Grice e Tullio

 Here is the brilliant Grice/Speranza pedagogical register, structured as a deep, four-move Latin philosophical dialogue (conversatio) between a master tutor and his analytical tutee.

Each exchange explores how a rhetorical figure functions as a systematic blueprint for flouting conversational maxims to alter conventional semantic baselines into speaker meaning (\(M_{NN}\)).

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Adgominazione (Agnominatio / Paronomasia)

• Tutee: Quaeso, magister, quae est definitio adgominationis? (I ask, master, what is the definition of adgominazione?)
• Tutor: Est figura qua voces sono similes sed re diversae inter se comparantur. (It is a figure whereby words similar in sound but different in reality are compared with one another.)
• Tutee: Explica, obsecro, vim huius termini in sermone ordinario. (Explain, I beseech you, the force of this term in ordinary speech.)
• Tutor: Hic terminus ex 'ad' et 'gomen' derivatur, significans mutationem litterarum qua auditoris animus ex una notione ad aliam rapitur; sicut Cicero dixit: "Ut Verres omnia everrat!"
  • +> that Gaius Verres is a rapacious thief who is systematically looting the province of all its wealth under the guise of legal administration.

Allegoria (Allegoria)

• Tutee: Dic mihi, magister, quid significet definitio allegoriae? (Tell me, master, what does the definition of allegoria signify?)
• Tutor: Est continuata translatio, qua aliud verbis, aliud sensu ostenditur. (It is a continuous metaphor, whereby one thing is shown in words, another in meaning.)
• Tutee: Quomodo hic terminus mentis humanae intentionem mutat? (How does this term alter the intention of the human mind?)
• Tutor: Ex Graeco ducitur ut 'aliud in foro dicere', quo intellectus superficiem literalem deserit ut occultum veritatis nucleum inveniat; sicut Philippus consul in senatu declamavit: "Fluit res publica quasi vulnere super vulnus."
  • +> that the Roman state is currently hemorrhaging stability and heading toward absolute internal collapse due to successive political crises.

Allusione (Allusio)

• Tutee: Cuperem scire, quae sit definitio allusionis? (I would wish to know, what is the definition of allusione?)
• Tutor: Est figura qua sententia latenter ad personam vel rem historicam refertur. (It is a figure whereby an utterance covertly refers to a historical person or matter.)
• Tutee: Quid ipse terminus de communi notatione nobis aperit? (What does the term itself reveal to us about shared notation?)
• Tutor: Ab 'alludere' dicitur, quasi lusus intellectus qui fundamentum in communi notione habet, nam auditor rem non dictam ex parva scintilla cognoscit; sicut Caesar ad Rubiconem exclamavit: "Iacta alea esto!"
  • +> that the fateful decision is irrevocably made and we are entirely committing our lives to fate and political gamble.

Anaphora (Anaphora)

• Tutee: Doce me, magister, quae sit definitio anaphorae? (Teach me, master, what is the definition of anaphora?)
• Tutor: Est repetitio eiusdem verbi vel sermonis in principiis iunctorum populorum. (It is the repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginnings of joined clauses.)
• Tutee: Cur hic terminus tantam redundantiam postulat? (Why does this term demand such redundancy?)
• Tutor: Signat 'relationem vel repetitionem sursum ductam', qua loquens superfluitatem adhibet ut auditorem non ad novas res sed ad eandem vim animi vehementer adducat; sicut Tiberius Gracchus pro plebe clamavit: "Nullam sedem propriam, nullum larem possident!"
  • +> that the very men shedding blood for the empire are being completely and utterly disenfranchised by greedy aristocratic landowners.

Antitesi (Antithesis)

• Tutee: Explica mihi, quaeso, definitionem antitesis. (Explain to me, I ask, the definition of antitesi.)
• Tutor: Est contrariorum designata et inter se posita comparatio. (It is the designated and mutually juxtaposed comparison of opposites.)
• Tutee: Quid hic terminus de symmetria sermonis docet? (What does this term teach concerning the symmetry of speech?)
• Tutor: Ex oppositione constat, ubi verba contra verba quasi in acie instruuntur ut ex pugna contrariorum purissima veritas eluceat; sicut Cato Ille de inertia monuit: "Vita hominis sicut ferrum est: si exerces, atteritur; si non exerces, rubigo eum consumit."
  • +> that perpetual, vigorous civic and physical effort is the only way to prevent moral and national decay.

