Cicero's De Oratore is a detailed study of the techniques and skills required by the ideal orator, writen in 55 B.C. It is composed as a dialogue, featuring the two leading orators of the previous generation - L.Crassus and M.Antonius - and the date of the dialogue is set in 91 B.C., which gives it an additional historical interest, because few primary sources have survived for the history of that period. This translation is by J.S.Watson (1860), altered in a few places to remove some antiquated words and phrases. The Latin text, as edited by A.S.Wilkins (Oxford, 1902), can be found in Perseus .
The dialogue is split into three books, and links to the translation of each part of these books can be found in the following table.
| Book 1 | Latin text | 1.1-95 | English translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.96-184 | English translation | ||
| 1.185-265 | English translation | ||
| Book 2 | Latin text | 2.1-73 | English translation |
| 2.74-145 | English translation | ||
| 2.146-230 | English translation | ||
| 2.231-297 | English translation | ||
| 2.298-367 | English translation | ||
| Book 3 | Latin text | 3.1-81 | English translation |
| 3.82-170 | English translation | ||
| 3.171-230 | English translation |