Quintilian, Institutio Oratoria 1.2:
“It would not be out of place at this age, so that the mouth may be firmed and speech may become more distinct, for the child to recite as quickly as possible certain names and verses of intentional difficulty roughly strung together from many discordant syllables (these are called ‘bridles’ in Greek). It is modest thing to say, but if it is omitted, many faults of the tongue unless they are removed in the early years, will endure into later life with an irremediable distortion.”
Non alienum fuerit exigere ab his aetatibus, quo sit absolutius os et expressior sermo, ut nomina quaedam versusque adfectatae difficultatis ex pluribus et asperrime coeuntibus inter se syllabis catenatos et veluti confragosos quam citatissime volvant (chalinoi Graece vocantur): res modica dictu, qua tamen omissa multa linguae vitia, nisi primis eximuntur annis, inemendabili in posterum pravitate durantur.
