Studia Antiqua et Archaeologica 27(1): 133-145
Konstantinos ARAMPAPASLIS
ABSTRACT
This article identifies antiquarian excerpts in De Haruspicum responso and discusses their function
with respect to Cicero’s argumentation. The arrangement of the material by subject aptly illustrates how
thematically connected passages can serve multiple purposes within individual arguments. The analysis of each
passage reveals Cicero’s manipulation of antiquarian information with the intention of tarnishing Clodius’ image or
extoling himself and the senate. Through the implicit comparison with the actions and customs of the ancestors, the
orator further achieves a broader goal, i.e. to sketch his opponent as a public enemy and himself as a statesman in
defense of the respublica. All these excerpts gradually serve the main purpose of successfully elevating his personal
case into a matter of state significance.
KEYWORDS
antiquarianism, rhetoric, Cicero, De haruspicum responso, manipulation, Clodius Pulcher