•  2013.01.03:  Paolo Crivelli, Plato’s Account of Falsehood: a Study of the Sophist
• 2013.01.02:  S. Kroll, C. Gruber, U. Hellwag, M. Roaf, P. Zimansky, Biainili-Urartu: the proceedings of the symposium held in Munich 12-14 October 2007 / Tagungsbericht des Münchner Symposiums 12.-14. Oktober 2007. Acta Iranica, 51
• 2012.12.67:  Andrew Pettinger, The Republic in Danger: Drusus Libo and the Succession of Tiberius.
• 2012.12.66:  Isabelle Boehm, Wolfgang Hübner, La poésie astrologique dans l’Antiquité: actes du colloque organisé les 7 et 8 décembre 2007 par J.-H. Abry (Université Lyon 3) avec la collaboration de I. Boehm (Université Lyon 2). Collection du Centre d’études et de recherches sur l’Occident romain, 38.
• 2012.12.65:  Alan Shapiro, Re-fashioning Anakreon in Classical Athens. Morphomata Lectures Cologne 2.

Reviewed by Mary Beard:

• Banter about Dildoes

posted with permission:

The Red Flare: Cicero’s On Old Age. Translated by G. B. Cobbold. Mundelein, IL: Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers, 2012. Pp. xxvi + 92. Paper, $15.00. ISBN: 978-0-86516-782-7.

Reviewed by Patrick Hogan, Independent Scholar

Cicero’s short dialogues On Old Age and On Friendship once occupied a prominent place in high school and collegiate Latin curricula as intermediate texts and as morally instructive guides for the young. Bolchazy-Carducci has done much to bring them back to the fore by reprinting school texts of both for use in Latin classes. Now G. B. Cobbold’s The Red Flare (the title is a phrase from Yeats), an English translation of the former, has appeared in their catalogue to extend the audience beyond language students.

Cobbold intends his new translation of Cicero’s famous dialogue Cato or On Old Age “to be read by anyone interested in Roman history or ancient philosophy, or reading the Classics in translation” (xxv). He assures a wide audience by leaving nothing for granted in setting up the background of the work. In his introduction he gives a short summary of Roman history from its mythical beginnings to Cicero’s own bloody end in the Civil Wars (“Cicero’s Place in History”) and then effectively and briefly introduces the three characters in the dialogue (“On Old Age”), emphasizing Cicero’s imaginative recreation of statesmen long dead by his own time and noting differences between Cicero’s method and his model Plato’s. An undergraduate student with little to no background in ancient civilization or philosophy will be sufficiently prepared to begin reading the text, if he reads this introduction.

Although Cobbold states that he does not intend his translation as a “crib for Latin students,” a comparison of his translation with the new edition of the dialogue by J. G. F. Powell in the OCT series (2006) shows that he has been quite faithful to the Latin text. Foremost, he maintains the traditional division of the work into 23 chapters. Occasionally he adds material for the sake of clarity: e.g. he adds the Greek terms symposion and syndeipnon as parallels for the Latin convivium (37), although in the original text Cato notes that the Greeks have two words for the Latin banquet but gives only the very rare terms conpotatio and concenatio. Frequently Cobbold omits consular dates and the names of more obscure figures to smooth the text for the general reader, but he warns the reader explicitly in the introduction that he will do this (xxv–xxvi). The otherwise unknown centurion T. Pontius fittingly becomes “that centurion—what’s his name?” (26). Cobbold also sensibly omits discussion of textual questions, such as whether the name of Naevius’ play is Lupus or Ludus (p.16); those interested in such will naturally turn to Powell’s entry in the Cambridge Classical Texts and Commentaries Series (1988).

At the end of the book are three appendices. The first is a “Glossary of Names, Places, and Technical Terms” that elucidates the names and terms that Cobbold admits into his translation. The only possible omission I noticed was one for the Giants, whose war with the gods is referenced in the dialogue (5). The second appendix is a list of “Memorable Passages Quoted by Cicero in On Old Age,” which provides the original Latin and Cobbold’s translation of quotes from Ennius and other poets; these will probably be of interest only to Latin students. The third appendix, “Old Age in Literature,” lists over a dozen works and characters from Shakespeare to the modern day along with short comments by the author. Undergraduate instructors interested in placing the Cato in the context of a course on aging and dying in Western Civilization may gather other possibilities here, and of course the general reader is benefited by reminders of classic works.

In short, I recommend Cobbold’s translation for classroom and casual use alike, and I hope that soon he will complement The Red Flare with a new translation of Cato’s Laelius: perhaps he could title it So Great a Sweetness?

posted with permission:

The Historians of Ancient Rome: An Anthology of the Major Writings. Third Edition. Edited by RONALD MELLOR. London and New York: Routledge, 2012. Pp. xxx + 583. Paper, $42.95. ISBN 978-0-415-52716-3.

