[2.1.4] τὸ μὲν (27) οὖν ποιόν τινα φαίνεσθαι τὸν λέγοντα χρησιμώτερον εἰς τὰς (28) συμβουλάς ἐστιν,
τὸ δὲ διακεῖσθαί πως τὸν ἀκροατὴν εἰς τὰς (29) δίκας·
οὐ γὰρ ταὐτὰ φαίνεται φιλοῦσι καὶ μισοῦσιν, οὐδ’ (30) ὀργιζομένοις καὶ πράως ἔχουσιν, ἀλλ’ ἢ τὸ παράπαν ἕτερα ἢ (1378a1) κατὰ μέγεθος ἕτερα·
τῷ μὲν γὰρ φιλοῦντι περὶ οὗ ποιεῖται (2) τὴν κρίσιν ἢ οὐκ ἀδικεῖν ἢ μικρὰ δοκεῖ ἀδικεῖν, τῷ δὲ μισοῦντι (3) τοὐναντίον·
καὶ τῷ μὲν ἐπιθυμοῦντι καὶ εὐέλπιδι ὄντι, ἐὰν ᾖ (4) τὸ ἐσόμενον ἡδύ, καὶ ἔσεσθαι καὶ ἀγαθὸν ἔσεσθαι φαίνεται,
τῷ (5) δ’ ἀπαθεῖ <ἢ> καὶ δυσχεραίνοντι τοὐναντίον.
وأما المعرفة بالمتكلم أي امرئ هو فإنها تُعيَّن بزيادة عند التشاور
وأما المعرفة بالسامع بأية حال هو ففي الحكومات
لأنه ليست أحكامهم فيمن أحبوه ومن قلوه شيئا واحدا ولا فيمن كانوا غضابا عليه أو كافّين عنه بل هي مختلفة البتة أو مختلفة في القدر والمبلغ
فإن الحاكم قد يتلون في الحكم على من يحكم عليه فأما الذي يحبه فيعتمد ألا يخسّره أو يخسّره اليسير وأما الذي يبغضه فخلاف ذلك
وكذلك أما الذي يُرى منشرحا حسن الظن فإنه يصير إلى خير إن كان الأمر المتوقع لذيذا
وأما الذي لا يكترث ويتعسر فخلاف ذلك
(videri quidem igitur qualem quendam dicentem utilius in consultationibus est,
assentire vero qualiter auditorern in iustitiis);
non enim eadem videntur amantibus et odientibus, neque irascentibus et humiliter se habentibus, sed aut extra omne alia aut secundum magnitudinem alia;
diligenti enim de quo facit iudicium aut non iniustificare aut parva existimare iniustificare, odienti vero contrarium;
et desideranti quidem et bene speranti, si fuerit futurum delectabile, et erit et bonum [et erit] esse videtur,
dissuaso vero et difficili contrarium.
(apparere quidem igitur qualem quendam dicentem utili us ad consilia est,
disponi autem aliqualiter auditorem ad litigia);
non enim eadem videntur amantibus et odientibus, neque iratis et mansuete se habentibus, sed aut omnino altcra aut secundum magnitudinem altera;
a1nanti quidem cnim eurn de quo facit iudicium aut non iniustum fecisse aut secundum parva videtur iniustum fecisse, odienti autem contrarium;
et concupiscenti quidem et confidenti, si sit quod futurum delectabile, et fore et bonum fore videtur,
desperato autem et aspernanti contrarium.
That the orator’s own character should look right is particularly important in political speaking:
that the audience should be in the right frame of mind, in lawsuits.
When people are feeling friendly and placable, they think one sort of thing; when they are feeling angry or hostile, they think either something totally different or the same thing with a different intensity:
when they feel friendly to the man who comes before them for judgement, they regard him as having done little wrong, if any; when they feel hostile, they take the opposite view.
Again, if they are eager for, and have good hopes of, a thing that will be pleasant if it happens, they think that it certainly will happen and be good for them:
whereas if they are indifferent or annoyed, they do not think so.
