In Verrem Revision

In Verrem (70 BCE)

Verres Trial: Ciceros 1st prosecution Prosecuting Verres (corrupt governor of Sicily for 3 years (73-71)) Cicero facing Hortensius, proclaimed King of the courts, and wins case Making him Romes supreme orator Case close to hearts of Sicilians, as Verres was stealing from the wealthy province Cicero being man of principle in fighting the politically significant case & looking out for his class (equites businessmen) Cicero recognised as opponent to dishonest administration, a protector of republican government under authority of the senate (given it was fair & efficient) Cicero had aligned himself with Pompey (popularis) Gaining political support Verres actions as governor of Sicily: Controlled all lawsuits Stole monuments from temples/shrines/homes Stole expensive/superficial items Ruined the provinces navy Treated allies as enemies Criminals acquitted through bribery Sicilians starved to death Committed adultery/lechery Innocent men prosecuted/convicted/banished Roman citizens tortured & killed like slaves

Ciceros motives in prosecuting Verres

Desire to defeat Hortensius (Biggest rival) Opportunity to display oratorical skill & gain publicity Cicero hated dishonest administration Wanted to expose senatorial corruption Felt injustice regarding Sullas decision to exclude equites from the jury Looking out for equites (businessmen), who Verres would have been stealing from Needed to gain political advancement (aedileship), through advocacy, as opposed to military command

Verres underhand tactics

Defences main objective was to delay the trial for the following year (69 BCE), when a more corruptible judge (Verres ally), Marcus Caecilius Metellus, would be presiding over the case, and Hortensius & Quintus would be consuls Attempted to put up false prosecutor, Quintus Caecilius Niger, Verres supporter & ex-quaestor Cicero was selected as prosecutor, after a appealing to a senatorial panel, through speech, outlining: 1. Most Sicilians preferred him to Caecilius Niger 2. He, unlike Caecilius Niger, had no conflict of interest 3. He closely understood how Verres had victimised the provincials 4. Caecilius Niger lacked the skills to be an effective prosecutor Defence wanted to postpone the trial until autumn games, which would move the trial to the following year Through convincing Glabrio to prioritise the extortion charges against the governor of Achaia, putting it one day before the Verres case Verres also tried to ruin Ciceros chances of aedileship, through bribing electorates, but Cicero was still successfully elected, because of his publicity as a fair politician, opposing dishonest administration

Ciceros preparation
1. Cicero formally charged Verres with extortion of 40 million sesterces A penalty of 100 million sesterces (maximum allowed by law) 2. Cicero was granted a 110-day adjournment to travel to Sicily to gather evidence Allowing the governor of Achaia case to be put one day ahead of the Verres case 3. After only 50 days, enough evidence had been gathered Showing highly efficient attention to fine detail Also avoiding prolongation & maximising publicity (needed for aedileship) 4. Glabrio, unusually, avoided delaying the case, as a result of Verres underhand tactics Verres postponement plan failed

Ciceros presentation
Highly rhetorical performance Cicero emphasises personal danger involved in case Avoided with the help of friends Hyperbolic extension Danger to the senate, the Roman people and even the whole world Creates impression that the senates reputation is at risk Elections controlled through bribery, especially under Verres Sensationalist statements about Verres alleged public boasting & acquittal though bribery (Chapters 7 & 8) Lists Verres crimes and hints they are just a fraction of the entire picture, as he has refrained from giving details of other major offences, out of respect for victims Exposes Verres plans of postponement, bribery & plans to ruin Ciceros chances of aedileship, etc.

Chapter 1
Introduction to case Cicero implies that this criminal case is like the whole senatorial order is on trial, not just Verres Persuasive techniques:
Exaggeration/Hyperbole The deduction will be that there are no good judges in the land Emotive/Violence language Fatal effect on our nation Strong imagery An annihilating pestilence Patriotism At this grave crisis in the history of our country

Chapter 2
Cicero explains that Verres has plotted a fresh series of criminal plots Verres bribes everyone Nothing is too sacred to be corrupted by money Self-aggrandisement The keen hopes that are invested in this speech of mine Verres is hated by the people Virulent hostility Cicero exposes the governor of Achaia case The investigator never even left Rome Indeed, this Achaian investigator never even reached Brundisium!

Chapters 3, 4 & 5
Chapter 3:
Flattery Cicero describes the jury as highly responsible deputations Psychological manipulation Flattery & selfaggrandisement to convince the jury that supporting Cicero is the right thing to do, to benefit the state Cicero talks about Verres hopes of acquittal are poor with Glabrio as praetor (presiding judge)

Chapters 4 & 5 Cicero summarises Verres career up to & including governorship of Sicily:
Robbing/looting of holy shrines & peoples homes, etc. Disloyalty to his superior Verres gave evidence against Dolabella

Chapter 6
Verres attempted bribery of the judges Ciceros challenging of the panel of the judges My labours again frustrated the unscrupulous tactics of the opposition Verres now truly at risk of condemnation Ciceros detection of the defences schemes But then next years consuls were elected, and see, the same old intrigues are under way again!
70 BCE consuls: Pompey & Crassus 69 BCE consuls: Hortensius & Quintus Metellus

Chapter 7
Cicero gives evidence of postponement plan Curios public congratulations of Verres on Hortensius consulship for the coming year I hereby proclaim... that todays elections mean your acquittal Cicero reflects on the powerlessness of the courts in the face of such political corruption ...it was now clear for all to see how impotent our country has become. Does a man one day regard his conviction as certain, and on the next procure acquittal when his advocate [Hortensius] has become consul?

Chapter 8
Expresses senatorial fears that the control of the courts will be taken away from them if Verres is acquitted The 8 praetors for 69 BCE allotted their duties: Marcus Caecilius Metellus given presidency of the extortion court Verres had again received warm congratulations. He even sent people to his home to tell his wife the news! According to Cicero Verres uses Sicilian plunder to bribe election agents in Ciceros run for aedileship Then he (Verres) had at once gone on to promise them (the electorates) any sum they chose to ask if they would block my election as aedile

Chapter 9
The people in favour of Cicero, so still elected as aedile However the citizens of Rome... most whole-heartedly arranged matters so that the man [Verres]... did not succeed any better in his attempt to keep me out of office Cicero explains why the defence want to put off the trial To wait until Marcus is president of the extortion court Marcus Metellus is extremely well-disposed to Verres Cicero implies that 69 BCEs joint consulship of Hortensius & Quintus Metellus was achieved through Verres bribery Quintus Metellus tries to intimidate the Sicilian witnesses I am consul, one of my brothers is governor in Sicily, the other is going to be president... many measures have been taken to ensure that Verres will come to no harm

Chapter 10
Cicero emphasises & flatters upstanding character of current judges:
Caesonius - He is a well-known and experienced judge Nor shall we have the just and scrupulous Quintus Manlius Publius Sulpicius Another judge of strict and lofty principle

Defence wanted to delay the trial until the games in mid-August Public & legal business suspended on such festival days They count on these circumstances to damp and exhaust the prosecution

Consequences
Verres retired to Massilia in voluntary exile & is condemned an outlaw Cicero successfully elected aedile Cicero becomes Romes supreme orator After defeat of Hortensius Cicero a politician of principle Similarly to Pompey, supports interests of equites Seeks to increase their political influence in the state