CLASSICAL ASSN. HOLDS ITS MONTHLY MEETING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18187, 21 June 1927, Page 13

CLASSICAL ASSN. HOLDS ITS MONTHLY MEETING.

The monthly meeting of the Classical Association was held last night at Canterbury College, taking the form of a symposium on Cicero, various members spoke. Mr T. W. Rowe set the ball rolling with a few words on the stj’le of | Ciceio, commenting on its purity and dignity. His works fall into five classes ■ —the orations, philosophical works, rhetorical and political works and a series of over eight hundred letters—by far the most interesting class. Cicero has left his work on the style of every nation in Europe. 1 Mr F. L. Kay spoke of Cicero’s im- | mediate influence on the authors of the first century A.D.—up to Tacitus He j likened the Ciceronian period to a musical “ theme w ith variations.” Cicero was the culmination of Latin prose excellence, but even he began to show in his later workf —the Philippics—traces of glorifying the word at the ! expense of the period—a movement j which reached its climax in Seneca. The I reaction which resulted after this was : a frenzied admiration for -Cicero, exemplified by Quintilian. The Rev E. C. Crosse spoke of Cicero as a politician, pointing out that in this capacity he was weak, vacillating, pompous and vain. Theodor Moinsen, because lie is pro-Bismarck, has depreciated Cicero and idolises Caesar at his expense. It appears true, however, on mature consideration, that Cicero's poll- j tical life was an outstandingly honest one. He did what he thought was his duty to the State, and more can be asked i of nobody. Mr Dobbin discussed the De Amicitia, giving an excellent analysis or iloessay. Father Dowling read a short essay on liis philosophic works. The best speaker was Dr H. D. Broadhea-l, who read a letter from Cicero to AttiCUS showing how- these letters are more portraits than history.