Cicero’s letters 💌

1) 5.7: To Pompey, Rome, 62BC

Tone: Formal

Purpose: Amicitia

Context:

Pompey returning from mithridatic campaign (lex manilia) and East after great victory

- year after Cicero's consulship + Catiline conspiracy

- Cicero focusing on own achievements more than Pompey's (he needed to secure influential recognition)

- Cicero choosing Pompey as Caesar too populistic and he has a strong distaste to Crassus

2) 5.7: To Pompey: key quotes

"For you have given us that strong hope of peace...trusting so completely in you" (flattery)

"I did expect some congratualation" (Cicero dissatisfied by P's lack of Catiline and consulship recognition)

"I am not at all sorry to have the balance of kindness in my favour" (it is Cicero who is more interested in this amicitia)

"Your old enemies- now posing as you friends" (Cicero reminding Pompey of tension with Caesar and Crassus, as to bring P into own sphere of influence)

"The interest of the state will certainly create a mutual attachment and coalition between us" (Cicero expresses his values of cum diginitae odium and Concordia ordinum in order to persuade)

"A much greater man than Africanus...not much inferior to Laelius" (hyperbolic flattery- great fighters in siege of Carthage and emphasises friendship)

1) 2.18: To Atticus, Rome 59

Tone: private/informal/sad

Purpose:

Context:

- Cicero in Rome

- years are a decisive stage in break-up of republic

- first triumvirate very prominent and formed year prior

- Atticus not a politician. They have no amicitia, but rather a personal, long established friendship.

2) 2.18: To Atticus: key quotes

"The loss of our freedom, but we fear death and exile as greater evils when really they are lesser ones" (Libertas is being stripped/considers death better than current oppressive situation of "FT")

"Everyone groans over the situation, yet no one speaks against it" / "a universal feeling of despair" (expresses general concern/lack of free speech)

"Despite this oppression"

"For this Campanian Law..." (explicitly opposes Caesar's controversial populist measure)

"I am dissatisfied with myself, and cannot write without the greatest pain" (he is frustrated with himself that he was not more courageous against the "FT"/despair)

"I hold my own position with some dignity"

"I am invited by Caesar to join his staff and even to go one a mission at state expense. But that letter does not give sufficient security, since it depends on the scrupulousness of Clodius" (Caesar's offer does not fit with his ideals)

1) 2.4: To Curio, Rome 53

Tone: informal

Purpose: political commentary/amicitia

Context:

- Crassus dies, Pompey in Rome, Caesar in Gaul

- triumvirate still in power, no successful elections

- violence escalating

- Cicero doesn't dare write of current events

- playful manner in talking about the types/art of letters

2) 2.4: To Curio: key quotes

- "there remain two types of letter which greatly delight me; one familiar and funny, the other serious and grave"

- "By Hercules! I do not think there could be a good citizen who is able to laugh at this time" (intimacy with correspondent, genuine feelings/upset)

- "what could Cicero write to Curio about which could be more serious than the Republic?" (Rhetorical question and 3rd person- interest for reader)

- "...if you do one thing; that is, by deliberately developing, with continuous effort..." (Acts as a mentor for Curio, giginvg advice, rather than bribery)

- "but to demonstrate my love for you" (flattery)

1) 2.11: To Caelius, Laodicea 50

Tone: informal

Purpose: amicitia/ information

Context:

- year of Curios' tribuneship and suggestion that P + C renounce imperium (Cato vetoes)

- Cicero governorship of Cilicia

- Caelius standing for aedileship

- tension between P + C escalating

- pt 1 of letter: Cicero uses amicitia to get info about situation in Rome

- pt 2: Caelius has asked him to send panthers for an event

2) 2.11: To Caelius: key quotes

- "I am extraordinarily anxious about what will be decided about the provinces"

- "how i long for Rome...many friends, in particular yourself. As for the province, it bores me..." (strong friendship, Cicero want to be at heart of ROMAN politics, not governing in Cilicia)

- "I have gained fame, to such an extent I do not desire to increase it" (ideals>ambition)

