1. Journal of Ancient History 4 (287)
  2. The Epics about Caesar of Marcus and Quintus Cicero’s: the Problem of Identification

The Epics about Caesar of Marcus and Quintus Cicero’s: the Problem of Identification

Antonetz Ekaterina V.

In his letters Cicero mentions an epic about Caesar, which he has started to compose. His brother Quintus probably also had an intention to write a panegyric to Caesar. Not a single verse of these poems is extant. All we have is the evidence from Cicero’s letters to Quintus dated from May to December 54 BC. It is generally assumed that in passages Cic. Q. fr. II. 14 (13). 2; III. 1. 1; 6 (8). 3; 7 (9). 6 Cicero mentions his own poem and in passages Cic. Q. fr. II. 16 (15). 4; III. 4. 4; 5. 4 that of Quintus (W. Ewbank, W. Allen). Some scholars, however, doubt that Quintus ever contemplated to compose an epic about Caesar (E. Courtney). The author of the paper makes an attempt to reconsider the grammatical structure and meaning of all the seven passages. The main point seems to be the passage Cic. Q. fr. III. 1. 1. Its first part is considered by scholars to be about M. Cicero (poema ad Caesarem, quod institueram, incidi), but its second part (tibi quod rogas, quoniam ipsi fontes iam sitiunt, si quid habebo spatii, scribam) is totally ignored. The analysis presented in the present paper shows that two epics undoubtedly are mentioned here and that Cicero constantly uses two different ways of designating the epics. Speaking about Quintus’ epic Cicero always uses the dativ tibi with verbs mittere and scribere. Dealing with his own poem he uses Greek or Latin word poema (e[po) and the verbs facere, canere, instituere, perficere, absolvere. Therefore the author suggests to consider the passage Cic. Q. fr. III. 5. 4 as an evidence of Marcus’ epic about Caesar (not Quintus’, as Ewbank and Allen thought). The conclusion is that we have to attribute passages Cic. Q. fr. II. 14 (13). 2; III. 1. 11a; 5. 4; 6 (8). 3; 7 (9). 6 to Marcus’ epic, which was finished by December 54 BC, and passages Q. fr. II. 16 (15). 4; III. 1. 11b; 4. 4 to that of Quintus, which was only a plan never carried out.

Keywords: Cicero, Quintus Cicero, Caesar, epic poem about Caesar, Cicero’s letters.
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