Cicero - biography, facts from life, photographs, background information. Cicero - biography, information, personal life What made Cicero famous

Cicero) Marcus Tullius (106 BC, Arpin - 43 BC, near Caieta, modern Gaeta), Roman orator, writer, politician. He came from the equestrian class and gained influence as a brilliant orator who gave judicial and political speeches. In 63 BC. e. reached the pinnacle of Roman political career - he became consul. During the consulate, he contributed to the discovery of Catiline’s conspiracy, for which he received the honorary title “Father of the Fatherland,” however, having allowed the conspirators to be executed without trial, he subsequently went into exile. During the civil wars he defended the republic, with the establishment of Caesar's dictatorship he retired from politics. After the assassination of Caesar (44 BC), he acted as a political speaker with a cycle of speeches “Philippics” (in memory of the speeches of Demosthenes) against one of the supporters of the dictator Anthony, who ordered the murder of Cicero: the severed head and hand of the murdered man were exhibited at the Forum, and Antony's wife, Fulvia, pierced the tongue of the most eloquent of the Romans with a pin. Cicero's literary heritage, in addition to his speeches (58 of them have survived), consists of 19 philosophical, rhetorical and political treatises and extensive correspondence (about 800 letters). Cicero was the creator of Roman classical prose, a normalizer of literary language: it was in his writings that the Latin language became the model on which writers of subsequent centuries were guided.

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CICERO

Marcus Tullius (01/3/106 - 12/7/43 BC) - ancient Roman. political activist, speaker, writer. Genus. in Arpin (Latium), belonged to the class of horsemen. He first gave speeches in 81 - 80 BC. under Cornelia Sulla on the side of the opposition. Political began his career after the abdication of Sulla, entering the ruling class as a “new man”, owing everything only to himself, his oratorical gift (in 76 - quaestor; in 70 - victory in a high-profile trial against the Sullan Verres; in 66 - praetor; first political speech in support of Gnaeus Pompey; in 63 - consul). Political The ideal of C. is “mixed state. structure" (state, combining elements of monarchy, aristocracy and democracy, the model of which Ts. considered the Roman republic of the 3rd - early 2nd centuries BC), supported in times of crisis by the "first people", " rulers", "pacifiers", "guardians and trustees" of the state, combining. a philosopher in himself. theory and politics (speaking) practice; Ts considered himself an example of such a person. Practical Ts.’s program was “harmony of estates”, “unanimity of all worthy”, i.e. bloc of Senate and equestrian. estates against democracy and pretenders to monarchy. power. He managed to unite such a bloc in 63 against the conspiracy of Sergius Catiline, when C. made three speeches against the agrarian law of Servilius Rull and the famous four speeches against Catiline; Ts considered this his greatest merit. But the block disintegrated as soon as it passed immediately. danger; with the formation of the 1st triumvirate (60) political. C.'s influence began to decline, in 58 - 57 he even had to go into exile, and then, against his will, support Gnaeus Pompey and Caesar; in 51 - 50 he was proconsul in Cilicia. In civil War 49 - 47 C. tried in vain to mediate between Pompey and Caesar; After Caesar's victory, he retired from politics. After the assassination of Caesar in 44 C., anticipating a new civil society. war, tried to leave for Greece, but was convinced. his friend Marcus Junius Brutus, returned to Rome, where he again entered into politics. fight as leader of the Senate and Republicans. His 14 speeches date back to this time - “philippic” against M. Anthony. After the formation of the 2nd triumvirate in 43, Ts.’s name was included in the proscript. lists; died among the first victims of the repressions of Anthony and Octavian Augustus. From op. C. saved (not counting passages) 58 court. and political speeches, 19 treatises (partly in dialogical form) on rhetoric (“On the Orator”, “Brutus”, “Orator”, etc.), politics (“On the State”, “On the Laws”), practical. philosophy (“Tusculan Conversations”, “On Duties”, etc.), according to theoretical. philosophy (“On the limits of good and evil”, “On the nature of the gods”, etc. ) and more than 800 letters (“To Atticus”, “To loved ones”, etc.), yavl. the most valuable sources information about the civil era. wars in Rome.