- "province bores me...it is not worthy of a man of my dignity" (he governs fair, but believes it does not serve his potential)

- "now about the panthers..." (change in tone, Cicero refuses request (believes it is extortion); shows his fair governorship

- "by the gods, your aedileship is of great concern to me"

- "I would like you to write carefully about the entire political situation" (Cicero interested about ROME)

1) 9.11: To Atticus: To Caesar, Formiae, March 49

Tone: formal

Purpose: amicitia

Context:

- written to Caesar, but with intention for Atticus to read it too

- perhaps to show loyalty to republic, but a;so ability to reconcile with Caesar

-Cicero did not want to joint Caesar in Rome

- Cicero retreated not accompanying P to Rome, despite not agreeing with him

- he hopes to act as an intermediary reconcile C+P to stop civil war

2) 9.11: To Atticus: To Caesar: key quotes

- "i was not so much surprised that you wanted my 'advice and status' (Caesar had an understanding of Cicero's good reputation and appeal to the people)

- "due to your singular wisdom and outstanding statesmanship" (flatters Caesar in order to persuade Caesar)

- "you might watch to pursue negotiations for peace and civic harmony"

- "so if you care to preserve our friend Pompey and reconcile him to the Republic" (Cicero wants an active role in preserving peace/ republic/ but also quite an unrealistic expectation)

- "the war involved an infringement of your rights" (Cicero validates Caesar's POV and criticises responsibility of senate

- "I am strongly moved by consideration for the position of Pompey" (Cicero's obligation to P + shows him intermediary position)

- "as I- a friend of peace and of you both- should be preserved by you as the most appropriatiate agent for restoring harmony between you tow and among our citizen body"

1) 8.8: To Atticus, Formiae, Feb 49

- tone: informal, angry

- purpose:

- political

- context:

- civil war

- caesar crossed rubicon 1.5 months ago

- pompey fled with republican forces to greece (not popular!)

- cicero is on pompey's side, despite his criticism of him

2) 8.8: To Atticus: key quotes

- "he developed Caesar, the suddenly...rejected all offers of peace" (Pompey not acting peacefully)

- "he went to Greece; leaving us all without a word" (Cicero's blames him for lack of war preparations and loss of Picenum and his lack of communication)

- "but Pompey bids a long goodbye to honour" (harsh criticism)

- "i am too distressed to write more- I hope for your letters." (He relied on Atticus for support )

1) 9.4: to Atticus, Formiae, March 49

- tone: informal, despondent/in crisis - purpose: political comment/philosophising

- context:

- civil war

- caesar crossed rubicon 2 months ago

- pompey fled to greece leaving caesar in charge of rome

- excellent example of Cicero’s persuasive skills and principles

2) 9.4: to Atticus: key quotes

- "though i do not replax nowadays, except while i am writing to reading your letters"

- "should one stay in ones country if it under oppressive rule? (Followed by more questions-> Cicero reflects his personal, unconstitutional dilemmas within this crisis!

- "is it statesmanlike...to retire to some other place...or should or face danger in order to free it" (criticising P)

- "is it legitimate to eventually have some thought for oneself and one's family" (C has. A personal dilemmas, but nevertheless remains dutiful)

1) To Atticus 13.4, Tusculum, August 45

- tone: informal, sarcastic/joking/personal

- purpose: political commentary

- context:

- caesar (self-proclaimed dictator) pardoned Cicero

- he can return to his position/status in

Rome

- comments on brutus' ancestry (liberator) and political stance

- asks advice on meeting Brutus (one of Caesar’s assassins)

- Cicero criticises Brutus

- opinions: caesar has killed all good men/ good men would only support caesar if he killed himself

-image: independent from caesar

2) 13.4: To Atticus: key quotes

- "Brutus reports that Caesar has joined the optimates? Good news!" - sarcastic exclamation, Brutus claimed Caesar was really of republican sympathies

- "Where is he going to find them - unless he hangs himself?" - double entendre as optimates are all dead and Caesar needs to die for the republic to be restored

- "How foolish of him" (Brutus for saying Caesar was republican)

