Cicero Pro Roscio Amerino (Style Notes)

Forsitan quaeratis, qui iste terror sit et quae tanta formido, quae tot ac talis viros impediat,

• Alliteration of '“t” emphasises fear

  • Cicero was the only person who would take the case due to the fear of Chrysogonus’ power

• “terror…formido” (terror, a fear) → tautology

  • reinforces the overwhelming fear surrounding Chrysogonus, explaining why more experienced advocates have refused the case

You may ask, perhaps, what that terror and what so great a fear there iswhich is deterring so many and such distinguished men,

quo minus pro capite et fortunis alterius, quem ad modum consuerunt, causam velint dicere.

NONE

as is their usual custom, to defend someone’slife and property

Quod adhuc vos ignorare non mirum est propterea, quod consulto ab accusatoribus

• “consulto” (deliberately) → EP

  • emphasises the secrecy of the other advocates, as they had deliberately suppressed the reason for the choice of Cicero to defend Roscius.​

It is not surprising that you should still be unaware of this, since the prosection have deliberately

eius rei, quae conflavit hoc iudicium, mentio facta non est.

NONE

omitted to mention the very circumstance which has been the reason for this trial.

Quae res ea est? Bona patris huiusce Sex. Rosci, quae sunt sexagiens,

• “Bona” (property) → EP

  • placed first to emphasise the importance of the property in this affair and ends with Chrysogonus's name emphasising the buyer and his involvement in the whole affair.

  • Cicero is deflecting the case away from the charge of murder onto the purchase of the elder Roscius's property, a clever move by Cicero, as he is on surer ground doing this.

And what is that? The property of the father, of my client Sextus Roscius, is worth six million sesterces,

quae de viro fortissimo et clarissimo L. Sulla, quem honoris causa nomino,

• repetition of “quae” (and it) → anaphora and asyndeton

  • Draws attention to the property and its acquisition, reinforcing Cicero's shift away from the murder accusation towards Chrysogonus' conduct.

• “fortissimo” and “clarissimo” (very valiant, very illustrious) → superlatives

  • Cicero is 'buttering up' Sulla, who would be annoyed by this attack on Chrysogonus; Cicero adds 'honoris causa' for the same reason.​

and it is from the very valiant and very illustrious Lucius Sullla, whose name I mention with the greatest respect,

duobus milibus nummum sese dicit emisse adulescens vel potentissimus hoc tempore nostrae civitatis, L. Cornelius Chrysogonus!

• “duobus milibus” (two thousand sesterces) → emphatic numerical contrast/exaggeration/hyperbole

  • Cicero probably exaggerated the value to emphasise the difference between its worth and the price at which it was sold (3,000 times less)

• “vel” (perhaps/probably) → quantifies superlative adjectives to avoid being accused of over-exaggeration.​

that a young man, arguably the most powerful man in Rome at the present time, claims to have purchased this property for two thousand sesterces: this man is Lucius Cornelius Chrysogonus!

Is a vobis, iudices, hoc postulat, ut, quoniam in alienam pecuniam tam plenam atque praeclaram nullo iure invaserit,

• “a vobis, iudices” (of you, gentlemen) → direct address gives an air of familiarity and makes him seem more trustworthy

• plosive alliteration

  • the harsh plosive sounds reinforce Cicero's condemnation + disgust of Chrysogonus' unlawful seizure of the property, conveying his apparent indignation

• “praeclaram” (valuable) → Cicero is very fond of words beginning with “prae”

• “invaserit” (seized) → Cicero is very fond of the prefix in-

He has a particular request to make of you, gentlemen. Seeing that he has unlawfully seized the extremely valuable and splendid property of another man,

quoniamque ei pecuniae vita Sex. Rosci obstare atque officere videatur, deleatis ex animo suo suspicionem

• “pecuniae” (property) → polyptoton

• “pecuniae vita” (property, life) → juxtaposition

  • emphasises the link between Roscius’ life and property

• “deleatis…suspicionem…metumque tollatis” → chiasmus

  • emphasises Chrysogonus' desire to eliminate any threat to his possession of Roscius' inheritance, exposing his selfish motives.

