I translated Cicero during Latin IV in Spring 2008 and I have to admit: I did not like him. However, I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoyed translating the First Catilinarian and as a result, I have a greater appreciation for Cicero's sentence construction and I am finally beginning to understand not only his style, but rhetoric.
While we were translating the First Catilinarian, I was required to read selections from Gregory Aldrete's, "Gestures and Acclamations in Ancient Rome" for another class. The first two chapters of this book are amazing because they illustrate the hand gestures that would have been employed by orators and the significance behind them. While translating Cicero's powerful invective, I constantly referenced Aldrete to see what Cicero may have been utilizing. It was nice to visualize the interconnection between gesture and rhetoric first hand...no pun intended!
I highly recommend Aldrete's book and as for Cicero: My fondness for him is growing.
Anne Leon
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2 comments:
Anne,
Yes, no wonder Cicero was not too likeable in the 4th semester. We only translated, without any context or discussion. I can totally see how he would sound like a complete cry-baby, or shameless opportunist, if we only translate his florid rhetoric and move on...all this courtesy to others hd a lot of fear and dissimulation.
E.
That's fascinating, Anne!
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