Classics: Politics of the Late Republic - Cicero's Letters

To Pompey - 62 BC

Date: 62 BC - year after Cicero's consulship + Cataline Conspiracy

From: Cicero in Rome

To: Pompey in Asia - 66 BC Cicero gave a speech as Praetor supporting Pompey gaining Imperium in Asia to defeat Mithridiates. Pompey was successful in Asia and gained large amounts of territory in Asia + Cyprus

Tone: Formal

To Pompey - 62 BC - Significance and Summary

-Written in response to Pompey's letter where Pompey did not praise Cicero for his success as consul in 63 BC + the Cataline conspiracy. Embarrassing, however Pompey's letter was an official dispatch.

-Cicero presents himself as as important as Pompey who had been successful for a while.

-Cicero flatter Pompey

-Cicero emphasises friendship with Pompey

-Cicero warns Pompey of his enemies disguised as friends

-Cicero is resentful that Pompey did not applaud him for his success.

To Atticus - 59 BC

Date: June 59 BC - year after formation of the First Triumvirate (60 BC) + year of Caesar's consulship

From: Cicero in Rome

To: Atticus on his way to Epirus

Tone: Informal

To Atticus - 59 BC - Significance and Summary

-Cicero explains the oppressive nature of the First Triumvirate's rule. The severeness of it / crisis and that free speech is eradicated.

-Cicero also explains that he has been approached by Caesar to join them but turned them down.

-Cicero is too distraught to even write

To Curio - 53 BC

Date: 53 BC - Crassus dies, cracks in Triumvirate are showing. Triumvirate is still in power. No successful consul elected for 52 BC - tense.

From: Cicero in Rome

To: Curio - sided with JC in civil war

Tone: Informal

To Curio - 53 BC - Significance and Summary

-Cicero has nothing to write about. There are 3 ways to write a letter: give information, humorous/jokes, serious/profound/political. Cicero is unable to do this as he has no new info, not a time to make a joke and no free speech as there are dangers in speaking through letters.

-Cicero's free speech has been taken from him

-Talks about the art of letter writing

To Caelius - 50 BC

Date: 4th April 50 BC - Cicero is the governor of Cilicia and therefore away from Rome, it is also the year before the Civil war.

From: Cicero in Laodicea, Cilicia - Cicero was a good governor but he doesn't like to be away from Rome/ away from the action of the senate.

To: Caelius in Rome - Cicero is responding to a request from Caelius to send exotic beasts for his spectators to boost his profile for elections and aedileship.

Tone: Informal

To Caelius - 50 BC - Significance and Summary

-Cicero longs for Rome, he doesn't like not being in the "political loop"

-The province of Cilicia bores him

-However, Cicero denies Caelius, in a polite manner, exotic beasts for his elections. Shows he is a good governor as he doesn't want to exploit his province. Cicero govenerd with fairness and diplomacy, protecting the province and settling financial problems. It also shows its principles.

-Eager for news from Rome

To Atticus - 49 BC (Feb)

Date: 23rd February 49 BC - in January Caesar crossed the Rubicon and later in the year Cicero joins Pompey, however he was conflicted as to who to join for many months.

From: Cicero in Formiae - he did not want to enter Rome + he had imperium so couldn't. He wanted to avoid conflict.

To: Atticus

Tone: Informal

To Atticus - 49 BC (Feb) - Significance and Summary

-Cicero openly complains about Pompey's actions

-Angry at Pompey for creating Caesar, then fearing him + rejecting offers of peace

-Pompey = dishonourable

-Suggests he is a better statesman by rewriting Pompey's letter for him

-Suggests it was dishonourable of Pompey to leave Rome

-Says he is too distracted to write + only writes a short letter

To Atticus - 49 BC (March)

Date: 12th March 49 BC - Civil War year and just before Caesar and Cicero meet. In June Cicero joint Pompey.

From: Cicero in Formiae - Cicero cannot enter Rome (imperium) and he is avoiding conflict. He is trying to reconcile Caesar + Pompey, however has to choose where he will stand.

To: Atticus

Tone: Informal

To Atticus - 49 BC (March) - Significance and Summary

-Cicero must choose between Pompey and Caesar in the civil war

-Here he examines his political principles

-Cicero is anxious in this time of crisis

-Questions whether the ends justify the means

-Is war justified?

-Should he act or not?

-Highlights the service he has done to Rome

-He presented both arguments in both Latin and Greek. Showing his comfort in academia.

To Caesar - 49 BC

Date: 19th March 49 BC - Caesar had marched on Rome in January, Civil war is brewing/just begun, both Caesar and Pompey try to persuade Cicero to join them.

