LOL - ya'll who have known me for a long time know I have REAL issues with Cicero. I.E. - I often hate his guts even while I'm struggling hard to agree with a few zillion people that he's an admirable man.

Well, for various reasons, I've just re-read all the Phillipics. Particularly the first three (it seems to me that the later ones are far less full of stuff to hate Cicero for).

And by the gods, if they aren't explicative of a petty, mean-minded, avaricious, nasty man, ewho will stab you when your back is turned but suck up to your face, I don't know what are!!!!

I particularly like the fact that he's alternately sucking up to Great Men, or kicking them if they are down - smarming around with Octavian (how COULD Cicero consistently show such poor judgment of other men?) while running between Antony's legs and setting off pot-shots.

The second one alone makes it difficult for me to understand where, in the whole of that remarkable document, there is any sign of an admirable author - interesting that this one, where he finally let himself go, he never had the nerve to deliver to Antony's face, or even to the Senate proper, but passed it, smirking, among his friends. Honestly, the most consistent impression I get of Cicero in these speeches is not a noble patriot, but someone you'd rather not have anything to do with, with his insecurities and a certain meanness of spirit just dribbling out of both sides of his mouth.

Can you tell I'm just MAD? I have been told by several scholars who read all his philosophy, and not much of his political prose and letters, that he's a wonderful, warm, brave, honest man, full of natural dignitas, and after a bout with the Phillipics, I think they are talking about someone else.

Even his so-called bravery in delivering them I find hard to believe, since he didn't utter one single word until Antony was on the outs with the Senate and it looked like Cicero could do so with fair impunity . . .

So, are there any of us here who really like this dude?