42 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2019
many works defending republican values. Dur-
ing this time, a group of conspirators decided
to take a more proactive stance against Caesar’s
ambition. Although the plotters were close as-
sociates of Cicero—including Marcus Brutus
whom Cicero had mentored—they kept their
plans secret from the great orator.
Cicero was not involved in Caesar’s assassi-
nation during the Ides of March in 44B.C. In his
writings he expressed horro
but supported the actions of
Our tyrant deserved his d
ing made an exception of t
that was the blackest cri
here you have a man who w
to be king of the Roman Pe
ter of the whole world; a
it! The man who maintai
ambition is morally right
for he justifies the destr
law and liberty and thinks
hideous and detestable su
pression glorious.Although he could probably not have brought
himself to commit the violent act himself, he
wrote: “All honest men killed Caesar... some
lacked design, some courage, some opportunity:
none lacked the will.” He was hopeful that by
removing the ambitious Caesar, Rome could set
itself back on the path to a republic. A few days
after the murder, he advocated amnesty for the
assassins in the Senate.ony
Caesar’s death left Cicero and
ding as the two main powers in
had the backing of the Senate, but
e power of Caesar’s legacy. To take
is position, Antony orchestrated
funeral for the fallen leader. His
y roused the passions of the crowd
blic opinion against the assassins.
life, Brutus fled from Rome. Ci-
the city and bewailed ever more
inactivity of “our heroes” the con-
, who, in his view, had not acted
enough.CICERO VERSUS
MARK ANTONY
C
icero unleashed all his rhetorical forces against
Mark Antony in the form of 14 written speech-
es that he entitled Philippics. This name al-
ludes to the speeches made by the Athenian
orator Demosthenes against another “tyrant,” Philip II
of Macedon, when he looked set to conquer Greece in
the fourth century B.C. The second of the Philippics is
scathing. In closing the
speech, Cicero proclaims
that despite knowing the
risks, he is determined to
fight for liberty as he had
done years previously
when the senator Catiline
had attempted to bring
down the Senate. “Con-
sider, I beg you, Marcus
Antonius, do some time
or other consider the re-
public: think of the family
of which you are born, not
of the men with whom youare living. Be reconciled to
the republic. However, do
you decide on your con-
duct. As to mine, I myself
will declare what that shall
be. I defended the republic
as a young man, I will not
abandon it now that I am
old. I scorned the sword of
Catiline, I will not quail be-
fore yours. No, I will rather
cheerfully expose my own
person, if the liberty of the
city can be restored by
my death.”BITTER ROWSKING FERDINAND I OF NAPLES COMMISSIONED
THIS 15TH-CENTURY COPY (ABOVE) OF CICERO’S
PHILIPPIC ORATIONS.
BRIDGEMAN/ACI
ET TU, BRUTE?
Brutus, depicted in a
second-century A.D.
bust (below), was a
close ally of Cicero
but did not involve
the statesman in
the assassination.
Hermitage Museum,
St. Petersburg.
44
oratthe violence
f the assassins:eathfor hav-
the one thing
imeof all...
was ambitious
eo pleand mas-
ndheachieved
ins that suchan
t is a madman,
ruction of
s their
up-Rise of Anto
Thewakeof C
Antony stand
Rome. Ciceroh
Antony had the
advantage of h
a spectacularf
stirring eulogy
and turnedpub
Fearingfor his
cero alsoleft t
bitterlythe i
spirators,
swiftlyeSCALA, FLORENCE