Making Enemies the Logic of Immorality in Ciceronian Oratory Hammar, Isak
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Making Enemies The Logic of Immorality in Ciceronian Oratory Hammar, Isak 2013 Document Version: Publisher's PDF, also known as Version of record Link to publication Citation for published version (APA): Hammar, I. (2013). Making Enemies: The Logic of Immorality in Ciceronian Oratory. 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LUND UNIVERSITY PO Box 117 221 00 Lund +46 46-222 00 00 making enemies Isak Hammar making enemies The Logic of Immorality in Ciceronian Oratory LUND UNIVERSITY 2013 Printed with the financial support of the National Graduate School of History ISBN 978-91-7473-614-4 (pdf) isbn 978-91-7473-613-7 © Isak Hammar Lund University 2013 Cover Image: Cicero in the Senate Accusing Catiline of Conspiracy. Fresco by Cesare Maccari, 1889 © IBL Bildbyrå / Bridgeman Art Library / Ancient Art and Architecture Collection Ltd. Book design: John Hagström Printed in Stockholm, Sweden 2013 to my mother, the historian Table of Contents Acknowledgments 10 Introduction 15 Making Sense of Immorality 17 Approaches to Roman Immorality 22 The Study of Roman Immorality 25 Tracing Roman Immorality 27 A Moral Paradox? 29 Outline 30 Chapter I: Methodology, Sources, and Scope 32 Searching for Immorality: Purpose 33 Finding Immorality: Method 34 Understanding Immorality: Theory 36 Reading Cicero: Sources 41 Defining Immorality: Concepts 44 Speech as Text: Delivery, Audience, and Publication 48 Defining a Political Culture 50 Previous Scholarship 52 Approaching Rhetoric 53 Invective 57 Immorality 65 Character, Ethos, and Self-fashioning 67 Immorality in Roman Political Culture 70 Chapter II: Roman Political Culture 73 Political Power in the Late Republic 74 The Roman Republic 75 The Political System 77 Power in Practice 82 Aristocratic Competition 87 Roman Oratory 92 Rhetoric at Rome 96 The Development of Roman Rhetoric 97 Rhetorical Divisions 99 Vituperatio 102 Character in Roman Rhetorical Theory 104 Roman Morality 106 Ethos 112 Summary: Power, Oratory, and Morality in the Late Republic 114 Chapter III: Defense and Prosecution —The Early Years (80–69 BCE) 116 The Case of Sextus Roscius from Ameria 117 On the Importance of Character 119 The Immoral Chrysogonus 127 The Portrayal of Gaius Verres 131 The Prosecution 134 The Immoral Charge 135 No Ordinary Criminal 142 A Portrait in Greed 145 The Depravity of Desire 153 The Immoral Arena 163 Gaius Verres the Tyrant 165 Conclusions: Defense and Prosecution 167 Chapter IV: Republican Politics —The Consular Years (66–59 BCE) 169 Forensic Negotiations 171 Conspiracy and Immorality 177 The Mind of a Conspirator 182 The Life of a Conspirator 187 The Company of a Conspirator 207 The Question of Stuprum 218 Conclusion: Republican Politics 223 Chapter V: Political Conflicts —After the Exile (57–52 BCE) 227 Exile and Return 228 The Appearance of Immorality 230 The Web of Sexual Immorality 252 The Excessive and The Immoral 274 Conclusion: Political Conflicts 280 Chapter VI: End Game —The Final Years (44–43 BCE) 286 The Battle for the Republic 287 Immorality Revisited 291 Immorality Portrayed 293 Immorality Displayed 302 The Logic of Immoral Life 306 Immorality as Political Argument 312 The Threat of Immorality 317 Conclusions: Making Enemies 323 The Meaning of Immorality 324 The Immorality Argument—Improbitatem coarguo 329 A Web of Immorality—Praeterea vitiis 332 The Logic of Immorality 335 Bibliography 339 Index of Subjects 360 Index of Names 365 Index Locorum 370 Acknowledgments Although this is a book about making enemies, the years I have spent writing it have only been about making friends. It is a peculiar thing, working on a thesis and it is, in my experience a peculiar and enormously rewarding world that opens up as a result of the opportunity to do so. From day one, I have loved this singular world and the main reason is because of its inhabi- tants. Without many of the individuals mentioned here and the help of colleagues and friends this task would have been impos- sible. My first heartfelt thanks goes out to the people who make sure that the ordinary day is never dull, never predictable—to everyone at the Department of History at Lund University. Tack samtliga! Second, I wish to thank my two supervisors in this endeavor, Professor of History Dick Harrison and Professor emeritus of Classical Archaeology and Ancient History Örjan Wikander. I am extremely grateful to