Honors 141: Cleopatra

Meris Hulcher
September 26, 2002
Honors 141
Marcus Tullius Cicero

I. Historical Context
~ First and Second Triumvirate
~ Political conspiracies
~ Republic vs. Empire
II. Biography
~ born on January 3, 106 BC
~ was a quaestor, aedile, praetor, and consul
~ exposed conspiracy in 63 BC
~ exiled in 58 BC
~ recalled from exile in 57 BC
~ killed in 43 BC
III. Principal Sources and Reliability
~ Cleopatra by Michael Grant
~ Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy http://www.utm.edu/research/iep/c/cicero.htm
~ The Cicero Homepage http://www.utexas.edu/depts/classics/documents/Cic.html
~ Cicero: A Political Biography by David Stockton
~ Cicero by Anthony Everitt
~ The Oxford Classical Dictionary
IV. Assessment of Cicero
~ child prodigy
~ orator, lawyer, politician, and philosopher
V. My Assessment
~ very smart, but not very open minded
VI. Relationship with Cleopatra
~ met her when she came to Rome in 46 BC and disliked her
~ said bad things about her
VII. Assessment of that Relationship
~ Cicero probably did not like her because she was Greek and she defied the traditional role of a woman
VIII. Casting
~ James Woods (voice of Hades in the Disney movie, Hercules)

Summary:

J.C. Armstrong
September 26, 2002
Honors 141

Marcus Tullius Cicero was a key player in Roman politics during Rome's evolution from a republic to an empire. He supported Pompey in the First Triumvirate and Octavius in the Second Triumvirate. He was a staunch supporter of the old Roman Republic and an opponent on the transition to empire.
Cicero was born on January 3, 106 BC. A child prodigy and brilliant orator, lawyer, and politician, he quickly ascended the roman offices of quaestor, aedile, praetor, and consul. He exposed a conspiracy to take Rome by force in 63 BC. Cicero's insistence that the conspirators be put to death made him enemies within Roman politics. One of those enemies, Claudius, exiled Cicero in 58 BC. Cicero returned the next year but had lost political power. After his exile, Cicero shifted his focus onto philosophy. He was killed by Pyranius on the orders of Mark Antony in 43 BC.
Cicero met Cleopatra when she came to Rome but openly disliked her. He always referred to her as "the queen" (an insult to Romans). This may because she failed to fulfill promised gifts or because she defied the role of the Roman woman.