The Trivium was a classic set of studies during the Middle Ages for anyone working on their Bachelor degree. Following this was the Quadrivium. But the Trivium was Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric. Grammar was the proper use of words to convey a meaning. In today's world much of this is lost, including the sophisticated use of language, often hidden in new words created from more common sources. But the structure of a language is critical since oftentimes the meanings are in its subtleties. In the 14th Century one had both Latin and French and more likely at Oxford a mix of Middle English. Each language said things differently. Translation was not just transliteration but a following of the strict Grammar rules that many were educated in.
Logic was the assembly of grammatically correct sentences to affirm or deny some conclusion. The syllogism was at its heart. Here the book does a superb job.
Now Rhetoric was the use of Grammar in a Logical form to persuade others in a complex set of arguments. Rhetoric could be written or oral. This book does a wonderful job in presenting this. Of special interest is its handling of fallacies, rhetorical constructs we see all to often in our current world.
This book can be studied and restudied. This version is a well done replica of the original. I had the recent edition, cleaned up in format for modern readers but this rendition of the original has a force of time that makes it indispensable.
It is a shame that this material is no longer taught. Reading Plato's Gorgias has much greater meaning if one had been absorbing material such as this.
Posts