you both. When I first entertained the thought of changing direction for my final paper as a student and explore the really, really old kind of history, Dick was not only very encouraging but also taught me in a lot about the craft as he guided my somewhat naïve ideas into clarity. Without him, there probably would not have been any book about ancient Rome. He has been a loyal supporter ever since and has pro- vided helpful comments while letting me make and correct my own mistakes before running interference. He has also proven 10 acknowledgments 11 himself a master of cutting red tape and keeping the pace. Tack för allt, Dick! With extreme generosity, Örjan has allowed me the benefit of his enormous expertise on everything regarding ancient Rome. Without this support who knows quite frankly how a historian writing about ancient history—an audacious attempt to be sure—would have managed. With incredible precision Örjan has tirelessly helped me sharpen my texts and ideas. I am particularly grateful for your advice regarding my translations and for your amazing and generous efforts with the indices! But the most import ant thing has been our meetings—complete with coffee, Danish, and cigars—talking about good old Marcus Tullius and his world. These sessions have been definite highpoints these years and I have always left them smiling and feeling invigorated. Ett stort tack vill jag rikta till dig, Örjan! I have been blessed with additional mentors. As a result of a generous scholarship by STINT, I was in 2011/12 given the opportunity to spend part of my training at the Classical Depart- ment at Boston University working together with Professor Ann Vasaly, who not only kindly invited me to visit but generously of- fered her time and remarkable expertise. Thank you Ann for our stimulating talks, your invaluable comments, and much needed notes. I will always be grateful! The months in Boston were among the best of my life. I wish to thank everyone at the department for making this possible (especially Stacy Fox for all her amazing work with facilitating my stay). A special appreciation is reserved for all the PhDs, most of who I now consider myself lucky to call friends, and everyone else who made this not only an academically rewarding, but also socially fantastic experience. Particularly, I wish to thank Dustin W. Dixon for hours of conversation, helpful comments, and true friendship. 12 acknowledgments Being a historian writing about ancient Rome has presented certain challenges but also many opportunities. Swedish and inter national scholars from the areas of Classics, Latin, and most of all Ancient History (AKS) have been instrumental in al- leviating the first and supplying the second. Thank you everyone at AKS at Lund University for welcoming me to your seminars and lectures (för detta ett särskilt tack till Professor Eva Rystedt och Professor Anne-Marie Leander Touati) and for giving val- uable comments and criticism. I am also especially grateful for the support of Lovisa Brännstedt and Johan Vekselius as fellow “Roman” PhDs. Another ancient historian serving as mentor for me has been Ida Östenberg, an avid supporter and vital commentator and cri- tic along the way, who also generously invited me to the Moving City conferences in Rome. Stort tack, Ida! As one of the organi- zers behind the excellent FokusRom network she has together with others also greatly facilitated the interaction with AKS in Sweden. A collective thanks to all the participants of the Moving City project (and especially Anthony Corbeill for taking an inter- est in my topic and for offering helpful advice) and to everyone involved with FokusRom! I also want to mention particularly ancient historian Dominic Ingemark for accepting (at the last minute) the role of “opponent” at my final seminar and for his subsequent thorough reading of my first draft and his priceless comments and advice. Tack, Dominic! I feel a special gratitude toward the PhDs at the Department of History at Lund in general and to my own generation (“Lekstu- gan”) in particular. Tack för alla kommentarer, råd och inte minst skratt under åren! Special recognitions are due David Larsson- Heidenblad and Christopher Collstedt for their dedication beyon d the call of duty as regard my own project. I also want to express my gratitude to Professor Eva Österberg, Professo r acknowledgments 13 Kim Salomon, and Professor Harald Gustafsson for having take n a special interest in my texts and in my thesis.