Cicero and liberty in modern era Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Cicero and liberty in modern era - Term Paper Example Back in the times, a person’s worth was determined based on his family. Marcus Cicero was therefore a lucky man and a worthier Roman citizen. He was born to senior Roman citizen, one serving in the equestrian order and had good connection within Rome. The roman society attached very little worth on its women, therefore no much is written about Cicero’s mother. However, it is understood that she was a humble housewife who effectively took care of his two sons. Cicero was born in 106 BC in a small hill town southeast of Rome called Arpinum. It was here that his father owned a fortune. Cicero was bright from childhood, he took much pride in studying works of previous iconic personalities, and most of his readings were political and philosophical manuscripts. He therefore became knowledgeable on the history and the structures of the Roman government (Tempest 47). Cicero derived his greatest motivation to read from his surname which he never liked and therefore never used, C ognomen. Loosely translated, this name meant that Cicero was named after one of his ancestors who had a cleft on his left nose. This became a joke and an origin of ridicule among his family and peers. He therefore resented the name and from the public ridicule and humiliation, he denied himself a social life as a child and took to books. His childhood dream was to become a politician, he read all the manuscripts and books he could find on politics, through his father’s connections, he gained access to the best literature material within Rome and in the process of learning politics, he redeveloped his other abilities. He studied philosophy and was a fosterer of rational thought on public management, through his oratory ability; he became a charming leader one capable of championing for an idea and through rationalization make it come through. He had an effective and an informed way of arguing his issues thereby winning the love of the common Roman citizen while gaining respect among his accolades (Stockton 44). The first half of the first century was characterized by chaos in the Roman Empire, Gaius Julius Caesar, rose to the helm of leadership amidst several oppositions and counter accusations. He therefore out rightly turned into a dictator in a bid to retain his rule. Cicero opposed his leadership and kept championing for the return to the previous republican type of governance. Through his hawk eyed analysis of the Roman constitution and other laws and statutes, he developed philosophies illegitimating Julio Caesar’s dictatorial rule. He soon began becoming a darling to the public. His fame with the citizen climaxed at about the same time that Julio Caesar was murdered. Mark Antony took over the governance of the emperor in unclear circumstances and introduced systems similar to those of his predecessor. Once again, Cicero became a critic of the governance and would always attack Mark Antony in most of his public speeches. Mark Antony labeled him an enemy of the state which back them was synonymous to being charged with treason in the modern day society. he had two options which included either surrendering to the state