Women, Society and Law. From Roman Law to Digital Age, eds. M. Eysymontt, C. Lázaro, Warsaw 2022, 2022
In his speech in defence of Marcus Caelius (56 BC) Cicero used the rhetoric figure od prosopopeia... more In his speech in defence of Marcus Caelius (56 BC) Cicero used the rhetoric figure od prosopopeia and introduced the censor of 312 BC Appius Claudius Caecus to reproach Clodia, a co-accuser in the trial. This fragment of the speech had a double meaning: on the one hand, Cicero wanted Clodia to be disciplined by her relative; on the other hand, he chose the censor because of the special powers of this office related to the protection of morality. Clodia was accused of deviating from the customs of the forefathers, indecent behaviour, even adultery. In the case of a male, such allegations would result in a censorial nota. In the case of a woman, they should be controlled by the husband or relatives, which indirectly put the blame on the most bitter enemy of Cicero, Clodius as Clodia’s brother. The most famous achievements of Appius Claudius were masterfully juxtaposed with Clodia’s excesses: the speech against the conclusion of a peace treaty with king Pyrrhus and Clodia’s love “treaties”; the construction of the aqueduct and Clodia’s incestuous relationship with her brother; the paving of the Appian Way and Clodia’s strolls with lovers.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Uploads
Books by Anna Tarwacka
Papers by Anna Tarwacka