Bruce Wayne on Nostr: Cicero writing about Julius Caesar: ...
Cicero writing about Julius Caesar:
"In that man were combined genius, method, memory, literature, prudence, deliberation, and industry. He had performed exploits in war which, though calamitous for the republic, were nevertheless mighty deeds. Having for many years aimed at being a king, he had with great labor, and much personal danger, accomplished what he intended." - Cicero, 2nd Philippics, 116
Cicero wrote this praise of Caesar's abilities in the Second Philippics, a speech condemning Mark Antony. Cicero extolls Caesar's numerous qualities and abilities to make Mark Antony look incapable and untalented in comparison. This is clear in the next passage:
"With him I can, indeed, compare you as to your desire to reign; but in all other respects you are in no degree to be compared to him." - Cicero, 2nd Philippics, 117
Nevertheless, Cicero did believe what he wrote there about Caesar considering that he also praised the very high quality of Caesar's oratory and his commentaries on the Gallic Wars in some of his other writings.
Cicero disapproved of Caesar's politics and of what Caesar had done to the Republic. Hence, his recognition of Caesar's talents in many areas shows how well rounded and multitalented Caesar was.
Cicero wrote the following regarding Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic Wars and the Civil War:
“But while he pretended only to furnish the loose materials, for such as might be inclined to compose a regular history, he may, perhaps, have gratified the vanity of a few literary embroiderers; but he has certainly prevented all sensible men from attempting any improvement on his plan. For in history, nothing is more pleasing than a correct and elegant brevity of expression.”
This was in a letter to Brutus.
Cicero praised Caesar as Rome's greatest orator after himself (very humble of Cicero of course...)
"But, however," said [Atticus], (addressing himself to Brutus) "I really think of Caesar, and every body else says the same of this accurate connoisseur in the Art of Speaking, that he has the purest and the most elegant command of the Roman language of all the Orators that have yet appeared: and that not merely by domestic habit, as we have lately heard it observed of the families of the Laelii and the Mucii, (though even here, I believe, this might partly have been the case) but he chiefly acquired and brought it to its present perfection, by a studious application to the most intricate and refined branches of literature, and by a careful and constant attention to the purity of his style. But that he, who, involved as he was in a perpetual hurry of business, could dedicate to you, my Cicero, a laboured Treatise on the Art of Speaking correctly, that he, who, in the first book of it, laid it down as an axiom, that an accurate choice of words is the foundation of Eloquence; and who has bestowed," said he, (addressing himself again to Brutus) "the highest encomiums on this friend of ours, who yet chooses to leave Caesar's character to me;—that he should be a perfect master of the language of polite conservation, is a circumstance which is almost too obvious to be mentioned."
This is from Cicero's Brutus/De claris oratoribus
This work is written in the form of a dialogue between Atticus, Brutus and Cicero about the skill of oratory and its history.
After this passage Cicero praises himself as the greatest orator, but he does speak very highly indeed of Caesar's speaking skills.
This passage mentions a text called the Art of Speaking. It is said to have been written by Caesar and dedicated to Cicero. It has unfortunately been lost.
"In that man were combined genius, method, memory, literature, prudence, deliberation, and industry. He had performed exploits in war which, though calamitous for the republic, were nevertheless mighty deeds. Having for many years aimed at being a king, he had with great labor, and much personal danger, accomplished what he intended." - Cicero, 2nd Philippics, 116
Cicero wrote this praise of Caesar's abilities in the Second Philippics, a speech condemning Mark Antony. Cicero extolls Caesar's numerous qualities and abilities to make Mark Antony look incapable and untalented in comparison. This is clear in the next passage:
"With him I can, indeed, compare you as to your desire to reign; but in all other respects you are in no degree to be compared to him." - Cicero, 2nd Philippics, 117
Nevertheless, Cicero did believe what he wrote there about Caesar considering that he also praised the very high quality of Caesar's oratory and his commentaries on the Gallic Wars in some of his other writings.
Cicero disapproved of Caesar's politics and of what Caesar had done to the Republic. Hence, his recognition of Caesar's talents in many areas shows how well rounded and multitalented Caesar was.
Cicero wrote the following regarding Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic Wars and the Civil War:
“But while he pretended only to furnish the loose materials, for such as might be inclined to compose a regular history, he may, perhaps, have gratified the vanity of a few literary embroiderers; but he has certainly prevented all sensible men from attempting any improvement on his plan. For in history, nothing is more pleasing than a correct and elegant brevity of expression.”
This was in a letter to Brutus.
Cicero praised Caesar as Rome's greatest orator after himself (very humble of Cicero of course...)
"But, however," said [Atticus], (addressing himself to Brutus) "I really think of Caesar, and every body else says the same of this accurate connoisseur in the Art of Speaking, that he has the purest and the most elegant command of the Roman language of all the Orators that have yet appeared: and that not merely by domestic habit, as we have lately heard it observed of the families of the Laelii and the Mucii, (though even here, I believe, this might partly have been the case) but he chiefly acquired and brought it to its present perfection, by a studious application to the most intricate and refined branches of literature, and by a careful and constant attention to the purity of his style. But that he, who, involved as he was in a perpetual hurry of business, could dedicate to you, my Cicero, a laboured Treatise on the Art of Speaking correctly, that he, who, in the first book of it, laid it down as an axiom, that an accurate choice of words is the foundation of Eloquence; and who has bestowed," said he, (addressing himself again to Brutus) "the highest encomiums on this friend of ours, who yet chooses to leave Caesar's character to me;—that he should be a perfect master of the language of polite conservation, is a circumstance which is almost too obvious to be mentioned."
This is from Cicero's Brutus/De claris oratoribus
This work is written in the form of a dialogue between Atticus, Brutus and Cicero about the skill of oratory and its history.
After this passage Cicero praises himself as the greatest orator, but he does speak very highly indeed of Caesar's speaking skills.
This passage mentions a text called the Art of Speaking. It is said to have been written by Caesar and dedicated to Cicero. It has unfortunately been lost.