【西塞罗】书信集

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1、’SELECTEDLETTERSMTC(–)wasthesonofaRomanequestrianfromArpinum,somemilessouth-eastofRome.Herosetoprominencethroughhisskillinspeakingandhisexceptionalsuccessinthecriminalcourts,whereheusuallyspokeforthedefence.Althoughfromafamilythathadn

2、everproducedaRomansenator,hesecuredelectiontoallthemajorpoliticalofficesattheearliestagepermittedbylaw.Hisconsulshipfellinayear()inwhichadangerousinsurrectionoccurred,theCatilinarianconspir-acy;byhispersuasiveoratoryandhiscontroversialexecutionoffiveconfessedconspirators,hepreven

3、tedtheconspiracyfrombreakingoutatRomeandwashailedasthefatherofhiscountry.ExiledfortheexecutionsbyhisenemyClodiusinbutrecalledthefollow-ingyear,helosthispoliticalindependenceasaresultofthedomin-ationofpoliticsbythemilitarydynastsPompeyandCaesar.HisgovernorshipofCilicia(–)wa

4、sexemplaryinitshonestyandfairness.Alwaysafirmrepublican,hereluctantlysupportedPompeyintheCivilWar,butwaspardonedbyCaesar.HewasnotletintotheplotagainstCaesar.AfterCaesar’sassassination(),hesupportedtheyoungOctavian(thefutureemperorAugustus)andledtheSenateinitsoperationsagainstMa

5、rkAntony.WhenOctavianandAntonyformedthe‘secondtriumvirate’withLepidusin,Cicerowastheirmostprominentvictim;hemethisendwithgreatcourage.Cicero’sletters,togetherwithhisspeechesandhispoliticalandphilosophicalworks,formthechiefsourceforthehistoryofthelaterepublic.Hisphilosophicaltr

6、eatises,writteninperiodswhenhewasdeprivedofhispoliticalfreedom,arethemainvehiclebywhichHellenisticphilosophywastransmittedtothewest.HisprosestyleraisedtheLatinlanguagetoaneleganceandbeautythatwasneversurpassed.P.G.WisEmeritusProfessorofHumanityintheUniversityofGlasgow.Thisis

7、theseventhofhistranslationsofLatinauthorsinOxfordWorld’sClassics,followingApuleius,TheGoldenAss,Petronius,Satyricon,Cicero,TheNatureoftheGodsandOnObligations,Boethius,TheConsolationofPhilosophy,andPliny’sCompleteLetters.HehasalsopublishedextensivelyonLivy,ontheRomannovel,andonpa

8、tristicandmedievalLatin.’Fo