Book 4 — Book IV. Exordium, Narratio, Petitio, Conclusio
Reading edition
The exordium is such a prelude to the statement of the facts as will make the hearer[28] open-minded, well disposed, and attentive.
The reader’s sympathy is engaged by the writer’s reference to himself, to his opponent,[29] to his reader, or to the occasion. According to the nature of the subject, the exordium may be either direct (principium) or indirect (insinuatio). Its diction must be fluent, correct, unstudied, i.e., it must avoid harshness, deviation from recognized usage, and pomp.[30] Especially must the writer avoid any language that can be turned against him. To begin with a proverb, though this is advised by some authors,[31] is to deviate the exordium from its proper function.
Narratio, statement of the facts,[32] should be concise, transparently clear, and plausible (brevis, dilucida, verisimilis). The application of the ancient maxim is to the connection of narratio with exordium by proper conjunctions and in several possible cases. Similarly are set forth the ways of connecting it with the following petitio, which is summarily defined. Conclusio in a letter is not, as in a speech, the logical result of proof. Rather it is the satisfaction of whatever expectations have been aroused. It may be affirmative, negative, or conditional, so long as it is a satisfying close. Modes of connecting it with the rest of the letter again have most space.