Pro Archia Poeta

Pro Archia ( poeta ) ( " For [ the poet ] Archias ") is a year 62 BC held speech in defense of the Roman politician and lawyer Marcus Tullius Cicero for the poet Archias. Cicero defended Archias, is on the no longer known, as mentioned in the speech against the accuser Grattius. It is possible that behind Grattius the party of Pompey is who wanted his wealthy patron, the two Luculli meet with Archias. He was accused of the arrogance of the Roman civil law, which was BC threatened by the lex Papia of the year 65 with the reference from Rome.

Structure of the speech

In this speech Cicero differs from the usual division of a forensic speech, which he had already prepared in § 3.

  • The Exordium, ie the introduction, Cicero makes in § § 1-3: he explained the reason for the takeover process ( gratitude, since he was a student of Archias ); he asks the question in a different way than usual to keep up.
  • The partitions, so the clarification of the facts, is made ​​in § 4. Archias was a Roman citizen; but if he were not, he deserved to get the citizenship.
  • The narratio, so the narrative of the course of events is, of § 4M. to § 7 made. It is reported about the Greek origin of the Archias and on his arrival in Rome. Is called the transition to Sicily, the return and the acquisition of citizenship.
  • The Argumentatio I ( § § 8-11 ) contains the refutation of the accusation. Are thereby given reasons why the prosecution should be wrong. Cicero leads witnesses for his statements on ( Lucullus, citizens of Heraclea ). The reliability of the witnesses was more relevant than the written fixed things. The absence of the name in the census lists can be explained by an absence of Rome or a non- holding of the Census.
  • Although the Argumentatio II (§ § 12-30 ) accounts for the largest part of the speech, but is extra causam. Cicero speaks about the value of intellectual work in general (12-16 ), where he the role of education as a) and b spiritual exercises highlighting ) recovery in particular. Then ( 17-30 ) he talks about the special in this regard merit of Archias. He sits down with Archias and the formation apart and with Archias as a poet. Here, comparisons with Homer and other thinkers are supplied. Cicero emphasizes the importance of human formation, humanitas forth. Archias was also the outstanding example for an educated (albeit immigrant ) Roman citizens.
  • The peroration (. § § 31f ) closes the speech in the normal way from Cicero asks the jurors to an acquittal for his mandates and short calls his arguments he put forward in the Argumentatio I ( and the and due to the long discussion of poets humanitas are certainly faded a bit in the perception of Geschworeren ), in memory.

Cicero's speech seemed then to have actually led to acquittal. A letter received Cicero namely sets Archias ' presence in Rome ahead.

Literature ( Selected Bibliography )

Text editions and translations

  • Altay Coşkun ( Critical Edition, Translation with Introduction and historical- philological commentary ): Cicero and the Roman citizenship. The defense of the poet Archias. Edition Ruprecht, Göttingen 2010, ISBN 978-3-7675-3054-6.
  • Carsten Schmieder ( trans., ed and with an essay by Carsten Schmieder. ): Pro Archia poeta. = Defense of the poet Archias. Hubris, Berlin 2010, ISBN 978-3-939735-02-1.
  • Otto Schönberger ( translator's and eds.): Pro A. Licinio Archia poeta oratio. = Speech for the poet A. Licinius Archias. Latin / German. Reprint of bibliographical supplemented edition 2006. Reclam, Stuttgart 2011, ISBN 978-3-15-001268-0 ( Loeb Classical Library 1268 ).
  • Helmuth Vretska, Karl Vretska ( translator's and eds.): Pro Archia poeta. A witness to the battle of the spirit to its recognition. University Press, Darmstadt 1979, ISBN 3-534-06071-7 ( Texts on research 31).

Secondary literature

  • Michael von Albrecht, Helmut Vester: Cicero's speech "Pro Archia ". Interpretation and instructional treatment. Guys, Heidelberg, 1970 ( Heidelberg texts. Didactic Series 2, ZDB - ID 2128785-5 ).
  • O. Schonberger: Text Critical Notes on Cicero Archias speech. In: Helikon. 8, 1968, ISSN 0017-9981, pp. 352-353.
Aulus Licinius Archias Exordium (rhetoric) Integrated Authority File
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