Humanitext Reader

Plutarch · Comparison of Demosthenes with Cicero §4.1-4.3

Comparison of Their Conduct in Exile and Political Failures

Passage 4 of 5 · Greek

Summary

The author contrasts the reasons for and behavior during exile of Demosthenes and Cicero, noting Demosthenes' active patriotism versus Cicero's passivity, and mentions criticisms against Cicero for allowing the rise of Caesar's tyranny.

§4.1καὶ μὴν ἥ γε φυγὴ τῷ μὲν αἰσχρὰ κλοπῆς ἁλόντι συνέπεσε, τῷ δὲ κάλλιστον ἔργον ἀνθρώπους ἀλιτηρίους ἐκκόψαντι τῆς πατρίδος, διὸ τοῦ μὲν οὐδεὶς λόγος ἐκπίπτοντος, ἐφʼ ᾧ δʼ ἡ σύγκλητος ἐσθῆτά τε διήλλαξε καὶ πένθος ἔσχε καὶ γνώμην ὑπὲρ οὐδενὸς εἰπεῖν ἐπείσθη πρότερον ἢ Κικέρωνι κάθοδον ψηφίσασθαι.
And indeed, exile fell to the lot of the one because of his conviction for shameful theft, but to the other for his most noble deed of ridding his fatherland of impious men; wherefore, while there was no account of the former when he was exiled, for the latter the senate changed their raiment, went into mourning, and could not be persuaded to speak on any business before they had voted for Cicero's recall.
§4.2τὴν μέντοι φυγὴν ἀργῶς ὁ Κικέρων διήνεγκεν ἐν Μακεδονίᾳ καθήμενος, τῷ δὲ Δημοσθένει καὶ ἡ φυγὴ μέγα μέρος τῆς πολιτείας γέγονε.
However, Cicero bore his exile inactively, sitting in Macedonia, whereas for Demosthenes even his exile became a great part of his political career.
συναγωνιζόμενος γάρ, ὥσπερ εἴρηται, τοῖς Ἕλλησι καὶ τοὺς Μακεδόνων πρέσβεις ἐξελαύνων ἐπήρχετο τὰς πόλεις, πολὺ βελτίων Θεμιστοκλέους καὶ Ἀλκιβιάδου παρὰ τὰς αὐτὰς τύχας φανεὶς πολίτης· καὶ μέντοι κατελθὼν αὖθις ἑαυτὸν ἐπέδωκεν εἰς τὴν αὐτὴν ταύτην πολιτείαν, καὶ διετέλει πολεμῶν πρὸς Ἀντίπατρον καὶ Μακεδόνας.
For, as has been said, joining in the struggle with the Greeks and driving out the Macedonian ambassadors, he went about the cities, showing himself a far better citizen than Themistocles and Alcibiades under similar fortunes; and indeed, having returned, he again devoted himself to this same political life, and continued to wage war against Antipater and the Macedonians.
§4.3Κικέρωνα δʼ ὠνείδισεν ἐν τῇ βουλῇ Λαίλιος αἰτουμένου Καίσαρος ὑπατείαν μετιέναι παρὰ νόμον, οὔπω γενειῶντος, σιωπῇ καθήμενον.
And Laelius reproached Cicero in the senate when Caesar was petitioning to seek the consulship contrary to law, though he was not yet growing a beard, while Cicero sat in silence.
ἔγραφε δὲ καὶ Βροῦτος ἐγκαλῶν ὡν μείζονα καὶ βαρυτέραν πεπαιδοτριβηκότι τυραννίδα τῆς ὑφʼ αὑτοῦ καταλυθείσης.
Brutus also wrote, accusing him of having nurtured a tyranny greater and more oppressive than the one destroyed by himself.

Notes

  1. §4.1αἰσχρὰ κλοπῆς — While some manuscripts read `αἰσχρᾷ κλοπῇ` ('by a shameful theft'), the reading `αἰσχρὰ κλοπῆς` is interpreted with `αἰσχρά` used adverbially (or as a neuter plural accusative), and `κλοπῆς` as the genitive of charge dependent on `ἁλόντι` ('convicted').
  2. §4.1κάλλιστον ἔργον — The accusative `κάλλιστον ἔργον` ('a most noble deed') functions as an accusative in apposition to the action described by the subsequent participial clause `ἀνθρώπους ἀλιτηρίους ἐκκόψαντι` ('having driven wicked men out').
  3. §4.3ὡς ... πεπαιδοτριβηκότι — The structure features `ὡς` with the perfect dative participle `πεπαιδοτριβηκότι` ('having nurtured'), showing the subjective reason for the accusation led by `ἐγκαλῶν` ('accusing'). The dative case agrees with the implied dative indirect object referring to Cicero.
  4. §4.3τῆς ὑφʼ αὑτοῦ καταλυθείσης — `τῆς` is the genitive of comparison standing for the omitted noun `τυραννίδος` (agreeing with the comparatives `μείζονα καὶ βαρυτέραν` modifying `τυραννίδα`). The reflexive pronoun `αὑτοῦ` in `ὑφʼ αὑτοῦ` refers to the main subject of the sentence, Brutus (`Βροῦτος`).

Cite this passage

Plutarch, Comparison of Demosthenes with Cicero §4.1-4.3. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0007.tlg056.humanitext-grc2:4.1-4.3

Please note the AI-draft status of the translation and the date accessed.

Translation, notes and summary are AI-generated drafts, revised through reader feedback.