西塞罗的《论题术》研究

A Study on Cicero’s Topica

"论题学"这个名称是亚里士多德最早发明的,在亚里士多德之后,西塞罗应古罗马法律家特雷巴求斯之邀写作《论题术》一书。西塞罗把论题分为两类:第一类论题附属于(内在于)当下所讨论的主题本身;第二类论题则来自于外部。第一类论题又分为两类:一是"来自整个主题、或主题的组成部分或来自主题的名称"的论题,二是来自"与所讨论的主题相关的事情"的论题和论证。"与所讨论的主题相关的事情"多种多样。西塞罗结合罗马法的规定对上述论题进行了分门别类的讨论,这种研究在修辞学(论题学)与法学之间的关联上,在古典时代晚期的修辞学向中世纪过渡的过程中,曾经有其历史影响。

＂Topica＂ was innovated by Aristotle, and was composed as a book by Cicero by the invitation of Trebatius. Cicero divided topics into two categories, one annexed internally to the topic in question, another was external. The first category may also be divided into two ： one is from the whole topic, part of the ropic or from the name of the topic ; another is related to the topic in question, and which is various. Cicero discussed the topics based on Roman law. Such discussion had its historical influences by its connecting rhetoric and law, in the transition of late classical period into middle ages.