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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + +Prepared by David Reed haradda@aol.com or davidr@inconnect.com + + + + + +Letters of Cicero + +by Marcus Tullius Cicero + + + + +Translated by E. S. Shuckburgh + + + + +THE letters of Cicero are of a very varied character. They range +from the most informal communications with members of his +family to serious and elaborate compositions which are practically +treatises in epistolary form. A very large proportion of them were +obviously written out of the mood of the moment, with no thought +of the possibility of publication; and in these the style is +comparatively relaxed and colloquial. Others, addressed to public +characters, are practically of the same nature as his speeches, +discussions of political questions intended to influence public +opinion, and performing a function in the Roman life of the time +closely analogous to that fulfilled at the present day by articles is +the great reviews, or editorials in prominent journals. + +In the case of both of these two main groups the interest is +twofold: personal and historical, though it is naturally in the +private letters that we find most light thrown on the character of +the writer. In spite of the spontaneity of these epistles there exists a +great difference of opinion among scholars as to the personality +revealed by them, and both in the extent of the divergence of view +and in the heat of the controversy we are reminded of modern +discussions of the characters of men such as Gladstone or +Roosevelt. It has been fairly said that there is on the whole more +chance of justice to Cicero from the man of the world who +understands how the stress and change of politics lead a statesman +into apparently inconsistent utterances than from the professional +scholar who subjects these utterances to the severest logica1 +scrutiny, without the illumination of practical experience. + +Many sides of Cicero's life other than the political are reflected in +the letters. From them we can gather a picture of how an ambitious +Roman gentleman of some inherited wealth took to the legal +profession as the regular means of becoming a public figure; of +how his fortune might be increased by fees, by legacies from +friends, clients, and even complete strangers who thus sought to +confer distinction on themselves; of how the governor of o +province could become rich in. a year; of how the sons of Roman +men of wealth gave trouble to their tutors, were sent to Athens, as +to a university in our day, and found an allowance of over $4,000 a +year insufficient for their extravagances. Again, we see the greatest +orator of Rome divorce his wife after thirty years, apparently +because she had been indiscreet or unscrupulous in money matters, +and marry at the age of sixty-three his own ward, a young girl +whose fortune he admitted was the main attraction. The coldness +of temper suggested by these transactions is contradicted in turn by +Cicero's romantic affection for his daughter Tullia, whom he is +never tired of praising for her cleverness and charm, and whose +death almost broke his heart. + +Most of Cicero's letters were written in ink on paper or parchment +with a reed pen; a few on tablets of wood or ivory covered with +wax, the marks being cut with a stylus. The earlier letters he wrote +with his own hand, the later were, except in rare cases, dictated to +a secretary. There was, of course, no postal service, so the epistles +were carried by private messengers or by the couriers who were +constantly traveling between the provincial officials and the +capital. + +Apart from the letters to Atticus, the collection, arrangement, and +publication of Cicero's correspondence seems to have been due to +Tiro, the learned freedman who served him as secretary, and to +whom some of the letters are addressed. Titus Pormponius Atticus, +who edited the large collection of the letters written to himself, +was a cultivated Roman who lived more than twenty years in +Athens for purposes of study. His zeal for cultivation was +combined with the successful pursuit of wealth; and though Cicero +relied on him for aid and advice in public as well as private +matters, their friendship did not prevent Atticus from being on +good terms with men of the opposite party. + +Generous, amiable, and cultured, Atticus was not remarkable for +the intensity of his devotion either to principles or persons. "That +he was the lifelong friend of Cicero," says Professor Tyrrell, "is the +best title which Atticus has to remembrance. As a man he was +kindly, careful, and shrewd, but nothing more: there was never +anything grand or noble in his character. He was the quintessence +of prudent mediocrity." + +The period covered by the letters of Cicero is one of the most +interesting and momentous in the history of the world, and these +letters afford a picture of the chief personages and most important +events of that age from the pen of a man who was not only himself +in the midst of the conflict, but who was a consummate literary +artist. + +LETTERS + +MARCUS TULLIUS CICERO + +I + +To ATTICUS (AT ATHENS) + +ROME, JULY + +THE state of things in regard to my candidature, in which I know +that you are supremely interested, is this, as far as can be as yet +conjectured. The only person actually canvassing is P. Sulpicius +Galba. He meets with a good old-fashioned refusal without reserve +or disguise. In the general