Reviewed by Herbert W. Benario, Emory University

When a volume intended for use in a college or university class reaches a third edition within fifteen years of first publication, it is a clear sign of the author’s success. Comparison with the first edition of 1997 shows evolution of Ronald Mellor’s concept.

The early volume was about fifty pages shorter than the present one, yet the philosophy behind them has changed dramatically. The former offered selections from only ten authors, the present one has twenty-one, including some whose names will likely be unknown to the average reader. In 1997 some works were presented in their entirety, such as Tacitus’ Life of Agricola. Now there are only twenty-two chapters, about half of the essay. Livy then had just over two hundred pages, now there are one hundred thirty-six. But the balance of the volume has been substantially improved, with a Timeline, an Introduction, brief comment on Reading Roman Historians, a Glossary, and a Select Bibliography. A student who comes to the study of the historians as a tabula rasa will now start the journey with some basic material at hand.

The additions are four historical inscriptions (the Twelve Tables, the Senatus Consultum de Bacchanalibus, Claudius’ speech on the Gallic senators, and the Lex de Imperio Vespasiani), Cicero (though not an historian in a strict sense, but whose letters often treat of history), Nepos, Velleius Paterculus, Josephus, Pliny the Younger (like Cicero in his frequent discussion of historical events), Plutarch, Cassius Dio, Lactantius, Eusebius, and Zosimus. In the first edition, the first two authors were Greek, the remainder Latin, in the present reincarnation there are four additional Greek authors. A student will be more fully aware that the later empire consisted of two halves, speaking different languages.

Any selection of passages for a collection of this sort will leave many readers wishing that certain passages had been included and perhaps some of the offerings omitted. But any author or editor is aware that the publisher’s limitation of allotted words constricts many efforts. Nonetheless, I wish that two others had been added: Tacitus’ discussion of Maternus in the Dialogue on Orators 1–13 and Caesar’s gripping narrative from B.G. 5.24–48, dealing with the slaughter of Sabinus’ and Cotta’s men and the rescue of Quintus Cicero’s camp.

This is, quite literally, a heavy tome, which I should not wish to lug in a backpack. The publisher has done a fine job in production. The pages are pleasing in appearance, the type is of ample size for steady reading, proof reading has been very good. I discerned only five slips in Mellor’s introductory and closing material. They are: (1) p. xxi, bottom: Tacitus tells us in Agricola 45.5 that he was absent from Rome for four years, not five; (2) p. xxiii: Ammianus was born c. 330, not 350; (3) p. 575, under Campus Martius: Augustus did not build the Pantheon, which was Hadrian’s glory—perhaps the Ara Pacis was intended; (4) p. 576, under Proconsul, propraetor; (5) p. 578, under Julius Caesar, Handford.

I shall conclude this discussion of Mellor’s fine book with a paragraph from page xxviii:

Moral historiography became the conscience of the Roman People, and it is in Sallust, Livy, Tacitus, and Ammianus that we find the most cogent Roman discussions of freedom versus tyranny, the corrupting effect of individual or civic power, and the decline of political and social institutions. And these remain central issues for the historian of any age.

The linking of the names of the “big four” recalled for me the first significant volume dealing with these four which appeared after the conclusion of World War II, M.L.W. Laistner’s The Greater Roman Historians (1947). The four would now be differently evaluated, but they remain the glories of Latin historiography.

posted with permission:

Cicero’s Practical Philosophy. Edited by Walter Nicgorski. Notre Dame, Indiana: University of Notre Dame Press, 2012. Pp. xiii + 313. Hardcover, $42.00. ISBN 978-0-268-03665-2.

Reviewed by Sean McConnell, University of East Anglia

This collection of papers is a useful starting point for those seeking to get an insight into current trends at the cutting-edge of Ciceronian studies. The collection does not form a full or comprehensive account of Cicero’s “practical philosophy”—his ethical and political thought—in all its dimensions. Rather it offers various snap-shots into certain key aspects. Further, the collection is not an introduction to core elements of Cicero’s practical philosophy. It aims at a more advanced readership: the papers all require a fairly solid grounding in the history of republican Rome, Cicero’s life and career, and Greek ethical and political theory; moreover, a good working knowledge of Latin is essential since not everything is translated. It must be said that in some ways events have overtaken this collection, which is the result of a 2006 University of Notre Dame symposium, as a number of major publications dealing with aspects of Cicero’s philosophical and political thought and practice have appeared since then. Nonetheless, all the papers are fresh and make valuable contributions to the state of debate.

In his paper “Cicero’s De Re Publica and the Virtues of the Statesman,” J. G. F. Powell helpfully brings to the fore Cicero’s ongoing preoccupation with the topic of the leader in the context of the republican mixed constitution. Powell stresses the importance of the four cardinal Platonic virtues—wisdom, justice, temperance, and fortitude—in Cicero’s crafting of the partially extant dialogue De Re Publica, and the paper offers a coherent account of the overall structure of the work.

