. The grandeur that was Rome; a survey of Roman culture and civilisation:. bent. Cicero, the most classical of all classics, is, however, far the Igreatest literary product of the Republic. He is, indeed, fartoo vast a figure for these modest pages. By his colossal in- jdustry and immense fertility of genius his influence dominates]the whole field of Latin prose literature. He is not only the jgreatest of all orators, but he stands as the t)pe of the orator jin life as in literature. We of this generation, who live in the ieclipse of rhetoric, do not find it easy to be just to him. With,such g
. The grandeur that was Rome; a survey of Roman culture and civilisation:. bent. Cicero, the most classical of all classics, is, however, far the Igreatest literary product of the Republic. He is, indeed, fartoo vast a figure for these modest pages. By his colossal in- jdustry and immense fertility of genius his influence dominates]the whole field of Latin prose literature. He is not only the jgreatest of all orators, but he stands as the t)pe of the orator jin life as in literature. We of this generation, who live in the ieclipse of rhetoric, do not find it easy to be just to him. With,such gifts of eloquence, such a power of uttering tremendous I • Cease to weep, Aurunculeia : Thou needst not fear that any lovelier maid ishould see the bright day coming from Ocean. • Even so the hyacinth is wont to bloom in the rich mans many-coloured Igarden. But thou lingerest. The day is passing. Come forth, thou bride. j Come forth, thou bride, now if it please thee, and hear our songs. Look how!the torches shake their golden hair I Come forth, thou bride. , \ 144. Plate 23. AUGUSTUS:(See p. THE 161) BLACAS CAMEO Mansell[p- 144 LAST CENTURY OF THE REPUBLIC phrases about duty and patriotism, we cannot but feel affrontedat his political incapacity. Mommsen, who is all for action,peppers him with contemptuous expressions—a statesmanwithout insight, opinion or purpose; a short-sightedegoist; a journalist of the worst description; hislawyers talent of finding excuses—or, at any rate, words—foreverything. And, indeed, among men like Csesar with legionsat their backs, or creatures like Clodius with their packs ofhooligans, a man of golden words and honest principles doescut a sorry figure on the pages of history—so much the worsefor history! He had, as we have seen, a policy, his talents madehim a leader among the moderates of the senate, and hischaracter made him genuinely popular among all the morerespectable classes of society. But Rhetoric is one of thefeminine Muses,
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