Aposiopesi (Aposiopesis / Reticentia)

• Tutee: Quae est definitio aposiopesis, optime praeceptor? (What is the definition of aposiopesi, best preceptor?)
• Tutor: Est abruptio sententiae antequam structuralis eius cursus finiatur. (It is the breaking off of an utterance before its structural course is finished.)
• Tutee: Quomodo silentium hoc terminat intentionem loquentis? (How does this silence terminate the intention of the speaker?)
• Tutor: Graece dicitur 'post silentium obticere', ubi loquens non propter inscitiam sed propter affectus magnitudinem verba reprimit ut plus intelligatur quam dicitur; sicut Cicero contra Catilinam intonuit: "Hic, hic sunt in nostro numero... qui de nostro omnium interitu cogitent!"
  • +> that the proximity of immediate, lethal domestic treason within the Senate itself is too horrifying to calmly describe.

Circolazione (Chiasmus / Commutatio)

• Tutee: Libenter audirem, quae sit definitio circolationis? (I would gladly hear, what is the definition of circolazione?)
• Tutor: Est orationis conversio, ubi ordo verborum in contrarium reflectitur. (It is the inversion of speech, where the order of words is reflected into its opposite.)
• Tutee: Quid structuralis forma huius termini mutuae relationi tribuit? (What does the structural form of this term attribute to mutual relation?)
• Tutor: Significat motum circularem qui formam litterae X, id est chiasmum, imitatur, ut priora posterioribus et posteriora prioribus eleganter nectantur; sicut Cicero pro Milone scripsit: "Silent enim leges inter arma."
  • +> that physical violence and military force have completely invalidated normal constitutional procedures and protections.

Concessione (Concessio / Epitrope)

• Tutee: Quam definitionem habet concessio, magister? (What definition does concessione have, master?)
• Tutor: Est cum id quod contra nos est per ironiam adversario concedimus. (It is when we ironically concede to our opponent that which stands against us.)
• Tutee: Quid hic terminus de consuetudine et voluntate dicentis indicat? (What does this term indicate about the custom and will of the speaker?)
• Tutor: Signat permissionem simulatione factam, ubi loquens verbis cedit ut re ipsa adversarium in maximi erroris foveam impellat; sicut Caesar senatoribus fugientibus indulsit: "Proficiscamini! Discedite a me, liberi estote!"
  • +> that your cowardly flight is completely inconsequential to my ultimate political victory and dominance.

Disgiunzione (Asyndeton / Dissolutio)

• Tutee: Quae est definitio disgiunctionis in grammatica? (What is the definition of disgiunzione in grammar?)
• Tutor: Est nexuum et coniunctionum ex oratione completa sublatio. (It is the removal of links and conjunctions from a complete utterance.)
• Tutee: Quomodo hic terminus celeritatem loquendi urget? (How does this term urge speed in speaking?)
• Tutor: Signat solutionem vinculorum qua membra orationis sine moris coniunguntur ut res gestae rapidissimo cursu ante oculos currant; sicut Caesar senatui scripsit: "Veni, vidi, vici."
  • +> that the enemy forces were so incredibly weak and insignificant that my victory required zero protracted military effort.

Inversione (Hyperbaton / Transgressio)

• Tutee: Quam formam habet definitio inversionis? (What form does the definition of inversione have?)
• Tutor: Est verborum a recto ordine violenta et longior transgressio. (It is a violent and rather long transgression of words from their right order.)
• Tutee: Quomodo translatio ordinis in hoc termino intellectum movet? (How does the transfer of order in this term move the intellect?)
• Tutor: Signat supergressio structuralem qua verba grammatice debita separantur ut suspensio animi auditoris intentionem acuat; sicut Cicero in exordio clamavit: "Quo usque tandem abutere, Catilina, patientia nostra?"
  • +> that the absolute limit of the Senate's tolerance has been completely shattered by Catiline's ongoing arrogance.

Ironia (Ironia / Illusio)

• Tutee: Rogo te, magister, quae sit definitio ironiae? (I ask you, master, what is the definition of ironia?)
• Tutor: Est figura qua per simulationem diversum sentitur ac dicitur. (It is a figure whereby through simulation a different thing is meant than what is said.)
• Tutee: Quid significat hic terminus de voluntate et intellectu? (What does this term signify concerning will and intellect?)
• Tutor: Graece significat 'dissimulationem', ubi loquens veritatem celat ut eam per contrarium acrius auditores intelligere cogat; sicut Cicero de brevissimo magistratu Rebi cavillatus est: "Vigilantissimum habuimus consulem, qui in toto suo magistratu somnum non vidit!"
  • +> that Caninius's ridiculous, brief appointment was an absolute political farce and a total mockery of traditional Roman office.

