Please read Plutarch's account of one of the many "ambitious young men" who lived during what is sometimes called the Age of Cicero. Pick out a key line that shows how this man's work might have tended to support or destroy republican government in Rome. Explain why you chose this particular line. You can use one of these abridged biographies of Crassus, Cicero, Pompey, Sertorius, Cato the Younger, or Lucullus. If you want the complete text, go to the links in the right hand column here.
Monday, October 6, 2014
Crasus, Pompey, and Their Contemporaries (Due date: 11/1)
Please read Plutarch's account of one of the many "ambitious young men" who lived during what is sometimes called the Age of Cicero. Pick out a key line that shows how this man's work might have tended to support or destroy republican government in Rome. Explain why you chose this particular line. You can use one of these abridged biographies of Crassus, Cicero, Pompey, Sertorius, Cato the Younger, or Lucullus. If you want the complete text, go to the links in the right hand column here.
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Cicero's proficiency in speaking managed to make him a consul, so there no denying his skills. however it brings up his share of problems. "His authority at that time was very great, but he excited the envy of not a few because he was continually praising himself, and people grew tired of hearing him repeat again and again the benefit he had done his country in crushing Catiline."
ReplyDeleteCicero's smart remarks made him plenty of enemies and his arrogance I'm sure didn't make him very popular among the people. Part of a Republican form of government is cooperation, which can't be easily optained if no one wants to work with you. Plus, it doesn't make that form of government very appealing if this is the kind of man it breeds.
-Sean McCracken
Cato the Younger was one of the most upright and influential Roman's in history. He was a pure statesmen in a time of absolute corruption and held to the idea of Republic. Plutarch describes such resolve by saying "Not long after this, Cato won the highest reputation by his opposition to the First Triumvirate, or the bond made by Caesar between Pompey and Crassus by which they hoped to get complete control of the state." Cato took an active voice against such power hungry men in a time where most senators were afraid to get in the way.
ReplyDeleteWhat also interested me was that Pompey and Caesar had great respect for Cato even though he was a chief obstacle to their plans. When Pompey and Cato joined forces against Caesar, Pompey even agreed to follow Cato's moral code of not destroying Roman citizens and not killing Roman citizens unless in battle.
-Zack Krage
Pompey The Great was on of the great military leaders of Rome. He had plenty of ambition and used that to gain the consulship and anything else he wanted.
ReplyDeleteOne of things that stood out to me was when Pompey came back from defeating Mithridates. After Pompey had defeated him and had this huge army at his disposal. Pompey could've easily march into Rome and taken over the city, but when he got to Rome he dispatched his army and let them go their separate ways.
This shows that although Pompey had the power and means to do what he wanted he was waiting for the perfect way to do it, and didn't want to know for forcefully taking over Rome.
Pompey was a great man. He was a great commander and warroir. He was brought out of retirement to defeat caesar from taking over the republic. That also isn't to say that he didn't know how to play the game. He made deals with Caesar before they became enemies. The tragic thing is that he died trying to defend the republic. - Trent Dean
ReplyDeleteI chose to read about Pompey and I chose a line rather early in his life after returning from his great win in Africa. The line states this, ""Do not forget that more people worship the rising than the setting sun." He meant that his power was increasing, while Sylla's was on the decline. Feeling the truth of this remark, and admiring Pompey's spirit, Sylla cried, "Let him triumph! let him triumph!" and so the young man had his way."
ReplyDeleteNow I chose this line because it shows a type of obsession with power even at an early age where he is just gaining it. This throws up a big red flag that could bring problems to the republic with one man gaining to much power and causing chaos throughout the republic, much like we saw with Marius and Sulla, so even though this right away didn't cause any direct problems for Rome seeing this line in a way foreshadowed the problems that Pompey the Great could bring for Rome with his thirst of power.
Rumors had reached Rome that Pompey was coming back with a powerful army for the purpose of establishing himself as sole ruler. But as soon as he landed in Italy he mustered his soldiers, [391] bade each farewell, and sent him home, only requesting that none would fail to take part in his triumph. Then he went to Rome as a private citizen, and the whole city turned out to meet him with loud shouts of greeting.
ReplyDeleteThis line from the life of Pompey adds to the proof that he supported the Republic and may not have seized total power if he did not have to declare war on Caesar. Perhaps Pompey would have been the right man to solve the troubles that had arisen because of Caesar's ambition. However, this move may also show a type of weakness, Pompey may not have been bold enough to take total control when he most certainly was in the best position to in Rome.
-Jackson Pasco
"Of course trade and navigation came to a stand-still when every ship was in danger from pirates, and there was reason to fear a famine in Rome: so, at last, Pompey was sent to clear the seas. This wonderful achievement was performed in four months: twenty thousand pirates were taken prisoners, and the rest were compelled to retire to Cilicia, which was too far from Rome for them to do further damage. The prisoners were not put to death; Pompey, was too humane for that; he gave them small tracts of land in various scantily-populated regions, thus offering them a chance to become honest citizens."
ReplyDeleteIt show how he helped Rome by getting rid of the Pirates but he also gave some of them a 2nd chance it show how wonderful he was for the Roman government he had a good army to. ---kirk bender