CIC: Lesson - Reading Cicero in Translation

Reading Cicero in Translation

To get a good sense of how Cicero wrote, we are going to read one of his philosophical works: de Amicitia - on Friendship in translation. The image to the right is a 19th century depiction of Cicero at his villa in Tusculum, painted by Georges Lebayle. The man with his arm raised at the center of the image is Cicero, and this painting harkens back to the concept of the symposium - a gathering of people designed to generate philosophical ideas and debate. This style comes from the Greek philosopher Plato (among others), and Cicero worked diligently to bring Greek-style philosophy to Rome.

Download

If you have not already, please download the Translation of Dream of Scipio. Links to an external site. This version follows the audio book below. This will be our main resource in gathering basic information about the structure, form and function of Cicero's writing. Be sure to contact your instructor for any additional help with the content.

Alternative translation: you may find the above version a bit difficult to read, as it uses a fairly old style of writing (the word "seest" is used repeatedly!). The reason that version was selected is because it matches up with the audio version included below. If you are simply wanting to read the essay, and read it in a slightly more modern format, please download this alternative translation Links to an external site..

Finally, download the Cicero English Reading Log Links to an external site. document to provide you with some guided note-taking questions.

Background Information

In 45 and 44 BCE, after Caesar's invasion of Rome and before Cicero began his campaign against Marc Antony, Cicero wrote thirty or more books and essays on philosophy. Writing on such topics as friendship, old age, duties, and fate, he drew on the ideals of Greek philosophy and made them available and palatable to his fellow Romans. As far as possible, he followed Greek models but also called on his own wisdom and experience to develop his thoughts. He often coined Latin terms to express Greek ideas. Through the use of dialogue he made dry, technical topics interesting to his Roman readers. His philosophical essays have become even more valuable since some of the Greek originals that he drew on have disappeared.

The Dream of Scipio is a title given to a portion of Cicero's partially extent magnum opus (master work), called de re publica (on the Republic). In this work, Cicero uses a famous name from Roman history: Publius Cornelius Scipio, who was the victorious general in the Second Punic War. Scipio was one of the generals who helped Rome defeat Carthage, paving the way for Rome's ascension to power in the Mediterranean basin. Cicero describes a dream from Scipio's perspective, in which Scipio encounters ancestors who share their wisdom from beyond the human realm. The work serves as an allegory, attempting to describe the ethics and values of a good citizen of a republic, still hopeful that Rome might retain its republican ideals. As you read The Dream of Scipio, pay careful attention to the science, the philosophy, the religion and the values that Cicero endorses and how he presents his arguments. Be sure to read the introduction for background information on the essay and how it was recovered.

Audio Version

Cicero - The Dream of Scipio