Captatio benevolentiae
“Winning the goodwill (of the audience).”
Rhetorical term, after Cicero, De inventione 1.20-22
What does “Captatio benevolentiae” mean?
Captatio benevolentiae translates as “Winning the goodwill (of the audience).”
The friendly opening of a speech or letter that makes listeners well disposed before you get to your point. A compliment at the start is a classic example.
The story behind it
Roman rhetoric taught that the opening of a speech must make the audience attentive, willing to learn and well disposed. Cicero describes this in De inventione. Medieval letter-writing manuals turned it into the fixed term captatio benevolentiae.
Perfect for
It works as a caption, a card message, a tattoo idea, a motto for your desk or a print for your wall.
- Latin
- Captatio benevolentiae
- English
- Winning the goodwill (of the audience).
- Source
- Rhetorical term, after Cicero, De inventione 1.20-22
- Era
- Medieval
- Theme
- Communication
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