Thus rhetoric, it seems, is a producer of persuasion for belief, not for instruction in the matter of right and wrong ... And so the rhetorician's business is not to instruct a law court or a public meeting in matters of right and wrong, but only to make them believe.

Sons, the event proves that your fathers were brave men; for we might have lived dishonourably, but have preferred to die honourably rather than bring you and …

Then the case is the same in all the other arts for the orator and his rhetoric; there is no need to know the truth of the actual matters, but one merely needs…

The orators-and the despots-have the least power in their cities ... since they do nothing that they wish to do, practically speaking, though they do whatever …

Les passions sont les seuls orateurs qui persuadent toujours. Elles sont comme un art de la nature dont les regles sont infaillibles; et l'homme le plus simple…

It is simplicity that makes the uneducated more effective than the educated when addressing popular audiences.

It is rather a pity, considered from the standpoint of the professional politician or opinion-taker, that nobody knows exactly what 'credibility' is, or how on…