Rudimenta artium dialecticae et rhetoricae

DIALECTICAE.

Minor.

The minor term, which is only in the minor: and is the subject of the conclusion.

Middle.

The middle term, which is placed equally in both propositions. As in the syllogism proposed earlier, the Major term is, is punished by law: for it terminates the major proposition. The minor term, Catiline: which terminates that proposition. The middle, Seditious: which term is placed in both, both in the major proposition and in the minor. Now, it is called the middle term because it is necessary for both terms, the major and the minor, to meet in this Middle term, since they must meet each other in the conclusion. Let us demonstrate this with another example. Let us propose this Syllogism:

Every good thing is praiseworthy.
Every honest thing is good.
Therefore every honest thing is praiseworthy.

Here the major term is, praiseworthy: the Minor, honest: the Middle, good. Because it meets with both the praiseworthy and the honest in this term, it also mutually meets them in the conclusion: so that it follows well,