朝向做出有利共和體制穩定發展的能力。對於當代而言，培養理想演說家，著眼在說服群眾的能力，這是民主政治中重要的公民素養。這不僅可作為捍衛民主共和體制的種子；另方面也促使群眾溝通間能更加順暢，這些都是有益於當代民主政治的發展，同時也能反應當前社會的需要。

關鍵字

修辭 ； 演說 ； 西塞羅 ； 政體 ； 共和

並列摘要

What is the role of an orator in a regime? Cicero claims that orators, the major characters in a republic, aggregate public opinions and negotiate different beliefs. These orators are opinion leaders, and even the leaders of the republic, but only if the orators can properly present the thoughts of the mass and communicate and solve conflicts, taking the responsibility of governing. However, some ambitious demagogues with persuasive speech manipulate the multitudes and divide the community in their own interest. Plato, for instance, criticizes rhetoric as mere argumentative trickery and flattery, while Aristotle blames demagogues for wielding power to dominate people in the name of democracy. How, then, does Cicero solve the controversial issues between orators and the public order? Are orators more beneficial or hurtful for the regime? This paper focuses on Cicero's De Oratore and offers the author's interpretation aiming to solve the above problems. The author claims that Cicero coordinates the problems, through the dialogues of several contemporary famous orators, by setting up examples of the education of ideal orators. Education is to cultivate a citizen through liberal education, i.e. humanitas. Only through this cultivation can an ideal statesman be educated and hence be able to maintain the republic.

並列關鍵字

rhetoric ； oratory ； Cicero ； regime ； republic

參考文獻

Aristotle. Pol. 1984　The Politics, trans. by Carnes Lord. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Allen, Danielle S. 2004. Talking to Strangers: Anxieties of Citizenship since Brown v. Board of Education. Chicago; London: The University of Chicago Press.

Arnhart, Larry. 1981. Aristotle on Political Reasoning: A Commentary on the Rhetoric. DeKalb: Northern Illinois University Press.

Conley, Thomas M. 1990. Rhetoric in the European Tradition. New York; London: Longman.

Dugan, John. 2009. “Rhetoric and the Roman Republic,” in Erik Gunderson ed., The Cambridge Companion to Ancient Rhetoric. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 178-193.