raeda, -ae [1/f] or rēda, -ae
[1/f]: a four-wheel wagon or coach used for long-distance travelling and
/ or carrying baggage
raedārius, -ī [2/m]: coachman; carriage driver
sed dum tōta domūs raeda compōnitur ūna /
substitit ad veterēs arcūs (Juvenal)
- But while his whole household is being packed into a single carriage, he lingered at the ancient arches...
Cicero and the defence of Milo
One of the tactics of a lawyer is to challenge the opposing
case by introducing an element of scepticism, encouraging the jury to doubt
whether the accusation has been proved or, in this case, is even logical given
the circumstances.
In 52 BC, Milo was put on trial for killing his political
enemy Clodius after a violent confrontation on the Via Appia. That Clodius had
been killed by Milo's party was not really in dispute; the key question was
whether the killing was justified. In his speech Pro Milone, Cicero
argued that Clodius had planned an ambush and was the aggressor, while Milo had
simply been travelling with his wife and attendants when the attack occurred.
Cicero, therefore, claimed that Milo had acted in self-defence and that the
killing was a legitimate response to a deadly threat.
As part of Cicero’s defence of Milo, he compares the readiness
of both parties to engage in violence. He does this by means of carefully
constructed antithesis. We will consider both statements:
[A] CLODIUS
Obviam fit eī Clōdius, (1) expedītus, (2) in
equō, (3) nūllā raedā, nūllīs impedīmentīs, nūllīs Graecīs
comitibus, (4) ut solēbat, sine uxōre, quod numquam ferē:
- Clodius meets him coming the other way, lightly equipped, on horseback, with no carriage, no baggage, no Greek attendants as he usually had, and without his wife, which was something he hardly ever did.
Notes:
(1) expeditus: lightly equipped, but does not suggest unarmed
(2) in equō: Clodius is on horseback i.e. unlike Milo, he
could move quickly
(3) Cicero’s use of the tricolon (nūllā … nūllis …
nūllīs…) to reinforce that Clodius was travelling unusually light
(4) ut solebat / sine uxōre quod numquam ferē; Cicero
observes that the manner of Clodius’ appearance is out of character. Moreover,
that his wife was absent might suggest that Clodius wished to avoid her
witnessing a murder.
[B] MILO
cum hic (1) īnsidiātor, quī iter illud ad caedem
faciendam (2) apparāsset, (3) cum uxōre veherētur in raedā, (4) paenulātus,
magnō et impeditō et muliebrī ac dēlicātō ancillārum puerōrumque comitātū.
- While this ‘ambusher’, who had (supposedly) prepared that journey for the purpose of carrying out a killing, was being conveyed in a carriage with his wife, clad in a travelling cloak, with a large and cumbersome and womanish and delicate retinue of maidservants and boys.
Notes:
(1) Given Milo’s location in the carriage and its physical
constraints, the term īnsidiātor is used sarcastically. He goes on to
justify that sarcasm.
(2) cum … apparāsset: the use of the pluperfect
subjunctive conveys what the prosecution has claimed; the translation of
“supposedly had” neatly communicates scepticism
(3) [1] cum uxōre [2] veherētur [3] in raedā
[1] cum uxōre: Milo was with his wife, whereas Clodius was
(unusually) not; the contrast of sine uxōre in [A] and cum
uxōre in [B] could imply that Milo was unaware of what was to
happen.
[2] veherētur: it is appropriate to retain the passive
meaning of the verb i.e. Milo was not involved in controlling the carriage;
this could also contrast with obviam fit eī Clōdius, which presents
Clodius as the one who comes to meet Milo, perhaps implying that it was Clodius
who initiated the encounter.
[3] in raedā: Milo was in a carriage, whereas Clodius was on a
horse
(4) Cicero emphasises that Milo was in no position to
instigate any act:
[1] paenulātus: Milo is not dressed in a manner that would
allow rapid movement
paenula, -ae [1/f]: a thick, sleeveless travelling cloak
“It was chiefly worn by people of low rank and slaves, but
also by the higher classes, … in bad weather, on a journey, and in the country.”
(Thurston Peck)
The image shows a statuette of a figure wearing a paenula (British
Museum). In other words, if this is the type of apparel Milo was wearing, he
hardly looked like a man who had set out prepared to commit a murder!
[2] [i] magnō et impeditō [ii] et muliebrī
ac dēlicātō ancillārum puerōrumque comitātū
Cicero conveys two ideas in this heavily loaded statement,
presenting the jury with an image of comfort and domesticity rather than a
planned armed ambush:
[i] Milo’s retinue is large and cumbersome
Note the contrast between expeditus in [A] and impeditō
in [B], the prefixes – both of which are stressed in pronunciation – changing
the meaning.
[ii] Those around him are not the type who would be physically
or emotionally capable of assisting him; while dēlicātus can translate
as ‘luxurious’ it can equally mean ‘tender’ or ‘delicate’.
Note the use of comitibus in [A] and comitātū in [B], both referring to those who accompanied the travellers and reinforcing the contrast between the two parties.
