Cicero, Greek Learning, and the Making of a Roman Classic

The Roman statesman, orator, and author Marcus Tullius Cicero is the embodiment of a classic: his works have been read continuously from antiquity to the present, his style is considered the model for classical Latin, and his influence on Western ideas about the value of humanistic pursuits is both deep and profound. However, despite the significance of subsequent reception in ensuring his canonical status, this volume demonstrates how Cicero’s strategic adaptation of classic Greek texts first allowed him to position himself as a classic author, envisioning and create texts with comparable authority for a parallel Roman canon.