(one sentence). At this point there is nothing further that Cicero can say that is directly relevant to the legal issue, and so the digressio ( 1230), consisting of the encomium of literature, intervenes. Cat. He does not have documentary proof that Archias is a citizen of Heraclea, he says, because the public record office at Heraclea was burnt down in the Social War and all the records destroyed;19 but he can nevertheless produce M. Lucullus as a witness to Archias enrolment, and an official deputation has been sent from Heraclea with a written statement confirming Archias claim. Mur. 2.26; Val. This second edition by Steven M. Cerutti (hereafter C.) of Cicero's speech in defense of the poet Archias delivers an introduction, text, commentary, vocabulary, and two appendices covering (respectively) proper or place names and rhetorical or political terminology. A Pew Research Center survey conducted in 2017 found similar patterns in firearm owners' stated reasons for owning a gun.. Around half of Americans (48%) see gun violence as a very big problem in the country today, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in April 2021. Aulus Licinius Archias, (born c. 120 bc, Antioch, Syria [now Antakya, Turkey]), ancient Greek poet who came to Rome, where he was charged in 62 bc with having illegally assumed the rights of a Roman citizen. (III) For when first Archias grew out of childhood, and out of the studies of those arts by which young boys are gradually trained and refined, he devoted himself to the study of writing. )28 is cited in support of this view; at 31 Cicero will go further and claim thateveryone (apud omnis) has always held poets to be sacred. 54). Lucullus must have helped to bring about Ciceros election to the consulship, and in July 63 Cicero in return had enabled Lucullus to celebrate his long-delayed triumph (Cic. Cicero immediately takes us into a world of intelligent culture in which he and Archias play a part, and in which the jury are flattered into fancying that they also belong. H. C. Gotoff asserts that the reference iseither jocular or tasteless, and adds:Perhaps the best way to understand the reference to his brother is to take it together with Ciceros decision to speak in a style more epideictic than usually deemed effective in the law courts, and to assume that the orator had reason to be confident from the start in the outcome of the trial.32 This suggestion cannot be accepted, because a praetor in charge of a court had no means of determining or influencing a jurys verdict; this is why in his speeches Cicero addresses himself to the jury, and generally ignores the praetor. This was a suitable house for a member of the nobility, as Cicero now was, and it would, incidentally, have been one of the ones frequented by Archias in the 90s, having been the residence then of M. Drusus (Vell. In Pro Murena and Pro Caelio, for example, this is done with humour. The arguments that follow continue the close connection of poetry with military affairs. Poetry, Latin: From the Beginnings through the End of the Roman Italy, 4th Century bce to 3rd Century ce, Theoderic the Great and Ostrogothic Italy, Transmission of Greek and Latin Literature. But the argument is nevertheless misleading because it leaves the impression, for example by the reference totechnical skill in oratory (huiusce rei (referring to exercitatio dicendi) ratio), that Archias actually taught Cicero rhetoric. Cicero cannot conceal or explain away Archias occupation, and so he has no choice but to make a virtue of it. In 62 B.C.E., the poet Archias, Marcus Tullius Cicero's childhood tutor, faced prosecution based on the tribunal law of Gaius Papius, which expelled non-Roman citizens from Rome. C. also knows when less is more. The sententious and lyrical language in which the point is made effectively proves the point ( 16): Nam ceterae neque temporum sunt neque aetatum omnium neque locorum; at haec studia adulescentiam acuunt, senectutem oblectant, secundas res ornant, adversis perfugium ac solacium praebent, delectant domi, non impediunt foris, pernoctant nobiscum, peregrinantur, rusticantur. But all books, all the words of the wise and all history are full of examples which teach this lessonexamples which would all be lying in obscurity, had not the light of the written word been brought to them. He trained my voice, which I have used to save people on trial. Archias wrote poems of the general's military exploits, and in 93 BC, Lucullus helped him gain citizenship of the municipium of Heraclea. I beg of you that you will grant me an indulgence in this trial which is appropriate to this defendant here, and, I trust, not disagreeable to youthat you will allow me, speaking as I am on behalf of an eminent poet and a most learned man and before this crowd of highly educated people, this civilized jury, and such a praetor as is now presiding, to speak rather more freely on cultural and literary matters, and, as befits the character of a man who because of his life of seclusion and study has had very little to do with the hazards of the courts, to employ a somewhat novel and unconventional manner of speaking. That astonishing naval battle off Tenedos, when L. Lucullus killed the enemy commanders and sank their fleet, will always be spoken of and proclaimed as ours: ours are the trophies, ours the monuments, ours the triumphs. In reality Archias, if he ever wore a toga at all, which is doubtful, would not have done so until 89, by which time he had been settled in Rome for thirteen years. This, then, is the attitude with which Cicero, himself derided as awee Greek (Graeculus) by his detractors (Dio 46.18.1; cf. Max. Cicero's famous defense of the poet Aulus Licinius Archias in Pro Archia Poeta Oratio remains one of the most eloquent and important works of Latin literature to date. Students will miss a definition of dubitare plus infinitive as to hesitate (to do to have second thoughts (about doing X). Name: Reading guide for Cicero's Speech in Defense of the Poet Archias (on Blackboard) Note: The defendant's birth name is Archias (a Greek name), Cicero refers to him as Aulus Licinius, the name he took once he moved to Italy and attained Roman citizenship. Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. We should therefore begin by asking what it was about this particular case that led Cicero to adopt such a style.17 The question is especially pertinent in the context of the exordium, since stylistic brilliance was normally to be avoided in this part of the speech (Inv. Obviously, it will take . Archias, who first arrived in Rome in 102 BCE, had, since the conclusion of the Social War in 89 BCE, been living as a Roman citizen and enjoying all of its attendant privileges. The Romans seem to have found it advantageous to make use of every argument at their disposal, not merely the decisive ones: this can be observed not only in oratory but also for example in Lucretius. Grattius, of course, has already delivered his speech, and has not asked such a question, but the question gives Cicero an excuse to embark upon his digression and, later, to parade Archias virtues. After providing the jury with the legal foundations of Archiass citizenship, he proceeds to argue that even if reasonable doubt were to surround Archiass claim to be a Roman citizen, he should nevertheless be considered worthy of inclusion in the citizen body as a result of the contribution his poetry has made to the Republic. This chapter reviews the historical circumstances of Archias' trial, and then discusses the speech itself and some of the issues it raises, especially that of why the encomium of literature is included, and how it contributes to the defence. The important point is then made that Archias poetry celebrates the military glory of the Roman people: his poem on the war against the Cimbri actually won the approval of Marius. Ciceros defense of his teacher, the Pro Archia, is far from the expert orators most well-known work, yet it presents fascinating questions for analysis. Archias's Roman citizenship has been called into question, and through an artful display of oratory and rhetoric, Cicero reconstructs the reality of Archias's life and contributions to provide proof of his worth as a citizen. Your email address will not be published. Archias career is recounted up as far as his arrival in Rome in 102; Cicero impressively manages to connect him with both the consuls of that year, Marius and Catulus. Gotoff (cited n. 1) 211, 21213 (cf. Your current browser may not support copying via this button. 41.3, 42.4), and in politics they shared the same conservative outlook. The chapter examines the style used by Cicero in Pro Archia and asks what it was about this particular case that led him to adopt such a style. Cicero does not bother to mention the further censuses of 65 and 64, since the jury would be aware that they too had been abandoned. For other forms of mental relaxation are in no way suited to every time, age, and place. I focus here on its usefulness to an introductory/intermediate-level university class, drawing partly upon my experience with C.s first edition to teach a third-semester Latin Prose course at Yale University in the Fall of 2003 to a group of 20 undergraduate and graduate students. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide, This PDF is available to Subscribers Only. Cicero now moves on to the confirmatio, which, because of the simplicity of the case, is almost as brief as the narratio. The commentary likewise alerts students to some hallmarks of Ciceros Latin (e.g. But Ciceros technique is not simply one of flattery. Rocks and deserts respond to the poets voice; ferocious wild animals are often turned aside by singing and stopped in their tracks: shall we, then, who have been brought up to all that is best, remain unmoved by the voice of a poet? If Archias was Ciceros grammatikos, he would have taught him to recite Homer and other Greek poets, and the vocal training that this involved may genuinely have helped him on his way to becoming a great orator. Key facts about Americans and guns | Pew Research Center In the narratio, the facts are very simply stated. Such a characterization could not have been employed by Cicero unless the jury already held, or at least were disposed to hold, a similar view themselves. The style marks the speech as being a self-consciously literary product, and thus cleverly reinforces Ciceros contention that literature can be directed towards useful, practical ends, and is therefore something of value to society. The digressio concludes ( 2830) with Ciceros admission that he too wishes to be immortalized in verse; as he has demonstrated, there are many honourable precedents for this. Abstract. In his speech defending Archias-the Pro Archia-Cicero argues that Archias was a Roman citizen. First there is the genuine sense of gratitude he felt towards his old teacher ( 1), a factor which should not be cynically denied. 4. This sentence, with its elegant series of carefully balanced clauses, immediately raises the question of the style of the speech: with the exception, naturally, of the narratio, the speech is pitched at a higher stylistic level than is normal in Cicero. 1.16.15). 