opinion this premature canvass of his is +not unfavourable to my interests; for the voters generally give as a +reason for their refusal that they are under obligations to me. So I +hope my prospects are to a certain degree improved by the report +getting about that my friends are found to be numerous. My +intention was to begin my own canvass just at the very time that +Cincius tells me that your servant starts with this letter, namely, in +the campus at the time of the tribunician elections on the 17th of +July. My fellow candidates, to mention only those who seem +certain, are Galba and Antonius and Q. Cornificius. At this I +imagine you smiling or sighing. Well, to make you positively smite +your forehead, there are people who actually think that Caesonius +will stand. I don't think Aquilius will, for he openly disclaims it +and has alleged as an excuse his health and his leading position at +the bar. Catiline will certainly be a candidate, if you can imagine a +jury finding that the sun does not shine at noon. As for Aufidius +and Palicanus, I don't think you will expect to hear from me about +them. Of the candidates for this year's election Caesar is +considered certain. Thermus is looked upon as the rival of Silanus. +These latter are so weak both in friends and reputation that it +seems pas impossible to bring in Curius over their heads. But no +one else thinks so. What seems most to my interests is that +Thermus should get in with Caesar. For there is none of those at +present canvassing who, if left over to my year, seems likely to be +a stronger candidate, from the fact that he is commissioner of the +via Flaininia, and when that has been finished, I shall be greatly +relieved to have seen him elected consul this election. Such in +outline is the position of affairs in regard to candidates up to date. +For myself I shall take the greatest pains to carry out all the duties +of a candidate, and perhaps, as Gaul seems to have a considerable +voting power, as soon as business at Rome has come to a standstill +I shall obtain a libera legatio and make an excursion in the course +of September to visit Piso, but so as not to be back later than +January. When I have ascertained the feelings of the nobility I will +write you word. Everything else I hope will go smoothly, at any +rate while my competitors are such as are now in town. You must +undertake to secure for me the entourage of our friend Pompey, +since you are nearer than I. Tell him I shall not be annoyed if he +doesn't come to my election. So much for that business. But there +is a matter for which I am very anxious that you should forgive me. +Your uncle Caecilius having been defrauded of a large sum of +money by P. Varius, began an action against his cousin A. +Caninius Satyrus for the property which (as he alleged) the latter +had received from Varius by a collusive sale. He was joined in this +action by the other creditors, among whom were Lucullus and P. +Scipio, and the man whom they thought would be official receiver +if the property was put up for sale, Lucius Pontius; though it is +ridiculous to be talking about a receiver at this stage in the +proceedings. Caecilius asked me to appear for him against Satyrus. +Now, scarcely a day passes that Satyrus does not call at my house. +The chief object of his attentions is L. Domitius, but I am next in +his regard. He has been of great service both to myself and to my +brother Quintus in our elections. I was very much embarrassed by +my intimacy with Satyrus as well as that with Domitius, on whom +the success of my election depends more than on anyone else. I +pointed out these facts to Caecilius; at the same time I assured him +that if the case had been one exclusively between himself and +Satyrus, I would have done what he wished. As the matter actually +stood, all the creditors being concerned--and that two men of the +highest rank, who, without the aid of anyone specially retained by +Caecilius, would have no difficulty in maintaining their common +cause--it was only fair that he should have consideration both for +my private friendship and my present situation. He seemed to take +this somewhat less courteously than I could have wished, or than is +usual among gentlemen; and from that time forth he has entirely +withdrawn from the intimacy with me which was only of a few +days standing. Pray forgive me, and believe that I was prevented +by nothing but natural kindness from assailing the reputation of a +friend in so vital a point at a time of such very great distress, +considering that he had shewn me every sort of kindness and +attention, But if you incline to the harsher view of my conduct, +take it that the interests of my canvass prevented me. Yet, even +granting that to be so, I think you should pardon me, "since not for +sacred beast or oxhide shield." You see in fact the position I am in, +and how necessary I regard it, not only to retain but even to +acquire all possible sources of popularity. I hope I have justified +myself in your eyes, I am at any rate anxious to have done so. The +Hermathena you sent I am delighted with: it has been placed with +such charming effect that the whole gymnasium seems arranged +specially for it. I am exceedingly obliged to you. + +II + +To ATTICUS (AT ATHENS) + +ROME, JULY + +I HAVE to inform you that on the day of the election of L. lulius +Caesar and C. Marcius Figulus to the consulship, I had an addition +to my family in the shape of a baby boy. Terentia doing