Rhetorical Analysis Of Pro Caelio By Marcus Tullius Cicero

In Pro Caelio, a speech delivered by Marcus Tullius Cicero, the orator-turned-lawyer strategically disparages Clodia Metelli’s character more than he defends Marcus Caelius Rufus. Furthermore, Cicero’s approach, which relies heavily on prejudices within Roman society and personal attacks, aims to undermine Clodia’s credibility as a witness and persuade the jury. This strategy of character assassination, coupled with Cicero’s use of rhetorical skills and grudge against the Clodii family, effectively redirects suspicion from Caelius to Clodia, casting doubt on her testimony. Moreover, this speech serves as an example of how societal expectations and biases manipulate a jury’s perception, discrediting the trustworthiness of a witness and subtly
To successfully defend Marcus Caelius, Cicero aims to convince the jury that the witness’s testimony is full of reasonable doubt. He accuses Clodia of behaving like a seductress and adulteress, implying moral corruption. Cicero uses prosopopoeia to pretend to be Clodia’s ancestor, Appius Claudius Caecus, posing several hypothetical questions such as: “‘Did I bring water to the city for you to foul with your incestuous practices? Did I build a road so that you could parade up and down it in the company of other women’s husbands?’” This technique and these questions add a dramatic flair to his speech and reinforce his attack on Clodia’s reputation and character, ultimately undermining her credibility in the trial. The lawyer manipulates the jury against Clodia by using these rhetorical devices rather than swaying them in support of Caelius with alibis or
. if there were a widowed woman living shamelessly, a wayward woman living wantonly, a wealthy woman living extravagantly, and a lustful woman living like a prostitute, then am I really to think of it as criminal if some man should happen to have greeted her a little too freely?” By cleverly shifting the focus from Clodia’s behavior to societal expectations and double standards, the lawyer subtly undermines her credibility without directly attacking her character. This framing allows Cicero to make his point without appearing overly aggressive, maintaining a veneer of respectability while leveraging societal prejudices against Clodia. By portraying Clodia as a woman who defies the Roman matron standards of virtue, domestic responsibility, and fidelity, Cicero appeals to the jury’s biases and casts doubt on Clodia’s testimony. In conclusion, Cicero undermines Clodia's credibility by using societal prejudices and personal attacks, portraying her as a scorned lover rather than a trustworthy witness. His use of rhetorical devices—such as prosopopoeia, inferences about Clodia's immoral behavior, and an alleged incestuous relationship with Clodius—undermines her