Model United Nations: Lessons from Cicero
“When, O Catiline, do you mean to cease abusing our patience? How long is that madness of yours still to mock us? When is there to be an end of that unbridled audacity of yours, swaggering about as it does now? Do not the nightly guards placed on the Palatine Hill — do not the watches posted throughout the city — does not the alarm of the people, and the union of all good men — does not the precaution taken of assembling the senate in this most defensible place — do not the looks and countenances of this venerable body here present, have any effect upon you? Do you not feel that your plans are detected? Do you not see that your conspiracy is already arrested and rendered powerless by the knowledge which every one here possesses of it? What is there that you did last night, what the night before — where is it that you were — who was there that you summoned to meet you — what design was there which was adopted by you, with which you think that any one of us is unacquainted?” — Cicero, against Catiline
Cicero, Roman politician and the greatest speaker the world has ever known, has a lot to tell us about MUN (despite the fact that he is dead). The Lead Delegate has obtained several excerpts from his famous Catiline Orations, in which Cicero correctly accused the dastardly Roman Senator Catiline of conspiring against the Roman government. Let us take a thorough look at Cicero’s esteemed rhetoric, and reap the rewards of our analysis.
Here, Cicero cajoles his fellow Romans for failing to act against Catiline’s conspiracy:
“Shame on this age and on its principles! The senate is aware of [Catiline’s treacherous actions]; the consul sees them; and yet this man lives. Lives! aye, he comes even into the senate. He takes a part in the public deliberations; he is watching and marking down and checking off for slaughter every individual among us. And we, gallant men that we are, think that we are doing our duty to the republic if we keep out of the way of his frenzied attacks.”
Cicero is playing on the guilt of the audience. He proclaims “Shame on this age and on its principles!” and proceeds to collectively lambaste his fellow Romans for failing to execute Catiline despite the fact that his treachery is obvious. Now, imagine for a moment that you were Cicero, representing a nation in a MUN general assembly. The nation of Myanmar, your rival, previously railed about how they were going to enact “positive change” on the global human rights situation. This is a perfect opportunity to use the shame speech tool, because Myanmar has a terrible human rights record! Read the following revision of Cicero’s quote:
“Shame on this age and on its principles! My fellow delegates are aware of Myanmar’s treacherous actions; the Chair sees them; and yet they lie. Lie! Yes, Myanmar lies even in this chamber. Myanmar commits grievous crimes against the Rohingya people, all the while exclaiming its commitment to human rights. And we, gallant men that we are, think that we are doing our duty to the United Nations if we keep out of the way of their duplicity.”
It is easy to see how what was seemingly an archaic speech could be beautifully applied to MUN. Here is another example of Cicero’s orations:
“I wish, O conscript fathers, to be merciful; I wish not to appear negligent amid such danger to the state [from Catiline]; but I do now accuse myself of remissness and culpable inactivity. A camp is pitched in Italy at the entrance of Etruria, in hostility to the republic; the number of the enemy increases every day; and yet the general of that camp, the leader of those enemies, we see within the walls — yes, and even in the senate, — planning every day some internal injury to the republic.”
Cicero cleverly depreciates himself in front of his audience, chastising himself for “remissness and culpable inactivity.” The audience is at once doubly persuaded that Cicero has humility, and that the Catiline situation is urgent. Imagine that you are Cicero in a general assembly again, but this time, as Ukraine speaking of Russian encroachment on your territory.
“I wish, fellow delegates, to be merciful; I wish not to appear negligent amid such danger to the world; but I do now accuse myself of remissness and culpable inactivity. Several Russian warships have positioned themselves in positions threatening to the Ukrainian nation; the number of the enemy increases every day; and yet representatives of those Russians, a delegation of those enemies, we see within the walls — yes, and even in this chamber, — planning every day some internal injury to global stability.”
Cicero’s works are more than applicable to modernity — they are meant for modernity! The Lead Delegate hopes the teachings of Cicero have been revelatory, and the Lead Delegate plans on writing more Cicero posts in the future.
Questions? Comments? Concerns?
Contact the Lead Delegate in the comments section, or, if you are an Enloe student, contact them directly on campus.