Malcolm Schofield, in his paper “The Fourth Virtue,” offers a punchy discussion of Cicero’s treatment of the virtue of moderatio (temperance) that increases in particular our understanding of the De Officiis, Cicero’s great final philosophical work. Among other things, Schofield puts decorum in its proper place, stressing that for Cicero much of our practical ethical and political conduct is not merely a matter of “doing what is right” but also managing the impressions we make on others.

In his paper “Philosophical Life versus Political Life: An Impossible Choice for Cicero?,” Carlos Lévy provides a broad overview of a topic that exercised Cicero’s thinking for many years. The paper offers a taste of the scope of Cicero’s personal struggles with the issue, and it demonstrates well how the topic permeates a wide range of Cicero’s writings—letters, speeches, dialogues, treatises.

Catherine Tracy, in her paper “Cicero’s Constantia in Theory and Practice,” explores the tension between Cicero’s commitments to Academic skepticism, which advocates adapting one’s opinions and actions in accordance with the evidence or the circumstances, and the practical political virtue of constantia, firmness or resolve in the face of new pressures and developments. Tracy’s discussion is enlightening, and she illuminates helpfully the ways in which Cicero struggled in both his theoretical works and his speeches to craft an image of his constantia.

In her paper “Cicero and the Perverse: The Origins of Error in De Legibus 1 and Tusculan Disputations 3,” Margaret Graver looks at Cicero’s treatment of the theme of moral perversion—how to explain errors and wrongdoing. The general Stoic pedigree of Cicero’s thinking is stressed, but Graver shows how certain distinctly Ciceronian additions are made to the basic Stoic framework.

In “Radical and Mitigated Skepticism in Cicero’s Academica,” Harald Thorsrud explores the nature of Cicero’s skepticism. The paper provides a concise overview of the nature of Academic skepticism and its relationship with Stoicism, and it usefully shows how Cicero’s epistemological concerns link in closely with his ethical and political thought.

David Fott’s detailed and engaging paper, “The Politico-Philosophical Character of Cicero’s Verdict in De Natura Deorum,” examines Cicero’s theological thinking in dialogues such as De Natura Deorum and De Divinatione. Fott is particularly good at highlighting how Cicero saw such matters fitting into a wider ethical and political scheme. Among other things, there is useful discussion of Cicero’s distinction between religion and superstition, the nature of Cicero’s skepticism, and the acuity, care, and subtlety with which Cicero treated a range of socially and politically sensitive issues.

In his paper “Between Urbs and Orbis: Cicero’s Conception of the Political Community,” Xavier Márquez offers an engaging analysis of Cicero on the political community. He contrasts Cicero’s thinking with earlier Greek traditions of thought and stresses the synergies with modern thinking on the nation state. Key aspects of Cicero’s thinking are demarcated clearly, and plenty will be of wide interest to both classicists and contemporary political theorists.

In “Cicero on Property and the State,” J. Jackson Barlow tackles the issue of private property. It has long been acknowledged that Cicero has interesting and valuable things to say about property rights and the role that economic and ethical concerns over private property play in the development of political organizations such as the state. Barlow provides a discussion of Cicero’s thinking that shakes up existing views in the literature by stressing Cicero’s concern to mitigate an unhealthy fixation on property, in particular of the sort that led to ongoing civil strife in the Roman republic.

In addition, Walter Nicgorski’s 1978 paper, “Cicero and the Rebirth of Political Philosophy,” is reprinted as an Appendix; there is a Bibliography that can serve as a reasonable starting-point for further research; an Index that is clear and sufficiently detailed; and a list of cited passages of Cicero.

Taken as a whole the collection has a number of virtues. The papers are concise, well-written, and well-argued: the theses are clear and often form ambitious challenges to received views. The range of critical approaches on display—there are papers from classicists, Latinists, philosophers, political theorists—showcases well the fruitful ways that Cicero can be tackled and how inter-disciplinary scholarly endeavor can be mutually informative and rewarding. The collection achieves its aim of bringing Cicero himself to the forefront: all the papers focus on innovative and sophisticated aspects of Cicero’s politico-philosophical thought and practice. In particular, the contributors resist becoming too hung up on worries about Cicero’s Greek sources for various things, or the ways in which his own thinking in places can be characterized as, for example, essentially Stoic or Academic. This helps give the book coherence and focus, and at the end of the collection one has the strong impression that Cicero was a genuinely first-rate intellect and philosophical thinker who deserves close study and a wider appreciation amongst philosophers and political theorists alike, thus amply meeting the editor’s goal in organizing the collection. So, in sum, Cicero’s Practical Philosophy is a good collection of papers into selected aspects of Cicero’s politico-philosophical thought and practice that will be of value, in particular, to those seeking to engage with recent developments in Ciceronian studies.