CHAPTER II.
OF THE CHOICE OF WORDS AND EPITHETS.
The virtues of a _word_ are two; the first, that it be _perspicuous_; the second, that it be _decent_, that is, neither _above_ nor _below_ the thing signified, or, neither too humble nor too fine.
_Perspicuous_ are all words that be _proper_.
_Fine_ words are those, that are _borrowed_, or _translated_ from other significations; of which in the _Art of Poetry_.
The reason why _borrowed_ words please, is this. Men are affected with _words_, as they are with _men_; admiring in both that which is _foreign_ and _new_.
To make a _poem_ graceful, many things help; but few an _oration_. For to a _poet_ it sufficeth, with what _words_ he can, to set out his _poem_. But an _orator_ must not only do that, but also seem not to do it: for else he will be thought to speak unnaturally, and not as he thinks; and thereby be the less believed; whereas _belief_ is the scope of his oration.
The _words_ that an _orator_ ought to use are of three sorts; _proper_, such as are _received_, and _metaphors_.
_Words_ taken from foreign languages, words compounded, and words new coined, are seldom to be used.
_Synonymes_ belong to _poets_, and _equivocal_ words to _sophisters_.
An orator if he use _proper_ words, and _received_ and _good metaphors_, shall both make his oration _beautiful_, and not seem to intend it; and shall speak _perspicuously_. For in a _metaphor_ alone there is _perspicuity_, _novity_, and _sweetness_.
Concerning _metaphors_ the rules are these:
1. He that will make the best of a thing, let him draw his _metaphor_ from somewhat that is better. As for example, let him call a _crime_ an _error_. On the other side, when he would make the worst of it, let him draw his _metaphor_ from somewhat worse; as, calling _error_, _crime_.
2. A _metaphor_ ought not to be so far-fetched, as that the similitude may not easily appear.
3. A _metaphor_ ought to be drawn from the noblest things; as the _poets_ do, that choose rather to say _rosy-fingered_, than _red-fingered Aurora_.
In like manner the rule of _epithets_ is, that he that will adorn, should use those of the better sort; and he that will disgrace, should use those of the worse. As Simonides being to write an _ode_ in honour of the victory gotten in a course by certain mules, being not well paid, called them by their name, Ἡμιόνους, that signifies their propinquity to asses: but having received a greater reward, styles them the _sons of swift-footed coursers_.
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