Self-Blame in Cicero's First Catilinarian Oration
Issue Date
2011-04-22Author
Huggard-Lee, Tiffany
Publisher
University of Kansas
Format
32 pages
Type
Thesis
Degree Level
M.A.
Discipline
Classics
Rights
This item is protected by copyright and unless otherwise specified the copyright of this thesis/dissertation is held by the author.
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Show full item recordAbstract
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.
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