well. + +Why such a time without a letter from you? I have already written +to you fully about my circumstances. At this present time I am +considering whether to undertake the defence of my fellow +candidate, Catiline. We have a jury to our minds with full consent +of the prosecutor. I hope that if he is acquitted he will be more +closely united with me in the conduct of our canvass; but if the +result he otherwise I shall bear it with resignation. Your early +return is of great importance to me, for there is a very strong idea +prevailing that some intimate friends of yours, persons of high +rank, will be opposed to my election. To win me their favour I see +that I shall want you very much. Wherefore be sure to be in Rome +in January, as you have agreed to be. + +III + +To CN. POMPESUS MAGNUS + +ROME + +M. Tullius Cicero, son of Marcus, greets Ca. Pompeius, son of +Cneius, Imperator. + +IF you and the army are well I shall be glad. From your official +despatch I have, in common with everyone else, received the +liveliest satisfaction; for you have given us that strong hope of +peace, of which, in sole reliance on you, I was assuring everyone. +But I must inform you that your old enemies--now posing as your +friends--have received a stunning blow by this despatch, and, being +disappointed in the high hopes they were entertaining, are +thoroughly depressed. Though your private letter to me contained a +somewhat slight expression of your affection, yet I can assure you +it gave me pleasure: for there is nothing in which I habitually find +greater satisfaction than in the consciousness of serving my friend; +and if on any occasion I do not meet with an adequate return, I am +not at all sorry to have the balance of kindness in my favour. Of +this I feel no doubt--even if my extraordinary zeal in your behalf +has failed to unite you to me--that the interests of the state will +certainly effect a mutual attachment and coalition between us. To +let you know, however, what I missed in your letter I will write +with the candour which my own disposition and our common +friendship demand. I did expect some congratulation in your letter +on my achievements, for the sake at once of the ties between us +and of the Republic. This I presume to have been omitted by you +from a fear of hurting anyone's feelings. But let me tell you that +what I did for the salvation of the country is approved by the +judgment and testimony of the whole world. You are a much +greater man that Africanus, but I am not much inferior to Laelius +either; and when you come home you will recognize that I have +acted with such prudence and spirit, that you will not now be +ashamed of being coupled with me in politics as well as in private +friendship. + +IV (A I, 17) + +To ATTICUS (IN ERIAUS) + +ROME, 5 DECEMBER + +Your letter, in which you inclose copies of his letters, has made me +realize that my brother Quintus's feelings have undergone many +alternations, and that his opinions and judgments have varied +widely from time to time. This has not only caused me all the pain +which my extreme affection for both of you was bound to bring, +but it has also made me wonder what can have happened to cause +my brother Quintus such deep offence, or such an extraordinary +change of feeling. And yet I was already aware, as I saw that you +also, when you took leave of me, were beginning to suspect, that +there was some lurking dissatisfaction, that his feelings were +wounded, and that certain unfriendly suspicions had sunk deep +into his heart. On trying on several previous occasions, but more +eagerly than ever after the allotment of his province, to assuage +these feelings, I failed to discover on the one hand that the extent +of his offence was so great as your letter indicates; but on the other +I did not make as much progress in allaying it as I wished. +However, I consoled myself with thinking that there would be no +doubt of his seeing you at Dyrrachium, or somewhere in your part +of the country: and, if that happened, I felt sure and fully +persuaded that everything would be made smooth between you, +not only by conversation and mutual explanation, but by the very +sight of each other in such an interview. For I need not say in +writing to you, who knows it quite well, how kind and +sweet-tempered my brother is, as ready to forgive as he is sensitive +in taking offence. But it most unfortunately happened that you did +not see him anywhere. For the impression he had received from the +artifices of others had more weight with him than duty or +relationship, or the old affection so long existing between you, +which ought to have been the strongest influence of all. And yet, as +to where the blame for this misunderstanding resides, I can more +easily conceive than write: since I am afraid that, while defending +my own relations, I should not spare yours. For I perceive that, +though no actual wound was inflicted by members of the family, +they yet could at least have cured it. But the root of the mischief in +this case, which perhaps extends farther than appears, I shall more +conveniently explain to you when we meet. As to the letter he sent +to you from Thessalonica, and about the language which you +suppose him to have used both at Rome among your friends and on +his journey, I don't know how far the matter went, but my whole +hope of removing this unpleasantness rests on your kindness. For if +you will only make up your mind to believe that the best men are +often those whose feelings are most easily irritated and appeased, +and that this quickness, so to speak, and sensitiveness of +disposition are generally signs of a good heart; and lastly--and this +is the main thing--that we must mutually put up with each other's +gaucheries (shall I call them?), or faults, or injurious acts, then +these misunderstandings will, I hope, be easily smoothed away. I +beg you to take this view, for it is the dearest wish of my heart +(which is yours as no one else's can be) that there should not be +one of my family or friends who does not love you and is not loved +by you. + +That part of your letter was entirely superfluous, in which you +mention what opportunities of doing good business in the +provinces or the city you let pass at other times as well as in the +year of my consulship: for I am thoroughly persuaded of your +unselfishness and magnanimity, nor did I ever think that there was +any difference between you and me except in our choice of a +career. Ambition led me to seek official advancement, while +another and perfectly laudable resolution led you to seek an +honourable privacy. In the true glory, which is founded on honesty, +industry, and piety, I place neither myself nor anyone else above +you. In affection towards myself, next to my brother and +immediate family, I put you first. For indeed, indeed I have seen +and thoroughly appreciated how your anxiety and joy have +corresponded with the variations of my fortunes. Often has your +congratulation added a charm to praise, and your consolation a +welcome antidote to alarm. Nay, at this moment of your absence, it +is not only your advice--in which you excel--but the interchange of +speech--in which no one gives me so much delight as you do--that +I miss most, shall I say in politics, in which circumspection is +always incumbent on me, or in my forensic labour, which I +formerly sustained with a view to official promotion, and +nowadays to maintain my position by securing popularity, or in the +mere business of my family? In all these I missed you and our +conversations before my brother left Rome, and still more do I +miss them since. Finally, neither my work nor rest, neither my +business nor leisure, neither my affairs in the forum or at home, +public or private, can any longer do without your most consolatory +and affectionate counsel and conversation. The modest reserve +which characterizes both of us has often prevented my mentioning +these facts; but on this occasion it was rendered necessary by that +part of your letter in which you expressed a wish to have yourself +and your character "put straight" and "cleared" in my eyes. Yet, in +the midst of all this unfortunate alienation and anger on his part, +there is yet one fortunate circumstance--that your determination of +not going to a province was known to me and your other friends, +and had been at various times asserted by yourself; so that your not +being with him may be attributed to your personal tastes and +judgment, not to the quarrel and rupture between you. So those ties +which have been broken will be restored, and ours which have +been so religiously preserved will retain all their old inviolability. +At Rome I find politics in a shaky condition; everything is +unsatisfactory and foreboding change. For I have no doubt you +have been told that our friends, the equites, are all but alienated +from the senate. Their first grievance was the promulgation of a +bill on the authority of the senate for the trial of such as had taken +bribes for giving a verdict. I happened not to be in the house when +that decree was passed, but when I found that the equestrian order +was indignant at it, and yet refrained from openly saying so, I +remonstrated with the senate, as I thought, in very impressive +language, and was very weighty and eloquent considering the +unsatisfactory nature of my cause. But here is another piece of +almost intolerable coolness on the part of the equites, which I have +not only submitted to, but have even put in as good a light as +possible! The Companies which had contracted with the censors +for Asia complained that in the heat of the competition they had +taken the contract at an excessive price; they demanded that the +contract should be annulled. I led in their support, or rather, I was +second, for it was Crassus who induced them to venture on this +demand. The case is scandalous, the demand a disgraceful one, +and a confession of rash speculation. Yet there was a very great +risk that, if they got no concession, they would be completely +alienated from the senate. Here again I came to the i escue more +than anyone else, and secured them a full and very friendly house, +in which I, on the 1st and 2nd of December, delivered long +speeches on the dignity and harmony of the two orders. The +business is not yet settled, hut the favourable feeling of the senate +has been made manifest: for no one had spoken against it except +the consul-designate, Metellus; while our hero Cato had still to +speak, the shortness of the day having prevented his turn being +reached. Thus I, in the maintenance of my steady policy, preserve +to the best of my ability that harmony of the orders which was +originally my joiner's work; but since it all now seems in such a +crazy condition, I am constructing what I may call a road towards +the maintenance of our power, a safe one I hope, which I cannot +fully describe to you in a letter, but of which I will nevertheless +give you a hint. I cultivate close intimacy with Pompey. I foresee +what you will say. I will use all necessary precautions, and I will +write another time at greater length about my schemes for +managing the Republic. You must know that Lucceius has it in his +mind to stand for the consulship at once; for there are said to be +only two candidates in prospect. Caesar is thinking of coming to +terms with him by the agency of Arrius, and Bibulus also thinks he +may effect a coalition with him by means of C. Piso. You smile? +This is no laughing matter, believe me. What else shall I write to +you? What? I have plenty to say, but must put it off to another +time. If you mean to wait till you hear, let me know. For the +moment I am satisfied with a modest request, though it is what I +desire above everything-- that you should come to Rome as soon as +possible. + +5 December. + +V + +To TERENTIA, TULLIOLA, AND YOUNG CICERO (AT +ROME) + +BRUNDISIUM, 29 APRIL + +YES, I do write to you less often than I might, because, though I +am always wretched, yet when I write to you or read a letter from +you, I am in such floods of tears that I cannot endure it. Oh, that I +had clung less to life! I should at least never have known real +sorrow, or not much of it, in my life. Yet if fortune has reserved +for me any hope of recovering at any time any position again, I +was not utterly wrong to do so: if these miseries are to be +permanent, I only wish, my dear, to see you as soon as possible +and to die in your arms, since neither gods, whom you have +worshipped with such pure devotion, nor men, whom I have ever +served, have made us any return. I have been thirteen days at +Brundisium in the house of M. Laenius Flaccus, a very excellent +man, who has despised the risk to his fortunes and civil existence +in comparison to keeping me safe, nor has been induced by the +penalty of a most iniquitous law to refuse me the rights and good +offices of hospitality and friendship. May I sometime have the +opportunity of repaying him! Feel gratitude I always shall. I set out +from Brundisium on the 29th of April, and intend going through +Macedonia to Cyzicus. What a fall! What a disaster! What can I +say? Should I ask you to come--a woman of weak health and +broken spirit? Should I refrain from asking you? Am I to be +without you, then? I think the best course is this: if there is any +hope of my restoration, stay to promote it and push the thing on: +but if, as I fear, it proves hopeless, pray come to me by any means +in your power. Be sure of this, that if I have you I shall not think +myself wholly lost. But what is to become of my darling Tullia? +You must see to that now: I can think of nothing. But certainly, +however things turn out, we must do everything to promote that +poor little girl's married happiness and reputation. Again, what is +my boy Cicero to do? Let him, at any rate, be ever in my bosom +and in my arms. I can't write more. A fit of weeping hinders me. I +don't know how you have got on; whether you are left in +possession of anything, or have been, as I fear, entirely plundered. +Piso, as you say, I hope will always be our friend. As to the +manumission of the slaves you need not be uneasy. To begin with, +the promise made to yours was that you would treat them +according as each severally deserved. So far Orpheus has behaved +well, besides him no one very markedly so. With the rest of the +slaves the arrangement is that, if my property is forfeited, they +should become my freedmen, supposing them to be able to +maintain at law that status. But if my property remained in my +ownership, they were to continue slaves, with the exception of a +very few. But these are trifles. To return to your advice, that I +should keep up my courage and not give up hope of recovering my +position, I only wish that there were any good grounds for +entertaining such a hope. As it is, when, alas! shall I get a letter +from you? Who will bring it me? I would have waited for it at +Brundisium, but the sailors would not allow it, being unwilling to +lose a favourable wind. For the rest, put as dignified a face on the +matter as you can, my dear Terentia. Our life is over: we have had +our day: it is not any fault of ours that has ruined us, but our virtue. +I have made no false step, except in not losing my life when I lost +my honours. But since our children preferred my living, let us bear +everything else, however intolerable. And yet I, who encourage +you, cannot encourage myself. I have sent that faithful fellow +Clodius Philhetaerus home, because he was hampered with +weakness of the eyes. Sallustius seems likely to outdo everybody +in his attentions. Pescennius is exceedingly kind to me; and I have +hopes that he will always be attentive to you. Sicca had said that +he would accompany me; but he has left Brundisium. Take the +greatest care of your health, and believe me that I am more +affected by your distress than my own. My dear Terentia, most +faithful and best of wives, and my darling little daughter, and that +last hope of my race, Cicero, good-bye! + +29 April, from Brundisium. + +VI + +To His BROTHER QUINTUS (ON HIS WAY TO ROME) + +THESSALONICA, 15 JUNE + +BROTHER! Brother! Brother! did you really fear that I had been +induced by some angry feeling to send slaves to you without a +letter? Or even that I did not wish to see you? I to be angry with +you! Is it possible for me to be angry with you? Why, one would +think that it was you