Damn The Man! with Cicero

The Roman Senate was a highly esteemed political body of educated patricians, most of whom were rich.

At some points during Rome’s history, like the early Empire, they also served as a court and judged high-profile criminal trials.

But the Senate—as august and revered as they liked to think themselves—were not above corruption.

Cicero called them out for it. Like a total badass.

He was serving as prosecutor in the trial of a corrupt governor, Verres, who he called a “degraded lunatic.” And this Verres guy was a real piece of work. You name any crime that a governor could get up to, this “demented scoundrel” was balls deep in it. He pillaged his own province, cancelled inheritances, robbed farmers, tortured Roman citizens, and more.

And he got away with it because he bribed a lot of Senators.

Cicero took his time to assemble his chess pieces, gathering evidence, arranging his rhetoric and arguments, and then he made his move.

Verres’s trial was high-profile, held at a time when a lot of people had traveled to Rome for a series of events. Cicero took advantage of the crowds to accuse the Senators publicly of corruption and demand not only that they condemn Verres, but that they shape up:

“Pronounce a just and scrupulous verdict against Verres, and you will keep the good name which ought always to be yours. Let us imagine, on the other hand, that his great wealth succeeds in undermining the conscience and honesty of the judges. Well, even then I shall accomplish one thing. For the general conclusion [of the people of Rome] will not be that the judges failed to find a guilty defendant—or that the defendant lacked a competent prosecutor. On the contrary: the deduction will be that there are no good judges in the land.

“. . . Crowds from all parts of Italy have assembled here and now in Rome, to attend the elections, the Games, and the census. A postponement of the decision until after they have gone I shall not tolerate.

“I am convinced, gentlemen, that this trial will bring you either great popularity or great discredit.”

This was a total badass move, especially for a young statesman (which Cicero was at the time). Cicero was relatively new to his political career, and he was already blowing whistles to bring down The Man.

After Cicero spoke, the people of Rome had all heard a list of Verres’s crimes.

After Cicero spoke, the Senators had no option but to condemn Verres (even though some of them had taken bribes from him in the past). And they probably had to keep their images squeaky clean for awhile.

How could they relax, knowing Cicero was watching?

What was the outcome of the trial? The Senate advised Verres to go into voluntary exile.

Read the whole speech, Against Verres, at the Perseus library.

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History offers us many different examples of dealing with The Man. We can find guidance whether we’re dealing with a corrupt judge, a megalomaniac military leader, or a manager stealing from the cashier’s drawer.

Cicero’s example is patient, thorough, relentless, and bold. I imagine him like a steamroller in that court room. He flattened every argument in his path.

Don’t just shout and throw things at The Man. Don’t brood and do nothing. Gather your evidence. Plan your accusations and present your arguments publicly. Make it so nobody can deny what’s been going on, and something has to change.

This approach takes guts and confidence (and maybe some killer public speaking skills). Nobody’s going to think less of you if you don’t do it. Except maybe yourself.

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Love,
L.