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Plutarch · Comparison of Demosthenes with Cicero §2.1-2.3

Self-Praise and the Desire for Oratorical Glory

Passage 2 of 5 · Greek

Summary

The author contrasts Cicero's excessive self-praise and craving for oratorical glory in his writings with Demosthenes' cautious, moderate self-praise and humble assessment of his own eloquence.

§2.1ἔτι τοίνυν ἐν τοῖς συγγράμμασι κατιδεῖν ἔστι τὸν μὲν ἐμμελῶς καὶ ἀνεπαχθῶς τῶν εἰς αὑτὸν ἀπτόμενον ἐγκωμίων, ὅτε τούτου δεήσαι πρὸς ἕτερόν τι μεῖζον, τἆλλα δʼ εὐλαβῆ καὶ μέτριον· ἡ δὲ Κικέρωνος ἐν τοῖς λόγοις ἀμετρία τῆς περιαυτολογίας ἀκρασίαν τινὰ κατηγόρει πρὸς δόξαν, βοῶντος ὡς τὰ ὅπλα ἔδει τῇ τηβέννῳ καὶ τῇ γλώττῃ τὴν θριαμβικὴν ὑπείκειν δάφνην.
Furthermore, in their writings one can observe that the one touches upon praises of himself in a moderate and inoffensive manner, whenever there is need of this for some other greater purpose, but is otherwise cautious and measured; whereas Cicero's immoderate self-praise in his speeches betrayed a certain lack of self-control regarding glory, as he cried out that arms must yield to the toga, and the triumphal laurel to the tongue.
§2.2τελευτῶν δʼ οὐ τὰ ἔργα καὶ τὰς πράξεις μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς λόγους ἐπαινεῖ τοὺς εἰρημένους ὑφʼ αὑτοὺ καὶ γεγραμμένους, ὥσπερ Ἰσοκράτει καὶ Ἀναξιμένει τοῖς σοφισταῖς διαμειρακιευόμενος, οὐ τὸν Ῥωμαίων δῆμον ἄγειν ἀξιῶν καὶ ὀρθοῦν, "βριθύν, ὁπλιτοπάλαν, δάϊον ἀντιπάλοις. " §2.3ἰσχύειν μὲν γὰρ διὰ λόγου τὸν πολιτευόμενον ἀναγκαῖον, ἀγαπᾶν δʼ ἀγεννὲς καὶ λιχνεύειν τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ λόγου δόξαν.
And finally, he praises not only his deeds and actions, but also the speeches spoken and written by himself, as if behaving like a youth against Isocrates and Anaximenes the sophists, not deeming it worthy of himself to lead and guide the Roman people, "heavy, shield-shaking, hostile to adversaries." For while it is necessary for the statesman to be strong through speech, to cherish and crave the glory derived from speech is ignoble.
ὅθεν ἐμβριθέστερος ταύτῃ καὶ μεγαλοπρεπέστερος ὁ Δημοσθένης, τὴν μὲν αὑτοῦ δύναμιν ἐμπειρίαν τινὰ πολλῆς δεομένην τῆς παρὰ τῶν ἀκροωμένων εὐνοίας ἀποφαινόμενος, ἀνελευθέρους δὲ καὶ βαναύσους, ὥσπερ εἰσί, τοὺς ἐπὶ τούτῳ φυσωμένους ἡγούμενος.
Hence Demosthenes is more dignified and majestic in this respect, showing his own power to be a certain practical skill that requires much goodwill from the hearers, and regarding those who puff themselves up over this as ungenerous and vulgar, as indeed they are.

Notes

  1. p.aris.1624.887ἔτι τοίνυν ἐν τοῖς συγγράμμασι κατιδεῖν ἔστι τὸν μὲν... — The impersonal verb `ἔστι` (it is possible) takes the infinitive `κατιδεῖν` (to observe), which in turn governs the accusative-and-participial construction `τὸν μὲν... ἀπτόμενον` (the one touching upon...) and the coordinated `τἆλλα δʼ εὐλαβῆ καὶ μέτριον [ὄντα]` (being otherwise cautious and moderate).
  2. p.214βοῶντος — A present participle in the genitive masculine singular, modifying the preceding genitive noun `Κικέρωνος` (Cicero's), describing how Cicero himself cried out in his own poetry.
  3. p.214βριθύν, ὁπλιτοπάλαν, δάϊον ἀντιπάλοις — A poetic quotation in which the accusative adjectives (`βριθύν`, `ὁπλιτοπάλαν`, `δάϊον`) all modify the preceding accusative noun phrase `τὸν Ῥωμαίων δῆμον` (the Roman people).
  4. p.214ὅθεν ἐμβριθέστερος ταύτῃ καὶ μεγαλοπρεπέστερος ὁ Δημοσθένης — The main copula verb (`ἐστίν`) is omitted, meaning "hence Demosthenes [is] more dignified and majestic." The following participles `ἀποφαινόμενος` and `ἡγούμενος` describe the actions and attitudes of the subject `ὁ Δημοσθένης`.

Cite this passage

Plutarch, Comparison of Demosthenes with Cicero §2.1-2.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0007.tlg056.humanitext-grc2:2.1-2.3

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