that brought me low! Your enemies, your +unpopularity, that miserably ruined me, and not I that unhappily +ruined you! The fact is, the much-praised consulate of mine has +deprived me of you, of children, country, fortune; from you I +should hope it will have taken nothing but myself. Certainly on +your side I have experienced nothing but what was honourable and +gratifying: on mine you have grief for my fall and fear for your +own, regret, mourning, desertion. I not wish to see you? The truth +is rather that I was unwilling to be seen by you. For you would not +have seen your brother--not the brother you had left, not the +brother you knew, not him to whom you had with mutual tears +bidden farewell as be followed you on your departure for your +province: not a trace even or faint image of him, but rather what I +may call the likeness of a living corpse. And oh that you had +sooner seen me or heard of me as a corpse! Oh that I could have +left you to survive, not my life merely, but my undiminished rank! +But I call all the gods to witness that the one argument which +recalled me from death was, that all declared that to some extent +your life depended upon mine. In which matter I made an error and +acted culpably. For if I had died, that death itself would have given +clear evidence of my fidelity and love to you. As it is, I have +allowed you to be deprived of my aid, though I am alive, and with +me still living to need the help of others; and my voice, of all +others, to fail when dangers threatened my family, which had so +often been successfully used in the defence of the merest strangers. +For as to the slaves coming to you without a letter, the real reason +(for you see that it was not anger) was a deadness of my faculties, +and a seemingly endless deluge of tears and sorrows. How many +tears do you suppose these very words have cost me? As many as I +know they will cost you to read them! Can I ever refrain from +thinking of you or ever think of you without tears? For when I miss +you, is it only a brother that I miss? Rather it is a brother of almost +my own age in the charm of his companionship, a son in his +consideration for my wishes, a father in the wisdom of his advice! +What pleasure did I ever have without you, or you without me? +And what must my case be when at the same time I miss a +daughter: How affectionate! how modest! how clever! The express +image of my face, of my speech, of my very soul! Or again a son, +the prettiest boy, the very joy of my heart? Cruel inhuman monster +that I am, I dismissed him from my arms better schooled in the +world than I could have wished: for the poor child began to +understand what was going on. So, too, your own son, your own +image, whom my little Cicero loved as a brother, and was now +beginning to respect as an elder brother! Need I mention also how +I refused to allow my unhappy wife--the truest of helpmates--to +accompany me, that there might be some one to protect the wrecks +of the calamity which had fallen on us both, and guard our +common children? Nevertheless, to the best of my ability, I did +write a letter to you, and gave it to your freedman Philogonus, +which, I believe, was delivered to you later on; and in this I repeat +the advice and entreaty, which had been already transmitted to you +as a message from me by my slaves, that you should go on with +your journey and hasten to Rome. For, in the first place, I desired +your protection, in case there were any of my enemies whose +cruelty was not yet satisfied by my fall. In the next place, I dreaded +the renewed lamentation which our meeting would cause: while I +could not have borne your departure, and was afraid of the very +thing you mention in your letter--that you would be unable to tear +yourself away. For these reasons the supreme pain of not seeing +you--and nothing more painful or more wretched could, I think, +have happened to the most affectionate and united of +brothers--was a less misery than would have been such a meeting +followed by such a parting. Now, if you can, though I, whom you +always regarded as a brave man, cannot do so, rouse yourself and +collect your energies in view of any contest you may have to +confront. I hope, if my hope has anything to go upon, that your +own spotless character and the love of your fellow citizens, and +even remorse for my treatment, may prove a certain protection to +you. But if it turns out that you are free from personal danger, you +will doubtless do whatever you think can be done for me. In that +matter, indeed, many write to me at great length and declare they +have hopes; but I personally cannot see what hope there is, since +my enemies have the greatest influence, while my friends have in +some cases deserted, in others even betrayed me, fearing perhaps +in my restoration a censure on their own treacherous conduct. But +how matters stand with you I would have you ascertain and report +to me. In any case I shall continue to live as long as you shall need +me, in view of any danger you may have to undergo: longer than +that I cannot go in this kind of life. For there is neither wisdom nor +philosophy with sufficient strength to sustain such a weight of +grief. I know that there has been a time for dying, more honourable +and more advantageous; and this is not the only one of my many +omissions; which, if I should choose to bewail, I should merely be +increasing your sorrow and emphasizing my own stupidity. But +one thing I am not bound to