Journal Entry 6
A Political Thriller
Thurs. 2/16 1:15-1:55 pm
How would you depict yourself in a portrait? At what point in life (age) do you see yourself?
As I approach the delicate age of twenty-one, I have thoughts about both my past and my future. Twenty-one would be the perfect age for my portrait. My past years, ages 3–20, set the base for who I will be at twenty-one. However, my past, as well as how I choose to interact with life’s ongoing troubles and pleasures during the age of twenty-one, will be the pillars for how I live the rest of my life. I see twenty-one as a pivotal age in my intellectualism, spirituality, health, career and relationships. I see this image of my imaginary portrait embodying this essential age as I sit on teacher’s desk in a yoga meditation pose, with a nice, red, delicious apple on the corner of course. My hair will freely falling by my ears. In the background, I envision an old school chalkboard. In front of it is a large, wooden bookshelf with many great books such as The Coming by Daniel Black, The Autobiography of Malcolm X by himself and Alex Haley and The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander amongst many other great books and geography and history textbooks. Posted on the front of the desk, I see a large, Black nationalist flag.
The teacher’s desk, apple and chalkboard obviously represent my career aspirations to be an educator. The yoga pose not only represents my flexibility, dance and yoga skills, but it also represents the easy-going version of myself I am when I’m not dealing with the hassle of schoolwork. (Grading is more fun than actually doing the assignments!) The old school chalkboard represents the Black female educators who so eloquently paved the way, such as Mary Ann Shadd Cary and Mary McLeod Bethune. The bookshelf represents my love for knowledge. The history and geography textbooks and African-American literature represent my favorite things to learn and read about, but I also don’t mind a good, fictional book! Lastly, the Black nationalist flag, which I also have tattooed on my skin, represents my constant strive for the liberation and freedom of Black people specifically, but any group of oppressed people. This ideology is very important in my foundation for who I am as a person, educator, friend and role model.
Fri. 2/17 8- 11 am (Step One)
Notes from video *The first link was not applicable so I had to use three other videos to guide my learning about the Roman Republic.* Although they were all useful, some lecturers went deeper into detail about the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire.
Crash Course Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPf27gAup9U
Notes: One of the mottoes of the Roman Republic- SPQR- Senatus Populusque Romanus or “The Senate of the People of Rome”
-1st triumvirate- Pompey, Crassus, Caesar
-Alliance worked to benefit Caesar, not the others as much
-Caesar used Crassus for financial assistance
-Senate chooses two consuls & set policies
Checks and Balances: -Consul may not serve for more than one year; cannot run again for a min. of 10 years, after 10 years they are able to run again
-Position of dictatorship existed, used if the Republic was in great danger
-While Caesar was away at war, (Pompey now an enemy) was elected consul… Pompey was in charge of Rome’s army, but fled the city
By 48 BCE,Caesar ruled all of Rome’s holdings
MsEvansWorldHistory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8df0F5hX4A
Notes: Three social classes of Rome: -Patricians, Plebians, Slaves
Plebian examples: artisans, farmers, traders
-Citizens had to pay taxes and serve in the military
-Senate was made up of 300 members for life
-Tribunes represent Plebians (made up of powerful Plebians who bring issues to the Senate)
Matthew Rossettini: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MryC6KrnUY4
Notes: Caesar considered to be the last ruler of the Roman Republic (before it turns into an empire)
-Senate= appointed patricians, Assembly= elected Plebians
-Magristrates= judges, → answer to consuls-
-Gov’t follows the Twelve Tables: created in 455 BCE to stop Plebian revolt, provide an understanding of legal and social protection and civil rights between patricians and Plebians
Reading Notes:
All four of Ciceros’ catlinarians were successful in their messages. Cicero was able to get the people and the Senate to side with him.
(First) He used his catilinarian, given at the Temple of Jupiter Stator, as an attempt to verbally assault Catiline in front of the Senate. He demanded Catiline to leave Rome.
(Second) He used the second to inform the citizens of Rome that Catiline left the city to join his army, instead of leaving in exile.
(Third) In this oration, Cicero is seen as a hero who saved the Republic of Rome from a rebellion.
(Fourth) The fourth oration, given at the Temple of Concordia, argues for the execution for the conspirators. Although it was challenged by Caesar, Cicero’s argument was strong enough for the Senate to move forward with the executions.
Sun. 2/19 3–5 pm (Step Two)
Cicero had to develop his position and stance amongst the people of Rome. He was the novus homo competing against Catiline, a man whose family was well known amongst the people. He had to use his strength of oration to win the citizens and the Senate.
Effective leaders want to ensure there is a mutual understanding from their audience. If they’re saying things that are going over their participant’s heads, how effective is their message? Also, establishing a few stopping points when delivering a speech leaves times for questions. This is especially useful during long, extended orations. The speaker also lessens their chance for interruptions.
The use of invention helps prove arguments, and usually makes an argument stronger. By including the opposing side’s views, one is forced to thoroughly explain why they believe their ideas are better than the other sides.
“ If the end result of a speech is for the audience is to be persuaded to one side or another, arrangement of the composition should be organized to ensure maximum results.”
