Cicero - Marcus Tullius Cicero

Roman politician and thinker. Also famous as an orator. Born to a noble family (Roman knighthood) in Arpinum, southeast of Rome. After moving to Rome, he became acquainted with the cultural group of senior politicians, and in 81 BC, he emerged as a court orator and achieved success. From 79 to 77 BC, he studied in the East, learning from the learned scholars in Athens, Asia Minor, and Rhodes. After that, he pursued the course to become a senator, and in 75 BC, he was appointed as a quaestor (financial officer) in Sicily. From this connection, in 70 BC, as a patron of the Sicilian people, he prosecuted the evil Sicilian governor Verres (in office 73-71 BC) in court, and won a great victory in a debate against Hortensius Quintus Hortensius (114-50 BC), who was considered the greatest orator of the time. This "Speech on the Impeachment of Verres" (7 volumes in total, including related documents) is a valuable historical document on the Roman control of the provinces at that time. He was appointed aedile in 69 BC and praetor in 66 BC. Having close ties with the knights (wealthy class) active in the business world, he eventually advocated unity between the wealthy classes (senators and knights) and defended the tradition of a republic centered on the senate. In 63 BC, as consul, he suppressed the conspiracy of Catiline's faction, which was trying to start a rebellion by exploiting the discontent of the poor, and was given the title of "Father of the Nation." His "Speech on the Impeachment of Catiline" (4 volumes) is also famous. However, his senatorial approach was attacked by populist politicians, and he was banished from Rome in 58-57 BC. In the civil war between Caesar and Pompey that began in 49 BC, he supported the latter, and after Pompey's defeat and death, he was pardoned by Caesar and returned to Rome. After the assassination of Caesar in 44 BC, he supported the assassins and, as a leading figure in the Senate, he fought against Antony while allied with Octavian (Augustus). His "Speech Against Antony (Philippica)" (14 extant volumes) is one of his masterpieces. However, he was killed by Antony's men in December 43 BC.

His thoughts during his political life produced works such as "On the Republic," "On Law," "On Deontology," "On Friendship," "On Gerontology," "The Nature of the Gods," "The Highest Good and Evil," and "On the Orator," and his vast collection of letters ("Letters to Atticus," "Letters to Friends," and others) are extremely important historical sources for understanding the society and politics of the time. Although his status as a philosopher in the history of thought is not necessarily high, his language and writing are considered to be the most exemplary of Latin prose, and have had a great influence on later generations.

[Tadanori Yoshimura January 20, 2015]

"Plutarch's Lives, translated by Yoichi Kono (Iwanami Bunko)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

古代ローマの政治家、思想家。雄弁家としても有名。ローマ市南東方のアルピヌムの貴族（ローマの騎士身分）の家に生まれる。ローマに出て、先輩政治家のなかの文化的グループに親しみ、紀元前81年に法廷弁論家として登場し、成功を収めた。前79～前77年に東方に留学、アテネ、小アジア、ロードスで先学の教えを受けた。以後、元老院議員となるコースを進み、前75年にクワエストル（財務官）としてシチリアに赴任した。このときのつながりから、前70年にはシチリア住民のパトロンとしてシチリアの悪総督ウェレス（在任前73～前71）を法廷で訴追し、当時最高の弁論家とされたホルテンシウスQuintus Hortensius（前114―前50）と論戦して大勝利を得た。この「ウェレス弾劾演説」（関連文献とも全7編）は、当時のローマの属州支配に関する貴重な史料である。前69年にアエディリス（按察(あんさつ)官）、前66年にプラエトル（法務官）に就任した。実業界に活躍する騎士身分（富裕な身分）とのつながりの深い彼は、やがてもてる階級（元老院身分と騎士身分）の大同団結を唱え、元老院を中心とする共和政の伝統を擁護したが、前63年にはコンスル（統領）として、貧民の不満を利用して反乱を起こそうとしたカティリナ一派の陰謀を鎮圧し、「国父」の称を得た。その際の「カティリナ弾劾演説」（4編）も有名である。しかし、彼の元老院中心路線は、民衆派政治家の攻撃の的となり、前58～前57年に彼はローマから追放された。前49年以後のカエサルとポンペイウスの内乱では、後者を支持し、ポンペイウスの敗死後カエサルの寛恕(かんじょ)を得てローマに戻った。前44年のカエサル暗殺ののちは暗殺者側を支持し、いまや元老院の重鎮として、オクタウィアヌス（アウグストゥス）と結びつつアントニウスと闘った。その際の「アントニウス弾劾演説（フィリッピカ）」（現存14編）も彼の代表作の一つである。しかし、前43年12月、アントニウスの部下によって殺された。

　彼の政治生活の間の思索は、『国家論』『法律論』『義務論』『友情論』『老年論』『神々の本性』『最高の善悪』『弁論家論』などの著作を生み、また彼の膨大な書簡集（『アッティクス宛(あて)書簡集』『友人宛書簡集』その他）は当時の社会、政治などを知るきわめて重要な史料である。彼の哲学者としての思想史的地位はかならずしも高くないが、彼の言語、文章はラテン語散文のもっとも模範的なものとされ、後世への影響が大きい。

［吉村忠典　2015年1月20日］

『河野与一訳『プルターク英雄伝』（岩波文庫）』

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