This is a critical, annotated, bilingual edition, with introduction and cumulative indices, of the last three of Vives’ five speeches on the abdication of Sulla, the Roman Republican dictator. These five declamations form an unprecedented dramatic ensemble, grounded in thorough familiarity with the ancient sources, but amplified occasionally by elements of historical fiction.
The third oration is Sulla’s formal abdication, defending his sometimes savage record. In the fourth, Sulla’s enemy Lepidus the new consul promises to undo Sulla’s program; in the fifth, at Sulla’s death, Lepidus continues his unrestrained attack on Sulla’s morals, henchmen, and constitutional alterations. The five-speech ensemble, dedicated to the Emperor Charles V’s youthful brother Ferdinand, explores political and ethical issues while exemplifying Vives’ remarkable generic versatility.