1. Cicero: Considered the greatest of ancient Roman Orators
The Classical Oration
Devised by Greek and Roman rhetoricians two thousand years ago for presenting cases in courts or making speeches to the senate
Cicero: Considered the greatest of ancient Roman Orators
Adapted from everything’s an argument by M. Gaines/2010

2. Still Relevant Today
Elements of classical oration still influence our attitudes
toward persuasion,
especially political speeches
and debates, because the
oration taught speakers and
writers to think of arguments as debates that have winners and losers.

3. Sequence of Six Parts
Exordium (from Latin “ to urge forward”): the speaker/writer tries to win the attention and goodwill of an audience while introducing a subject or problem
Show importance of the issue.
Show how the issue affects the audience.
Show how the issue affects everyone.
Show how the issue affects the general good of the community.

4. Narratio: Statement of the Case
Narratio: The speaker/writer presents the facts of the case, explaining what happened when, who is involved, and so on. The narratio puts an argument in context

5. Partitio
Partitio: The speaker/writer divides up, or partitions, the subject, explaining what the claim is, what the key issues are, and in what order the subject will be treated

6. Confirmatio: Argumentsthat Make the Case
Confirmatio: The speaker/writer offers detailed support for the claim, using both logical reasoning and factual evidence

7. Refutatio: Arguments constructed to anticipate opposing arguments
Refutatio: The speaker/writer acknowledges and then refutes opposing claims or evidence

8. Peroratio: The Conclusion
Peroratio: The speaker/writer summarizes the case and moves the audience to action

9. Declaration of Independence
Identify the structure of the Declaration of Independence using the Classic Oration elements
Use the following format:
Exordium: Begins, “When in the course…” and explains why the document is necessary…
The Narratio follows… (quote from this section and explanation)
Do this for the entire document – identifying the classical oration element and a brief quote from the section and an explanation