do, and it is in fact impossible--remain +in a life so wretched and so dishonoured any longer than your +necessities, or some well-grounded hope, shall demand. For I, who +was lately supremely blessed in brother, children, wife, wealth, +and in the very nature of that wealth, while in position, influence, +reputation, and popularity, I was inferior to none, however, +distinguished--I cannot, I repeat. go on longer lamenting over +myself and those dear to me in a life of such humiliation as this, +and in a state of such utter ruin. Wherefore, what do you mean by +writing to me about negotiating a bill of exchange? As though I +were not now wholly dependent on your means! And that is just +the very thing in which 1 see and feel, to my misery, of what a +culpable act I have been guilty in squandering to no purpose the +money which I received from the treasury in your name, while you +have to satisfy your creditors out of the very vitals of yourself and +your son. However, the sum mentioned in your letter has been paid +to M. Antonius, and the same amount to Caepio. For me the sum at +present in my hands is sufficient for what I contemplate doing. For +in either case--whether I am restored or given up in despair--I shall +not want any more money. For yourself, if you are molested, I +think you should apply to Crassus and Calidius. I don't know how +far Hortensius is to be trusted. Myself, with the most elaborate +presence of affection and the closest daily intimacy, he treated +with the most utter want of principle and thc most consummate +treachery, and Q. Arrius helped him in it: acting under whose +advice, promises, and injunctions, I was left helpless to fall into +this disaster. But this you will keep dark for fear they might injure +you. Take care also--and it is on this account that I think you +should cultivate Hortensius himself by means of Pomponius--that +the epigram on the irs Aurelia attributed to you when candidate for +the aedileship is not proved by false testimony to be yours. For +there is nothing that I am so afraid of as that, when people +understand how much pity for me your prayers and your acquittal +will rouse, they may attack you with all the greater violence. +Messahla I reckon as really attached to you: Pompey I regard as +still pretending only. But may you never have to put these things to +the test! And that prayer I would have offered to the gods had they +not ceased to listen to prayers of mine. However, I do pray that +they may be content with these endless miseries of ours; among +which, after all, there is no discredit for any wrong thing +done--sorrow is the beginning and end, sorrow that punishment is +most severe when our conduct has been most unexceptionable. As +to my daughter and yours and my young Cicero, why should I +recommend them to you, my dear brother? Rather I grieve that +their orphan state will cause you no less sorrow than it does me. +Yet as long as you are uncondemned they will not be fatherless. +The rest, by my hopes of restoration and the privilege of dying in +my fatherland, my tears will not allow me to write! Terentia also I +would ask you to protect, and to write me word on every subject. +Be as brave as the nature of the case admits. + +Thessalonica, 13 June. + +VII + +To ATTICUS (IN EPIRUS) + +ROME (SEPTEMBER) + +DIRECTLY I arrived at Rome, and there was anyone to whom I +could safely intrust a letter for you, I thought the very first thing I +ought to do was to congratulate you in your absence on my return. +For I knew, to speak candidly, that though in giving me advice you +had not been more courageous or far-seeing than myself, nor-- +considering my devotion to you in the past--too careful in +protecting me from disaster, yet that you--though sharing in the +first instance in my mistake, or rather madness, and in my +groundless terror--had nevertheless been deeply grieved at our +separation, and had bestowed immense pains, zeal, care, and +labour in securing my return. Accordingly, I can truly assure you of +this, that in the midst of supreme joy and the most gratifying +congratulations, the one thing wanting to fill my cup of happiness +to the brim is the sight of you, or rather your embrace; and if I ever +forfeit that again, when I have once got possession of it, and if, +too, I do not exact the full delights of your charming society that +have fallen into arrear in the past, I shall certainly consider myself +unworthy of this renewal of my good fortune. + +In regard to my political position, I have resumed what I thought +there would be the utmost difficulty in recovering--my brilliant +standing at the bar, my influence in the senate, and a popularity +with the loyalists even greater than I desired. In regard, however, +to my private property--as to which you are well aware to what an +extent it has been crippled, scattered, and plundered--I am in great +difficulties, and stand in need, not so much of your means (which I +look upon as my own), as of your advice for collecting and +restoring to a sound state the fragments that remain. For the +present, though I believe everything finds its way to you in the +letters of your friends, or even by messengers and rumour, yet I +will write briefly what I think you would like to learn from niy +letters above all others. On the 4th of August I started froui +Dyrrarhium, the very day on which the law about me was carried. I +arrived at Brundisium on the 5th of August. There my dear +Tulhiola met me on what was her