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Cicero

Marcus Tullius Cicero) - Roman politician, outstanding orator and writer of the 1st century. BC, belonging to the class of horsemen. Born in Arpin in 106, died in 43 BC. He first gave speeches in 81 - 80. during the reign of Sulla on the side of the opposition. He began his political career after Sulla abdicated power; Thanks to his oratorical gift, he managed to enter the ruling class of the Roman Republic. In 76, Cicero became a quaestor, in 70 he won a high-profile trial against the high-ranking bribe-taker and covetous Verres, in 66 he took the post of praetor and made his first political speech in support of Gnaeus Pompey, and finally, in 63 .became consul. As a politician, Cicero was prone to compromise; his ideal of government was a “mixed system”, combining elements of monarchy, aristocracy and democracy, the prototype of which he saw in republican Rome in the 3rd - early 2nd centuries. BC Cicero’s practical program was the “harmony of the estates”, “unanimity of all worthy” (Concordia ordinum), that is, a bloc of the Senate and equestrian estates against ochlocracy and pretenders to monarchical power. He managed to unite such a bloc in 63 to counteract the conspiracy of Sergius Catiline, when Cicero made 3 speeches against the agrarian law of Servilius Rull and the famous 4 speeches against Catiline. Cicero considered this success his greatest service to the republic, but the bloc disintegrated as soon as the immediate danger had passed. With the formation of the First Triumvirate in 60, Cicero's political influence began to decline; in 58–57. he even had to go into exile, and then, against his will, support the alliance of Gnaeus Pompey and Caesar. In 51 - 50 he served as proconsul in the province of Cilicia. In the civil war 49 - 47. Cicero tried in vain to mediate between Pompey and Caesar, and after Caesar's victory he retired from politics. After the assassination of Caesar in 44, he, foreseeing new unrest, tried to leave for Greece, but, persuaded by his friend Marcus Junius Brutus, he returned to Rome, where he again entered into the political struggle as the leader of the Senate and the Republicans. His 14 speeches, the so-called “philippics” against Mark Antony, date back to this time. After the formation of the Second Triumvirate in 43, the name of Cicero, at the insistence of Mark Antony, was included in the proscription lists. Among the first victims of repression, Cicero was killed by sword while trying to leave Italy. Cicero's literary heritage includes 58 fully preserved judicial and political speeches, as well as 20 fragments from other speeches, 19 treatises on rhetoric, politics and more than 800 letters, which are a valuable source of information about the era of civil wars in Rome. A lot of interesting historical information is contained in his works devoted to the so-called “practical philosophy”: “Tusculan Conversations”, “On Duties”, etc., as well as political studies: “On the State” and “On Laws”. Only relatively small fragments have survived of Cicero's poetic works. The works of Cicero and his personality had a significant influence on the creators of European culture.

