#teamcicero

[locutus-sum]

Calling all Cicero stans

I haven’t posted in a while so I thought I’d just just write a little something to fulfil the purpose of this blog, that is, to spread some #ciceropositivity.

Reblog and add a reason why you love Marcus Tullius Cicero.

I’ll start: his playfulness with language. His love for puns and neologisms brought him criticism from traditionalists when he couldn’t resist adding a note of humour into his speeches. Cicero was a man whose very human love of humour was stronger even than his desperation to boost his dignitas, despite facing the derision of patricians who already criticised him for being a ‘novus homo’.

(Was Cicero perfect? No. Is he still my problematic fave? Yes. Am I desperate to be an unabashed Cicero apologist despite my appreciation of the need for a balanced historical view? Hell yeah.)

Come on, let’s stan Cicero like we’re all Quintilian.

[locutus-sum]

I, Clavdivs and Cicero Positivity

(yes, it has to be both spelt and pronounced with ‘v’s, there is no other way. Thus we must jokingly and affectionately show our appreciation for the show)

Unlike certain other Roman-themed TV series which shall remain nameless (*cough* HBO Rome *cough* - a nice bit of Ciceronian praeteritio for you 😀), I have to say I, Clavdivs (1976) gets extra points for being a wholly Cicero-positive show, as if I needed more reasons to love it (historical accuracy, thrilling slow-burn pacing, brilliant cast... I could go on.)

One of my favourite scenes is in episode 7, “Reign of Terror”. Just after elephantgate (I love that bit so much 🐘 🐘 🐘 ), the Roman writer Asinius Gallus, a friend of Claudius, discusses with him as they walk to the Senate a recent essay the former wrote on why Pollio is a better orator than Cicero. I immediately lost all respect for the character. Claudius’ reaction says it all:

Like we need any more reasons to love Claudius, he’s also #teamCicero!

But the best part is, moments after Gallus utters such disgusting words of slander (’they must have sounded even worse than they read’ - o impudentia hominis! o effrenata audacia!), he’s arrested by one of evil!Picard’s Sejanus’ cronies, tortured and put to death. This is by no means a critique of the writers, but the emotional impact of the character’s death was SIGNIFICANTLY lessened by what immediately preceded his arrest.

Of course, I hardly think poor old Gallus deserved what he got, but as a ‘Ciceronian fangirl extraordinaire’ (as Andrew Sillett rather amusingly describes Quintilian, though obviously he used the term ‘fanboy’) I admit it gave me no small amount of satisfaction to see that I, Clavdivs doesn’t think much of those who diss the Cic.

The only other time Marcus Tullius is name-dropped, as far as I can remember, is when somebody says something along the lines of ‘I promise even Cicero couldn’t defend you better’. Again, he’s portrayed with due reverence as the paragon of eloquence.

So thank you, I, Clavdivs, for being a rare and precious source of Cicero-positivity. Cicero may be a vain hypocritical walking disaster, but he’s our vain hypocritical walking disaster, and we love him very much.