Exhibit 10.25

                              [Eloquent Letterhead]


June 28, 2001


Joseph Cortale
67 Marsh Road
Atherton, CA 94027


Dear Joe:

I am pleased to offer you the position of COO/Executive Vice President Sales and
Marketing  at  Eloquent,  and to nominate  you as a corporate  officer.  In this
position, you will report directly to me. You will be responsible for all of the
Sales and  Marketing  operations  of the  company,  and you will be  expected to
contribute to other general company functions as needed.

Your  base  salary  will be at a rate of  $18,334  per  month.  You will also be
eligible  to  receive  quarterly  incentives.  Any  incentives  awarded  will be
pro-rated  accordingly for partial quarters.  The total targeted incentives will
be $35,000 per quarter ($140,000  annualized).  However, the exact amount of the
incentives  awarded to you will be dependent upon your achievement of objectives
outlined in your compensation plan.

In  addition  to your  base  monthly  salary,  during  your  first 12  months of
continuous  employment  with  Eloquent,  you will  receive a draw of $5,000  per
quarter paid monthly at $1,666.67 per month ($20,000 annualized). This draw will
be offset on a  quarterly  basis  against  incentives  awarded to you during any
previous quarter. If at the end of the aforesaid 12-month period, the incentives
awarded to you do not exceed the  $20,000  paid to you in draw,  the  difference
shall become non-recoverable.

As a further incentive,  we will recommend to the Board of Directors that you be
granted an option to purchase  250,000  shares of Eloquent,  Inc.  common stock,
subject to the terms and conditions of the Eloquent Stock Option Plan and Option
Agreement.  These  shares are subject to vesting and to the  company's  right to
repurchase  the  shares at your  cost  should  your  employment  terminate.  The
company's  repurchase right would expire with respect to 62,500 shares following
twelve  months of  continuous  employment,  and  expire  with  respect  to 5,208
additional shares for each subsequent month of employment thereafter.

As part of your  employment you will be eligible to participate in the company's
benefits  plan,  descriptions  of which  will be  provided  to you.  You will be
eligible for three weeks of vacation per year, which accrues at the rate of 1.25
days per month of employment.

Eloquent  will give you an Employee  Handbook and other  information  concerning
standard  policies  and  benefits.  Eloquent  may  modify,  revoke,  suspend  or
terminate any of the terms, plans,  policies and/or procedures  described in the
Employee  Handbook or otherwise  communicated to you in whole or in part, at any
time, with or without notice.
<PAGE>
Joseph Cortale
June 28, 2001
Page 2


Your employment with Eloquent is at will, and therefore may be terminated by you
or the company at any time and for any reason, with or without cause and with or
without notice.  However, we will propose to the Board of Directors that we sign
a mutual  agreement  stating,  among other  things,  that if your  employment is
terminated  by the  company as a result of a change in  control,  Eloquent  will
continue to compensate you $18,334 per month,  plus a continuation of the health
plan benefits in place at that time, through the earlier of six months following
such a termination  or the date on which you first obtain other  employment.  No
additional stock vesting will take place during this period.  This would be your
sole  compensation of involuntary  termination.  There would,  of course,  be no
compensation, if your employment were terminated other than without cause by the
company.

In accordance with  Eloquent's  standard  policy,  this offer is contingent upon
receipt of satisfactory employment references in addition to your completing and
executing the enclosed  Confidential and Proprietary  Information  Agreement and
completing the standard new employee enrollment  documentation on your first day
of work.

This offer is valid through July 2, 2001.  You may indicate  your  acceptance of
this offer by signing the acknowledgment  below,  indicating your intended start
date, and returning it to me by close of business July 2, 2001.

Joe,  we are  all  looking  forward  to  your  joining  the  Eloquent  team  and
contributing to this exciting business.

Sincerely,


/s/ Edward Molkenbuhr

Edward Molkenbuhr
President


/s/ Joe Cortale                         6/29/01              7/16/01
-----------------------------           -------------        -------------------
Accepted by Joe Cortale                 Date Accepted        Intended Start Date


Attachments
     Confidential and Proprietary Information Agreement
     Benefit Summary