Set Letters

Set Letter 1

• To whom?

• When?

• Context?

• Purpose?

• Summary:

1. Pompey

2. 62

3. year after Cicero’s consulship and Cat. Con.; Pompey just defeated king of Mithridates (Pontus)

4. establish/reinforce amicitia with Pompey

5. self-aggrandising, expected more praise for dealing with Cat. Con.; “old enemies” = optimates?; comparison to Africanus and Laelius

Set Letter 2

• To whom?

• When?

• Context?

• Purpose?

• Summary:

• 🏳‍🌈

• June 59

• First Triumvirate dominating Republic’s governance; Campanian law passed by Caesar (consul) wasn’t run past the Senate; Cicero exiled next year

• Complain about 1T/venting

• freedom being withheld (by 1T) but no one has the guts to do anything about it; praising Curio for being anti-Caeser (later changes sides); emphasis on lack of libertas; Campanian law including anti-corruption(?) oath; chastises himself for lacking courage; Caesar offered him position in his legate to escape Clodius; “I am longing to fight”

Set Letter 3

• To whom?

• When?

• Context?

• Purpose?

• Summary:

The meta one - types of letters

• Curio

• 53

• Curio: protégé of Cicero; Cicero currently forced to work for the Triumvirate (minus Crassus- might be dead atp); elections withheld due to political bribery

• writing so Curio doesn’t feel ignored, subdued political messaging

• feels he cannot speak his mind freely, fatherly/mentor

Set Letter 4

• To whom?

• When?

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• Purpose?

• Summary:

The Panthers Letter 🐆

• Caelius

• April 50

• unhappily in Cilicia as governor due to Pompey’s new law about 5 year gap between magistracies and provincial governorship to reduce corruption; Caelius has been defended by Cicero in court in 56; currently aedile (games and grains)

• maintain amicitia with Caelius; avoid dying to death of boredom at Cilicia

• bored at Cilicia; I’m too good for my talent to be wasted in Cilicia; oh no all the panthers escaped my province sowwy :(( guess you won’t be able to use them at your games :(((((

Set Letter 5

• To whom?

• When?

• Context?

• Purpose?

• Summary:

• Caesar

• March 49

• recently positive with each other; civil war; Pompey escaped to Greece without deliberation which upset Cicero

• maintain neutrality while he decides which side to pick

• concordia ordinum, offering to be intermediary between Pompey and Caesar, flattering Caesar while reminding him of his duty to Pompey

Set Letter 6

• To whom?

• When?

• Context?

• Purpose?

• Summary:

The Angry One

• 🏳‍🌈

• February 49

• 1 month after Caesar crossed Rubicon; indecisive; asked by Pompey to join him

• venting true feelings about Pompey’s proposal to join

• angry at Pompey, emotional, annoyed he escaped to Greece without planning, “Pompey bids a long goodbye to honour”

Set Letter 7

• To whom?

• When?

• Context?

• Purpose?

• Summary:

The Questions Letter

• 🏳‍🌈

• March 49

• Caesar crossed the Rubicon; Cicero still deciding which side to pick

• ponder, occupy mind in critical time,

• critical times, crisis, should tyrannicide be used, duty to the Republic/the state

Set Letter 8

• To whom?

• When?

• Context?

• Purpose?

• Summary:

The Painting

• 🏳‍🌈

• August 45

• Caesar on his way back from Battle of Munda - final battle of civil war, victory for Caesar; Caesar’s 4th consulship

• something needs to be done about Caesar, exchange news

• M. Junius Brutus (🔪) claims Caesar is optimate which Cicero laughs at; Atticus’s painting of Ahala and Brutus — consuls known for tyrannicide; complaining about family matters with nephew, Quintus jr.

Set Letter 9

• To whom?

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• Summary:

• 🏳‍🌈

• April 44

• Caesar dead

• celebrate Caesar’s death but express worry about what’s to come — “courage of men but understanding of boys”

• “freedom has been restored without a free state”, calls conspirators “heroes”, concern over what’ll happen to colonies/Gaul, Gaius Matius friend of Cicero and Caesar — too sad mourning Caesar

Set Letter 10

• To whom?

• When?

• Context?

• Purpose?

• Summary:

• Trebonius

• February 43

• Trebonius: former conspirator, Caesarian dead before the letter arrived to him in Syria

• give commentary/advice on their handling of the assassination; express intent to be more active in politics

• positive imagery: “most beautiful feast”; wishes he had been invited to be involved in the assassination, would’ve killed Antony, a bit frustrated that they didn’t; Philippics; wants to take part in politics; praises consuls Gaius Pansa + Aulus Hirtius and Octavian

Set Letter 11

• To whom?

• When?

• Context?

• Purpose?

• Summary:

• Plancus

• March 43

• Plancus: consul in 42; initially supported Caesar → liberators (44) → Antony (40); doesn’t know Plancus as well; 13th/14th Philippic; Plancus in transalpine Gaul at the time (closest governor to Antony)

• advise Plancus to stop siding w/ Antony and join him

• villainises anti-liberators; “peace is acquired by victory not treaty”: less undecided, more solid stance (Everitt); flattering the titles Plancus has attained; pressuring; to be “not only a consul but a great one”