- He's "pleased" that "not even the man who had begun the whole criminal business had a good word to say about our nephew"

- Caesar criticised Brutus so maybe they will fall out- "I feared that even Brutus liked him" (Caesar)

1) 14.4 To Atticus, Lavnuvium, April 44BC

- tone: informal, desperate

purpose: information

-context:

- 3 weeks after caesar's assassination (removal had not automatically brought libertas)

- cicero outside Rome; felt threatened and fled to one of his country houses

2) 14.4: To Atticus: key quotes

- "i suspect there in Rome you hear news everyday" (relying on Atticus for political affairs as he is always from the state during these crucial times)

- "that freedom has been restored without a free state" (frustration/naivety)

- "our heroes achieved all they were able, gloriously" (full approval of the assassination)

1) 10.28: To his Friends: To Trebonius, Feb 43

- tone: formal, amicable

- purpose: give info, ally trebonius to himself/republic

- context:

- trebonius gov of gaul

-already dead

- caesar killed last year

- Cicero back in politics

- praises trebonius, the conspirators, and the (new) republic- condemns marc antony

- emphasises/builds on their amicitia- comments on octavian's potentialopinions: the republic is strong and will surviveimage: sincere, passionate, saviour of the republic

2) 10.28: To Trebonius: key quotes

- "How I would have liked you to have invited me to that most beautiful feast on the Ides of March!" (exclamation and metaphor for assassination)

- "we should have had nothing remaining" (metaphor for lack of killing Mark Antony)

- calls Antony "this curse of the country"

- "I spoke with intense spirit rather than eloquence" (self praise due to his service to senate (his 3rd Philippic)

- "that day... the Roman people (had) hope of recovering their freedom" (sees A as threat to libertas of people

- "I have devoted every moment not only to thinking about the republic, but being active in it"

- "we have a strong senate"

- "the boy Caesar is excellent...i have great hopes for his future" (Cicero is hopeful, but misguided (Octavian (Caesar) will end up fighting Antony")

1)To his Friends: to Plancus, Rome 43BC

- tone: formal

- purpose: persuade him to stand against Antony

- context:

- plancus gov of gaul

- notoriously unreliable/disloyal

- antony given gov of macedonia, but wanted cisalpine gaul

- trying to take it by force from decimus brutus

- outlines the benefits and consequences for plancus

- flatters plancus (and himself)

- appeals to amicitia, libertas, and plancus' ambition

-opinions: antony must be stopped, there is glory in loyalty to the 'new' republic

- image: voice of reason, rebuilding republic

2) To Plancus: key quotes

- "our friend Furnius" (tribune of plebs in 50 BC, Cicero's ally and was currently Plancus' legate after Cicero recommended him)

- Wants Plancus to "offer yourself to the senate"

- "I would never think you yourself to be without good judgement"

- "you are an agent of peace"-

- "yet still I wish for some advice to reach you under my influence"

- "those ranks of honour you have...will be regarded not as badges of honour, but as empty titles, unless you join yourself with the freedom of the Roman People and authority of the senate"

- "separate yourself from disloyal citizens"

- "good intention has prompted me to write these words"

- "the statement of our friend Furnius about your views on the republic was most agreeable to the senate" while "the letter which was read out in the Senate seemed in no way to agree with what Furnius had said" (suggested making peace with MA) - Plancus is telling different people different things, not taking a clear side to protect himself

- Cicero is being pragmatic by trying to work with Plancus even though he probably dislikes him - trying to convince him to "join yourself with the freedom of the Roman people and the authority of the senate"- Plancus is "an agent of peace when your colleague, a most distinguished man, is being blockaded by a "gang of vile brigands" (Decimus Brutus, governor of Cisalpine Gaul was under siege by MA and his forces)

SCHOLAR: Grant

Cicero's works are filled with stylistic flourishes, giving the translator a challenge who would wish to wrote "contemporary readable English"

SCHOLAR: Morello

Cicero's letter are an "interactive genre...a substitute for conversation"

- they maintain an "apparent realism" and seek to "minimise the geographical separation between writer and addressee"