The Letters of Cicero, Volume 1. Marcus Cicero
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Nep.
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Atticus seems to have seen a copy belonging to some one else at Corfu. Cicero explains that he had kept back Atticus's copy for revision.
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Cicero evidently intends Atticus to act as a publisher. His
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The passage in brackets is believed by some, not on very good grounds, to be spurious. Otho is L. Roscius Otho, the author of the law as to the seats in the theatre of the equites. The "proscribed" are those proscribed by Sulla, their sons being forbidden to hold office, a disability which Cicero maintained for fear of civil disturbances. See
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Pulchellus,
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Where he had been as quæstor. Hera is said to be another name for Hybla. Some read
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Clodius is shewing off his modesty. It was usual for persons returning from a province to send messengers in front, and to travel deliberately, that their friends might pay them the compliment of going out to meet them. Entering the city after nightfall was another method of avoiding a public reception. See Suet.
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See p. 37, note 3.
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Clodia, wife of the consul Metellus. See p. 22, note.
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We don't know who this is; probably a
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Though Cæsar has been mentioned before in regard to his candidature for the consulship, and in connexion with the Clodius case, this is the first reference to him as a statesman. He is on the eve of his return from Spain, and already is giving indication of his coalition with Pompey. His military success in Spain first clearly demonstrated his importance.
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During the meeting of the senate at the time of the Catilinarian conspiracy (2
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The consul Cæcilius Metellus was imprisoned by the tribune Flavius for resisting his land law (Dio, xxxvii. 50).
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M. Favonius, an extreme Optimate.
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P. Scipio Nasica Metellus Pius, the future father-in-law of Pompey, who got the prætorship, was indicted for
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Ἀπολλόνιος Μόλων of Alabanda taught rhetoric at Rhodes. Cicero had himself attended his lectures. He puns on the name Molon and
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Reading
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His study, which he playfully calls by this name, in imitation of that of Atticus. See p. 30.
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His translation of the
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Gaius Octavius, father of Augustus, governor of Macedonia.
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The roll being unwound as he read and piled on the ground. Dicæarchus of Messene, a contemporary of Aristotle, wrote on "Constitutions" among other things. Procilius seems also to have written on polities.
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Herodes, a teacher at Athens, afterwards tutor to young Cicero. He seems to have written on Cicero's consulship.
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These remarks refer to something in Atticus's letter.
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Gaius Antonius, about to be prosecuted for
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P. Nigidius Figulus, a tribune (which dates the letter after the 10th of December). The tribunes had no right of summons (
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"The Conqueror,"
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Cyrus was Cicero's architect; his argument or theory he calls Cyropædeia, after Xenophon's book.
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He supposes himself to be making a mathematical figure in optics:
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The theory of sight held by Democritus, denounced as unphilosophical by Plutarch (
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Apparently a villa in the
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The Cornelius Balbus of Gades, whose citizenship Cicero defended b.c. 56 (consul b.c. 40). He was Cæsar's close friend and agent.
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Cicero was apparently not behind the scenes. The coalition with Pompey certainly, and with Crassus probably, had been already made and the terms agreed upon soon after the elections. If Cicero afterwards discovered this it must have shewn him how little he could trust Pompey's show of friendship and Cæsar's candour. Cæsar desired Cicero's private friendship and public acquiescence, but was prepared to do without them.
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From Cicero's Latin poem on his consulship.
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εἶς οἰωνός ἄριστος ἀμύνεσθαι περὶ πάτρης (Hom.
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A country festival and general holiday. It was a
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Of the persons mentioned, L. Ælius Tubero is elsewhere praised as a man of learning (
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The class of Romans who have practically become provincials.
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Rome and its society and interests.
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Father of Augustus, governor of Macedonia, b.c. 60-59. But he seems to refer to his prætorship (b.c. 61) at Rome; at any rate, as well as to his conduct in Macedonia.
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Reading