Exempla externa in Cicero’s Orations (Studies in Classical Literature and Culture, 13)

This book examines the ways in which Cicero employed foreign examples (exempla externa) in his orations. It argues that there were many different categories of exemplum for Cicero to choose and that exempla externa were not necessarily suitable for negative lessons. Cover Series Information Copyright Information Acknowledgments Table of Contents Preface List of Abbreviations A. Part One. Theoretical Background 1. Introduction 1.1. Exempla domestica and externa 1.2. Research Aims, Methods, and Scope 2. The Aristotelian Paradigm 2.1. Aristotle’s First Example: The Greek Tyrants 2.2. Aristotle’s Second Example: The Persian Invasion of Egypt 2.3. Summary 3. Exemplum in the Roman Context: Quintilian’s Degrees of Similarity 3.1. Preliminary Remarks 3.2. Similarity and Dissimilarity 3.3. Refutatio and Faulty exempla 3.4. Extreme Dissimilarity: The exemplum contrarium 3.5. Arguments a fortiori: The Inequality 3.6. Closing Remarks: Exempla and Commonplaces B. Part Two. Exempla externa in Cicero’s Orations 4. Confronting Theory and Practice 4.1. ‘C. Fannius’ and the Greek Tyrants 4.2. Cicero and the Greek Tyrants 4.2.1. The Primary and Secondary Referents 4.2.2. The Reversed Antonomasia 4.2.2.1. Semiramis illa 4.3. Form and Function of exempla externa: A Summary 5. The Series of exempla 5.1. The Early Orations 5.2. The Speeches of Cicero’s Consular Year 5.3. The Post-exile Period 5.4. The Philippics 5.5. Summary 6. Alexander of Macedon as Individual exemplum 6.1. Identification 6.2. Contrast 6.3. A Missed Opportunity? 7. Hannibal as Individual exemplum 7.1. Identification 7.2. Juxtaposition 7.3. Contrast 7.4. Counterexample 7.5. A Stock exemplum 8. Antiochus the Great as Individual exemplum 8.1. Juxtaposition 8.2. A Subsidiary exemplum 9. Spartacus as Individual exemplum 9.1. Identification 9.2. An exemplum in the Making? 10. Conclusions 10.1. Similarity and Dissimilarity between Referents 10.1.1. Identification 10.1.2. Juxtaposition 10.1.3. Contrast 10.2. Means of Expressing the Degree of Similarity 10.3. Single and Multiple Referents 10.4. The Choice and Meaning of exempla externa 10.5. Exempla externa as Tools of Praise and Blame Bibliography Index of Names Index of Passages Series index Historical exempla were an important part of the Roman political discourse. They could serve as a moral guide to conduct, but also lend credibility to an orator's argument. In his extant orations, Cicero often draws parallels between his contemporaries and the old Romans or, less frequently, he compares the Romans of the present day with non-Roman individuals. Cicero himself calls such foreign examples 'exempla externa.' Using a theoretical framework that combines the precepts of ancient rhetorical theory and modern terminology, this book explores the ways in which Cicero employed exempla externa in oratorical practice. It argues that there were many different categories of exemplum for Cicero to choose and that exempla externa were not necessarily suitable for negative lessons.