Cicero and the Early Latin Poets

Examines Cicero's numerous citations of Latin poets within the cultural and intellectual trends of the late Roman Republic.

Hannah Čulík-Baird (Author)

9781316516089, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 28 April 2022

322 pages
23.5 x 15.8 x 2 cm, 0.62 kg

'When reading Cicero, it is tempting to breeze through the quotations of poetry without dwelling too much: after reading this engaging and thought-provoking book, which will be of value to all those interested in Cicero and the intellectual culture of the late Roman republic, that will be hard to do.' Sean McConnell, Bryn Mawr Classical Review

The writings of Cicero contain hundreds of quotations of Latin poetry. This book examines his citations of Latin poets writing in diverse poetic genres and demonstrates the importance of poetry as an ethical, historical, and linguistic resource in the late Roman Republic. Hannah Čulík-Baird studies Cicero's use of poetry in his letters, speeches, and philosophical works, contextualizing his practice within the broader intellectual trends of contemporary Rome. Cicero's quotations of the 'classic' Latin poets, such as Ennius, Pacuvius, Accius, and Lucilius, are responsible for preserving the most significant fragments of verse from the second century BCE. The book also therefore examines the process of fragmentation in classical antiquity, with particular attention to the relationship between quotation and fragmentation. The Appendices collect perceptible instances of poetic citation (Greek as well as Latin) in the Ciceronian corpus.

Introduction. 'All minds quote'
1. Cicero and the poets
2. Poetic citation by Ciceronian genre
3. Roman comedy and scholarship
4. Singing in Cicero
5. Poetry as artefact.

Subject Areas: Classical history / classical civilisation [HBLA1], Literary studies: classical, early & medieval [DSBB], Poetry by individual poets [DCF]