Iam acceptā in Pontō calamitāte ex eō proeliō, dē quō vōs paulō ante invītus admonuī, cum sociī pertimuissent, hostium opēs animīque crēvissent, satis fīrmum praesidium prōvincia nōn habēret, āmīsissētis Asiam, Quirītēs, nisi ad ipsum discrīmen eius temporis dīvīnitus Cn. Pompēium ad eās regiōnēs fortuna populī Rōmānī attulisset. Huius adventus et Mithridātem īnsolitā īnflammātum victōriā continuit et Tigrānem māgnīs cōpiīs minitantem Asiae retardāvit. Et quisquam dubitābit, quid virtūte perfectūrus sit, quī tantum auctōritāte perfēcerit? aut quam facile imperiō atque exercitū sociōs et vectīgālia cōnservātūrus sit, quī ipsō nōmine ac rūmōre dēfenderit?

45: Case study II: Pompey’s auctoritas and psychological warfare

As his second case study to illustrate Pompey’s auctoritas, Cicero chooses the impact of his presence in Asia after Mithridates’ crushing defeat of the Roman forces under the command of C. Triarius at the battle of Zela in 67 BC...[full essay]

Study Questions:

  • What kind of construction is accepta in Ponto calamitate?
  • What kind of ablative is paulo?
  • Parse pertimuissent, crevissent and haberet.
  • Specify and explain the mood and tense of amisissetis and attulisset.
  • What form is divinitus? What is the subject of the nisi-clause?
  • What kind of ablative is magnis copiis?
  • Parse minitantem.
  • What kind of clauses do quid and quam introduce?
  • What forms are perfecturus sit and conservaturus sit?
  • Specify and explain the mood of perfecerit and defenderit.
  • What are the accusative objects of defenderit?
  • Explore how Cicero represents the complementary impact of the virtus and the auctoritas of Pompey.

Stylistic Appreciation:

How does the syntax of the first sentence reinforce Cicero’s themes and rhetorical agenda?

Discussion Point:

What entity/force does Cicero refer to with fortuna populi Romani?

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Suggested Citation

Ingo Gildenhard, Louise Hodgson, et al., Cicero, On Pompey’s Command (De Imperio), 27–49. Cambridge: Open Book Publishers, 2014. ISBN: 978-1-78374-080-2. DCC edition, 2016.https://dcc.dickinson.edu/sv/cicero-de-imperio/45