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CICERO

Marcus Tullius Cicero (3.I.106 - 7.XII.43 BC) - ancient Roman. political activist, speaker, writer. Genus. in Arpin (Latium), belonged to the class of horsemen. He first gave speeches in 81-80 BC. e. under Cornelia Sulla on the side of the opposition. Political began his career after the abdication of Sulla, entering the ruling class as a “new man” (homo novus), owing everything only to himself, his oratorical gift (in 76 - quaestor; in 70 - victory in a high-profile trial against the Sullan Verres; in 66 - praetor; first political speech in support of Gnaeus Pompey; in 63 - consul). Political The ideal of Ts. is a “mixed state structure” (a state combining elements of monarchy, aristocracy and democracy, the model of which Ts. considered the Roman Republic of the 3rd - early 2nd centuries BC), supported in the era crisis by the “first people”, “rulers”, “pacifiers”, “guardians and trustees” of the state, combining philosophy. theory and politics (speaking) practice; Ts considered himself an example of such a person. Practical Ts.'s program was “harmony of estates,” “unanimity of all worthy” (Concordia ordinum), that is, a bloc of the Senate and the equestrians. estates against democracy and pretenders to monarchy. power. He managed to unite such a bloc in 63 against the conspiracy of Sergius Catiline, when C. made three speeches against the agrarian law of Servilius Rull and the famous four speeches against Catiline; Ts considered this his greatest merit. But the bloc disintegrated as soon as the immediate danger had passed; with the formation of the 1st triumvirate (60) political. C.'s influence began to decline, in 58-57 he even had to go into exile, and then against his will support Gnaeus Pompey and Caesar; in 51-50 he was proconsul in Cilicia. In civil War 49-47 C. tried in vain to mediate between Pompey and Caesar; After Caesar's victory, he retired from politics. After the assassination of Caesar in 44 C., anticipating a new civil society. war, tried to leave for Greece, but, convinced by his friend Marcus Junius Brutus, he returned to Rome, where he again entered into politics. fight as leader of the Senate and Republicans. His 14 speeches date back to this time - “philippic” against M. Anthony. After the formation of the 2nd triumvirate in 43, C.’s name was included in the proscription lists; died among the first victims of the repressions of Anthony and Octavian Augustus. From op. 58 judicial and political documents have been preserved (not counting fragments). speeches, 19 treatises (partly in dialogic form) on rhetoric ("On the Orator", "Brutus", "Orator", etc.), politics ("On the State", "On Laws"), practical. philosophy (“Tusculan Conversations”, “On Duties”, etc. ), according to theoretical philosophy (“On the limits of good and evil”, “On the nature of the gods”, etc.) and more than 800 letters (“To Atticus”, “To loved ones”, etc.), which are the most valuable source of information about the civil era. wars in Rome. Works: Scripta quae manserunt omnia. Recognovit C. P. W. M?ller, Bd 1-10, Lpz., 1893-1923; (separate works - in new editions in the series "Collection Bud?" and "Loeb classical library"); in Russian trans.: Rechi, (trans.) V. Gorenshtein, vol. 1-2, M., 1962; Full collection speeches, (translated under the editorship of F. Zelinsky), vol. 1, St. Petersburg, 1901; Dialogues "On the State", "On Laws", trans. V. Gorenshteina, M., 1966; Letters, trans. and comments by V. Gorenshtein, (vol.) 1-3, M.-L., 1949-51; Three Treatises on Oratory, trans. edited by M. Gasparova, M., 1972. Lit.: Cicero. Sat. articles, (edited by F. Petrovsky), M., 1958; Cicero. 2000 years since death. Sat. articles, M., 1959; Utchenko S. L., Cicero and his time, M., 1972; Zelinsky R. P., Cicero, in the book: Brockhaus-Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary, vol. 75, St. Petersburg, 1903; Boissier G., Cicero and his friends, M., 1914; Zielinsky Th., Cicero im Wandel der Jahrhunderte, 3 Aufl., Lpz.-V., 1912; Kumaniecki K., Cyceron i jego wsp?lczesni, (Warsz.), 1959; B?chner, K., Cicero, Wiesbaden, 1962 (Studien zur r?mischen Literatur, Bd 2); Maffii M., Cic?ron et son drame politique, (P., 1961); Michel A., Les rapports de la rh?torique et de la philosophie dans l´oeuvre de Cic?ron, P., 1960; Smith R. E., Cicero the statesman, Camb., 1966. M. L. Gasparov. Moscow.

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Cicero

(lat. Cicero) Marcus Tullius, b. in 106 BC e. in Arpin (Samnium), killed in 43 BC. e. near Formium, Rome. speaker, politician activist and writer. C. came from the equestrian class and arrived in Rome quite early, where he received an excellent education, especially in rhetoric, philosophy, and law. Even under Sulla, he acted as a speaker in political trials. background (the first surviving speech for Quinctius – 81 BC), then in order to improve his education in 79–77 BC. e. traveled to Greece (in Athens he struck up friendly relations with Atticus, and studied with Molon in Rhodes). His oratorical successes cleared the way for him to become a politician. activities, therefore, despite the resistance of the nobility to the “new man” (homo povus), he was elected to states, positions at the age of minimum permission. for their occupation: in 75 he became a quaestor in Sicily, in 69 he became a curule aedile, in 66 he became a praetor, in 63 BC. e. - consul. During his consulate, Ts. achieved the greatest political achievements. triumph thanks to the suppression of the Catalina conspiracy. The allegedly illegal execution of the leaders of the conspiracy subsequently played a role in the fate of Ts himself. At the suggestion of Clodius in 58 BC. e. he was expelled and, although a year later he had the opportunity to return with honor, his politician. influence suffered. In subsequent years, he wrote his most important works on rhetoric and philosophy of state, and from 51 he took over the management of the province. Cilicia. At the beginning of the civil war, C., after unsuccessful attempts at reconciliation, sided with Pompey, but adhered to a moderate policy and in 47 BC. e. was forgiven by Caesar. Subsequent years of forced political inactivity gave Ts. the opportunity to seriously engage in philosophical writings (46–44 BC). After the assassination of Caesar, he once again made a political appearance. arena and tried to restore the former republican order. As the leader of the Senate party in 14 Philippics (named in imitation of the speeches of Demosthenes), C. energetically attacked Antony, who, after the formation of the Second Triumvirate, achieved the inclusion of C. in the proscription lists; 7. 12. 43 BC e. Ts. was killed. Lit. Ts.'s legacy includes rhetoric, philosophical works, speeches and letters. Rhetorical and the philosophical works of C. were published during his lifetime by his friend Atticus, speeches by the freedman Tiron, who put C.’s legacy in order and prepared part of his correspondence for publication. Of the speeches, Ts. 57 have been preserved in full (judicial, senate and speeches to the people), approximately the same amount has been lost. In early speeches, in which he competed with Hortensius, C. leans towards the Asian style, but already in speeches against Verres (70 BC. e.) his own is manifested. style; it is characterized by the absence of foreign words and vulgarisms, abundant, but not excessive use of rhetoric. decorations, highlighting large, distinct ones in a logical manner. both linguistically and rhythmically designed. periods, sovereign restraint, the use of all types of style, depending on necessity; Demosthenes served as his model.

