Cicero

(Paperback)

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Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BCE) introduced Romans to the major schools of Greek philosophy, forging a Latin conceptual vocabulary that was entirely new. But for all the sophistication of his thinking, it is perhaps for his political and oratorical career that Cicero is best remembered. He was the nemisis of Catiline, whose plot to overthrow the Republic he famously denounced to the Senate. He was the selfless politician who turned down the opportunity to join Julius Caesar and Pompey in their ruling triumvirate with Crassus. He was briefly Rome's leading man after Caesar's assassination in 44 BCE.And he was the great political orator whose bitter coflict with Mark Antony led to his own violent death in 43 BCE. In her authoritative survey, Gesine Manuwald evokes the many faces of Cicero as well as his complexities and seeming contradictions. She focuses on his major works, allowing the great writer to speak for himself. Cicero's rich legacy is seen to endure in the works of Quintilian and the Church Fathers as well as in the speeches of Harry S. Truman and Barack Obama.

Reviews

This zesty introduction is a welcome addition to the enormous bibliography on Cicero. Presenting the material thematically, rather than chronologically, Gesine Manuwald takes a fresh look at the life and career of the great Roman statesman and author. Her aim is to reach the "real" Cicero, and in this she succeeds brilliantly. Manuwald begins her study with a discussion of Cicero's last years; in subsequent chapters she skilfully develops our understanding of "Who was Cicero" by presenting the themes of his life - oratory, philosophy, politics, literature, and so on - in a lively and engaging manner. Cicero's own words are the basis for her discussion in every chapter; she has chosen them well and explicated them clearly. The book concludes with an excellent chapter on the reception of Cicero from the time of his death to the present. A full and informative glossary, a useful bibliography and index are valuable additions. Cicero is a real pleasure to read, authoritative and charming at the same time, and I for one feel that I know Cicero better than ever for having read it. Students, scholars and the general public will too.' Jane Crawford, Professor of Classics, University of Virginia

Author Bio

Gesine Manuwald is Professor of Latin at University College, London. She is the author of Cicero, Philippics, 3-9 (2007), Roman Republican Theatre (2010) and Roman Drama: A Sourcebook (2011).