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''Pro Marcello'' is a speech by Marcus Tullius Cicero. It is Latin for ''On behalf of Marcellus''.


Background

Marcus Claudius Marcellus was descended from an illustrious Roman family, and had been
Consul Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states throug ...
with Servius Sulpicius Rufus, in which office he had given great offence to
Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and ...
by making a motion in the Senate to deprive him of his command. In the
Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policie ...
, he supported Pompey, and had been present at the
Battle of Pharsalia The Battle of Pharsalus was the decisive battle of Caesar's Civil War fought on 9 August 48 BC near Pharsalus in central Greece. Julius Caesar and his allies formed up opposite the army of the Roman Republic under the command of Pompey. ...
, after which he retired in exile to
Lesbos Lesbos or Lesvos ( el, Λέσβος, Lésvos ) is a Greek island located in the northeastern Aegean Sea. It has an area of with approximately of coastline, making it the third largest island in Greece. It is separated from Asia Minor by the na ...
. But, after some time, the Senate interceded with Caesar to pardon him, and allow him to return. When he yielded to their entreaties, Cicero made a speech, thanking Caesar for his magnanimity; though he had, as he says himself, determined to say nothing; but he was afraid that if he continued silent Caesar would interpret it as a proof that he despaired of the Republic. Caesar, though he saw the Senate unanimous in their petition for Marcellus, yet had the motion for his pardon put to the vote, and called for the opinion of every individual senator on it. Cicero appears to have believed that Caesar intended to restore the Republic, as he mentions in his letters.''Epistulae ad Familiares''. xiii. 68


References


External links

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Cicero Marcus Tullius Cicero ( ; ; 3 January 106 BC – 7 December 43 BC) was a Roman statesman, lawyer, scholar, philosopher, and academic skeptic, who tried to uphold optimate principles during the political crises that led to the esta ...

''Pro Marcello'', English translation
at ''attalus.org'' {{Authority control Orations of Cicero