Politeness and Politics in Cicero's Letters

Abstract

This book presents a fresh examination of the letters exchanged between Cicero and correspondents such as Pompey, Julius Caesar, and Mark Antony during the final turbulent decades of the Roman Republic. Drawing upon sociolinguistic theories of politeness, it argues that formal relationships between powerful members of the elite were constrained by distinct conventions of courtesy and etiquette. By examining in detail these linguistic conventions of politeness, the book presents new insights into the social manners that shaped aristocratic relationships. Specific topics include a discussion of the role of letter-writing within the Roman aristocracy; the epistolary use of linguistic politeness to convey respect to fellow members of the elite; the deployment of conventionalized expressions of affection and goodwill to cultivate alliances with ambitious rivals, and the diplomatic exploitation of "polite fictions" at times of political tension. The book also explores the strategies of politeness employed by Cicero and his correspondents when making requests and dispensing advice, and when engaging in epistolary disagreements (Cicero's exchanges with Appius Claudius Pulcher, Munatius Plancus, and Mark Antony receive particular attention).

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