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The Manilian Law: Pompey's Military Command. ( Pro Lege Manilia) B.C. 66.
Argument
Exordium. 1 . Why this is Cicero's first appearance before a political assembly. Narratio . 2 . Statement of the case: Mithridates and Tigranes have invaded the Roman domain. This war is demanded by the dignity and safety of the state. Confirmatio. (I) Character of the war. 3 . Ill success of the First and Second Mithridatic Wars. 4 . Strength of the enemy. 5 . Present tameness of the Roman people contrasted with their ancient pride. The allies, whose safety is at stake, demand Pompey as commander. 6 . The chief revenues are in peril, endangered by mere suspicion of calamity. 7 . Financial crisis at Rome (general ruin would result from disaster to the publicani). (II) Magnitude of the war. 8 . Lucullus achieved great success in his campaign. 9 . But the war is still a great one: Mithridates is not subdued; our army has suffered reverses; Lucullus has been removed. (III) Who then should be appointed? 10 . Military experience of Pompey. 11 , 12 . His successes, especially in the Piratic War. 13 , 14 . He has all the qualities of a general, including not only courage, but moral qualities: blamelessness, humanity, self-restraint, easy manners. 15 . His prestige and influence, especially as derived from the Piratic War. 16 . His special reputation in the East, largely resulting from his brilliant fortune. 17 . Moreover, he is on the spot. Confutatio: Objection of Hortensius, that all power ought not to be given to one man. 18 . Answered by facts as to the result of the Gabinian Law. 19 . Brilliant success of this law (incidentally, Gabinius should be assigned to Pompey as legatus). 20 . Objection of Catulus, that the proposition is against precedent. 21 . Answered by referring to other violations of precedent in Pompey's case. 22 - 23 . Appeal to the people against these objections. Pompey alone can retrieve the Roman reputation. Many leading men favor the Manilian Law. Peroratio. 24 . Cicero supports the law purely from devotion to the commonwealth.Notes on The Manilian Law. James Bradstreet Greenough. ed. James Bradstreet Greenough, ed. George Lyman Kittredge. Boston. 1897.
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