Pro Milone Commentary

Question 1

24 - Publius Clodius, cum statuisset omni scelere in praetura vexare rem publicam

Answer 1

• omni scelere (all kinds of wickedness) is a hyperbaton used to emphasise how many acts of wickedness he had done - he could not have literally done every wickedness possible, but it conveys the huge quantity.

Question 2

24 - qui non honoris gradum spectaret, ut ceteri, sed et Lucium Paulum conlegam efugere vellet, singulari virtute civem

Answer 2

• ut ceteri (like the rest) portrays how most men would have considered even holding the praetorship an honour, but Clodius does not care about the honours - he wants the power that comes with the praetorship.
• singulari virtute civem (a citizen of singular virtue) is given to show the contrast between Clodius and Lucius Paulus - Clodius was not of singular virtue.

Question 3

24 - et annum integrum ad dilacerandam rem publicam quaereret, subito reliquit annum suum seseque in proximum transtulit,

Answer 3

• subito reliquit annum suum (suddenly abandoned his own year) is dramatically short, made effective after the long list of subordinate clauses detailing Clodius’ motives.

A B B A

• subito reliquit annum suum seseque in proximum transtulit (suddenly abandoned his own year and transferred himself to the next) - this chiasmus shows how smoothly Clodius transferred himselt into the next year by putting it in smooth word order.

Question 4

24 - non, ut fit, religione aliqua, sed ut haberet, quod ipse dicebat

Answer 4

• ut fit (as usually happens) helps to show that Clodius did not move his praetorship for any of the usual reasons (i.e. a religious superstition) and so clearly there is something happening beneath the surface.

Question 5

24 - ad praeturam gerendam, hoc est ad evertendam rem publicam, plenum annum atque integrum.

Answer 5

• rem publicam (the state) is the third time this phrase has been used - showing how Clodius was against the state and Cicero is trying to establish Clodius’ wicked personality.
• evertendam (overturn) is a very strong word, which Cicero uses to convey how drastic Clodius’ actions were.
• plenum annum atque integrum (a full and entire year) is a tautology to emphasise Clodius’ motives further.

Question 6

25 - occurrebat ei mancam ac debilem praeturam futuram suam consule Milone;

Answer 6

• occurrebat eit (it occurred to him) uses the imperfect tense to imply that it was a continuous action or one that he did freqeuntly. This helps to show that Clodius gave serious thought to this and gives an image of Clodius plotting his crimes in great detail.
• mancam ac debilem (crippled and feeble) is a tautology to express how weak his praetorship would be if Milo were there.

Question 7

25 - eum porro summo consensu populi Romani consulem fieri videbat.

Answer 7

• fieri (was becoming) is in the present tense as the momentum behind Milo’s appointment was happening right in that moment, whilst Clodius was watching.

Question 8

25 - contulit se ad eius competitores, sed ita totam ut petitionem ipse solus etiam invitis illis gubernaret, ut dictitabat, umeris sustineret.

Answer 8

• ipse solus … invitis illis (he alone … unwilling those) - this chiasmus helps to present the contrast between Clodius’ enthuasism and Platius and Scipio’s (his rivals) unwillingness.
• ut dictitabat (as he repeatedly said) is the frequentative tense, which helps to create almost a catchphrase for Clodius saying suis umeris (his shoulders) which shows that it cannot be sincere.

Question 9

25 - convocabat tribus, se interponebat, Collinam novam dilectu perditissimorum civium conscribebat.

Answer 9

• se interponebat (he positioned himself as a middle man) is placed inbetween the two phrases of the tribes and the new Colline tribe, which helps to create a more vivid sense of Clodius’ behaviour as in the text he is also in the middle.
• perditissimorum civium (most immoral of the citizens) - this superlative to describe the citizens emphasises their untrustworthiness and that they cannot have been good men, and neither was Clodius.
• conscribebat (he was enrolling) is a word with a military connotation, which helps to create an idea of Clodius building an army (to destroy Rome), which builds a picture of him as the enemy.