From: Cicero in Formiae - Cicero took advantage of his imperium, thus inability to enter Rome + planned to wait outside Rome. Avoiding conflict and hoping to work desperately with Caesar + Pompey to find a compromise.

To: Julius Caesar

Tone: Friendly but Formal tone

To Caesar - 49 BC - Significance and Summary

-Cicero responds to Caesar"s invitation to come to Rome to meet with him. Then, a week later, Cicero + Caesar met in Formiae, but Cicero turned down his invitation to join Caesar and instead joined Pompey in Greece

-Cicero attempts to persuade Caesar to reconcile with Pompey and find peace

-Cicero stresses his neutrality

-Cicero boosts his ego

-Cicero flatters Caesar

-Cicero stressed a relationship with Caesar (e.g. common friends) and stresses that Caesar was the one to contact him in need of his skills

-Cicero intended this letter to be published - acts as a public statement, thus formal and structured

To Atticus - 45 BC

Date: 17th August 45 BC - Cicero had recently been forgiven by Caesar and accepted back into Rome. The year after Cato kills himself, and the year before the Ides of March. Cicero has withdrawn himself from politics.

From: Cicero in Tusculum - Cicero has withdrawn himself from politics

To: Atticus

Tone: Informal - for example "Gallows Humour" The fact that he has to resort to Gallows humour also shows how desperate Cicero feels and how dire the situation is.

To Atticus - 45 BC - Significance and Summary

-Despite being recently forgiven by Caesar for siding with Pompey, Cicero shows little allegiance to Caesar

-Cicero contemplated whether he should remain in Tusculum or go back to Rome

To Atticus - 44 BC

Date: 10th April 44 BC - 3 and a half weeks after Caesar's assassination. Very tense political climate, it is dangerous and fast moving.

From: Lavnuvium - Cicero fled Rome to stay at his villa in Lanuvium. He is not in Rome but still wants political updates.

To: Atticus in Rome - Cicero is desperate for any news and found himself dependent on news from messages.

Tone: Informal

To Atticus - 44 BC - Significance and Summary

-Cicero asks for news from Rome

-Things are still tense even after Caesar's assassination, the state is still not free.

-Cicero is afraid of wars in Gaul, the province that Mark Antony is the governor of

-Cicero finds comfort in the Ides of March

-Claims the conspirators as heroes

-Situation is still dire though

-begs for news

To Trebonius - 43 BC

Date: February 43 BC - Year after Ides of March. Year after Philippic speeches drawing Cicero back into Political scene. Later this year the Senate declares war on Antony (Mutina).

From: Cicero in Rome - now back in political sphere.

To: Trebonius - governor in Asia. Trebonous had already died by the time the letter reached him.

Tone: Formal but Friendly tone

To Trebonius - 43 BC - Significance and Summary

-Cicero urges Trebonius to ally himself with the republican cause

-Cicero mourns not being invited to the sides of March

-Cicero states Mark Antony should have been killed also

-He praises the Ides of March

-Cicero still believes in the Republic

-Cicero praises Octavian

-Presents Antony negatively

To Plancus - 43 BC

Date: 20th March 43 BC - Battle of Mutina was in April

From: Cicero in Rome

To: Plancus - the governor of mid + northern Gaul. He is known to flip-flop sides. He is described as 'Pathologically treacherous'. Cicero needs to persuade him not to switch sides.

Tone: Formal

Structure: update + amicitia ~> threat ~> advice ~> threat ~> amicitia

To Plancus - 43 BC - Significance and Summary

-Cicero is trying to persuade the 'Pathologically treacherous' Plancus to stand fast against Antony and help out those in Gaul loyal to the Senate

-Cicero asserts amicitia + mutual friendships between the 2

-Cicero tells him what the right thing to do is + that good, loyal people are around him and he should be more like them

-Cicero 'advices' him

-Cicero flatters him

-Cicero threatens that Plancus' badges of honour will become an empty title if he doesn't side with him.

-Cicero gives him a cop out, 'chains of circumstance'

-Cicero offers him consulship if he is loyal

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All The Different People

5/11 - To Atticus

1 - To Pompey

1 - To Caesar

1 - To Plancus

1 - To Curio

1 - To Caelius

1 - To Trebonius

All Of Cicero's Locations

Rome

Cilicia

Formiae

Lanuvium

Tusculum

Locations Of Cicero's Recipients

Epidus - Atticus is on his way to Epidus in 59 BC

Asia - Pompey (To Pompey 62 BC)