The Project Gutenberg EBook of Cicero, by Rev. W. Lucas Collins

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Title: Cicero
Ancient Classics for English Readers

Author: Rev. W. Lucas Collins

Release Date: March 5, 2004 [EBook #11448]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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_Ancient Classics for English Readers_

edited by the

REV. W. LUCAS COLLINS, M.A.

CICERO

by the

REV. W. LUCAS COLLINS, M.A.

AUTHOR OF 'ETONIANA', 'THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS', ETC.

I have to acknowledge my obligations to Mr. Forsyth's well-known 'Life of
Cicero', especially as a guide to the biographical materials which abound
in his Orations and Letters. Mr. Long's scholarly volumes have also been
found useful. For the translations, such as they are, I am responsible. If
I could have met with any which seemed to me more satisfactory, I would
gladly have adopted them.

W.L.C.

CONTENTS.

I. BIOGRAPHICAL--EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION,
II. PUBLIC CAREER--IMPEACHMENT OF VERRES,
III. THE CONSULSHIP AND CATILINE,
IV. EXILE AND RETURN,
V. CICERO AND CAESAR,
VI. CICERO AND ANTONY,
VII. CHARACTER AS POLITICIAN AND ORATOR,
VIII. MINOR CHARACTERISTICS,
IX. CICERO's CORRESPONDENCE,
X. ESSAYS ON 'OLD AGE' AND 'FRIENDSHIP',
XI. CICERO'S PHILOSOPHY,
XII. CICERO'S RELIGION.

CICERO.

CHAPTER I.

EARLY LIFE AND EDUCATION.

When we speak, in the language of our title-page, of the 'Ancient
Classics', we must remember that the word 'ancient' is to be taken with
a considerable difference, in one sense. Ancient all the Greek and Roman
authors are, as dated comparatively with our modern era. But as to the
antique character of their writings, there is often a difference which
is not merely one of date. The poetry of Homer and Hesiod is ancient, as
having been sung and written when the society in which the authors lived,
and to which they addressed themselves, was in its comparative infancy.
The chronicles of Herodotus are ancient, partly from their subject-matter
and partly from their primitive style. But in this se