Cicero – Mark schemes
Early years
Political structure
Trial of Roscius
Cicero’s first criminal case on the charge of parricide
First case in Sulla’s new extortion court
Cicero did not produce hard evidence but gave arguments based on probability
o ‘cui bono?’
o Showed how Chrysogonus would profit from the proscriptions
o Persuaded jury Sulla had no knowledge of his freedman
Cicero presented himself as a champion of justice against corruption
o Willing to take on dangerous cases in favour of the under dog
Aimed to promote his success so that he could take on more cases
o Extend clientela
Plutarch says Cicero had to leave Rome in fear of Sulla’s revenge
o Cicero claimed it was to improve his oratorical stamina
Verres Trial
Hortensius was the defence lawyer
Cicero had previously acted as Deputy Governor in Sicily during his time as quaestor
Verres wanted to delay the trial due to the games held for Pompey for defeating Sertorius
Tactics used by Cicero
Called witnesses immediately
Gathered evidence in 50 days
Gathered evidence in person
The Speech
Defence plan involved corruption rather than ‘ingenuity’
Claims he was fearful of the traps laid by Verres on land and sea
Hyperbolically raises fear that Verres with money is seeking to ‘ensnare’ Senatorial Order and therefore the
world
Refers to Verres’ diversionary tactics by arranging the trial of the governor of Achaia
Claims Verres bribed the judges
Curio had congratulated Verres when Hortensuis was elected Consul and Metellus was elected Praetor
Claims agent of Verres tried to bribe him with ‘baskets full of Sicilian coins’
o No real evidence
Suggests Verres was taking advantage of the recent succession of games to delay the trial until the consul
and president court are full of his supporters
o More supposition than evidence
Convinces through his coherence of his tale of scandal and conspiracy
Acts in the defence of the republic
How the trial advanced his career and uncovered the truth?
Cicero had built up a clientela in Sicily in Sicily
o Promised to take Verres to trial
Early years
Political structure
Trial of Roscius
Cicero’s first criminal case on the charge of parricide
First case in Sulla’s new extortion court
Cicero did not produce hard evidence but gave arguments based on probability
o ‘cui bono?’
o Showed how Chrysogonus would profit from the proscriptions
o Persuaded jury Sulla had no knowledge of his freedman
Cicero presented himself as a champion of justice against corruption
o Willing to take on dangerous cases in favour of the under dog
Aimed to promote his success so that he could take on more cases
o Extend clientela
Plutarch says Cicero had to leave Rome in fear of Sulla’s revenge
o Cicero claimed it was to improve his oratorical stamina
Verres Trial
Hortensius was the defence lawyer
Cicero had previously acted as Deputy Governor in Sicily during his time as quaestor
Verres wanted to delay the trial due to the games held for Pompey for defeating Sertorius
Tactics used by Cicero
Called witnesses immediately
Gathered evidence in 50 days
Gathered evidence in person
The Speech
Defence plan involved corruption rather than ‘ingenuity’
Claims he was fearful of the traps laid by Verres on land and sea
Hyperbolically raises fear that Verres with money is seeking to ‘ensnare’ Senatorial Order and therefore the
world
Refers to Verres’ diversionary tactics by arranging the trial of the governor of Achaia
Claims Verres bribed the judges
Curio had congratulated Verres when Hortensuis was elected Consul and Metellus was elected Praetor
Claims agent of Verres tried to bribe him with ‘baskets full of Sicilian coins’
o No real evidence
Suggests Verres was taking advantage of the recent succession of games to delay the trial until the consul
and president court are full of his supporters
o More supposition than evidence
Convinces through his coherence of his tale of scandal and conspiracy
Acts in the defence of the republic
How the trial advanced his career and uncovered the truth?
Cicero had built up a clientela in Sicily in Sicily
o Promised to take Verres to trial