Since the trial against Verres, C. was considered unsurpassed. master of Rome eloquence. He revised his speeches for publications, except for directly judicial and political ones, which contributed to the spread of his fame as an orator. From his rhetoric. works of great importance are primarily 3 books: “On the Orator” (55 BC), in which Ts. paints the ideal image of a comprehensively educated orator-philosopher, “Brutus” (46 BC), the history of Rome. eloquence, “Orator” (46 BC), where Ts. develops the question of the best style and theoretically substantiates his own. ideal. Ts. turned to philosophical works only during times of compulsion. political inactivity. In his early (56–51 BC) works on philosophy - “On the State” (preserved only in fragments) and “On the Laws” (not completed), Ts., being a supporter of the fundamental philosophical works of Plato, paints a picture of an exemplary state with the best legislation, implemented. to Rome constitution (a combination of the consulate, the Senate, the people's assembly), at the same time ideologically justifies the privileges of the nobility. Political and personal adversity (Caesar's victory, the premature death of his beloved daughter Tullia) pushed Ts. to more intensive philosophical studies than before, and the decision matured in him to write it down in Latin. language all Greek philosophy in order to make it accessible to his countrymen in Rome. This plan was realized in 46–44 BC. e. (“On the limits of Good and Evil”, “Tusculan conversations”, “On the nature of the gods”, “On duties”). Without undertaking independent research, he selected in Greek. philosophy theories that seemed reasonable and useful to him (especially the works of academicians Philo from Larissa and Antiochus from Ascalon, as well as the Stoic Posidonius), and presented them in popular form (dialogues). In Ts.’s extensive correspondence, 4 collections of letters have been preserved, organized by addressee, through which we can get acquainted with his personal thoughts and feelings. In addition, these letters are an invaluable source of social, political. and cultural-historical. relations of that time. However, the main Ts.'s merit does not relate to the sphere of politics, as he himself believed. Without understanding the historical situation, Ts. sought to defend the dominance of the nobility (to which he himself did not belong), a threat to which was created from within by corruption, and from without by the demands of the popular people; the lack of a firm position in the struggle for power led him to politics. crash. In comparison, the importance of Ts in the sphere of language and literature is underestimated. Thanks to his speeches, as well as rhetoric. and philosophical works Ts. became the creator of the classic. lag arts, prose, which in subsequent times was considered exemplary. His philosophical works introduced him to the Greek. philosophy not only of contemporaries, but also of descendants in the Middle Ages and modern times. Deeply convinced. in the meaning of the Greek. culture for human education, Ts. used the word “humanitas” in the sense of “education,” implying that one can become a person only through education. The influence of Tsar was already extremely great in antiquity. He invariably occupied the most important place in that historical. the legacy that antiquity left to the Romans. 120 years after the death of C. Quintilian laid the foundation for “Ciceronism,” in which C.’s speeches were proclaimed as a model, and the ideal of style and education was persistently promoted. Quite soon, the importance of C. was appreciated by the first Christians, for example Lactantius, who, as a result of imitation of Rome. the author was called Christian C. Jerome reproached himself for being a supporter of C. (“Ciceronianus”), and not Christ (“Christianus”). Augustine considered his acquaintance with Cicero’s dialogue “Hortensius” (lost) to be the decisive events of his life. Petrarch, delight. admirer of Ts., contributed greatly to the final victory of Ciceronism, so that imitation of Ts.’s style, which accompanied the study of his works, became the goal of humanism. During the period of neo-humanism of the 18th century, when the Greek were, as it were, rediscovered. original works, Ts. lost its advantages and position in the area of influence of ancient culture.

rice. Cicero (portrait from the early imperial era, Florence).

