Massolit - Christopher burden-strivers on Caesar, Cicero and cato

cato as a populist

  • in 64, distributing terracotte cups with his name

  • bribing the people with cups containing food and wine

  • as tribune increases the amount of free grain

  • typical of a populist tribune

cicero as popularis

january 63BC speeches

  • promises to be a real popularis

  • intends to be a popularis consul

  • distinguished between fake populares and true populares

  • claims he really does love the people

caesar vs cato - ideological conflict

63BC - cataline conspiracy

cato

  • proposes conspirators should b executed

  • senate shouls have emergency power

caesar

  • says think again

  • catos wrong

  • senate cant execute without a trial

  • appeals to right of provocatio

  • on side of popular liberty

core issue

  • role of the senate

  • where sovereignty lies

59BC - caesar’s consulship

  • cato attacks caesar’s reforms

  • caesar threatens to throw cato into prison

  • caesar acts through the people

  • claims this is what the people want

  • the popular will demands it

fundamental difference

  • caesar - sovereignity with the people

  • cato - sovereignity with the senate

  • difference of ideology

caesar and cicero - a more complex relationship

tone of relationship

  • much more cordial than with cato

  • both shrewd operators

  • careful not to get on the wrong side of each other

private vs public cicero

in letters to atticul

  • caesar riding roughshod over the constitution

  • removing safeguards

  • acting like a tyrant

in letters to caesar

  • very polite relationship

  • sufficiently kind in his letters

  • constant correspondence through 60s, 50s, 40s

public speeches

  • cicero very seldom critises caesar while caesar is alive

example: rullus’ agrarian law 63BC

  • possibly backed by caesar

  • cicero never mentions caesar’s name

  • criticises bull and rullus

  • avoids attacing caesar publicly

  • shows mutual caution

moments of cooperation

58BC - cicero in danger

  • clodius targeting him

  • caesar offers his protection

  • offers to take cicero under hs wing

44BC - after the ides of march

  • cicero brokers amnesty

  • gets both sides to agree a truce

  • shows ability to see both sides of caesar

endings: cato vs cicero

cato

  • kills himself

  • takes the noble route

  • resfuses to live under dictatorship

  • the idealist

cicero

  • outlived caesar

  • learned to work with caesar

  • accepted the reality

  • realist