The Fall of the Roman Republic
PlutarkhosThe Fall of the Roman Republic Gönderileri
The Fall of the Roman Republic kitaplarını, The Fall of the Roman Republic sözleri ve alıntılarını, The Fall of the Roman Republic yazarlarını, The Fall of the Roman Republic yorumları ve incelemelerini 1000Kitap'ta bulabilirsiniz.
Public opinion, however, has the strange power of being able, as it were, to erase from a man's character the lines formed there by reason.
Then there was Marcus Appius who opened his speech in a lawsuit by saying that his friend had begged him to show care, eloquence and integrity. ‘And how can you be so hard-hearted,’ said Cicero, ‘as not to exhibit a single one of those qualities which your friend demanded of you?’
Crassus had a son who was thought to resemble a man called Axius (meaning ‘worthy’) and as a result there was a certain amount of scandal connecting his mother with this Axius. Crassus’ son once made a speech in the senate which was well thought of, and when Cicero was asked his opinion of the speaker he replied: ‘Worthy to be the work of Crassus.’
Cicero once defended Munatius in court, and Munatius was no sooner acquitted than he prosecuted Sabinus, a friend of Cicero's. It is said that Cicero was so infuriated at this that he exclaimed: ‘Did you imagine, Munatius, that you were acquitted on your merits? Let me tell you that it was I who produced the necessary darkness in the court to prevent your guilt from being visible to everyone.’
Cicero said of Aristotle that he was a river of flowing gold, and of the dialogues of Plato that, if it were in the nature of Jupiter to converse in human words, this would be how he would do it. He used to call Theophrastus his own special luxury.
Now as they walked in this procession they acknowledged to each other that the Roman people owed thanks to many commanders and generals of the time for riches and spoils and power, but for the safety and security of the whole their thanks were due to Cicero and to Cicero alone, who had delivered them from this great and terrible danger.
Indeed Cicero, more than anyone, made the Romans see how great is the charm which eloquence confers on what is good, how invincible justice is if it is well expressed in words.
In the case of Cicero elocution and delivery were an important element in his powers of persuasion. He used to ridicule those who were given to shouting out their speeches and said that, just as lame men rode on horseback because they could not walk, so these orators shouted because they could not speak.
Apollonius had shown no particular excitement while he was listening, and now that Cicero had stopped speaking he sat for a long time lost in thought. Cicero was distressed at this, but finally Apollonius said: ‘Certainly, Cicero, I congratulate you and I am amazed at you. It is Greece and her fate that I am sorry for. The only glories that were left to us were our culture and our eloquence. Now I see that these too are going to be taken over in your person by Rome.‘