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A cunning politician, a clever lawyer, a famous philosopher, a brilliant orator, Marcus Tullius Cicero left a deep mark on history. Indeed, his very name eventually became a household name. Today, any speaker is glad to hear the phrase “real Cicero!” - the highest praise for a talented speech.

Many random statements of Cicero, made by him more than two thousand years ago, play the role of aphorisms in our lives. And although over the centuries he has been assessed differently, the personality of Marcus Tullius cannot be characterized unambiguously, it was so multifaceted.

Years of study

Cicero's family could not boast of nobility. The great-grandfather of the great orator was a peasant and was engaged in gardening. Probably, then, due to the nature of his occupation, he received the nickname “cicero” (a variety of pea), which stuck with his descendants.

By the time in January 106 BC. e. Marcus Tullius was born, the family was already wealthy and belonged to the class of horsemen. The funds allowed Cicero's father to give his sons a good education, common for the aristocracy. In Rome it was called Hellenic and included the study of languages, logic, philosophy, rhetoric and jurisprudence.

Already at an early age, Marcus Tullius Cicero surprised teachers with his phenomenal abilities. He spoke Greek perfectly, recited perfectly and had an exceptional memory. A special role in his life was subsequently played by Roman law, which he was taught by Quintus Mucius Scaevola, and rhetoric, which he mastered under the guidance of Crassus.

Career choice

After completing his studies, Cicero completed military service, mandatory for a Roman citizen, for a year. During this time, he became convinced that he did not have the talent of a military leader, so he had to choose a different career for himself.

He focuses on law, and the very first case he handled as a lawyer brought him fame. Marcus Tullius Cicero undertook to defend Roscius, accused by Chrysagon, a friend of the dictator Sulla. In essence, this meant a death sentence, but the 27-year-old lawyer, thanks to his brilliant defense, saved the accused. True, he himself had to flee to Athens to escape Sulla’s revenge.

He traveled extensively throughout Greece, studied at various philosophical schools, and honed his natural eloquence by listening to outstanding speakers. All the skills acquired in voluntary exile soon came in very handy.

Beginning of political activity

Returning to Rome after the death of Sulla, Cicero married Terence, who came from a rich and noble family. After the wedding, he set about implementing the plans he had hatched during his stay in Greece. It was about a political career.

The first position received by Cicero was that of quaestor - the manager of the region. In his case, it was western Sicily. Marcus Tullius Cicero established himself as a reasonable, and most importantly, honest quaestor, for which the Sicilians sent him gifts for a long time.

The next steps in his political career were the positions of aedile and praetor. He becomes popular in Rome, where he organizes holidays for residents at his own expense and fights corruption. Finally, in 63 BC. e. The peak of Cicero's political career comes - he is elected consul.

The killing power of words

In his consular post, Cicero became famous for his famous speech against the Catiline conspiracy. In the era of the late Roman Republic, such conspiracies became its characteristic feature, so there were many contenders for establishing one-man rule.

However, the political concept of Marcus Tullius Cicero continued to remain republican. He categorically rejected the idea of a strong central government, continuing to defend democratic rule, which had already become obsolete in the vast Roman Empire. For this reason, he denounced the conspirators so vehemently.

The four speeches that Cicero made in the Senate have remained for centuries. Moreover, the scale of the conspiracy was exaggerated, and rumors about Catiline’s vices were presented as facts that did not require proof. Impressed by Cicero's eloquence, the frightened senators decided to arrest the conspirators.

Violating republican norms, their trial was carried out quickly, and the execution took place without waiting for a verdict approved by the people's assembly. Thus, in the case of the Catiline conspiracy, Cicero himself neglected the norms that he so fiercely defended.

