HAVING long regarded Halm's commentaries on Cicero as admirably fitted to spread a sound knowledge of those writings, which are the test* of proficiency in Latin, I did not hesitate to recommend his edition to the class, with which I read the Second Philippic in the last October term. As however the book was not accessible to all my hearers, I determined to put the introduction and notes into an English dress. I have endeavoured to translate the introduction tolerably closely; with the notes I have taken greater liberties, abridging, enlarging, or omitting, at discretion; where Halm gives a reference to a classic, I have generally printed the passage at length; where the reference is to his own notes on other speeches, or to modern books, I have worked in the additional matter; I have also rendered into English the numerous Greek quotations. My own additions†, which have grown to a far greater bulk than I had intended, have been drawn, i. from the ancient authorities for the history of the period, which I have carefully read over again for the purpose; ii. from my own marginal references, and grammatical, historical, and antiquarian collections; iii. from the notes of previous commentators‡, among * Quintilian. Enclosed in crotchets [], with a few unimportant exceptions. The same mark in the text of the speech denotes an interpolation. Quintilian's observations I have quoted at length. I have also gone through the prolix variorum notes (500 pages, double columns, in Wernsdorf's edition); the commentary of Manutius; the notes of Orelli's smaller edition (Cic. Oratt. sel. xv. Turici, 1836); the prefaces of Madvig (Cic. Oratt. sel. XII. I have used the second, third, and fourth editions, Hauniae, 1841, 1848, 1858, and the preface of the first ed., ibid. 1830, printed in his opuscula whom the learned Jesuit Nicolas Abram deserves special commendation; if he has often given me the labour of hunting through a whole volume to verify a reference, I do not grudge the time so spent, for I generally found much by the way to reward the search; iv. from Drumann's Geschichte Roms, Becker's Handbuch der römischen Alterthümer continued by Marquardt*, Fischer's römische Zeittafeln, Pauly's Real-encyklopädie, and Mr Bunbury's careful articles on the geography of ancient Italy; v. from the principal grammarst; if I have every where referred to those of Zumpt and Madvig, it is only because they contain more examples than their English rivals. Of Nägelsbach's Lateinische Stylistik I have made very frequent use. Throughout the book what has been taken from others has been acknowledged; a scholar to whom the cause of sound grammatical learning is greatly indebted, Mr Shilleto, has kindly furnished the remarks distinguished by his name or initials (R. S.). The copious argument' may, I hope, supersede that coward's aid, a literal translation. It is perhaps necessary to add, that I have purposely refrained from looking into any English notes on the speech. [1861] I. III seq.; the substance of his notes from these and other works is here incorporated); and the critical notes of the Zürich edition. I have further consulted, but to no purpose, the notes of Klotz (Cicero's sämmtliche Reden, Band 3. Leipzig. 1839), and Winckler (or. Phil. II. adnott. in us. scholarum illustrata. Marburg. 1829), the German translation of Wernsdorf, and the text of Frotscher. * I have cited this as 'Becker,' where the volume and page are given, but have elsewhere named Marquardt. See the list in Dr. Donaldson's Latin Grammar. INTRODUCTION. MARCUS ANTONIUS1 was grandson of the cele- § 1 brated orator of the same name, who as a zealous partisan of the aristocracy was put to death by order of Marius and Cinna B.C. 87. The father's spirit had not descended upon his sons. The elder, Marcus, father of the triumvir, when as proprætor (B.C. 74) he assumed the command against the pirates, abused his extensive powers to plunder the provinces with whose protection he was charged, and tarnished the honour of the Roman arms by an incapacity, which drew him the nickname Creticus. The younger, § 2 Gaius, as consul B.C. 63, betrayed his sympathy for the designs of Catilina, but wanted courage openly to declare himself. The shameless extortions of which, as proconsul of Macedonia (62-60), he was guilty, led to his banishment, nor was he recalled until shortly before Cæsar's death*. Thus the earliest impressions of Marcus' boyhood were none of the best; upon 1) Cf. Drumann Geschichte Roms, 1. 