13.6.4), L. Licinius Murena, the consulelect. Cic. 1.16.15), and will obviously have stopped short of Pompeys appointment. Donald Trump's defense attorney on Monday wrapped up his cross-examination of writer E. Jean Carroll in the trial over her rape allegation against the former . This argument, understood literally, does in fact have some validity. A brief discussion of content would also be useful at this crucial moment in the speech. Russia's Top Diplomat Hints at a Prisoner Swap for Detained Reporter In that speech Cicero is able to characterize the Greeks as clever talkers, certainly, but also deceitful, dishonest, fickle, and brazen, and motivated by a hatred of the Romans. The Pro Archia, then, is an oration with a complex network of layered meaning with broad cultural implications both for Cicero's audience and for readers today. In any case, Archias is mentioned once more by Cicero, in a philosophical treatise of 44, with affection (Div. 1.13.6) by purchasing from Crassus a grand house on the Palatine overlooking the Forum. Cicero states that poets have a natural gift and that Ennius called poets holy. He is therefore a poor example to cite. The extent of upper-class Roman prejudice regarding a mans place of origin is revealed by the fact that, in the year before Archias trial, Cicero himself had been described in the Senate by one patrician as animmigrant citizen (inquilinus civis, Sal. 5.7 (April 62 bc) shows him seeking to form closer ties with Pompey. The oration was rediscovered in Lige by Petrarch in 1333.[2]. Cicero mentions three benefits of literature: literature provides refreshment for the spirit and repose for the senses; it provides Cicero with inspiration for his daily speeches and therefore strengthens his oratorical powers; and it contains moral lessons and provides examples to contemplate and to emulate. 5.11.25, 8.3.75, 9.4.44, 11.1.34, 11.3.84, 11.3.167). From every point of view, then, it would have been unthinkable for him not to take on Archias defence. We ask that comments be substantive in content and civil in tone and those that do not adhere to these guidelines will not be published. Law of the Twelve Tables | Roman law | Britannica It is clear from Pro Flacco that the sort of unremarkable, upper-class men who for the most part constituted Roman juries cannot have had any great respect for the Greek nation. From the persuasive point of view, it is the second of these questions that is the more difficult, and therefore the more interesting. 4. Then these people seek out a foreigner even now after his death because he was a poet: Will we reject this man alive who is ours by both his will and laws when Archias has for so long applied all of his studies and genius entire towards honoring the glory in praise of the Roman people? By the end of 63, it was already clear that Cicero would be open to attack for his execution of the conspirators, and it was therefore useful to him to remain closely allied with the conservative elements in the Senate, who would (at least until the formation of theFirst Triumvirate) be in a position to protect him. It is one of the best. Such silences are thoughtful exclusions rather than negligent omissions and should be considered among the editions cardinal virtues. At the risk of waxing biographical, as a Biology major at UC Berkeley I switched camps to Classics/CompLit largely because of Brian Krostenkos intermediate Latin course on Vergil: by drawing students attention to the Aeneids interconnection of language and theme, he gave life to the focus on Latin grammar and Vergilian hexameter. Although there is no direct evidence that this speech was a success, a later letter to Atticus suggests that Archias was indeed acquitted and remained a part of life at Rome. While naming the law under which Archias was granted citizenship at Heraclea, Cicero begins with the verb to emphasize that citizenship was indeed granted (Data est). The Biden . He was defended by Cicero in the speech known as Pro Archia, but the issue of the trial is unknown. 4.74), and there is no reason to suppose that the one that heard Archias the following year was any different. The edition is nearly error free.1 Two points deserve more substantive comment. He continues ( 14): Sed pleni omnes sunt libri, plenae sapientium voces, plena exemplorum vetustas; quae iacerent in tenebris omnia, nisi litterarum lumen accederet. The speech is rounded off with a brief conclusio ( 312). If I have any natural talent, members of the juryand I am aware how limited it is; or if I have any experience in public speakingin which I do not deny that I am moderately well practised; or if there is any technical skill in my oratory which has been derived from application and training in the liberal artsand I admit that I have never at any period of my life been averse to such training: if I do have any of these capabilities, then A. Licinius here is entitled almost as of right to be among the very first to claim from me the benefits which they may bring. this page. Others can more ably comment on the editions success in that regard. of good disposition, large fortune, respect- III. So let the name of poet, gentlemen, which no barbarian race has ever treated with disrespect, be a sacred name among you, the most enlightened of men. Livius Drusus was a nobleman, a man II. The testimony of Ennius (which can hardly be considered impartial! After this, 16 closes with the argument that literature is inherently pleasant. ), and Cicero had set aside time during it to defend a relation of Lucullus (Att.
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