Author: Hall, Jon
Title: Cicero to Lucceius (Fam. 5.12) in its social context : ualde bella ?
Review/Collection: "Classical Philology", 93, (4)
Year edition: 1998
Pages: 308-321
Keywords: Biographie - Biografia - Biography, Stylistique et genres littéraires - Stilistica e generi letterari - Stylistics and literary genre
Description: CICERO WAS EVIDENTLY rather pleased with his letter of 55 B.C. to the historian L. Lucceius (Fam. 5.12). He describes it as "valde bella" and suggests that Atticus acquire a copy for his perusal (Att. 4.6.4). It is a judgment, however, with which few modern commentators concur. For many, the letter provides plain evidence of the orator's stupendous vanity and cynical opportunism. Not only does he ask Lucceius for a monograph on his consulship and exile (63-57 B.C.); he even presses for a little embellishment of the truth (Fam. 5.12.3). And when critics do attempt to explain Cicero's satisfaction with the letter, the most they offer are brief references to its "form" and "ornate style." There are two related problems here. First, these interpretations adopt a severely limited critical approach that extends little beyond questions of character or formal style. And yet, from Cicero's point of view, the composition of such a letter almost certainly involved a far wider range of issues. He is initiating a complex social exchange which has its own nexus of obligations and expectations. If we ignore these issues, we ignore powerful social forces. The second problem is that such interpretations dismiss too lightly Cicero's own opinion of the letter. True, we should not trust blindly in his critical judgment. But to dismiss his view as the delusion of a rabid egotist is equally myopic. If other coherent explanations can be found, they deserve consideration. The explanation that I would like to offer in the present article focuses in particular on the letter's function as a request [Author]
Works:
Author initials: Hall 1998
Title: Cicero to Lucceius (Fam. 5.12) in its social context : ualde bella ?
Review/Collection: "Classical Philology", 93, (4)
Year edition: 1998
Pages: 308-321
Keywords: Biographie - Biografia - Biography, Stylistique et genres littéraires - Stilistica e generi letterari - Stylistics and literary genre
Description: CICERO WAS EVIDENTLY rather pleased with his letter of 55 B.C. to the historian L. Lucceius (Fam. 5.12). He describes it as "valde bella" and suggests that Atticus acquire a copy for his perusal (Att. 4.6.4). It is a judgment, however, with which few modern commentators concur. For many, the letter provides plain evidence of the orator's stupendous vanity and cynical opportunism. Not only does he ask Lucceius for a monograph on his consulship and exile (63-57 B.C.); he even presses for a little embellishment of the truth (Fam. 5.12.3). And when critics do attempt to explain Cicero's satisfaction with the letter, the most they offer are brief references to its "form" and "ornate style." There are two related problems here. First, these interpretations adopt a severely limited critical approach that extends little beyond questions of character or formal style. And yet, from Cicero's point of view, the composition of such a letter almost certainly involved a far wider range of issues. He is initiating a complex social exchange which has its own nexus of obligations and expectations. If we ignore these issues, we ignore powerful social forces. The second problem is that such interpretations dismiss too lightly Cicero's own opinion of the letter. True, we should not trust blindly in his critical judgment. But to dismiss his view as the delusion of a rabid egotist is equally myopic. If other coherent explanations can be found, they deserve consideration. The explanation that I would like to offer in the present article focuses in particular on the letter's function as a request [Author]
Works:
Author initials: Hall 1998
