The Kural · Chapter
LXV: Eloquence explained
This chapter extols the virtue of eloquence, emphasizing the power of speech to bind friends, captivate enemies, and advance righteousness and profit.
What happens
This chapter extols the virtue of eloquence, emphasizing the power of speech to bind friends, captivate enemies, and advance righteousness and profit. It advises careful, well-ordered, and persuasive speech as the mark of a consummate statesman, while criticizing excessive or unfragrant verbosity.
Themes in this chapter
Statecraft and Governance
Eloquence is presented as a key tool for the statesman, enabling persuasion, debate, and command over the world.
Social Harmony and Ethics
Speech is portrayed as a binding force for friendship and a means to increase righteousness, underscoring its ethical dimension.
Characters to notice
- Thiruvalluvar
Author of the Kural, whose aphorisms on eloquence are presented in this chapter.
- the Kural
The text itself, which contains these teachings on the power and discipline of speech.
Key passages
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue: guard thou therefore against imprudence of speech.”
The tongue holds the power of both destruction and creation, so one must be cautious not to speak carelessly.
Highlights the dual potential of speech to harm or heal.
“Behold the speech that bindeth friends more closely and fascinateth even enemies: that alone is worthy of its name.”
True eloquence strengthens friendships and charms even adversaries, earning the title of genuine speech.
Defines eloquence by its unifying and captivating effect.
“Verily they have a passion for much speaking who know not to say their mind in few and well chosen words.”
Those who cannot express themselves concisely and precisely tend to talk excessively.
Criticizes verbosity as a lack of mastery over language.