A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

704 C, CEROO

CICERO.

a b
Tullia. 7. M. Tullius Cicero. 8. Q. Tullius Cicero.
Married, 1. C. Piso Frugi.
2. Furius Crassipes.
3. P. Cornelius Dolabella.
I
Lentulus.
1. M. TULLIUS CICERO, grandfather of the 5. M. TULLIUS CICERO, the orator, eldest son of
orator, appears to have taken a lead in his own No. 2. In what follows we do not intend to enter
community, and vigorously opposed the projects of deeply into the complicated political transactions of
his fellow-townsman and brother-in-law, M. Grati- the era during which this great man flourished,
dius, who had raised a great commotion at Arpi- except in so far as he was directly and personally
num by agitating in favour of a law for voting by interested and concerned in the events. The conballot. The matter was referred to the consul plete history of that momentous crisis must be obM. Aemilius Scaurus (B. c. 115), who complimented tained by comparing this article with the biograCicero on his conduct, declaring that he would phies of ANTONIus, AUGUSTUs, BRUTUS, CAESAR,
gladly see a person of such spirit and integrity CATILINA, CATO, CLODIUS PULCHER [CLAUDIUS],
exerting his powers on the great field of the metro- CRAssus, LEPIDUS, POMPEIUS, and the other
polls, instead of remaining in the seclusion of a great characters of the day.
country town. The old man was still alive at the 1 CICERO.
birth of his eldest grandson (B. c. 106), whom he B GRPHY O CICERO.
little resembled in his tastes, for he was no friend M. Tullius Cicero was born on the 3rd of January,
to foreign literature, and was wont to say, that his B. c. 106, according to the Roman calendar, at that
contemporaries were like Syrian slaves, the more epoch nearly three months in advance of the true
Greek they knew, the greater scoundrels they time, at the family residence in the vicinity of
were. (Cic. de Leg. ii. 1, iii. 16, de Orat. ii. 66.) Arpinum. No trustworthy anecdotes have been
2. M. TULLIUS CICERO, son of the foregoing, preserved with regard to his childhood, for little
and father of the orator. He was a member of the faith can be reposed in the gossiping stories colequestrian order, and lived upon his hereditary lected by Plutarch of the crowds who were wont
estate, in the neighbourhood of Arpinum, near the to flock to the school where he received the first
junction of the Fibrenus with the Liris, devoted to rudiments of knowledge, for the purpose of seeing
literary pursuits, till far advanced in life, when he and hearing the young prodigy; but we cannot
removed to Rome for the purpose of educating his doubt that the aptitude for learning displayed by
two boys, Marcus and Quintus, and became the pro- himself and his brother Quintus induced their faprietor of a house in the Carinae. His reputation ther to remove to Rome, where he conducted their
as a man of learning procured for him the society elementary education according to the advice of
and friendship of the most distinguished charac- L. Crassus, who pointed out both the subjects to
ters of the day, especially the orators M. Antonius which their attention ought chiefly to be devoted,
and L. Crassus, and the jurists Q. Scaevola and and also the teachers by whom the information
C. Aculeo, the latter of whom was his brother-in- sought might be best imparted. These instructors
law, being married to the sister of his wife Helvia. were, with the exception perhaps of Q. Aelius, the
Although naturally of a delicate constitution, by grammarian (Brut. 56), all Greeks, and among the
care and moderation he attained to a good old age, number was the renowned Archias of Antioch,
and died in the year B. c. 64, while his son, whose who had been living at Rome under the protection
rapid rise he had had the happiness of witnessing, of Lucullus ever since B. c. 102, and seems to have
was canvassing for the consulship with every pros- communicated a temporary enthusiasm for his own
pect of success. (De Leg. ii. 1, de Oral. ii. 1, de pursuits to his pupil, most of whose poetical atOf. iii. 19, ad Alt. i. 6.) tempts belong to his early youth. In his sixteenth
3. L. TULLIUS CICERO, brother of the foregoing. year (B. c. 91) Cicero received the manly gown,
He accompained M. Antonius the orator to Cilicia and entered the forum, where he listened with the
in B. c. 103 as a private friend, and remained with greatest avidity to the speakers at the bar and from
him in the province until his return the following the rostra, dedicating however a large portion of
year. He must have lived for a considerable time his time to reading, writing, and oratorical exerafter this period, since he was in the habit of giving cises. At this period he was committed by his
his nephew many particulars with regard to the father to the care of the venerable Q. Mucius
pursuits of Antonius. (De Orat. ii. 1.) Scaevola, the augur, whose side he scarcely ever
4. L. TULLIUS CICERO, son of the foregoing. quitted, acquiring from his lips that acquaintance
He was the constant companion and schoolfellow with the constitution of his country and the prinof the orator, travelled with him to Athens in B.. ciples of jurisprudence, and those lessons of practical
79, and subsequently acted as his assistant in col- wisdom which proved of inestimable value in his
lecting evidence against Verres. On this occasion future career. During B. c. 89, in accordance with
the Syracusans paid him the compliment of voting the ancient practice not yet entirely obsolete which
him a public guest (hospes) of their city, and trans- required every citizen to be a soldier, he served his
mitted to him a copy of the decree to this effect first and only campaign under Cn. Pompeius Strabo
engraved on a tablet of brass. Lucius died in B. c. (father of Pompeius Magnus), then engaged in
68, much regretted by his cousin, who was deeply prosecuting with vigour the Social war, and was
attached to him. (De Fin. v. 1, c. 'Verr. iv. 11, present at the conference between his commander
61, 64, 65, ad Att. i. 5.) and P. Vettius Scato, general of the Marsi, by