The Tyrant's Generosity

The Romans greeted the execution of the conspirators with enthusiasm. However, not all. Julius Caesar, Crassus and Pompey, who created the first triumvirate three years later, did not share such a fierce struggle for republican ideals, moreover, with violations of the law.

Therefore, Marcus Tullius Cicero, whose statements led to the death of Catiline, was forced to flee Rome. During these years, he actively corresponded with his friend Atticus, who had gone to the north of Greece away from political intrigues. But in Rome itself there was turmoil, the city was on the verge of civil war, and the Senate asked Cicero to return.

The first triumvirate, as we know, ended with the dictatorship of Caesar. Cicero, an opponent of tyranny, again goes into voluntary exile. However, life away from the political events taking place in Rome seems insipid to him. Overcoming fear, the speaker meets Caesar and receives his generous forgiveness.

Fatal philippics

Finding himself in the thick of political events in Rome, Cicero bets on Pompey. To his great regret, the latter was defeated by Caesar, and the speaker himself fled from the camp, saving his life. From that moment on, his political ambitions came to an end.

When Julius Caesar was killed, Cicero, forgetting about the mercy shown to him earlier, rejoiced at the death of the tyrant. There is no direct evidence of his participation in the conspiracy, however, he undoubtedly bears indirect responsibility for the murder of Caesar, because he so zealously denounced the latter’s dictatorship in his speeches.

In fact, it was eloquence that destroyed Cicero. He now directed his lengthy philippics, pronounced in the Senate, against Mark Antony, presenting him as a liar, a coward and simply a stupid ruler. These speeches were supplemented and published by Cicero's old friend Atticus.

A new flight was about to take place, this time unsuccessful. Marcus Tullius Cicero, whose biography reads like a gripping historical novel, was killed on the orders of Mark Antony right in his own stretcher.

Works of Cicero

After the death of the famous speaker, many of his speeches, letters, as well as works devoted to rhetoric and philosophical problems remained. All of Cicero's works were written in classical Latin, of which he is often called the creator.

In treatises on rhetoric, for example “On the Orator,” he examines issues of style and the problem of the ideal philosopher-rhetorician. Special mention should be made of his famous philosophical works.

Thus, Marcus Tullius Cicero devoted “On Laws” to the topic of a model state. In fact, in this treatise he combined Greek philosophy with Roman state practice.

According to his views, the task of a true republic is to guarantee the equality of all citizens before the law. Rejecting private privileges, he insisted on fairness for all.

Lasting influence

Cicero wrote many of his works in exile. They glorified him not only during his lifetime. Centuries later, the philosophical treatises of the ancient Roman pagan had a huge influence on Christian authors.

Reading Jerome, it is easy to notice who his teacher was - Marcus Tullius Cicero. Quotes from his works are often found in the works of this Father of the Church, and he even borrowed some of the speaker’s philosophical thoughts.

However, Cicero's most ardent admirer was, of course, Petrarch. It was he who found a number of his works, in particular correspondence with Titus Atticus.

As already noted, many of the sayings of the ancient Roman orator are still widely used. Who among us has not heard the phrases: “paper will endure everything”, “oh times, oh morals!”, “quid pro quo”, “hold the reins of power in your hands.”

Marcus Tullius Cicero is an outstanding ancient Roman orator, politician, philosopher, and writer. His family belonged to the class of horsemen. Born in 106 BC. e., January 3, in the town of Arpinum. So that his sons could receive a decent education, their father moved them to Rome when Cicero was 15. The natural talent of eloquence and diligent study were not in vain: Cicero’s oratory skills did not go unnoticed.

His first public appearance took place in 81 or 80 BC. e. and was dedicated to one of the favorites of the dictator Sulla. Persecution could follow, so Cicero moved to Athens, where he paid special attention to the study of rhetoric and philosophy. When Sulla died, Cicero returned to Rome and began to act as a defense attorney at trials. In 75 BC. e. he was elected quaestor and sent to Sicily. Being an honest and fair official, he gained enormous authority among the local population, but this had virtually no effect on his reputation in Rome.

Cicero became a famous person in 70 BC. e. after participating in a high-profile trial, the so-called. Verres case. Despite all the tricks of his opponents, Cicero brilliantly coped with his mission, and thanks to his speeches, Verres, accused of extortion, had to leave the city. In 69 BC. e. Cicero was elected aedile, and 3 years later he was elected praetor. The first speech of purely political content dates back to this period. In it, he supported the law of one of the people's tribunes, who sought to ensure that Pompey received emergency powers in the war with Mithridates.

