Historiography, autobiography and self-praise in Cicero’s political dialogues (Rep. & Leg.) and his Fam. 5.12. (original) (raw)

Abstract

Lucceius’ reluctance in composing Cicero’s biographical encomium upon the latter’s request in an epistle from 56 BC (Fam. 5.12) must have prompted Cicero to include bits and pieces of his fabula rerum eventorum in his political dialogues, composed between two and four years later (54-50 BC). The personal information included in the fragmentary prooemia of his De re publica Books One, Three and Five, as well as in his De legibus must have compensated for not having received a positive answer from Lucceius by the time when he composed the two dialogues. The paper will focus on Cicero’s opinions on historiography, autobiography and self-praise in his Fam. 5.12 and his two political dialogues, as well as on the cases of the autobiographical and encomiastic references and comments made by himself both as the author of De re publica and as the author and the protagonist of De legibus, as well as the personae of his brother Quintus and their friend Atticus in the latter dialogue. Given his eagerness to have his achievements recorded as quickly as possible (as stated in Fam. 5.12), it should not be surprising that by late 50s BC he had turned himself into a quasi autobiographer, when opportunity allowed it. However, his ambition to praise himself did not limit him to mentioning the events of his consulship only, but he extended his self-praise to other aspects of his life as well, including his education, virtues and skills, his rhetorical and legal prowess, his piety etc.

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