Cicero: still talked about
Today I discovered the Times Literary Supplement site. (I know– it’s been up quite a while, and for someone interested in literature should be high on the places-to-visit list, but my path through the web is scenic rather than direct.)
Today’s TLS blog is about Cicero – an ancient author who still inspires discussion and a lot of writing.
Reading this blog reminded me of Imperium by Robert Harris, a historical novel which covers the early part of Cicero’s career. I read it some time ago and found it fascinating. Having translated chunks of Cicero’s writings at school and again at university, I was grateful to find a novel that stitched the chunks together into a connected and exciting story.
The TLS blog was not about the details of Cicero’s life, but about the relevance of that life, and of classics in general, in today’s world.
For me the relevance is that, it not only connects me with my own past studies, but with a succession of students and teachers stretching back for two thousand years – networking through time as well as space.
e a m harris 