Page 31 - All About History - Issue 08-14

Heroes & Villains

MARCUS TULLIUS CICERO

brutish Antony, claiming that he was a man of honour,
The assassination of Julius Caesar,
44 BCE. Caesar tried to bring Cicero and endorsed his fight against Antony. In a pitched
into his inner circle while he was
working within the political system battle, Octavian defeated Antony, who fled to Gaul.
Again, Cicero made a judgement call and assessed that
Antony was finished, his flight from Rome retribution
for his brash behaviour. But Cicero was proved wrong
once more. Surprisingly, Octavian made peace
with Antony in order to steal power away
from the hostile senate and, along
with Marcus Lepidus, declared a
His works were Triumvirate Ð a type of military
discovered in the Junta Ð to rule Rome.
Cicero did his best to swallow
14th century and
his burning resentment at the
influenced how the destruction of the Republic and
Renaissance rulers ingratiate himself with Octavian,
governed but it was too little, too late. He
had made another critical error in
judgement by trusting the young
man who was now calling himself
Augustus Caesar. Suddenly designated a
public enemy, Cicero faced two options; stay and face a
show trial or run. The man who was later described by
with nothing but the toga on his back, hunted by the
Quintilian as Ôeloquence himselfÕ, bolted into the night,
people he helped bring to power. As he raced for the
“ He had made another critical error by him to Mark AntonyÕs spy and he was apprehended
safety of Greece, one of his brotherÕs slaves betrayed
trusting the young man who was now within striking distance of the coast.
In the great marketplace of Rome two armed
calling himself Augustus Caesar” soldiers strolled up to the front doors of the Forum
carrying a large, heavy sack. They opened it and
his sensibilities. Caesar was ruling the Republic like a opportunist, profiting on the death of his master. He pulled out its contents, a dismembered head and two
tyrant, changing tradition to fit his own political needs. publicly denounced him, writing orations against him hands covered in congealed blood. One of the men
Unsurprisingly, Caesar made many enemies and, and making scandalous remarks about his sexuality began attaching the head to the door, forcing the
in yet another explosion of ruthless violence, Caesar to friends. But Antony held an army at his command, rotting jaw open and pulling out the tongue, pinning
was murdered on the senate floor during the religious which outweighed the mere words of a skilled orator. it across the putrid skin to make the mouth look as if
festival of the Ides of March. Cicero decided to play It appeared as if Antony was set to stay in Rome until it was speaking. In a final grotesque display, CiceroÕs
this latest development more subtly than the Pompey Octavian, JuliusÕs adopted son and heir, returned to the last address to the people was nailed to the Forum for
fiasco. He neither supported nor condemned the capital. Cicero supported him as a liberator from the all to see.
assassination in public, although he wrote a private
letter to one of BrutusÕs supporters, saying: ÔHow I Defining moment
could wish that you had invited me to that glorious Betrayed by Octavian
banquet on the Ides of March.Õ November 43 BCE
With Caesar dispatched and BrutusÕs conspirators
Octavian Caesar, the adopted son and heir apparent to Gaius Julius
looking for a man to rally around, Cicero once again Caesar, returns to Rome. Cicero makes overtures of friendship to
became a man of power and influence, perhaps only the young man now calling himself Caesar. Mark Antony is forced
bested in this respect by Mark Antony. AntonyÕs to flee the city into the mountains. This is a short-lived victory
affiliation with Caesar was well known, and a source for Cicero and the Republic, as Octavian is unwilling to share
of intense jealously for less-connected men like Cicero. power with the ‘fools’ in the senate. He betrays Cicero and makes a
separate deal with Antony. With Octavian and Antony now working
Cicero regarded Antony as little more than a political together, Cicero finds himself out of favour and isolated.

43 BCE
l Exiled l Return to Rome l Outlaw l Ides of March l Cicero vs. Death of an orator l
After falling out Invited to return Cicero finds himself on Caesar is murdered Mark Antony After seeing that
of favour with the to Rome by Titus the wrong side of public on the senate In the following power Octavian Caesar and
new consul and his Milo, Cicero opinion by backing floor by Brutus, a vacuum, Cicero and Mark Antony have
tribunes, Cicero is eagerly accepts Pompey rather than his Pompey supporter. Mark Antony become betrayed him and
forced into exile the opportunity rival, the popular Gaius While Cicero is Rome’s dominant he is now on their
and retreats to to revive his Julius Caesar. He is not present at the figures. Unfortunately, ‘most wanted’ list,
Greek Thessalonica, political career in subsequently forced to assassination he there is little love lost Cicero flees Rome
falling into the Republic and flee from the city with privately supports between the two and but is caught and
deep depression. returns to Rome. Pompey’s soldiers. Brutus’s actions. they frequently clash. summarily executed. © Corbis; Alamy
58 BCE 57 BCE 49 BCE 44 BCE February 43 BCE December 43 BCE
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