https://www.thoughtco.com/exordium-rhetoric-term-1690693
Aug 06, 2018 · Observations and Examples: "Ancient rhetoricians gave elaborate advice for exordia, since rhetors use this first part of a discourse to establish their ethos as intelligent, reliable, and trustworthy people. Indeed, Quintilian wrote that 'the sole purpose of the exordium is to prepare our audience in such a way that they will be disposed to lend a ready ear to the rest …