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Name: Cicero
Date: 106 – 43 BCE
Region: Rome [modern Italy]
Citation: On the Nature of the Gods, 1.79
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For those of us who, following in the footsteps of ancient philosophers, are delighted by young men,* we often even think that their imperfections are cute. Alcaeus was delighted by the birthmark on his boyfriend’s finger. Although a birthmark is a blemish on the body, to Alcaeus, it seemed to be the boy’s best feature. Q. Catulus, the father of a friend and co-worker of mine, loved his fellow citizen Roscius, and composed the following poem about him:
“I stood, welcoming the rising sun
When suddenly Roscius came into view from the left.
Heaven forgive me! I confess
That he, a mortal, seemed prettier than a god.”
Roscius was “prettier than a god,” although he had (and even today, still has) a very bad squint. Why does that matter, if he seemed charming and beautiful in the eyes of his admirer?
* Adulescentulus is used for men in their mid-twenties to early thirties
Deinde nobis, qui concedentibus philosophis
antiquis adulescentulis delectamur, etiam vitia saepe iucunda sunt. Naevos in
articulo pueri delectat Alcaeum; at est corporis macula naevos; illi tamen hoc
lumen videbatur. Q. Catulus, huius collegae et familiaris nostri pater, dilexit
municipem tuum Roscium, in quem etiam illud est eius:
"constiteram exorientem
Auroram forte salutans,
cum subito a laeva Roscius exoritur.
pace mihi liceat caelestes dicere vestra:
mortalis visus pulchrior esse deo."
Huic deo pulchrior; at erat,
sicuti hodie est, perversissimis oculis: Quid refert, si hoc ipsum salsum illi
et venustum videbatur?
Cicero [Marcus Tullius Cicero; 106 – 43 BCE, modern Italy]
was an Italian-born Roman statesman and author who lived during the
complexities of Rome’s transition from Republic to monarchy. Cicero spent most
of his life in service of his country, serving as both a lawyer, senator, and
even consul [Roman equivalent of president]. He is known for
his suppression of the failed governmental coup in 63 BCE known as the
Catilinarian conspiracy that occurred during his consulship. After the rise of
Octavian [later known as the first Roman emperor Augustus], his views fell out
of favor and he was eventually put to death during the proscriptions under the
Second Triumvirate [Octavian, Marc Antony and Lepidus]. He was a prolific
author in a wide range in genres, and his literary style was adopted by
Petrarch as the default model for the Latin language.
Quintus Lutatius Catulus was a prominent figure in the wars against the Cimbri and the Teutones in the 2nd century BCE. Although he was a prolific author, only fragments remain of his works.
