An Exegetical and Critical Note on Cic. Inv. 1,10

Abstract

In this paper we examine Cic. Inv. 1, 10 in order to reject the propositions which consist of interpreting "in dictione ac disceptatione" as an allusion to the "genera dicendi" (Achard, Marius Victorinus) or to the "asýstata" (Martin, Grillius). These words are a sort of hendiadys (“a speech involving debate”), which translates the Greek adjective "logikén", present in Hermagoras’ definition of thesis and hypothesis, as reconstructed by Striller and Jaeneke. We also provide new punctuation for this passage, in order to avoid a contradiction with Cic. Inv. 1, 17 (regarding the non-application of status to the quaestiones legales); according to which, the four genitives "aut facti aut nominis aut generis aut actionis" present in Inv. 1, 10 have to refer to "controversiam, not to quaestionem".