Question 10

25 - ubi vidit homo ad omne facinus paratissimus fortissimum virum, inimicissimum suum, certissimum consulem,

Answer 10

• homo … virum (person … man) - Cicero uses a dismissive term to describe Clodius, as homo has no good qualities attached to it and it is a very generic term. virum, on the other hand, has connotations with courage (virtus) and therefore adds to Milo’s good qualities, hence why Cicero calls Milo virum.

Question 11

25 - palam agere coepit et aperte dicere occidendum Milonem.

Answer 11

• palam … aperte (openly … in public) - these words do not mean the same thing exactly but both help to create the idea that Clodius was speaking too openly and with little censorship.

Question 12

26 - servos agrestes et barbaros, quibus silvas publicas depopulatus erat Etruriamque vexarat, ex Appennino deduxerat, quos videbatis.

Answer 12

• silvas publicas (public woodland) shows how this was the state’s land and therefore any harm done to it was also harm done to the state (treasonous actions by Clodius).
• depopulatus erat (he had plundered) is a very military phrase and usually used for descriptions of attacking armies, which adds to Clodius’ portrayal as an enemy.
• ex Appennino (from the Appenines) is a description of where the slaves came from. Clodius did not have estates around these mountains, so this description of where they came from is likely an attempt by Cicero to show that Clodius went out of way to seek particular sorts of people.

Question 13

26 - quin etiam Marco Favonio, fortissimo viro, quaerenti ex eo qua spe fureret Milone vivo, respondit triduo illum aut summum quadriduo esse periturum;

Answer 13

• quin etiam Marco Favonio (why, even to Marcus Favonius) shows how bold Clodius was, as Marcus Favonius was a follower of Cato, who vehemently opposed people such as Clodius.
• fortissimo viro (a very brave man) is an extra account of what Marcus Favonius was like, used to compare him to those unworthy of such praises, such as Clodius.
• triduo … aut summum quadriduo (within three days, or four days at most) - this a very matter of fact way of saying that someone (Milo) is going to die soon, which highlights Clodius’ cold-heartedness.

Question 14

27 - neque enim erat id difficile scire

Answer 14

• neque … scire (for it was not difficult to know it) implies that Clodius could easily have known about the journey.

Question 15

27 - iter sollemne, legitimum, necessarium ante diem xiii Kalendas Februarias Miloni esse Lanuvium ad flaminem prodendum,

Answer 15

• sollemne (annual/customary) describes that Milo’s journey to Lanuvium happened every year, so Clodius could have easily known about it. This word also has some religious connotations (Milo is nominating a priest - ad flaminem prodendum) adds to Milo’s good nature and that he could not have been ding wrong on a religious journey.
• prodendum (appoint) is a proffessional word - Milo’s journey is official.
• sollemne, legitimum, necessarium (formal, lawful, necessary) is a tricolon in asyndeton to make these words - all with positive and dutiful connotations - memorable so that Milo’s character is seen as virtuous.

Question 16

27 - quod erat dictator Lanuvi Milo, Roma subito ipse profectus pridie est ut ante suum fundum, quod re intellectum est,

Answer 16

• quod erat dictator Lanuvi Milo (because Milo was dictator at Lanuvium) makes Milo sound impressive and like he was a powerful and respectable man.
• subito (suddenly) gives an impression of Clodius impulsive decisions (in comparison to Milo’s customary journeys) to make him seem more oportunistic and that his ambush was planned to kill Milo.
• quod re intellectum est (a fact which has been understood from the affair) is perhaps Cicero jumping to conclusions as he has not provided any evidence of Clodius’ planned ambush as of yet, but he is making it seem like it is a fact that Clodius planned an ambush, (an attempt at) getting rid of any doubt in the minds of the jurors.

Question 17

27 - atque ita profectus est ut contionem turbulentam in qua eius furor desideratus est, quae illo ipso die habita est, relinqueret,

Answer 17

• contionem turbulentam … relinqueret (he abandoned the rowdy meeting) - Cicero is using reliqueret to imply that Clodius left his meeting in the middle of it, whereas in reality Clodius never attended this meeting but Cicero uses this ambiguous word to make Clodius seem even more hot-headed and impulsive.
• eius furor desideratus est (his rage was missed) - rage is being characterised as something in its own right which is responsible for Clodius’ actions, making it seem like Clodius’ rage is huge and prominent in himself.

