biography
| name: |
Cicero, Marcus Tullius
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also known in English as Tully
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pronunciation:
[siseroh]
| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (106–43 BC)
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| biography:
| Roman orator, statesman, and philosopher, born in Arpinum, Latium. At Rome he studied law, oratory, philosophy, and literature, and embarked upon a political career, attaining the consulship in 63 BC. He foiled Catiline's revolutionary plot, survived an attempt on his life, and persuaded the Senate to execute Catiline. He spoke against Clodius in 61 BC, and was exiled when Clodius became tribune in 58 BC. In 57 BC he was recalled by the people, but lost the esteem of both Caesar's and Pompey's factions by vacillating between the two. Living in retirement (46–44 BC), he wrote most of his chief works on rhetoric and philosophy. Cicero greatly expanded the vocabulary of the Latin language, enabling later writers to adopt a more fluent style to expound their doctrines and thought. In 43 BC he delivered his famous speeches against Antony, the so-called ‘Philippics’, urging the Senate to declare war on Antony. He was murdered near Caieta by Antony's soldiers as he tried to escape after the triumvirate of Antony, Lepidus, and Octavian was formed. |
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