3.20. The Argument From Evidential Circumstances
The argument from evidential circumstances is available for both parties. Thus in the Teucer, Odysseus says that Teucer is closely bound to Priam, since his mother Hesione was Priam’s sister. Teucer replies that Telamon his father was Priam’s enemy, and that he himself did not betray the spies to Priam.
Another method, suitable for the calumniator, is to praise some trifling merit at great length, and then attack some important failing concisely, or after mentioning a number of good qualities to attack one bad one that really bears on the question. This is the method of thoroughly skilful and unscrupulous prosecutors. By mixing up the man’s merits with what is bad, they do their best to make use of them to damage him.
There is another method open to both calumniator and apologist. Since a given action can be done from many motives, the former must try to disparage it by selecting the worse motive of two, the latter to put the better construction on it. Thus one might argue that Diomedes chose Odysseus as his companion because he supposed Odysseus to be the best man for the purpose. You might reply to this that it was, on the contrary, because he was the only hero so worthless that Diomedes need not fear his rivalry.
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