Question 18

28 - Milo autem cum in senatu fuisset eo die quoad senatus est dimissus

Answer 18

• in senatu … senatus (in the senate … the senate) shows how Milo was always doing what was best for Rome and did his duties, which is emphasises when compared to Clodius, before, who skipped meetings in anger.

Question 19

28 - dum se uxor, ut fit, comparat, commoratus est, dein profectus id temporis cum iam Clodius, si quidem eo die Romam venturus erat, redire potuisset.

Answer 19

• dum se uxor … comparat (while his wife prepared herself) - this setting of the scene with Milo’s wife in the carriage is a way to prove that Milo could not have been intending to kill Clodius on his journey because it would have been very inconvenient with his wife sitting with him.
• ut fit (as is normal) creates empathy for Milo as many others sitting in the court would be able to relate to having a wife and family - Milo is an man with similar family values to everyone else.
• si quidem eo die Romam venturus erat (if indeed he had intended to come to Rome on that day) further points out the suscpiciousness of Clodius and hints that he may have only wanted to kill Milo, that was the reason for his journey.

Question 20

28 - obviam fit ei Clodius, expeditus, in equo, nulla raeda, nullis impedimentis, nullis Graecis comitibus, ut solebat, sine uxore, quod numquam fere:

Answer 20

• nulla raeda, nullis impedimentis, nullis Graecis comitibus (with no carriage, no impediments, no Greek companions) - this is a tricolon of all the things which one would expect Clodius to be travelling with, however he did not have any, hence why he may have had an alterior motive.
• sine uxore (without his wife) creates an obvious comparison as Milo travelled with his wife (something showing he cannot have been intending to kill), whereas Clodius cannot use his wife as a reason why he could not have planned the ambush.
• quod numquam fere (which was almost never the case) further emphasises how suspicious Clodius’ departure was.

Question 21

28 - cum hic insidiator, qui iter illud ad caedem faciendam apparasset,

Answer 21

• apparasset (had planned) is a pluperfect subjunctive, used to convey sarcasm, so something like ‘obviously’ must be supplied. Cicero is using sarcasm to portray the fact that Milo clearly could not have been a plotter (insidiator).

Question 22

28 - cum uxore veheretur in raeda, paenulatus, magno et impedito et muliebri ac delicato ancillarum puerorumque comitatu.

Answer 22

• veheretur (was carried - travelled) is in the passive tense, whereas Clodius’ actions are all active - obviam fit ei Clodius. This shows how Milo was carried by his responsibilities and duties, whereas Clodius’ motives are all of his own accord.
• paenulatus (wearing a heavy cloack) describes how Milo’s movement would have been restrictive in his paenula (they had no armholes).
• magno et impedito et muliebri ac delicato (large and cumbersome and womanyly and delicate) - Cicero is using Clodius’ large entourage as a burden to him, as he cannot deny its existence. muliebri and delicato both give the impression of a very innocent retinue to show that Milo had innocent motives, but it was known that Milo had at least 2 well-known gladiators (reportedly 300 armed slaves).

Question 23

29 - statim complures cum telis in hunc faciunt de loco superiore impetum;

Answer 23

• faciunt … impetum (they charged / made an attack) is in the historic present tense to make the scene more vivid.
• de loco superiore (from a higher spot) gives the impression that Clodius’ men waited for Milo to come in a place which was to their advantage - this makes the attack seem very planned and Milo is seen as the victim.

Question 24

29 - adversi raedarium occidunt.

Answer 24

• adversi (those at the front) is at the front of a very short sentence, to show how quickly Clodius’ men drew blood.

