1. Book: The passages translated are from Cicero, On Invention 1.19–20, 1.25, 1.27, 1.28, 1.29, 1.31, 1.34, 1.78, 1.79, 1.98–99, 1.100–109. Omitted passages cover many of the guidelines about invention of arguments and summoning of emotions treated elsewhere in this volume.
2. commonplaces: Cicero seems to assume that his readers will have at hand a set of stock observations concerning these issues, which can be brought to bear regardless of the specifics of the case.
3. Apollonius: Probably Apollonius Molon, also known as Apollonius of Rhodes, a teacher of Cicero and Julius Caesar.