Self-Blame in Cicero's First Catilinarian Oration

Abstract

Cicero's oratorical style is not known for being retiring and modest. His usually boastful nature makes it startling that he engages in self-criticism on several occasions in the First Catilinarian Oration. On further investigation, however, it is possible to see how Cicero uses this self-blame in several ways to maintain the appearance of control over Catiline's conspiracy while avoiding any possible accusation of excessive self-praise or arrogance. Cicero is able to take self-blame and use it to portray himself as a troubled novus homo, in this case, the first in his family to serve as consul, struggling to manage a crisis. He then redirects this self-blame into praise and presents himself as far exceeding the character of the novus homo he initially created. Self-blame allows Cicero another method of manipulating the ideal image of himself he hopes to project throughout the First Catilinarian.