Did Cicero deserve his fate?

[suzhannah]

Antony wanted him dead, Octavian stood by and allowed it. And even though, Cicero was always somewhat of a manipulator himself, ie egging on Brutus and Cassius amongst others. but, did he stand for the old republic in earnest or was he just thinking of himself when he wrote about his sadness at missing the 'feast' on the Ides of March.

 

Would be interested to know what people think of his wranling with Antony, his dreadful put down in the Phillippics and his mistaken trusting relationship with the young Octavian.

 

Thanks

Suz

[Gaius Paulinus Maximus]

I don't think Cicero deserved his fate, he was one of the greatest and most gifted Romans of the Republic, but the fact was that he'd crossed swords with Antony too many times and with the formation of the second Triumvirate, it was inevitable that he was going to die.

[M. Porcius Cato]

Of course Cicero didn't deserve to die! What did Cicero ever do to merit a death sentence?

 

I'd say that his death wasn't even unavoidable, but the only protection for Cicero lay in Antony losing power entirely or in being split from Octavian. Cicero tried both tactics, but quite badly.

 

After the second Phillipic, Cicero's first course of action should have been to leave Italy, to join with Brutus and Cassius, and to prepare for the defense of Mutina. Instead, Cicero concentrated on having Hirtius and Pansa do the job, which they did successfully but at the cost of their lives and both consulships.

 

After Antony survived Mutina, Cicero's best course would have been to encourage a rapprochement between Antony and the Liberators who, unlike Octavian, had not fought him at Mutina. Taking this course would have been supremely duplicitous of Cicero since he was the one who most agitated for Antony's defeat, but at least it would have prevented the Caesarian cause from being united, and Antony seemed disposed toward rapprochement. Stupidly, Cicero instead chose to support Octavian (with equal duplicity), a young man who had the wealth and will (but not ability) to defeat the Liberators.

 

After the lex Pedia was passed, Cicero could have fled immediately for Greece to join the Liberators or at least to settle affairs in Cilicia and thereby free up another capable person for the republican cause. Instead, he waited to die.

 

Was Cicero's death deserved? No. Could it have been prevented? Yes--but only in spite of Cicero!

[ASCLEPIADES]

After the lex Pedia was passed, Cicero could have fled immediately for Greece to join the Liberators or at least to settle affairs in Cilicia and thereby free up another capable person for the republican cause. Instead, he waited to die.

Salve, MPC!

 

Methinks had he done that, the Caesarians would just have had another reason to kill him after the Liberators' defeat.

[M. Porcius Cato]

After the lex Pedia was passed, Cicero could have fled immediately for Greece to join the Liberators or at least to settle affairs in Cilicia and thereby free up another capable person for the republican cause. Instead, he waited to die.

had he done that, the Caesarians would just have had another reason to kill him after the Liberators' defeat.

Possibly. But when facing determined killers, an army has a funny way of increasing your chances of survival!

[ASCLEPIADES]

Salve, MPC!

 

Were Cicero's last days and death compatible with the stoic philpsophy?

Edited July 26, 2007 by ASCLEPIADES