Marcus Tullius Cicero was a notable orator and politician in the late Roman Republic (Griffin 1988, p.97). Although he has a military background, Cicero was more successful in the politic through the triumph of oratory (Lintott 2000, p.99; Holland 2003, p.128). This success leads him to the election of consulship, the highest office in the Roman Republic, which he always wanted to be since his youth (Holland 2003, p.128). Before his election, his brother Quintus Cicero wrote a book, namely the Handbook of Electioneering, that suggests some ideas on canvassing for the Roman consulship in the late Republic. This essay will examine why the advice in Cicero’s Handbook of Electioneering is not principled, in particular his arguments about building relationships, persuading the People and making political promises, which all contradict moral values, in such as honesty, responsibility, sincerity and virtuous.
Friendship is one of the essential aspects in Roman life. However, Quintus’ advice on how to build a relationship was cynical to the moral values. Quintus (Handbook ex.9) stated that Cicero should make his family feel sympathy and affection for a family could ruin one’s reputation. He made it obvious on how selfish he is to make use of his family support just to earn others support. It is inferred that generally, all people in a family undoubtedly know each other strength and weakness, and if one of those people spread negative talk, it would be hard for Cicero to build relationships with the people, which is one of the crucial ways to earn votes in a consulship. It is suggested in the Handbook (Cicero ex.19) that he uses flattery to form friendships, which is essential in the canvassing although roughly said it was the same thing as bribery. This was obviously a manipulation of politics as it against the moral values, for the use of flattery could be that he pretends to say good things although it is not. Therefore, this advice of making relationship is unprincipled because it contradicts with the values.
Other advice he made for Cicero was regarding how to persuade the citizen in Roman. Boardman, Griffin and Murray (1988, p.103) point out that there are two political ideology, namely the Optimates and the Populares, the former are more related to the interest which was favored by the aristocrats, whereas the latter is aiming to make the leader success. In the book, it is advised that Cicero political direction should always with the Optimates rather than Populares, even though he had ever spoken in Popular way (Q. Cicero Handbook ex.4). He advised in a manipulative way because the position on how he intended to talk was mercurial and unclear. Moreover, he talks in the opposite way merely to what his intention would be, which was to persuade the people and gain support from them because if he talks in Popular way, the citizens would have less favor to him. Furthermore, Quintus (Handbook ex.21) justified that in campaigning, the candidate should also spread scandalous talk of the competitors. However, it is very cynical to cover the negative talks of the other competitors. People who know how to lead supposed to ignore other competitors’ action, as the opponents’ behavior is not essential and related for his campaigning. Moreover, this results in making the citizens consider more of the competitors and leads to their thinking that they are very inappropriate to held the highest office. It is quite cynical and manipulative by spreading the negativity of other competitors. Thus, by persuading people in manipulative ways, it could be said that his advice is not principled.
Additionally, in canvassing, the candidates constantly give political promises and helping the favor from the citizens. The promises may varied to adjust the citizens’ problem, therefore some candidates make promises in order to attract the majority, earn friendship and make them believe that this promise will lead to the better quality of life in the future when one candidate successfully hold the office, however, some candidates make promises that eventually cannot be kept. Thus, instead of saying the truth why the promises cannot be kept, some candidates deliberately making false excuses to assure the citizens. Just as what Quintus (Handbook ex.19) encourage Cicero that people would be angrier on deliberately refuse the favor than saying that he suddenly could not help because of some reason. Also, Quintus (Handbook ex.19) revealed that “[h]e refused nobody because it often turned out, for some reason, that the man to whom he had promised help did not use it, or that he himself was less busy than he expected.” This shows the reason of telling untruth excuses, however, something that is true does not indicate whether it is helpful or not. People therefore have no reason to be provoked when telling the truth even though it does not help for certain reason. Thus, when he lied simply to persuade people and making new relationship, it is immoral based on the moral values because it would take effect for the country in the long run and that unfaithful leader would destroy the country.
In conclusion, it can be seen that Quintus advice was cynical because he was manipulative, selfish and corruptive to give and explain the method of making connection, convincing the citizens and politics commitment to Cicero. To begin with, Quintus argued on how to make connection with the use of family’s support and flattering, which has an ulterior motive. Then, Quintus misused political ideas and scandal issues for persuading the people. What is more, he even lied to the citizens for the promises that could not be kept. Therefore, this document advised unprincipled procedure because it does not reflect the moral values that is accepted widely for most people. For that reason, it is more virtuous to earn the support by creating beneficial condition both for the citizens and the country, and also show the true essence of the campaigning.
Bibliography
Primary Source:
Cicero, Q 2016, Handbook of Electioneering extract, Trinity College Foundation Studies, Melbourne.
Secondary Source:
Griffin, M 1988, “Cicero and Rome” in Boardman J. et al. ed. The Oxford History of the Roman World, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Gwynn, DM 2012, The Roman Republic: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Holland, T 2003, Rubicon: The Triumph and Tragedy of the Roman Republic, Abacus, London.
Lintott, A 2000, The Roman Republic, Sutton Publishing, Thrupp.