Cicero
a city of Illinois, in Cook It is a suburb of Chicago. Pop. greatest Roman orator; born in Arpinum 106 B. C. His family was of equestrian rank and his father, though living in re- 106 в. c. His family was of equestrian rank and his father, though living in reeducation available, studied philosophy and law, became familiar with Greek chief public men.
He received the best education available, studied philosophy and law, became familiar with Greek literature, and acquired some military At the age of 25 he knowledge from serving a campaign in the Marsic war. came forward as a pleader, and having CICERO undertaken the defense of Sextus Roscius, who was accused of parricide, procured his acquittal. He visited Greece 79 в. C., conversed with the philosophers of all the schools, and profited by the instruction of the masters of oratory. Here he of which his letters furnish such interesting evidence. He also made a tour in Asia Minor and remained some time at Rhodes, where he visited the most dis- CICERO tinguished orators and took part in their exercises. On his return to Rome his displays of eloquence proved the value of his Grecian instruction, and he became one of the most distinguished orators in the forum.
In 75 B. c. he was appointed quæstor of Sicily, and behaved with such justice that the Sicilians gratefully remembered him and requested that he would conduct their suit against their governor Verres. He appeared against this powerful robber, and the crimes of Verres were painted in the liveliest colors in his immortal speeches. Seven of the Verrine orations are preserved, but only two of them were delivered, and Verres went into voluntary exile. After this suit Cicero was elected to the office of ædile, 70 в. c., became prætor in 67, and consul in 63. It was now that he succeeded in defeating the conspiracy of CATILINE (q. v.), after whose fall he received greater honors than had ever before been bestowed upon a Roman citizen. He was hailed as the savior of the state and the father of his country, and thanksgivings in his name were voted to the gods. But Cicero's fortune had now reached the culminating point, and soon was to decline. The Catilinarian conspirators who had been executed had not been sentenced according to law, and Cicero, as chief magistrate, was responsible for the irregularity. Publius Clodius, the tribune of the people, raised such a storm against him that he was obliged to go into exile (58 B. c.) On the fall of the Clodian faction he was recalled to Rome, but he never succeeded in regaining the influence he had once possessed. In 52 B. c. he became proconsul of Cilicia, a province which he administered with eminent success. As soon as his term of office had expired he returned to Rome (Jan., 49 в. c.), which was threatened with serious disturbances owing to the rupture between Cæsar and Po Pompey. He espoused the cause of Pompey, but after the battle of Pharsalia he made his peace with Cæsar, with whom he continued to all appearance friendly, and by whom he was kindly treated, until the assassination of the latter (44 в. c.). with
He now hoped to regain his political influence. The conspirators shared with him the honor of an enterprise in which no part had been assigned him; and the less he had contributed to it himself the more anxious was he to justify the deed and pursue the advantages which it of- Antony having taken Cæsar's place, Cicero composed those admirable composed orations against him, delivered in 43 B. C., which are known to us by the name of Philippics (after the speeches of Demosthenes against Philip of Macedon). CIENFUEGOS His implacable enmity toward Antony induced him to favor young Octavianus, who professed to entertain the most friendly feelings toward him. Octavianus, however, having possessed himself of the consulate, and formed an alliance with Antony and Lepidus, Cicero was proscribed. In endeavoring to escape from Tusculum, where he was living when the news of the proscription arrived, he was overtaken and murdered by a party of soldiers 43 B. c.; and his head and hands were publicly exhibited in the forum at Rome.
Cicero's eloquence has always remained a model. After the revival of learning he was the most admired of the ancient writers; and the purity and elegance of his style will always place him in the first rank of Roman classics. His works, which are very numerous, consist of orations; philosophical, rhetorical, and moral treatises; and letters to Atticus and other friends. The life of Cicero was written by Plutarch, and there are modern lives by Middleton, Forsyth, and others.