Famous Men of Rome · Ch. XXII · Unit 4: The end of the Republic

32. Cicero

Goal: Your child can tell how Cicero, the great orator, uncovered Catiline's plot.

⏱ About 25 minutes · 6 steps

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You'll need

  • The book, open to this chapter
  • Paper and colored pencils
  • Your timeline strip (see the tips at the top)

What's in the book

Chapter XXII: Marcus Tullius Cicero, one of the greatest orators who ever lived, is consul when a mysterious plot forms around the senator Catiline. Warned by a young woman named Fulvia, Cicero accuses Catiline in the Senate, drives him from the city with a second speech, and has nine plotters put to death. Catiline dies in battle. Later Antony has Cicero killed.

The lesson, step by step

  1. Set the scene

    SayThis story steps back in time. Cicero's fight with Catiline happened about twenty years before Caesar was killed, while Pompey was still the great man of Rome. Put it on the timeline a little before Caesar.

  2. Read the chapter

    Read Chapter XXII aloud. It begins:

    Marcus Tullius Cicero was a prominent man at Rome for some time in the latter years of the Republic.

  3. Tell it back

    Prompts:

    - What was Cicero famous for?

    - How did he find out about the plot?

    - What happened in the Senate during Cicero's second speech?

    - What happened to Catiline in the end?

  4. Talk it over

    Read the exchange in the Senate. Catiline offered to put himself in the hands of any senator, and Cicero answered:

    "I do not think it is safe to have you in the city," replied Cicero, "and do you expect any one to take you into his house?"

    Ask: Cicero won with words, not soldiers. Why are words so powerful?

  5. Remember it

    SayAn orator is a great public speaker. Cicero's speeches are still read today.

  6. Be an orator (optional)

    Let your child stand up and give a one-minute speech on any subject, using a strong voice and looking at the audience. Clap at the end, the way the Senate cheered Cicero.

Answers to the book's problems

He was a great orator; his speeches were preserved and are still studied. A young woman named Fulvia, whose lover was one of the plotters, told him. The senators shouted and hissed, and those near Catiline moved away, leaving him sitting alone. Catiline raised an army in the Apennines and was killed in battle.

Worked out for this site from the scan. If a number in your copy differs, trust the book.

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