Please read Plutarch's account of one of the many "ambitious young men" who lived during what is sometimes called the Age of Cicero. Pick out a key line that shows how this man's work might have tended to support or destroy republican government in Rome. Explain why you chose this particular line.You can use one of these abridged biographies of Crassus, Cicero, Pompey, Sertorius, Cato the Younger, or Lucullus. If you prefer the complete text, go to the links in the right hand column here (scroll down a bit).
Plutarch stated said "Having accomplished that, he formed the well-known league commonly called the First Triumvirate; and that was a sad day for the liberty of the Roman people."
ReplyDeleteThis line shows how Crassus helped destroy the Roman Republic. By joining Caesar and Pompey in the Triumvirate, he put personal ambition and greed above the good of the state. Their alliance gave a few powerful men control over Rome’s politics, weakening the Senate and the balance of power that protected Roman freedom. Plutarch’s comment that it was “a sad day for the liberty of the Roman people” makes clear that Crassus had a huge part to play. And his desire for wealth and influence helped start up the fall of the Republic.
"At first the people complained of him, but he proved himself so just and reasonable that they afterwards declared they liked him better than any quæstor Rome had ever sent them."
ReplyDeleteIn this sentence, Plutarch is making it clear to us that Cicero was working for the betterment of the people. His focus was not on that of riches nor of improving his standing (at least compared to those of other notable figures we read about). Instead, he wanted to learn, to discuss.
This sentence alone just shows how well he was able to do his job and earn the favor of the people, something that is critical in building up an empire. One cannot have a successful empire if everyone either fears or hates the individual in charge.
Even when Cicero later meets his death, it is shown that this was a tragedy. That the people mourned his death and that he was not one who should have been killed.
I chose to read Plutarch's writings on Cicero. In it I found his statement:
ReplyDelete"he stood for that office in a complete suit of armor under his tunic, because he knew that Catiline and his party had determined to assassinate him. Their scheme was to put Cicero out of the way, make Catiline consul, and thus get complete control of the government into their own hands. It was bold and outrageous, but they might have succeeded had not the plot been revealed to Cicero, who exposed it in an oration, and thus saved Rome and drove Catiline from the city. When the people became aware of the danger they had escaped, they saluted Cicero as the father and deliverer of his country, and when he walked home from the market-place, after witnessing the execution of Catiline's principal assistants, all the houses were illuminated in honor of him, and he was followed by a train of the most distinguished of the citizens."
I liked this line for the visualization of wearing his armor under his robes. Mainly though for the highlighting of one of Ciceros grand feats in the eyes of the Roman people. His discovery and foiling of such a nasty plot of Catalines brought upon Cicero grace of the important. It shows how Cicero solidified his influence and stature within Rome.
I read about Cato the Younger, and I found this statement: "When Pompey returned, he tried to be friendly with Cato, because he thought that thereby his power would be increased; but Cato would not agree to any measures that did not seem of benefit to his country."
ReplyDeleteThis line about Cato the Younger shows how committed he was to the well-being of Rome, and it shows that he was more interested in making his country better than gaining more power for himself/other people. This quality in Cato shows that he was a man of some respectable character, and that his work most likely would have tended to benefit the republican government.
^ Kyle
Delete"When he went back to Rome he would have asked for a triumph, but the civil war was just on the eve of breaking out, and everything was in commotion. He tried very hard to reconcile the two leaders, Pompey and Caesar, but, failing to do that, showed himself miserably changeable and undecided, first favoring the one, then the other. "Whither shall I turn?" he says in his epistles. "Pompey has the more honorable cause; but Caesar manages his affairs with the greater address, and is more able to save himself and his friends. In short, I know whom to avoid, but not whom to seek."
ReplyDeleteI chose this quote from Cicero, because it stood out as odd to me. This age was the age of Cicero, but what he did here didn't seem like the best of choices. He can't make up his mind on who to choose to side with and from this quote it just seemed like he didn't care all that much. During this period people really looked to people like Cicero for help and to answer there questions. I believe that Cicero's indecision and slow approach to choosing a side, and the flipping back and fourth, sent a message to the people. I believe the people then also became confused and distort. All these things many have helped lead to the fall of the Republic and peoples habit to look away when they see something wrong.
Dylan -
ReplyDelete“Thus the government of Rome was changed into a monarchy, and Caesar, in reality, made himself absolute master of the state.”
I think this line describes perfectly on what happened to the Roman government. The next few rulers of Rome would have to somehow link themselves to Caesar, which becomes a very complicated thing and leads to a lot of corruption and wrongdoings. It also shows that the government went from a republican style, to where Caesar, in a sole position, had absolute power over everyone else in the government, making him a dictator/emperor of Rome.
"he had managed so well as to have freed the cities from debt and restored estates to their original owners.”
ReplyDeleteThis just shows that he is willing to help his people and his cities from their debt and try and get them back on track. This is helping and supporting the roman government because the more cities that aren't in debt create more money for the government which is great because they are profitable. I think that is a big thing for Rome with everything that goes on during ties of crisis which apparently happens all the time.