Institutio Oratoria

On the other hand scurrilous or brutal jests, although they may raise a laugh, are quite unworthy of a gentleman. I remember a jest of this kind being made by

a certain man against an inferior who had spoken with some freedom against him:

I will smack your head, and bring an action against you for having such a hard skull!

In such cases it is difficult to say whether the audience should laugh or be angry.

There remains the prettiest of all forms of humour, namely the jest which depends for success on deceiving anticipations [*](See IX. ii. 22.) or taking another's words in a sense other than he intended. The unexpected element may be employed by the attacking party, as in the example cited by Cicero, [*](de Or. II. lxx. 281. )

What does this man lack save wealth and—virtue?

or in the remark of Afer,

For pleading causes he is most admirably—dressed.

Or it may be employed to meet a statement made by another, as it was by Cicero [*](cp. § 68. ) on hearing a false report of Vatinius' death: he had met one of the latter's freedmen and asked him,

Is all well?

The freedman answered,

All is well.

To which Cicero replied,

Is he dead, then?