Cicero, Zeuxis and Aristotle: Bolstering Auctoritas in De inventione Book 2

Abstract

In the preface to book 2 of De inventione, Cicero narrates how Zeuxis painted his renowned Helen at Croton before explaining the working methods of Aristotle. These stories serve as analogues for the Roman’s own process of researching and composing De inventione. This article examines the argumentative purpose and form of the preface in order to address the longstanding debate over whether the preface truly belongs to the treatise or was appended somewhat haphazardly. Given Cicero’s standing as a young homo novus at the time of composition, the preface, despite being rather misleading, was useful for increasing his own authority. Additionally, the argumentative strategy of the preface harks back to several of the praecepta laid out in book 1. Accordingly, the paper argues that the preface should be seen as integral to the larger De inventione and that it can be analyzed as a useful — albeit complex — example of the importance of inventio for making a compelling argument.