Litote (Litotes / Diminutio)

• Tutee: Dic mihi, quaeso, quae sit definitio litotis? (Tell me, I ask, what is the definition of litote?)
• Tutor: Est figura qua res per negationem contrarii extenuatur aut confirmatur. (It is a figure whereby a matter is softened or confirmed by denying its opposite.)
• Tutee: Quid hic terminus de moderatione sermonis manifestat? (What does this term manifest concerning the moderation of speech?)
• Tutor: Signat 'tenuitatem vel simplicitatem' qua dicens directam affirmationem vitat ut cautius vel urbanius veram opinionem proferat; sicut Scipio Aemilianus de Gracchi caede pronuntiavit: "Non iure caesum negem, si is occupandae rei publicae animo fuit."
  • +> that Tiberius Gracchus absolutely deserved to be assassinated for his unconstitutional, dictatorial ambitions.

Permutazione (Metonymia / Transnominatio)

• Tutee: Explica mihi, magister, definitionem permutationis. (Explain to me, master, the definition of permutazione.)
• Tutor: Est unius nominis pro alio ex vicina et propinqua re substitutio. (It is the substitution of one name for another based on a neighboring and close matter.)
• Tutee: Quid hic terminus de nexu verborum nos docet? (What does this term teach us about the connection of words?)
• Tutor: Signat nominationis mutationem ubi causa pro effectu vel organum pro homine ponitur, firmo in communi notione intellectu; sicut Cato Ille de plebe luxuriosa monuit: "Difficile est ad ventremorationem habere, qui oculos non habet."
  • +> that starving or greedy citizens are completely incapable of listening to rational political arguments or logic.

Preterizione (Praeteritio / Occultatio)

• Tutee: Quae est definitio preteritionis, magister? (What is the definition of preterizione, master?)
• Tutor: Est cum dicimus nos rem praeterire quam maxime dicimus et indicamus. (It is when we say we are passing over a matter which we are most of all saying and pointing out.)
• Tutee: Quomodo silentium fictum in hoc termino quantitatem informat? (How does a fictional silence in this term inform quantity?)
• Tutor: Signat transitionem simulatam qua loquens dicit se tacere ut hoc ipso silentio maiorem invidiam ac pondus rei tribuat; sicut Cicero in actione prima de Catilina dixit: "Praetermitto ruinas fortunarum tuarum... praeterire me patior illa quae taceo."
  • +> that Catiline's entire early life is so thoroughly packed with financial ruin and depravity that it barely needs formal listing.

Superlazione (Hyperbole / Exsuperatio)

• Tutee: Quae est definitio superlationis, optime praeceptor? (What is the definition of superlazione, best preceptor?)
• Tutor: Est dictio fidem excedens augendi aut minuendi causa. (It is an expression exceeding belief for the sake of amplifying or minimizing.)
• Tutee: Cur hic terminus limites veri adeo transcendit? (Why does this term transcend the limits of truth to such a degree?)
• Tutor: Ex 'super' et 'latus' ducitur, significans ultra modum naturalem eiectio verborum qua mens non ad falsitatem sed ad rei magnitudinem ducitur; sicut Cicero in Verrem clamavit: "Neque Charybdis tam vorax neque Scylla gurgitibus suis tota monumenta nostra devoravit!"
  • +> that Verres’s industrial-scale corruption and theft completely outstrips the most destructive monsters of classical mythology.

Translatio (Metaphora / Translatio)

• Tutee: Denique, quae est definitio translationis? (Finally, what is the definition of translatio?)
• Tutor: Est verbi ex propria significatione ad alienam cum virtute mutatio. (It is the change of a word from its proper meaning to an unfamiliar one with stylistic virtue.)
• Tutee: Quid hic terminus de impositione prima verborum mutat? (What does this term change concerning the primary imposition of words?)
• Tutor: Significat physicalem translationem ubi nomen ab una re ad alteram propter similitudinem transfertur ut nova voluntas loquentis eluceat; sicut Scipio Africanus de Fabio Maximo dixit: "Fabius est mora nostra."
  • +> that Fabius's excessive caution is actively paralyzing the Roman military and preventing a decisive victory over Carthage.

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Would you like to analyze how Luigi Speranza maps these specific classroom exercises onto the historical evolution of the Roman trivium, or shall we trace these exact Latin responses back to Varro's original etymological definitions?