Skip to content

You can see for what reason I commend the study of eloquence to you—because we can neither explain what we ourselves want, nor understand the surviving writing written by our ancestors, unless we have thoroughly studied a fixed rule for speaking. For my part, I do not see how there could be others who wish neither to explain what they think, nor to understand what is excellently said.

— Philip Melanchthon Praise of Eloquence (1523)

Another quote →

More quotes by Philip Melanchthon

The shadow does not follow the body more closely than eloquence accompanies sagacity.

Praise of Eloquence (1523)

What do you believe was on the mind of the ancient Romans that they called the arts of speaking humanity? They judged that, indisputably, by the study of these disciplines not only was the tongue refined, but also the wildness and barbarity of people’s minds was amended.

Praise of Eloquence (1523)

Sagacity and eloquence are linked together to such an extent that they cannot be torn asunder for any reason.

Praise of Eloquence (1523)

How miserable is the condition of men when the better a thing is, the further it recedes from our sight and the less it is recognized.

Praise of Eloquence (1523)

Trouble and perplexity drive me to prayer, and prayer drives away perplexity and trouble.

All Philip Melanchthon quotes →

Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Philip Melanchthon (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.