An Outline of Classical RhetoricIf the reader has followed the argument outlined above, then it should be clear that there is no “one size fits all” approach to rhetoric. The rhetor cannot develop a set stump speech and hit the road with it, expecting that anyone in the world would want to hear it, just as it is. Understanding this is part of rhetorical skill. Neither should rhetoric be associated with the sort of speaking skills which can be gathered from Toastmasters, or an average speech class. The positive skills to be learned there are certainly a part of rhetoric (e.g., “Don’t mumble.”), but the idea of rhetoric goes far beyond this simple or plain approach. Cicero distinguished three different types of oratory. The first was genus grande—the grand style. Here the speech was composed of great and impressive words, and arranged with a good deal of ornament. The second style is the middle style which is considerably less elevated. It is more relaxed, but would never degenerate into slang. The purpose of this second, or middle, style is to please or entertain an audience.The last can be called the simple or plain style (is grabmyessay legit). This last style uses a conversational manner, and will include idioms from contemporary speech. The purpose of this style is to instruct and audience, or prove a point. Of course, the trained student of rhetoric will select the correct manner of address best suited for the occasion.The “life” of the speech is distinguished in the following ways. The first is inventio, or invention. The speaker must first determine what he is going to say. The second element is dispositio, or arrangement. How will the various things to be said be arranged or ordered? The third is elocutio or style. How will it be said? Particular emphasis should be placed here on the three distinctions of style mentioned above. The fourth element is memory—the process of committing to memory what one is going to say. The last element is delivery. The various rules and divisions of classical rhetoric are arranged under these heads.