Question 25

29 - cum autem hic de raeda reiecta paenula desiluisset seque acri animo defenderet,

Answer 25

• acri animo (with a keen spirit) describes how Milo, unlike Clodius, was intelligent in his attack and did it out of reason and good judgement.
• reiecta paenula (having thrown back his paenula) - Milo quickly tosses his coat over his shoulders so that he can fight, showing he is fast and quick-witted.

Question 26

29 - illi qui erant cum Clodio gladiis eductis, partim recurrere ad raedam ut a tergo Milonem adorirentur, partim, quod hunc iam interfectum putarent, caedere incipiunt eius servos qui post erant;

Answer 26

• illi qui erant cum Clodio (of those who were with Clodius) - Cicero is beginning to describe how there were very many different groups of Clodius’ men, creating a sense of bewilderment and clear unfair battles.
• caedere (slaughter/butcher) is a very strong word and Cicero is using the language of massacre, painting a picture of Clodius as a brutal murderer.

Question 27

29 - fecerunt id servi Milonis – dicam enim aperte non derivandi criminis causa, sed ut factum est – nec imperante nec sciente nec praesente domino, quod suos quisque servos in tali re facere voluisset.

Answer 27

• fecerunt id (they did this) gves the impression that the slaves have just killed Clodius, which would put a simple end to the matter, but Clodius had actually been only wounded at this point.
• servi Milonis (Milo’s slaves) is a repeated phrase used to emphasise that it was the slaves who did this, and not Milo.
• aperte (openly) is a word which Cicero uses to give the impression that the whole story is a very obvious fact and pretend that he is being very truthful and opening up to the court, but it is all just an unproven story.

Question 28

30 - haec sicuti exposui ita gesta sunt, iudices: insidiator superatus est, vi victa vis vel potius oppressa virtute audacia est.

Answer 28

• sicuti … ita (as … just) is a pleonasm as both words mean the same thing, but Cicer uses both to give an air of authority to his statement.
• superatus … victa … opressa (overcome … conquered … crushed) - these words are usually attributed to military successes, giving Milo’s victory a heroic aspect.
• vi victa vis vel (violence was defeated by violence, or…) - the alliteration of v makes the phrase memorable and gives it gravity.

Question 29

30 - nihil dico quid res publica consecuta sit, nihil quid vos, nihil quid omnes boni:

Answer 29

• nihil dico quid res publica consecuta sit (I say nothing about what the state gained) is a praeteritio so that Cicero can mention that the state gained something by glossing over this and pretending he has not said anything about it.
• boni (good men) applies more generally to morally good men (which would oppose Clodius) and also relates to the optimates, who were opposed to the politics of people such as Clodius, therefore there is a clear reference to those who declared themselves against the populists.

Question 30

30 - nihil sane id prosit Miloni, qui hoc fato natus est ut ne se quidem servare potuerit quin una rem publicam vosque servaret.

Answer 30

• nihil sane id prosit Miloni (let this not be reasonably advantageous for Milo) - Cicero is persuading the court from a different angle by stating the benefits of Milo killing Clodius and pointing out how helpful he has been.
• hoc fato … servaret (saving with his destiny) - Cicero is saying that in only trying to save himself, Milo managed to save the republic as well due to his destiny. Cicero cannot say that Milo lawfully killed another Roman citizen without trial, so he is coming from this angle instead and painting Milo as almost a god.

Question 31

30 - si id iure fieri non potuit, nihil habeo quod defendam.

Answer 31

• This sentence is short in comparison to the rest, which contrasts with the ‘but…’ following on.

Question 32

31 - quod si ita putasset, certe optabilius Miloni fuit dare iugulum Publio Clodio, non semel ab illo neque tum primum petitum, quam iugulari a vobis, quia se non iugulandum illi tradidisset.

Answer 32

• non semel … neque tum primum (not once … nor then for the first time) is almost a tautology as the idea of Clodius wanting to kill Milo multiple times is repeated. This repetition highlights how much of a hazard Clodius was for Milo.

Question 33

31 - insidias factas esse constat, et id est quod senatus contra rem publicam factum iudicavit; ab utro factae sint incertum est.

