Quintus Cornificius The supposed author of a Latin rhetoric dedicated to a certain Herennius. Date of Birth: .

1. Alleged Author of Rhetorica ad Herennium
2. The Treatise: Rhetorica ad Herennium
3. Roman Perspective and Examples
4. Cicero's Influence
5. Editions and Scholarship

Alleged Author of Rhetorica ad Herennium

The authorship of the Latin work known as Rhetorica ad Herennium has been a subject of speculation. The most commonly proposed author is an individual referred to as Cornificius.

The Treatise: Rhetorica ad Herennium

Written around 85 BCE, Rhetorica ad Herennium is a comprehensive treatise on rhetoric. It is the second Latin prose work to survive in its entirety, after Cato's work on agriculture. It stands as one of the finest works of its kind.

Roman Perspective and Examples

Although the author drew upon Greek sources, they made a conscious effort to present a distinctly Roman perspective. Greek technical terms were replaced with Roman equivalents, and examples were taken from or adapted from ancient Roman writers.

Cicero's Influence

Despite not being the true author, Cicero relied heavily on Rhetorica ad Herennium in his early work, De inventione. Cicero did not acknowledge his source, leading to its misattribution to him in later antiquity and the Middle Ages.

Editions and Scholarship

Rhetorica ad Herennium has been published in various editions, including one by M. Kayser (Leipzig, 1854). It continues to be studied by scholars interested in ancient rhetoric and the development of Roman prose.