  • chiasmus is reinforced by sibilance, alliteration of m and n, homioteleuton of “suspicionem omnem”

• “ut…deleatis…tollatis” → indirect commands

  • sarcastic

• “pecuniae” (his access to that property) → obstare takes an object in the dative case

• “deleatis…suo” (that you remove…from his) → strange phrase

  • surely he wants all suspicion removed from other’s minds as he had none in his own mind

and seeing that the life of Sextus Roscius appears to him to stand in the way of and impede his access to that property, he asks that you remove all uneasiness from his mind

omnem metumque tollatis; sese hoc incolumni non arbiratur huius innocentis patrimonium tam amplum et copiosumposse obtinere,

• “hoc”, “huis” (for as long as, this)→ polyptoton

• “innocentis” (innocent) → used to implant the conviction for Roscius’s innocence in the minds of the judges

• “tam amplum et copiosum” (very large and valuable) → pleonasm, variatio on line 4

  • emphasises the considerable wealth at stake, suggesting that greed rather than justice motivates the prosecution.

and release him from all his fears For as long as Sextus Roscius is still unharmed, Chrysogonus does not imagine that he can keep possession of the very large and valuable inheritance of this innocent man;

damnato et eiecto sperat se posse, quod adeptus est per scelus, id per luxuriam effundere atque consumere.

• “quod adeptus est per scelus, id per luxuriam effundere”: → chiasmus

  • contrasts the criminal acquisition of wealth with its extravagant expenditure, portraying Chrysogonus as both corrupt and wasteful.

  • verb, phrase, phrase, verb, but also the balance of quod... per scelus... id per luxuriam.

• “effundere atque consumere” (squander and fritter away) → words here are not synonyms

  • as effundere means 'pour out', and consumere means 'eat up', i.e. Chrysogonus is going to waste the inheritance on fine wines and gourmet foods.​

with Roscius condemned and forced into exile,however, he believes that he will be free to squander and fritter away his ill-gotten gains.

Hunc sibi ex animo scrupulum, qui se dies noctesque stimulat ac pungit, ut evallatis, postulat,

• “hunc sibi” (this anxiety, his mind) → juxtaposition emphasises the trouble that was preying on his mind

• “scrupulum…stimulat ac pungit” (this anxiety…worries and torments) → metaphor

  • presents Chrysogonus' anxiety as something physically tormenting him, suggesting that Roscius' continued survival threatens his peace of mind.

Chrysogonus therefore requests that you relieve him of this anxiety which worries and torments his mind night and day

ut ad hanc suam praedam tam nefariam adiutores vos profiteamini.

• Cicero warns the judges that they will be partners in crime

• By describing the judges as potential accomplices, Cicero places moral responsibility upon them, implying that convicting Roscius would make them complicit in Chrysogonus' corruption

• “tam” (outrageous) → emphatic

  • 3rd time Cicero has used this

and declare yourselves his accomplices in this outrageous theft which he has committed.

[7] Sivobis aequa et honesta postulatio videtur, iudices,

• “aequa et honesta postulatio” (right and proper, this request) → sarcastic remark

• “postulatio” (this request) → polyptoton

If this request seems to you, members of the jury, to be right and proper,

ego contra brevem postulationem adfero et, quo modo mihi persuadeo aliquanto aequiorem.

• “aequiorem” (reasonable) → comparative

  • compares Chrysogonus to Cicero; the latter coming off better

then I for my part should like to make a small request of my own - and one which is, I think, rather more reasonable.

Primum a Chrysogono peto, ut pecunia fortunisque nostris contentus sit,sanguinem et vitam ne petat;

First of all I ask Chrysogonus to content himself with our wealth and property, and not to demand our life-blood as well.

• “Chrysogono…a vobis” (Chrysogonus, you gentlemen) → balance

• “pecunia fortunisque…sanguinem et vitam” (wealth and property…our life-blood as well) → balance

  • could represent the 2 sides of the court case, with the judges balancing up who should win

  • OR the importance of materials goods vs. life

  • Contrasts material wealth with human life, highlighting Chrysogonus' greed and presenting Cicero's request as morally reasonable.

deinde a vobis, iudices, ut audacium sceleri resistatis, innocentium calamitatem levetis et in causa Sex. Rosci periculum, quod in omnis intenditur, propulsetis.

• “audacium sceleri resistatis, innocentium calamitatem levetis…Roscii periculum…propulsetis” → ascending tricolon + balanced homoioteleuton (repetition of -ium…tis, ium…etis, um…etis”

  • creates a sense of increasing urgency, culminating in the warning that the danger threatens everyone, not merely Roscius.

• “in omnes intenditur” (threatens every one of us) → hyperbole

  • not everyone had riches to plunder, but a clear warning that if C. gets away with this it will encourage him to do similar in the future

Secondly I ask you, gentlemen, to make a stand against the wickedness of criminals, to alleviate the misfortunes of innocent men, and in the case of Sextus Rosciusto repel a danger which threatens every one of us.

[8] Quod si aut causa criminisaut facti suspicio aut quaelibet denique vel minima res reperietur, quam ob rem videantur

• “causa criminis aut facti suspicio” (any ground for the accusation any suspicion of guilt) → a chiasmus, with alliteration of “C”

  • could suggest the 2 sides’ viewpoints; weighing up evidence

  • emphasises Cicero's willingness to consider any evidence against Roscius, presenting him as reasonable and confident in his client's innocence.

