The Art of Manliness has a well written series of primers on classical rhetoric and the five canons.
Check ’em all out:
Classical Rhetoric 101: An Introduction
Classical Rhetoric 101: A Brief History
- covers the sophists, Aristotle, Cicero, Quintillian, Medieval, Renaissance, and the “modern day”
- includes a brief section on Topoi
- covers narratio, partitio, confirmatio, refutatio, peroratio
- covers the five virtues of style: correctness, clarity, evidence, propriety, ornateness
- not just about memorizing, but making memorable
- master the pause, watch your body language, vary your tone, let gestures flow naturally, match your speed with your emotion, vary the force of your voice, enunciate, look your audience in your eye