Cornelia: Letters from a Matron

Read the excerpts of the letters written by Cornelia, an influential Roman matron from the 2nd century BC and answer the questions.

After the murder of her son, Tiberius Gracchus, Cornelia retires from Rome to Misenum. From there, she writes letters to her son Gaius Gracchus.

1.- You will say that it is a beautiful thing to take on vengeance on enemies. To no one does this seem either greater or more beautiful than it does to me, but only if it is possible to pursue these aims without harming our country. But seeing as that cannot be done, our enemies will not perish for a long time and for many reasons, and they will be as they are now rather than have our country be destroyed and perish.

2.- I would dare to take an oath solemnly, swearing that, except for those who have murdered Tiberius Gracchus, no enemy has foisted so much difficulty and so much distress upon me as you have because of the matters: you should have shouldered the responsibilities of all of those children whom I had in the past, and to make sure that I might have the least anxiety possible in my old age; and that, whatever you did, you would wish to please me most greatly; and that you would consider it sacrilegious to do anything of great significance contrary to my feelings, especially as I am someone with only a short portion of my life left. Cannot even that time span, as brief as it is, be of help in keeping you from opposing me and destroying our country? In the final analysis, what end will there be? When will our family stop behaving insanely? When will we cease insisting on troubles, both suffering and causing them? When will we begin to feel shame about disrupting and disturbing our country? But if this is altogether unable to take place, seek the office of tribune when I will be dead; as far as I am concerned, do what will please you, when I shall not perceive what you are doing.

Vivante, Bella (ed.) Women's Roles in Ancient Civilizations. Westport: Greenwood Press, 1999.

1.- a. What political position does her son aspire to?

     b. Will he defend the people or the patricians?

2.- What situation caused Cornelia more distress than the distress she is in now?

3.- Cornelia always defended the political cause of her children, but her desperation as a mother made her more moderate. Comment how this is shown in the first excerpt.

4.- What resources does she use to convince her son?

5.- The first public statue honouring a woman in Rome was Cornelia's. The inscription at the base read: "Cornelia, daughter of Africanus and mother of the Gracchi." What is valued about her?

6.- According to Plutarch, she was a cultured, intelligent, hospitable woman who defended the popular classes and stayed strong through adversity. Do you think she deserves a special place in history because of her own virtues? Give reasons for your answers.