• “vel minima” (the slightest) → superlative

  • the superlative stresses that he is prepared to accept even the smallest piece of genuine evidence, suggesting his confidence in Roscius' innocence

  • (Cicero uses these in order to exaggerate points, particularly weak ones)

[8] But if any ground for the accusationany suspicion of guilt or even the slightest thing can be discovered, which would make them appear

illi non nihiltamen in deferendo nomine secuti, postremo si praeter eam praedam quam dixi, quicquam aliud causae inveneritis,

• “non nihil” (at least some) → litotes

  • emphasises there is no evidence by use of negatives

to have had at least some reason for bringing the charge, and lastly if you find any other explanation of it than the booty of which I have spoken

non recusamus, quin illorum libidini Sex. Rosci vita dedatur.

• “illorum libidini Sex. Rosci vita” (to their passion, to the life of Roscius) → balance of persons and the abstract noun

  • conflicting sides obvious with phrasing

  • word for passions (libidini) comes between ‘them’ and Sextus Roscius suggesting their greedy motive

we make no objection to the life of Roscius being abandoned to their passion

Sin aliud agitur nihil nisi, ut eis ne quid desit, quibus satis nihil est,

• “allud agitur nihil nisi” (the only issue) → unusual word order

  • emphasises that the prosecution has no legitimate purpose beyond satisfying the greed of Chrysogonus and his associates.

  • this gets the alliterative words together

• “satis nihil” (never satisfied) → reversal of normal word order

  • emphasises the greed of the prosecution; nothing is enough for them/they will stop at nothing

But if the only issue is that of satisfying the wants of those who are never satisfied,

si hoc solum hoc tempore pugnatur, ut ad illam opimam praeclaramque praedan damnatio Sex. Rosci velut cumulus accedat,

• “pugnatur” (struggle) → military connection

  • Cicero regards the case as similar to the battlefield by using fighting imagery

  • presents the trial as a battle against injustice, elevating the stakes and encouraging the judges to see themselves as defenders of justice.

• “velut cumulus” (to crown) → a simile

  • often used metaphorically in English

if the only object of the present struggle is to crown the seizure of that rich and spendid booty by the condemnation of Sextus Roscius,

nonne cum multa indigna tum vel hoc indignissimum est vos idoneos habitos,

• “indignissimum” (the greatest) → another superlative

• use of the divine → makes his point powerful

  • making an oath and breaking it could anger the gods

is it not the greatest of all these indignities that you should be thought capable of helping them,

per quorum sententias iusque iurandum id adsequantur,quod

NONE

by your vote given under oath, to obtain what they themselves had

antea ipsi scelere et ferro adsequi consuerunt?

NONE

formerly been accustomed to obtain by crime and the sword?

Qui ex civitate in senatum propter dignitatem, ex senatu in hoc consilium delecti estis propter severitatem,

• “ex civitate…severitatem” (from the rest of the citizens…strict sense of justice) → balance

  • (Cicero is stressing the dignitas and severitas of the senators in contrast with the real murderers of Roscius’s father)

  • Emphasises the judges' distinguished status and moral responsibility, flattering them while encouraging them to act in accordance with their reputation.

• “delecti estis” (and have been summoned) → the judges were chosen, implying that the judges were important and chosen for their strictness; another example of Cicero buttering up the judges

You were elected into the senate from the rest of the citizens owing to your merit, and have been summoned from the senate to form this court owing to your strict sense of justice,

ab his hoc postulare homines sicarios atque gladiatores, non modo ut

NONE

is it from you that these fellows, assassins and gladiators, demand not only that

supplica vitent, quae a vobis pro maleficiis suis metuere atque horrere debent,

• “supplica” (the punishment)→ plural implies they were guilty of more than one crime

• “supplicia…spoliis” (the punishment…with their spoils)→ Cicero puts important words first in their respective clauses, emphasising that they aren’t not trying to avoid punishments, but to get spoils

• “maleficiis” (misdeeds) → plural, not just general wickedness but ‘acts of wickedness

they may escape the punishment whichthey ought to fear and dread from you owing to their misdeeds,

verum etiam ut spoliis ex hoc iudicio ornati auctique discedant?

• “spoliis…iudicio” (with their spoils…the court) → variatio on “praedam” in line 6 and “consililum” in line 9

but also that they may leave the court adorned and enriched with their spoils

[9] His de rebus tantis tamque atrocibus neque satis me commode dicere neque

satis graviter conqueri neque satis libere vociferari posse intellego.

• “tantis tamque atrocibus” (so great and so atrocious) → alliteration of t

  • emphasises the awfulness of the events

• neque satis…neque satis…neque satis → anaphora and tricolon

  • emphasises Cicero's supposed inability to express the seriousness of the crimes adequately, presenting him as modest while highlighting their enormity.