This quote is very essential because the purpose of an essay or speech is not only to express one’s opinion; it is used to solidify one’s idea. By adequately preparing and doing extensive studying and research people are more likely to be confident in their argument, whether people agree with them or not. People should not be able to classify your argument as weak, even those who disagree.
Tues. 2/22 8–10 am, 2–3 pm (Step Three)
In his first catilinarian, Cicero attempts to get his audience to kill Catiline. However, as argued, he will settle for his banishment from the republic. He ensures his audience knows the level of betrayal and misconduct of Catiline.
Notes & Observations
Passage One- -interrogation, “Bad cop” style; compares himself and Catiline to past leaders and “bad guys”… Could’ve had a stronger intro *should’ve introduced the conspiracy first, he assumed everyone knew the plot but how well did they know the details of what he knew?*
Passage Two- exposes Catiline; classifies him as “an enemy amongst the Senate;” declares him untrustworthy and states how he needs to be surrounded by guards for the protection of the people
Passage Three- Here Cicero exposes Catiline’s house meetings (as told by Curius and Fulvia *wife or mistress? I’ve seen her called both…Are these the same thing in ancient Rome?*) Cicero tries to convince Catiline to give his plot a rest
Passage Four- convinces the Senate that he is concerned with the safety of the Republic; *important to prove himself as a novus homo,* exposes some of the conspirators; exposes Catiline’s plot to kill him.; explains how he was able to finesse and avoid death
Passage Five- tells Catiline to leave Rome… “ Leave the city at last the gates are open; depart;” “…you will deliver me from a great fear, when there is a wall between me and you.” — Important to acknowledge this “fear”
*After this passage I notice Cicero’s organization or arrangement; very good and useful for his argument.*
Passage Six- here he exposes Catiline again, “… when you know that there is not one man of those here present who is ignorant that you, on the last day of the year… had prepared your hand for the slaughter of the consuls and chief men of the state…”
Passage Seven- Cicero is not hateful but pitiful; in this passage I am able to refer to the painting seen in the video of the reading of the first oration where Catiline is seen sitting alone amongst the Senate while Cicero is delivering his speech; He tries to make Catiline feel embarrassed when he states “If I saw that I was even undeservedly so suspected and bated by my fellow-citizens, I would rather flee from their sight than be gazed at by the hostile eyes of every one.” *Basically… if I were you, I would feel shame*
-Uses metaphors “If your parents feared and hated you, and if you could by no means pacify them, you would… depart somewhere out of their sight. Now, your country, which is the common parent of all of us, hates and fears you, and has no other opinion of you…”
-Also uses repetition in passage seven, “You alone”
Passage Eight- Tells Catiline to depart the city again, “Do you not perceive, do you not see the silence of these men; they permit it, they say nothing; why wait you for the authority of their words when you see their wishes in their silence?” *If someone was opposed to Cicero, how common was it to be interrupted and challenged during a speech in the Senate?* If Cicero is correct, which I’m assuming he is, that the Senate holistically wanted Catiline out, he did an exceptional job at portraying this to Catiline.
-speaks on Catiline’s betrayal of the city.
Passage Nine- wishes the gods would give Catiline the sense and thought to leave the city; “…for you are not, O Catiline, one whom either shame can recall from infamy, or fear from danger, or reason from madness.” — uses sentence to utterly condemn Catiline’s decisions
Passage Ten- “All this I effected when I procured your rejection from the consulship, that you should be reduced to make attempts on your country as an exile, instead of being able to distress it as consul, and that that which had been wickedly undertaken by you should be called piracy rather than war.”
Passage Eleven- Gains respects, shows love for his country, shows solider mentality when he states — “…if my country, which is far dearer to me than my life…”
-provokes thought when he states “ will you permit that man to depart whom you have ascertained to be an enemy? … whom you know to be expected in the camp of the enemy as their chief…” he tries to make Catiline think about what he would do if he were in his shoes
*This passage also reminds me of J. Edgar Hoover’s successful attempt to destroy the Black Panther Party. Both he and Cicero had to convince others that the actions of the enemy were bad and doing harm.*
-“You are showing fine gratitude to the Roman people which has raised you…” Here is he using sarcasm and trying to make Catiline feel bad?
-“When Italy is laid waste by war, when cities are attacked and houses in flames, do you not think that you will be then consumed by a perfect conflagration of hatred?” Here he questions Catiline again in an attempt to make him rethink his motives and their results.
Passage Twelve- Here he engages with the views of the opposition
Passage Thirteen- Good use of analogies; “… be written on the brow of every citizen, what are his sentiments about the republic.” — Importance of making sure all members of society who follow Catiline are exposed.
Cicero has the ability the lead well because of his proof in his speech that he wants to protect the people. From his words, I would say Cicero is concerned and angry while giving this speech. He wants to ensure his message of Catiline’s danger to himself, the people, the Senate and the city is clearly understood.
Although Cicero does a good job of giving his speech, I know the background of Catiline. I believe his intentions were good and pure. At the same time, I am not in opposition to Cicero’s belief because I understand his position as consul.