Answer 33

• id est quod … iudicavit (it is this which the senate has declated a crime against the state) - Cicero is reminding the jury that Milo is on trial for violent disorder (vis - violence) and not murder to make sure that the jury do not think of Milo in relation to being a murderer.

Question 34

31 - de hoc igitur latum est ut quaereretur. ita et senatus rem, non hominem notavit et Pompeius de iure, non de facto quaestionem tulit.

Answer 34

• igitur…ita…igitur (therefore…thus…therefore) - Cicero uses these words to make his argument seem very logical and straight-forward. He is trying to show that the trial is simply who laid a trap for whom, so these words help him with making his oversimplification fit.
• quaereretur … quaestionem (there should be an enquiry … enquiry) - the polyptoton helps to remind the jurors that this trial is part of an investigation ordered about what happened and is not simply a way to condemn Milo.
• et senatus … de facto (and the senate … about the deed) - the balanced way in which Cicero lays out the actions of the senate helps to clarify Cicero’s point that it was not an attack on Milo specifically.

Question 35

31 - num quid igitur aliud in iudicium venit, nisi uter utri insidias fecerit? profecto nihil:

Answer 35

• num … profecto nihil (surely not … obviously nothing) - the use of rhetorical questions and assured words gives emphasis to Cicero’s points as he seems so incredibly certain.

Question 36

32 - quonam igitur pacto probari potest insidias Miloni fecisse Clodium?

Answer 36

• quonam…pacto (how on earth) - this phrase is emphasised by the -nam suffix.
• pacto probari potest has plosive alliteration, highlighting and intensifying Cicero’s irony.

Question 37

32 - satis est in illa quidem tam audaci, tam nefaria belua docere, magnam ei causam, magnam spem in Milonis morte propositam, magnas utilitates fuisse.

Answer 37

• The tricolon and anaphora of magnam…magnam…magnas heps to order Cicero’s argument and make it stick in the jurors’ minds.

Question 38

32 - itaque illud Cassianum ‘cui bono fuerit’ in his personis valeat, etsi boni nullo emolumento impelluntur in fraudem, improbi saepe parvo.

Answer 38

• etsi (although) is added in by Cicero to try to put down and ignore the argument that Milo and Clodius were arch-enemies and hence why Milo killed him.
• boni (good men) has two meanings: men who were morally kind and good; men who were part of the optimates and opposed Clodius and other populist politicians.
• improbi saepe parvo (wicked men are often [driven to profit] by a small [profit]) - Cicero is making his argument very simple by casting Clodius as a wicked man, and Milo as a good man. He is also making the point that Clodius did not need much to motivate him to do wrong.

Question 39

32 - atqui Milone interfecto Clodius haec adsequebatur

Answer 39

• atqui (but if) starts Cicero’s agrument that, if Clodius needs only a small incentive to commit a crime, he must have commited a crime with a large motive as well (argumentum a fortiori).

Question 40

32 - non modo ut praetor esset non eo consule quo sceleris facere nihil posset sed etiam ut eis consulibus praetor esset

Answer 40

• The repetition of praetor esset…praetor esset (he would be praetor…he would be praetor) makes Cicero’s argument easy to understand as it is clear - making it also more persuasive.

Question 41

32 - se posse eludere in illis suis cogitatis furoribus:

Answer 41

• illis suis cogitatis furoribus (those planned, frenzied actions of his) - Clodius’ dangerous behaviour is brought out by the juxtaposition of cogitatis (planned) and furoribus (frenzied) as Clodius is both thinking about what he is ding but acting in an irrational way - the worst combination of actions possible.

Question 42

32 - cuius illi conatus, ut ipse ratiocinabatur, nec cuperent reprimere, si possent, cum tantum beneficium ei se debere arbitrarentur, et, si vellent, fortasse vix possent frangere

Answer 42

• A B B A

nec cuperent…si possent…si vellent…vix possent

(they would not want…if they could…if they were willing…scarcely they would be able) - the chiastic word order emphasises how Metellus and Plantus (his friends as consuls) would neither want nor be able to restrain Clodius.