• (“neque satis me…vociferari” → balanced tricolon

  • introduced by the same phrase, “neque satis”, which is anaphora)

[9] Of crimes so great and so atrocious as these I feel that I can neither speak in appropriate language, nor make my complaint with sufficient impressiveness nor give vent to my indignation with sufficient freedom;

commoditati ingenium, gravitati aetas, libertati tempora sunt impedimento.

• “commoditati ingenium, gravitati aetas, libertati tempora” → balanced tricolon with polyptoton

  • allows Cicero to express each element of the tricolon with particular force

  • The parallel structure systematically lists Cicero's supposed limitations, reinforcing his modest persona and encouraging sympathy from the judges

• “tempora” (the times) → a reference to civil wars and the dictatorship of Sulla, where criticism of the government/powerful individuals such as Chrysogonus was dangerous

my poor abilities, my youth, and the times in which we live prevent the use of appropriate language, impressiveness, and freedom of speech

Huc accedit summus timor, quem mihi natura pudorque meus attribuit, et vestra dignitas et vis adversariorum et Sex. Rosci pericula.

• “summus” (excessive) → superlative, followed by a string of abstract nouns

• “natura pudorque meus” (imposed upon me by my natural modesty) → another attempt to gain sympathy

  • significant that he regards the effect of his own emotions as the most important factor, then adds 3 other causes as an afterthought; Cicero was very egotistical

• vestra dignitas et vis adversariorum et Sex. Rosci pericula → balanced structure

  • emphasises the pressures facing Cicero, encouraging the judges to sympathise with his difficult position.

• “vestra…pericula” (your…danger) → double chiasmus and alliteration of v

A further obstacle is the excessive nervousness imposed upon me by my natural modesty, by your dignity, the power of my opponents, and the peril of Sextus Roscius.

Quapropter vos oro atque obsecro, iudices, ut attente bonaque cum venia verba mea audiatis

• “oro atque obsecro” (beg and implore you) → tautology

  • shows desperation

• “bonaque cum venia verba mia” (to my words, and kindly indulgence) → assonance of ve and chiasmus

  • juxtaposition of venia verbia is neat, as it emphasises the request to pardon his lack of eloquence

For these reasons, gentlemen, I beg and implore you to listen to my words with attention and kindly indulgence

[10] Fide sapientiaque vestra fretus plus oneris sustuli quam ferre me posse intellego.

• “oneris…onus…onere” → repetition

  • emphasises the immense responsibility Cicero has undertaken, presenting his defence of Roscius as a courageous act of duty rather than personal ambition.

  • again with “ferre…feram” (it’s difficult, but I will bear it)

  • a barely disguised attempt to gain the judges’ sympathy following flattery

• “feram ut potero quoad potero perferam perterre non potero” → double chiasmus

  • ABBA

  • —ABBA

[10] Relying on your integrity and good sense, I feel that I have taken upon myself a burden heavier than I can bear.

Hoc onus si vos aliqua ex parte adlevabitis, feram ut potero studio et industria, iudices;

• “feram…perferam…perferre” → polyptoton

  • emphasises his dedication to the case and his determination

  • he won’t give up with/without the judges’ support

• “ut potero…quoad potero…infirmitatem animi” → variato of ut…quoad

  • Cicero seems very keen to stress his limited ability in order to gain the judges’ sympathy

If you lighten this burden to some extent, I will bear it as well as I can, gentlemen, by zeal and effort;

sin a vobis, id quod non spero, deserar, tamen animo non deficiam

• “deserar…deficiam” (abandoned…courage) → assonance

  • emphasising that if the judges fail to support Cicero, his intention is not to fail

  • Like Hercules, Cicero undertakes the burden

but if I am abandoned by you - which I do not expect - I will not lose courage,

et id quod suscepi, quoad potero perferam.

NONE

but will accomplish to the best of my ability the task which I have undertaken.

Quod si perferre non potero, opprimi me onere offici malo

NONE

But if I cannot accomplish it, I prefer to succumb to the burden of duty

quam id, quod mihi cum fide semel impositum est aut propter perfidiam abicere aut propter infirmitatem animi deponere.

• “aut propter perfidiam abicere aut propter infirmitatem…deponere” (or abandon through the lack of courage) → balance and anaphora

  • reinforces Cicero's determination not to abandon Roscius, whether through dishonesty or weakness, presenting himself as principled and courageous

  • saying he’s not going to give up

• “perfidiam” (treachery)

  • vague, probably refers to bribery, which occurred frequently in legal cases

rather than renounce through treachery or abandon through the lack of courage a task which has once been imposed upon me in reliance upon my good faith.