1. No man can be an orator unless he is a good man. For it is impossible to regard as gifted with intelligence those who, when they are offered the choice between the two paths of virtue and vice, choose the latter. Unless it first be free from vice, the mind will not find leisure even for the study of the noblest tasks. A bad man says things differently than he thinks, while a good man's words are as sincere as his thoughts. The object of all oratory is to state that which is just and true.
2. Therefore, the orator must devote his attention to the formation of moral character, and must acquire a complete knowledge of all that is just and honorable. The knowledge of these subjects must be sought from the philosophers. Above all things, the orator must study morality.
3. The orator will also require a knowledge of civil law and of the custom and religion of the state in whose life he is to bear his part.
4. Above all, the orator should be equipped with a rich store of examples both old and new; and he ought not merely to know those that are recorded in history or are transmitted by oral tradition or occur from day to day, but also fictitious examples invented by great poets.
5. The most important of all qualities to an orator are firmness and presence of mind. Natural advantages, such as speech organs, vocal tone, body strength, and grace of motion, should be cultivated and improved by art.
6. The age at which the orator should begin to plead will, of course, depend on the development of his strength. In my opinion, he should aim at the mean.
7. He should exercise care in the choice of his cases. A good man will undoubtedly prefer defense to prosecution. He must not choose those cases simply because they are more powerful. Neither should he support inferiors against those of higher degree. He will not seek to make more money than is sufficient.
8. Concerning how a case should be studied, ample time ought to be allowed for an interview in order to ensure that the litigant will stick to what he originally says.
9. Concerning actual pleading, the orator should not be led by the desire to win applause.
10. There is as much diversity in different styles of oratory as there is in painting and sculpture.
11. After employing eloquence in the courts, councils, and public assemblies, the orator will bring his activities to a close in a manner worthy of a blameless life.