Figurative Analysis

            FA: The Oration Against Cataline

             

            In Cicero’s “The First Oration Against Cataline”, Cicero employs the extended metaphor of domesticity to draw from the figures of the private-house and parenthood, the significance of domestic morality, a set of common values that Cataline lacks and that founds and strengthens the republic. By invoking the figure of the private-house, Cicero articulates the private household as a site where parents raise domestic morality, to which citizens can successfully participate to uphold the integrity of the republic. Through ethos and the figure of parenthood, Cicero invests himself with the authority of a fatherly figure seeking to preserve the integrity of the mother-country, Italy against Cataline’s abuses.

            The extended metaphor of domesticity invokes the figure of the private household as a sacred site that is immune to Cataline’s attempts to taint domestic values with his criminal activity. In addressing Cataline’s attempts at hiding his own past criminal history, Cicero writes, “For what is there, O Cataline… if private houses can not conceal the voice of [Cataline’s] conspiracy within their walls-if everything is seen and displayed?” (Paragraph 7, Line 1-3). Cicero claims that almost nothing can seek to obstruct or lessen the severity of Cataline’s crimes. Through Cicero’s use of a loaded question, Cicero commands an authoritative vantage; Cicero frames his speech, beginning with “For what is there” and concluding with “if everything is seen and displayed?” to emphasize the magnitude of Cataline’s crimes, assuming that there is no place for Cataline to escape to or seek protection behind, from Cataine and Cataline’s villainous actions. Cicero’s claim is further emphasized by Cicero’s use of the metaphor of the private house, where Cicero illustrates metaphorically that the private-house cannot contain Cataline’s evil, conspiratorial words and deeds within its walls. Although as a building, the private household contains walls to maintain its infrastructure, when the figure of the private household is invoked under Cataline’s name, Cataline’s private household conversely holds a transparent, porous construction. The figure of the private house, despite its walls, can neither contain, bear Cataline’s secrets, nor refuse outside exposure, shield Cataline from conspicuousness, because of the gravity of Cataline’s evil actions. Rather than the integrity of the private household, “[Cataline’s] house [is] a shrine as it were of [Cataline’s] crimes” (Paragraph 22, Line 4-5). In contrast to the private household, Cataline’s house is characterized as the opposite of a site for sacred, moral values, as that of which are raised up in domestic life. Cataline’s house conversely serves as an unredeemable, corrupt site since Cataline violates good, domestic values.

             The metaphor of the private-household is sacred and unable to contain Cataline’s corruption because the private-household is characterized as a site for moral upbringing, a domestic morality that Cataline lacks. Whereas the metaphor of the private-house is transparent when referring to Cataline’s own private-house, when Cataline sought to avenge Cicero, Cicero is able to, “strengthe[n] and fortif[y] [Cicero’s own] house with a stronger guard” (Paragraph 9, Line 13-14) “not with a public guard, but by [Cicero’s] own private diligence” (Paragraph 10, Line 15-16). The metaphor of the private house figuratively is able to protect Cicero from Cataline’s aggressions precisely because of the differences in their moral positions. The protection of the house is figuratively afforded to Cicero, rather than Cataline, since Cicero possesses righteousness, authority from Cicero’s high moral position, commitment to domestic morality. Like a parent, Cicero works to strengthen and fortify his household because he possesses strength from his moral position, such as that of a heteronormative fatherly figure commanding and preserving the household. Cicero invests himself, through ethos, as a parental figure by purporting to hold the righteous vision for the future of the republic by disassociating Cataline from subscribing to the morals of the common citizen as well as in condemning and punishing Cateline to preserve the integrity of the republic.

            The figure of parenthood in the extended metaphor of domesticity emboldens Cicero’s command of ethos by allegorizing Cicero’s vantage as that of a fatherly figure seeking justice for the Italian people. Cicero says, “If your parents feared and hated you, and if you could by no means pacify the, you would, I think, depart somewhere out of their sight. Now your country, which is the common parent of all of us, hates and fears [Cataline]...” (Paragraph 15, Line 16-18). From the vantage of Cicero, along with the ethos Cicero commands in wanting the best for the country of Italy, Cicero is likened to the position of a fatherly figure as disapproving of Cataline’s criminal history, like that of which Cicero metaphorically says, is also commanded by the parent, mother-country of Italy.  Cicero’s ethos as a parental figure is further elaborated as he scolds Cataline for Cataline’s inability to command common, domestic morality. “What brand of domestic baseness is not stamped upon your life?” (Paragraph 12, Line 3-5). The loaded, question Cicero employs further provides Cicero with a fatherly authority and emphasizes Cataline’s lack of domestic morality.

            Since Cataline does not hold a position of high domestic morality, Cataline’s metaphorical private-household is transparent and porous, unable to contain Cataline’s words and deeds because Cataline lacks the domestic, morality. As a result of Cataline’s low domestic, moral position, Cicero employs the figures of the household and parenthood, to emphasize through the extended metaphor of domesticity, the responsibility of Cicero and the republic, to condemn and punish Cataline for Cataline’s corruption since the republic draws its strength and foundation upon its domestic values.