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Sects. 29-42: (2) The second requisite in a commander: virtus (excellence of all kinds). The virtutes of Pompey include not only virtus bellandi (sects. 29-35), but incorruptibility (sect. 37), self-restraint (sect. 40), wisdom, eloquence, good faith, and humanity (sect. 42).

neque enim illae: Cicero does not mention what the other good qualities are till sect. 36. By an oratorical device he begins as if he did not mean to talk about the ordinary virtutes recognized as necessary for a general, but intended to speak of certain others, equally necessary but perhaps less common (incorruptibility, etc.), for which Pompey was eminent. But he goes on at once to emphasize the possession of the commonly recognized soldierly qualities by Pompey, as if he had forgotten his point in his enthusiasm. Then, with sect. 36, he suddenly pulls himself up, as from a digression, and returns to consider the good qualities he had, as he says, "begun to enumerate." By this method, not only is an air of spontaneity given to the praise of Pompey (as if the orator were carried away by his theme; cf. sect. 3), but the special and rare virtues on which he wishes to lay stress are much emphasized by being, as it were, brought in twice, — a second time when the orator seems in danger of forgetting them (sect. 36).


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  • Commentary references from this page (7):
    • Cicero, On Pompey's Command, 29
    • Cicero, On Pompey's Command, 3
    • Cicero, On Pompey's Command, 35
    • Cicero, On Pompey's Command, 36
    • Cicero, On Pompey's Command, 37
    • Cicero, On Pompey's Command, 40
    • Cicero, On Pompey's Command, 42
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