The man of virtue: the role of antiquity in the political trajectory of L. A. Saint-Just

摘要

This article is concerned with how Saint-Just fashioned his political identity, focusing on the ways in which he deployed ideas, gestures and rhetoric derived from antiquity. Saint-Just can best be understood not only as a political theorist but also as a revolutionary politician who needed to find ways in which to give himself authority and legitimacy in the eyes of public opinion. His strategic use of antiquity allowed him to assert his integrity, even while he adapted his views according to the changing political context. His deployment of antiquity was by turns tactical, rhetorical, dramatic and emotional. By identifying himself with heroes from antiquity, he sought to establish his persona as a ‘man of virtue’, without personal ambition or self-interest, and therefore deserving of public trust. This was not simply a cynical ruse, but a way in which he sought to make sense of his own political position, for himself as well as his audience.