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thinking about something else for a while
Nov. 19th, 2008 09:50 pmSo I went to class yesterday and we were talking about the reading, and I couldn't stop giggling. On one hand, I was trying to be all "serious student is serious" about it, but on the other hand, we were talking about Cicero's Second Philippic*, and I can't help it! It's funny! And man, you just don't see political rhetoric like this these days**. I mean, at one point Cicero calls Antony a whore. And not in some metaphorical or roundabout way, either - he just straight up says 'and then you became a prostitute because you slept with Curio so his father would pay off your debts' (that's a paraphrase, but not by much). My favorite quote may be "Pay attention for a moment. Think like a man who is sober, just for a second." Not to mention the part where he tells a story about how Antony was drunk while conducting public business in the Forum and puked all over himself. The phrase 'morsels of food stinking with wine' is used.
Relatedly, I've been watching the second season of Rome (for the record, watching a show that fictionalizes a period that you're studying? Terrible idea.) and between that and this speech, I find myself inexplicably charmed by Antony. Drunkard! Asshole! Kind of slutty! WHY IS THIS CHARMING TO ME.
*Background for those of you who don't share my minor obsession with this period: after Caesar's assignation, Marc Antony took control of Rome and was in charge for several months. Cicero and Antony hated each other - Cicero liked to say that if he had been part of the assignation plot, he would have made sure Antony died too. Eventually Antony gave a speech in front of the Senate basically about how shitty a politician Cicero was, and Cicero wrote the Second Philippic in response. It's written as if it were a speech given in rebuttal, although it was never delivered but instead circulated as a pamphlet, basically, and it is a fantastic piece of character assignation.
**Although that recent interview on 538 suggests that it may just be that I'm getting my rhetoric from the wrong places. Because holy shit, what was up with that?
Relatedly, I've been watching the second season of Rome (for the record, watching a show that fictionalizes a period that you're studying? Terrible idea.) and between that and this speech, I find myself inexplicably charmed by Antony. Drunkard! Asshole! Kind of slutty! WHY IS THIS CHARMING TO ME.
*Background for those of you who don't share my minor obsession with this period: after Caesar's assignation, Marc Antony took control of Rome and was in charge for several months. Cicero and Antony hated each other - Cicero liked to say that if he had been part of the assignation plot, he would have made sure Antony died too. Eventually Antony gave a speech in front of the Senate basically about how shitty a politician Cicero was, and Cicero wrote the Second Philippic in response. It's written as if it were a speech given in rebuttal, although it was never delivered but instead circulated as a pamphlet, basically, and it is a fantastic piece of character assignation.
**Although that recent interview on 538 suggests that it may just be that I'm getting my rhetoric from the wrong places. Because holy shit, what was up with that?