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oxford world’s classics DEFENCE SPEECHES Marcus Tullius Cicero (106–43 bc) was the son of a Roman eques from Arpinum, some 70 miles (112 km.) south-east of Rome. He rose to prominence through his skill in speaking and his exceptional success in the criminal courts, where he usually spoke for the defence. Although from a family that had never produced a Roman senator, he secured election to all the major political offices at the earliest age permitted by law. His consulship fell in a year (63) in which a dangerous insurrection occurred, the Catilinarian con- spiracy; by his persuasive oratory and his controversial execution of five confessed conspirators, he prevented the conspiracy from breaking out at Rome and was hailed as the father of his country. Exiled for the executions by his enemy Clodius in 58 but recalled the following year, he lost his political independence as a result of the domination of politics by the military dynasts Pompey and Caesar. His governorship of Cilicia (51–50) was exemplary in its honesty and fairness. Always a firm republican, he reluctantly sup- ported Pompey in the Civil War, but was pardoned by Caesar. He was not let into the plot against Caesar, but was in a sense its inspiration, being seen by now as a symbol of the republic. After Caesar’s assassination (44), he supported the young Octavian (the future emperor Augustus) and led the senate in its operations against Mark Antony. When Octavian and Antony formed the ‘second triumvirate’ with Lepidus in 43, Cicero was their most prominent victim; he met his end with great courage. Cicero’s speeches are models of eloquence and persuasion; and together with his letters they form the chief source for the history of the late republic. His philosophical treatises, written in periods when he was deprived of his political freedom, are the main vehicle by which Hellenistic philosophy was transmitted to the west. His prose style raised the Latin language to an elegance and beauty that was never surpassed. D. H. Berry is Senior Lecturer in Classics at the University of Edinburgh. He has published an edition of and commentary on Cicero’sPro Sulla (Cambridge Classical Texts and Commentaries, 1996) and a revision of M. L. Clarke’s Rhetoric at Rome (Routledge, 1996). A companion volume to this book, Political Speeches, is also published in Oxford World’s Classics. oxford world’s classics For almost 100 years Oxford World’s Classics have brought readers closer to the world’s great literature. Now with over 700 titles––from the 4,000-year-old myths of Mesopotamia to the twentieth century’s greatest novels––the series makes available lesser-known as well as celebrated writing. The pocket-sized hardbacks of the early years contained introductions by Virginia Woolf, T. S. Eliot, Graham Greene, and other literary figures which enriched the experience of reading. Today the series is recognized for its fine scholarship and reliability in texts that span world literature, drama and poetry, religion, philosophy and politics. Each edition includes perceptive commentary and essential background information to meet the changing needs of readers. OXFORD WORLD’S CLASSICS CICERO Defence Speeches Translated with Introductions and Notes by D. H. BERRY 1 3 Great Clarendon Street, Oxford ox2 6dp Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide in OxfordNew York AthensAucklandBangkokBogotáBuenosAiresCalcutta CapeTownChennaiDaresSalaamDelhiFlorenceHongKongIstanbul KarachiKualaLumpurMadridMelbourneMexicoCityMumbai NairobiParisSãoPauloShanghaiSingaporeTaipeiTokyoTorontoWarsaw with associated companies inBerlinIbadan Oxford is a registered trade mark of Oxford University Press in the UK and in certain other countries Published in the United States by Oxford University Press Inc., New York © D. H. Berry 2000 Database right Oxford University Press (maker) First published as an Oxford World’s Classics paperback 2000 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press, or as expressly permitted by law, or under terms agreed with the appropriate reprographics rights organizations. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the above should be sent to the Rights Department, Oxford University Press, at the address above You must not circulate this book in any other binding or cover and you must impose this same condition on any acquirer British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Data available Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Cicero, Marcus Tullius. Defence speeches/Cicero; translated with introduction and notes by D. H. Berry. (Oxford world’s classics) Includes bibliographical references. 1. Cicero, Marcus Tullius––Translations into English. 2. Speeches, addresses, etc., Latin––Translations into English. 3. Defense (Criminal procedure)––Rome––Sources. I. Berry, D. H. II. Title. III. Oxford world’s classics (Oxford University Press) PA6307.A4 B47 2001 875′.01––dc21 00–040632 ISBN 0–19–282512–7 13579108642 Typeset in Ehrhardt by RefineCatch Limited, Bungay, Suffolk Printed in Great Britain on acid-free paper by Cox & Wyman Ltd. Reading, Berkshire To Courtenay and Sarah Latimer, and to the memory of my mother This page intentionally left blank CONTENTS Acknowledgements ix Abbreviations x Introduction xi Note on the Translation xxxi Note on the Latin Text xxxv Select Bibliography xxxviii Chronology xliii DEFENCE SPEECHES 1 Pro Roscio Amerino (‘For Roscius of Ameria’) 3 Pro Murena (‘For Murena’) 59 Pro Archia (‘For Archias’) 107 Pro Caelio (‘For Caelius’) 122 Pro Milone (‘For Milo’) 162 Explanatory Notes 224 Glossary 272 This page intentionally left blank ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am grateful to Professor Jonathan Powell and two anonymous readers for their comments on my translation of Pro Archia. Special thanks to Douglas Cairns, Ian Gibson, Sunit Jilla, Paul Knox, Elizabeth Pender, and Perry Savill for their help and friend- ship during the writing of this book. Friends, like manuscripts, should be weighed not counted.
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