The First Philippic

The stage was set in tumultuous times, merely a blink away from the assassination of Julius Caesar on the Ides of March, 44 BCE. The Roman Republic, teetering on the edges of monumental shifts, found itself caught between the towering ambitions and the starkly contrasting ideologies of two of its most articulate sons: Marcus Tullius Cicero and Mark Antony. This period bore witness to Cicero’s first Philippic, delivered on September 2, 44 BCE, an oration that not only defined his later life but also set the tone for the brutal political theater that would follow.

The Philippicae, a series of speeches, are thus named in homage to Demosthenes’ invectives against Philip II of Macedon. They were Cicero’s literary and oratorical counterstrikes against Mark Antony, whom he saw not merely as a political rival but as a mortal threat to the values and constitutional frameworks of the Republic. Cicero, ever the defender of the mos maiorum (the customs of the ancestors) and the senatorial prerogative, viewed Antony’s actions post-Caesar’s death as opportunistic, perilous, and destructive to the fabric of Roman governance.

In the backdrop of these speeches was the complex and fraught relationship between Cicero, Antony, and Caesar. Cicero, a staunch republican, had always viewed Caesar’s dictatorship with deep suspicion and concern, albeit recognizing his military and administrative prowess. His relationship with Antony was equally fraught, marked by mutual disdain and political discord. Antony, Caesar’s former consul and loyalist, perceived himself as the rightful successor to Caesar’s legacy, wielding considerable influence through the control of Caesar’s papers and the loyalty of his veteran legions.

The first Philippic was delivered in a Senate now swayed by the aftereffects of Caesar’s assassination and the looming shadow of Antony’s response. Cicero, who had returned to Rome after a period of self-imposed political exile, took to the Rostra, delivering not just a speech but an impassioned plea for the Senate to recognize and counteract Antony’s overtures towards power. The oration was meticulous and strategic, appealing to the senators’ sense of duty and the urgency of safeguarding the Republic’s traditions against autocratic rule.

Cicero’s address did not directly confront Antony with the vitriolic intensity that would characterize his later speeches. Instead, it was a calculated critique of Antony’s recent actions, notably his manipulation of Caesar’s decrees and his unsettling mobilization of forces. Cicero posited that Antony’s maneuvers were not in the service of the Republic but were rather self-serving acts designed to consolidate power akin to that which Caesar held.

Moreover, Cicero’s rhetoric in the first *Philippic* was a masterclass in persuasion, aimed at stirring the Senate from complacency into action. He argued that Antony’s consolidation of power represented an existential threat to their privileges and the republican system of governance. Cicero’s oratory sought to paint Antony as a catalyst for tyranny, urging a return to traditional republican values and procedures.

In his subsequent Philippicae, Cicero would escalate his attacks, making them more personal and scathing, which culminated in the Senate declaring Antony a public enemy. However, the first speech laid the groundwork, framing the narrative of Antony as a usurper of power and setting the stage for the political and military confrontations that would ensue.

The aftermath of these speeches and the ensuing conflict saw the Republic slide further into civil war, leading to the rise of the Second Triumvirate, comprising Antony, Octavian (the future Augustus), and Lepidus. This new power structure would eventually spell doom for Cicero, who was proscribed and killed in 43 BCE as part of the Triumvirate’s political purges.

The first Philippic, therefore, was not merely a speech but a historical pivot, steering the course of Roman politics towards its last republican gasps. It was a display of Cicero’s unwavering commitment to the Republic and his unmatched skill in the art of rhetoric. The issues at play were complex, involving not just personal rivalries but deeply ingrained ideological and constitutional debates about the future of Rome. Cicero’s orations were a final, desperate bid to draw Rome back from the brink of autocratic rule, which he ultimately failed to prevent. In the grand tapestry of Roman history, the Philippicae stand out as a testament to the power of words in shaping the destinies of states and individuals alike.