The next milestone in Cicero's political biography was his election in 63 BC. e. consul. His opponent in the elections was Catiline, who was committed to revolutionary changes and, in many ways, was a loser. While in this position, Cicero opposed a bill that proposed distributing land to the poorest citizens and creating a special commission for these purposes. To win the elections of 62 BC,. Catiline hatched a plot that was successfully exposed by Cicero. His four speeches in the Senate against his opponent are considered an example of the art of eloquence. Catiline escaped and the other conspirators were executed. Cicero's influence and his fame at this time reached their apogee, he was called the father of the fatherland, but at the same time, according to Plutarch, his penchant for self-praise and constant recall of his merits in uncovering the Catiline conspiracy aroused hostility towards him and even hatred in many citizens.

During the so-called of the first triumvirate, Cicero did not succumb to the temptation to side with the allies and remained faithful to republican ideals. One of his opponents, tribune Clodius, achieved that in 58 BC. e., in April, Cicero went into voluntary exile, his house was burned and his property was confiscated. At this time, he more than once had thoughts of suicide, but soon Pompey ensured that Cicero was returned from exile.

Returning home, Cicero did not actively participate in political life, preferring literature and legal practice. In 55 BC. e. his dialogue “On the Orator” appears, and a year later he begins to work on the work “On the State”. During the civil war, the orator tried to act as a reconciliator between Caesar and Pompey, but he considered the rise of either of them to power to be a disastrous outcome for the state. Having taken the side of Pompey, after the battle of Forsal (48 BC) he did not command his army and moved to Brundisium, where he met with Caesar. Despite the fact that he forgave him, Cicero, not ready to come to terms with the dictatorship, delved into his writings and translations, and this time turned out to be the most intense in his creative biography.

In 44 BC. e., after Caesar was killed, Cicero made an attempt to return to big politics, believing that the state still had a chance to return the republic. In the confrontation between Mark Antony and Caesar's heir Octavian, Cicero sided with the latter, seeing him as an easier target for influence. The 14 speeches made against Anthony went down in history as philippics. After Octavian came to power, Antony managed to include Cicero in the list of enemies of the people, and on December 7, 43 BC. e. he was killed near Caieta.

The creative legacy of the speaker has survived to this day in the form of 58 speeches of judicial and political content, 19 treatises on politics and rhetoric, philosophy, as well as more than 800 letters. All his works are a valuable source of information about several dramatic pages in the history of Rome.

