De Oratore (On Oratory and Orators)

Cicero

Language:

English

Translation:

J. S. Watson

Status:

Complete work

Authorship:

Written by the author

Condition of the text:

Clean text

Extent:

~280,000 words · 1,341 passages

ar wHa written in tha year 694 A.C.C., in tho 'coasitUhip of AfnniuB and Metollus, b; Cicero to bis brother QuintuB, who iv*s commanding in Asia, to inform him that hja pariod of command yna extended for a. third year; a year fraught with Buch important eTcuts to the republic, that we laara ^m Horace that FciUio begsn his history of the civil vaiB from tjiis date.' The consuls UiemselTea were men of no vary grest importance ; they were both creatures of Pompey, who had assisted them to obtain the offloa by the most open coTTUption: but ho was mistaken in reclconitig on the adherence of Metellos, whom he bttd offended by diToreing hii! aister Mucia ; while Afranius was a man of no character, and of Teiy moderate abilities ; so weak, according to Cicero, as to be ignoraot of the value of the oo^sulsbip wliich be had bought.' With such men for ita nilera, the city speedily became a aoeiie of univnul dissBOBion. Pampey, who lad Just celebrated faia triumph o'ne Hithridatea with nnprecedented magniGcenoe, was inatigatiDg Flavins, one of the tribunes, to bring forward an agrarian law similar to that of Rullos, for a division of Innda in Italy, — partly consisting of Bome of the imblio domains, and partly of eatotes to be bought ' Motum ex Metello conaule civicum BeUique eausaa, et vitia, et modos, Ludumqua FortimEB, gravasque Priucipum amicitias^ et arma Nondum expiatis uncta cruoribua; PericulosiB plenum opus alesj Tractas.— Hon. Cana. 11 i. I with the Bpoila of thewarin which he hod been so victorioiiB, — cmong I the Teterans of his nnn;, nod the poorer elassea in Italy. The senate opposed thin measure violently, but Cicero, though he hul reaiflted the former proposition, was now inclined to support this, — taking care, iudeed, to preaerre the vested interests of ths poBseiieDts^ and thinking that when this was provided for, the bill would supply n meoiu for relieving the dty of some of its most dangero

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