Die Mutter als Stiefmutter: das Sassiabild in Ciceros Pro Cluentio

Authors

  • Wjatscheslaw K. Chrustaljow The Herzen State Pedagogical University, 48, nab. r. Moiki, St. Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation, Pskov State University, 2, pl. Lenina, Pskov, 180000, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3174-9028

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu20.2024.204

Abstract

In Roman literature the negative image of a stepmother exists at least from the Late Republican times onwards. The Roman authors underline the cruelty of stepmothers and their mistreatment of stepchildren. Sometimes the amorous stepmother wants to seduce her adult stepson and, after the latter repudiates her love, begins to victimize him. In Latin declamations the noverca is often presented as a venefica who, motivated mainly by quarrels over inheritance, aims to poison her stepson (or sometimes husband; in this case she tries then to shift the blame onto the stepson). Cicero, when in 66 B. C. he defended in the court a Roman knight A. Cluentius Habitus, exploits these negative stereotypes extensively. One of the main characters in his speech Pro Cluentio is the mother of his client, Sassia, who, according to Cicero, is the true soul of the accusation against Cluentius. Cicero presents Sassia not as a mother, but as a saeva noverca who hates her own son and wants to destroy him. The skilful use of these (and some other) stereotypes, which were undoubtedly shared by a large part of Cicero’s audience, as well as corresponding literary topoi probably contributed significantly to the success of Cicero’s defence.

Keywords:

Roman family, image of stepmother, Cicero, Roman rhetoric, Late Roman Republic, Roman courts

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Published

2024-12-30

How to Cite

Chrustaljow, W. K. (2024). Die Mutter als Stiefmutter: das Sassiabild in Ciceros Pro Cluentio. Philologia Classica, 19(2), 253–260. https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu20.2024.204

Issue

Vol. 19 No. 2 (2024)

Section

Orbis Romanus

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Articles of "Philologia Classica" are open access distributed under the terms of the License Agreement with Saint Petersburg State University, which permits to the authors unrestricted distribution and self-archiving free of charge.

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