Life story
Marcus Tullius Cicero (January 3, 106, Arpinum - December 7, 43 BC, near Caieta, now Gaeta), Roman orator, politician, philosopher. The author of numerous philosophical and legal treatises, letters and court speeches, from which many generations of jurists of antiquity, the Middle Ages and modern times learned eloquence.
Origin and upbringing. Cicero's father belonged to the equestrian class; Together with his children, he moved to Rome, where, under the supervision of the orator Crassus, they received a Greek education. The poet Archius, the orators Mark Antony, Sulpicius Rufus, Aurelius Cotta, the Epicurean philosopher Phaedrus, and the Stoic philosopher Diodotus had a great influence on Cicero's upbringing. Cicero studied law under the guidance of the Mutsi brothers Scaevoli - pontiff and augur. He delivered his first court speech, “In Defense of Roscius,” in 81 in the case against Chrysogonus, the beloved freedman of the dictator Sulla. During the period of rampant proscription executions of Sulla, this was a risky step on the part of Cicero. Nevertheless, he won the trial and, fleeing the wrath of Sulla, retired to Athens, where he studied Greek philosophy and oratory. Returning to Rome after the death of Sulla, Cicero received the position of quaestor in 76. Supplying Rome with cheap Sicilian bread at a time of high prices, he, with his moderation and honesty, achieves the love of the Sicilians. At 70 he pronounces the famous “Speech against Verres”, accusing the governor of Sicily of bribery, extortion and outright robbery of the Sicilians. This speech brought Cicero great fame, and in 69 the people elected him curule aedile, and in 63 - consul. During this period many judicial speeches were delivered; Cicero never took money for his speeches, but was very reluctant to take on accusatory speeches (the vast majority of his speeches were speeches of defense, not accusations). Over the course of his long life, he composed more than 100 speeches, 56 of which have survived in full, only fragments of 20 have survived, and we know another 35 only by their titles.
Conspiracy of Catiline. The consulate of 63 was the apogee of Cicero's political success. He managed to uncover the conspiracy of Catiline, who sought to seize power in Rome, having first arranged arson and reprisals against political opponents. The conspirators failed to kill Cicero, but the consul himself, in several Senate speeches against Catiline, which became textbook examples of political oratory, achieved the conviction and execution of the conspirators. The discovery of the conspiracy brought great fame to Cicero; even the incorruptible Cato called him “father of the fatherland.” However, Cicero’s excessive vanity, which forced him to extol himself in all his speeches, caused discontent among many. Cicero's political opponents, in particular the supporters of Julius Caesar, took advantage of this discontent. In April 58, Caesar's protege, the plebeian tribune Clodius, achieved the adoption of a law directed against Cicero, which condemned any magistrate who executed a Roman citizen without trial to exile. Without waiting for accusations, Cicero went into voluntary exile. His property was confiscated. Already in September 57, Cicero was returned from exile, but his strength was broken. He realizes the powerlessness of the Senate before the triumvirs and seeks the favor of Pompey and Caesar. In 51 he was appointed governor of Cilicia, where, having won a victory over the robber tribes of Aman, he received the honorary title of “emperor” from the army. During the civil war, he joins Pompey, after the Battle of Pharsalus he returns to Italy, receiving Caesar's forgiveness in October 47. During this period, Cicero retired from public affairs and, engaged in philosophy, wrote numerous treatises.
Treatises. The earliest treatise, Rhetoric, was written by Cicero as a youth (83). His treatise in 3 books “On the Orator” (55) still serves as a textbook on judicial rhetoric. 46 includes the book "Brutus" on the history of oratory. Of the treatises on the philosophy of law, 6 books “On the State” (53), 6 books “On Laws” (51), 3 books “On Duties” (44) are of particular importance. In 46-45, philosophical treatises “On the Limits of Good and Evil”, “Tusculan Conversations”, “On Old Age”, “On Friendship”, religious and philosophical works “On the Nature of the Gods”, “On Divination”, “On Fate” were written. etc. Among his works that have not survived, his works “On Civil Law”, “On Augurs”, “On Glory”, “On Philosophy”, “On Strengthening the State”, etc. are known.
Death of Cicero.
The assassination of Caesar on March 15, 44 awakens in Cicero hopes for the revival of the republic, and he returns to Rome to active political activity. Having taken the side of Octavian, from September 44 to April 43, he delivered his famous “Philippics” - incriminating speeches against Anthony - in the Senate and National Assembly. However, Octavian betrays his supporter, and at the conclusion of his triumvirate with Antony and Lepidus (October 43), Cicero, along with 16 other prominent republicans, ends up on the proscription lists. While trying to escape in early December, he was killed. His head and right hand were delivered to the delighted Antony, who placed them on the oratorical platform of the Roman forum.
The glory of Cicero as an orator has not faded over the centuries: the Church Fathers Lactantius, Ambrose of Milan, Augustine, Renaissance writers Petrarch and Boccaccio, French enlighteners Diderot, Voltaire, Montesquieu, J. J. Rousseau and many others studied and imitated him. . About the state. About laws. M., 1966. About old age. About friendship. About responsibilities. M., 1975. Philosophical treatises. M., 1985. Speeches. M., 1993. T. 1-2. Letters. M., 1994. T. 1-3. Literature: Plutarch. Comparative biographies. M., 1964. T. 3. P. 158-192. Utchenko S. L. Cicero and his time. M., 1972. Gelzer M. Cicero. Wiesbaden, 1969.L. L. Kofanov

CICERO

CICERO, Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC), Rome. watered activist, speaker and writer. Supporter of the Republic building. From op. 58 courts have survived. and watered. speeches, 19 treatises on rhetoric, politics, philosophy and more than 800 letters. Op. Ts. is a source of information about the civil era. wars in Rome.

Large Russian encyclopedic dictionary. 2012

Cicero - biography, facts from life, photographs, background information. Cicero - biography, information, personal life What made Cicero famous

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Cicero

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Years of study

Career choice

Beginning of political activity

The killing power of words

The Tyrant's Generosity

Fatal philippics

Works of Cicero

Lasting influence

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