64 sq. Brückner's account of the same period (Leben des M. Cicero, 1. 698 seq.) is inexact and uncritical. 2) Phil. 1. §§ 27, 34. [Cf. II. §§ 42 III.The orator Ant. is an interlocutor in Cic. de or.]. 3) Cic. Verr. II. § 8, III. § 213, Vell. II. 31. § 3. In what year Cæsar recalled him XLIII. 27 seems to favour B.C. 47, B.C. 45. 4) II. § 98 n. [S$ 56, 99.] cannot be determined; Dio Appian (bell. civ. II. 107) b but the example of his stepfather, P. Lentulus the confederate of Catilina, who died a traitor's death by the hand of the executioner, may have been still more pernicious. It is remarked by Plutarch, that it was the execution of Lentulus that sowed in the heart of Antonius the seeds of an implacable hatred against S3 Cicero. From the pictures of Antonius' youth which his enemy has drawn, however overcharged they may be by party spirit, we cannot doubt that the young Marcus soon plunged into the grossest excesses of every kind. Thus the small fortune which his father left him*, was quickly squandered'; notwithstanding which he persisted in maintaining his place in the theatre among the seats of the knights. His engaging persont, the charm of his manner, his lively and empassioned temperament, worked upon young voluptuaries with an extraordinary force of attraction. In the society of such companions Antonius gave himself up to sensuality, and sank to the lowest depths of degradation in his intercourse with the profligate C. Curio, who on his part supplied the partner of his lusts with the means of continuing his dissolute life. Thus he became surety for Antonius to the large amount of 6,000,000 sesterces; a debt SS 14, 18 n. 8) 8 44: 6) Ant. 2. cf. Cic. Phil. I. § 17. [* Cf. Plut. Ant. 1, Cic. Phil. II. § 42, Dio XLV. 47, XLVI. 14.] 7) § 44: praetextatum te decoxisse. [+ His noble presence, broad forehead, goodly beard, and Roman nose, occasioned comparisons between him and Hercules. Plut. Ant. 4.] 9) SS 3 seq. 44 seq. Vell. II. 48, § 3: Bello civili non alius maiorem flagrantioremque quam C. Curio tribunus pl. subiecit facem, vir nobilis, eloquens, audax, suae alienaeque et fortunae et pudicitiae prodigus, homo ingeniosissime nequam et facundus malo publico, cuius animo neque opes ullae neque cupiditates suffi cere possent. which Curio's father long refused to discharge, and Xof B.C. 58, when the notorious P. Clodius was tribune § 4 of the people, Antonius, being then about 25 years of age, attached himself to him, and for a time supported his plans". A breach however soon ensued, whether because the frantic violence of the tribune alarmed Antonius12, or because an intrigue of Antonius with Fulvia, (who became afterwards" his third's wife), awoke the jealousy of her husband Clodius. In the same year Antonius left Italy for Greece, where he employed himself partly in rhetorical exercises, partly in bodily training for a soldier's career1. From these § 5 pursuits he was called off by A. Gabinius, whose acquaintance he had probably made while an adherent of Clodius. In the year 57 on Gabinius' invitation he accompanied him to Syria, as praefectus equitum"; and was also at his side, when in B.C. 55, 10) SS 45 seq. 11) § 48. 12) So Plut. Ant. 2: 'Soon being cloyed with Clodius' extravagance, and fearing those who were combining against him, Antonius left Italy.' 18) § 48: cuius etiam domi iam tum quiddam molitus est; cf. § 99: filiam eius (C. Antonii) eiecisti, alia condicione quaesita et ante perspecta. 14) After her second husband, the above mentioned C. Scribonius Curio (Phil. II. §§ 11 and 113), had fallen fighting on Cæsar's side in Africa B.C. 49. Fulvia's marriage with Antonius took: place in the latter half of the year 47 (Plut. Ant. 10. cf. Phil. II. § 69 about the divorce from Cytheris). 15) Fadia, daughter of Q. Fadius a freedman (Phil. II. § 3, cf. ad Att. XVI. II. §I 17 |