Author: Krostenko, Brian
Title: Pandering for the Greater Good ? Senate, People, and Politics in Cicero’s de lege agraria 1 and 2
Review/Collection: Polis : The Journal for Ancient Greek and Roman Political Thought 38, no 1
Year edition: 2021
Pages: 108–126
Keywords: Éloquence - Eloquenza - Eloquence, Politique - Politica - Politics
Description: Cicero’s first speeches as consul, de lege agraria I and II, delivered to the senate and the people respectively, are virtually identical in outline and broad argument. That allows the rhetorical technique of individual sections to be compared closely. This article uses such comparisons to probe the tactics and ideology of the speeches. In both Cicero’s choice of word and phrase might suggest that he is simply addressing his audiences as suits their stations. But a consideration of the circumstances of the speeches reveals instead that Cicero is directing his audiences to alternate ways of imagining their social and political positions; in effect, Cicero propounds distinct, principled, and communalist definitions of dignitas and libertas, core values of each audience – though sometimes at the price of distorting the intent of the bill. [Author]
Works:
Author initials: Krostenko 2021
Title: Pandering for the Greater Good ? Senate, People, and Politics in Cicero’s de lege agraria 1 and 2
Review/Collection: Polis : The Journal for Ancient Greek and Roman Political Thought 38, no 1
Year edition: 2021
Pages: 108–126
Keywords: Éloquence - Eloquenza - Eloquence, Politique - Politica - Politics
Description: Cicero’s first speeches as consul, de lege agraria I and II, delivered to the senate and the people respectively, are virtually identical in outline and broad argument. That allows the rhetorical technique of individual sections to be compared closely. This article uses such comparisons to probe the tactics and ideology of the speeches. In both Cicero’s choice of word and phrase might suggest that he is simply addressing his audiences as suits their stations. But a consideration of the circumstances of the speeches reveals instead that Cicero is directing his audiences to alternate ways of imagining their social and political positions; in effect, Cicero propounds distinct, principled, and communalist definitions of dignitas and libertas, core values of each audience – though sometimes at the price of distorting the intent of the bill. [Author]
Works:
Author initials: Krostenko 2021
