An empirical research was conducted following the created research model, where 436 8th—10th formers and 54 teachers participated. The research was carried out in Vilnius city- Fabijoniškių and Saulėtekio secondary schools as well as Gabijos and Karoliniškių gymnasia. The article describes and analyses only reliable chisquare criteria. This empirical research has revealed that good eloquence is very important for both respondents' groups. Pupils overestimate their eloquence as compared to their teachers' opinion - 63.0 % of teachers consider their learners' eloquence as average and even 37.0 % of teachers think of it as poor, while pupils themselves evaluate their eloquence as good (47.2 %) or average (38.3 %). Dependence of eloquence evaluation on learners' participation in after-school activities, their learning level, frequency of reading activity, and frequency of their public speeches was noticed: the more frequently the respondents participate in after-school activities, the more they speak in public, the more they read and the better their learning results are, the more favourably they evaluate their eloquence. Both the teachers and learners who participated in the research are convinced that it is very important to develop learners' eloquence at school. At present, pupils' eloquence is mainly developed in lessons of the Lithuanian language (96.1 %) and lessons of foreign languages (54.9 %). Only 23.4 % of pupils and only 37.0 % of teachers believe that learners' eloquence should be developed during all the lessons. Some teachers who participated in the research think that there are possibilities to develop eloquence in other lessons as well - lessons of natural sciences (25.9 %), lessons of foreign languages (37 %), lessons of artistic development (20.4 %).

Rhetoric is a flexible science, adjusting itself to the character of relevant ideas and wording of certain epoch. Rhetoric, as theory and practice of eloquence, has been relevant at all times. Nevertheless, as scientists maintain, eloquence education is insufficient. In the research participated 436 pupils of Vilnius schools of general training and gymnasiums, and 54 pedagogues of different disciplines. It was determined that, according to teachers' opinion, the level of pupils' eloquence is either average (62,9 percent of all respondents) or low (37,0 percent of responses), but pupils themselves assess their eloquence as good (47,2 percent) or average (38,3 percent) — viewpoint of pupils towards their eloquence is more favorable than that of their teachers. The dependence of eloquence assessment by the researched persons on their participation in post-class activities, training level, reading freąuency and frequency of public speech opportunities was observed: the more often the respondents were participating in post-class activities, give public speeches, the more books they read and the better they study, the more favorable is their evaluation of eloquence. According to the provisions of general education programs of the Republic of Lithuania, eloquence should be developed in all lessons. According to the opinion of respondents taking part in the research, development of eloquence is important. Unfortunately, the results of empiric analysis imply that eloquence is trained mostly during the lessons of Lithuanian language. And only a minor share (14,0 percent of pupils and 9,8 percent of teachers) considers that eloquence is trained also during the lessons of technology. But pupils see more possibilities for discussions during the lessons of technology rather than other lessons. Also pupils with less public speech experience strive for practical speaking skills and willingly present their creative works orally during the lessons of technology.

Straipsnyje pasitelkiant XV–XVI a. italų literatūros kūrinius tiriamas iškalbos ir karybos ginčo tematizavimas, retorikos kaip alternatyvios galios priemonės motyvas. Gretinamos riterinės literatūros tradiciją savitai plėtojančios Matteo Marios Boiardo („Įsimylėjęs Rolandas“ – „Orlando Innamorato“, 1483, 1495) ir Ludovico Ariosto („Pašėlęs Rolandas“ – „Orlando Furioso“, 1532) poemos, taip pat universalios asmenybės idealą formuojantis Baldassare’ės Castiglione’ės traktatas „Dvariškio knyga“ („Il Libro del Cortegiano“, 1528). Ariostas greta tradicinio kario idealo iškelia ir kitą galios motyvą – retorinius personažų gebėjimus, humanistinės kultūros kontekste pratęsdamas senovinę fortitudo et sapientia sąsają. Retorikos, verbalinio poveikio motyvas čia vis dėlto ambivalentiškas, nes žodžio menas kartais laikomas silpnojo ginklu, manipuliavimu ar net kerais. Tuo tarpu Castiglione’ė dialogo formos traktate originaliai taiko Cicerono dialogo „Apie oratorių“ idėjas – retorika peržengia verbalinės tobulo dvariškio raiškos ribas ir virsta elgsenos apskritai strategija, asmenybės buvimo / atrodymo visuomenėje būdu. Nužymimos ir kai kurios modernios XVI a. pradžioje ryškėjusios krizės implikacijos.