own birthday, which happened +also to be the name-day of the colony of Brundisium and of the +temple of Safety, near your house. This coincidence was noticed +and celebrated with warm congratulations by the citizens of +Brundisium. On the 8th of August, while still at Brundisium, I +learnt by a letter from Quintus that the law had been passed at the +comitia centuriata with a surprising enthusiasm on the part of all +ages and ranks, and with an incredible influx of voters from Italy. I +then commenced my journey, amidst the compliments of the men +of highest consideration at Brundisium, and was met at every point +by legates bearing congratulations. My arrival in the +neighbourhood of the city was the signal for every soul of every +order known to my nomenclator coming out to meet me, except +those enemies who could not either dissemble or deny the fact of +their being such. On my arrival at the Porta Capena, the steps of +the temples were already thronged from top to bottom by the +populace; and while their congratulations were displayed by the +loudest possible applause, a similar throng and similar applause +accompanied me right up to the Capitol, and in the forum and on +the Capitol itself there was again a wonderful crowd. Next day, in +the senate, that is, the 5th of September, I spoke my thanks to the +senators. Two days after that--there having been a very heavy rise +in the price of corn, and great crowds having flocked first to the +theatre and then to the senate-house, shouting out, at the +instigation of Clodius, that the scarcity of corn was my +doing--meetings of the senate being held on those days to discuss +the corn question, and Pompey being called upon to undertake the +management of its supply in the common talk not only of the +plebs, but of the aristocrats also, and being himself desirous of the +commission, when the people at large called upon me by name to +support a decree to that effect, I did so, and gave my vote in a +carefully-worded speech. The other consulars, except Messalla and +Afranius, having absented themselves on the ground that they +could not vote with safety to themselves, a decree of the senate +was passed in the sense of my motion, namely, that Pompey should +be appealed to to undertake the business, and that a law should be +proposed to that effect. This decree of the senate having been +publicly read, and the people having, after the senseless and +new-fangled custom that now prevails, applauded the mention of +my name, I delivered a speech. All the magistrates present, except +one praetor and two tribunes, called on me to speak. Next day a +full senate, including all the consulars, granted everything that +Pompey asked for. Having demanded fifteen legates, he named me +first in the list, and said that he should regard me in all things as a +second self. The consuls drew up a law by which complete control +over the corn-supply for five years throughout the whole world +was given to Pompey. A second law is drawn up by Messius, +granting him power over all money, and adding a fleet and army, +and an imperium in the provinces superior to that of their +governors. After that our consular law seems moderate indeed: that +of Messius is quite intolerable. Pompey professes to prefer the +former; his friends the latter. The consulars led by Favonius +murmur: I hold my tongue, the more so that the pontifices have as +yet given no answer in regard to my house. If they annul the +consecration I shall have a splendid site. The consuls, in +accordance with a decree of the senate, will value the cost of the +building that stood upon it; but if the pontifices decide otherwise, +they will pull down the Clodian building, give out a contract in +their own name (for a temple), and value to me the cost of a site +and house. So our affairs are + +"For happy though but ill, for ill not worst." + +In regard to money matters I am, as you know, much embarrassed. +Besides, there are certain domestic troubles, which I do not intrust +to writing. My brother Quintus I love as he deserves for his +eminent qualities of loyalty, virtue, and good faith. I am longing to +see you, and beg you to hasten your return, resolved not to allow +me to be without the benefit of your advice. I am on the threshold, +as it were, of a second life. Already certain persons who defended +me in my absence begin to nurse a secret grudge at me now that I +am here, and to make no secret of their jealousy. I want you very +much. + +VIII + +To HIS BROTHER QUINTUS (IN SARDINIA) + +ROME, 12 FEBRUARY + +I HAVE already told you the earlier proceedings; now let me +describe what was done afterwards. The legations were postponed +from the 1st of February to the 13th. On the former day our +business was not brought to a settlement. On the 2nd of February +Milo appeared for trial. Pompey came to support him. Marcellus +spoke on being called upon by me. We came off with flying +colours. The case was adjourned to the 7th. Meanwhile (in the +senate), the legations having been postponed to the 13th, the +business of allotting the quaestors and furnishing the outfit of the +praetors was brought before the house. But nothing was done, +because many speeches were interposed denouncing the state of +the Republic. Gaius Cato published his bill for the recall of +Lentulus, whose son thereon put on mourning. On the 7th Milo +appeared. Pompey spoke, or rather wished to speak. For as soon as +he got up Clodius's ruffians raised a shout, and throughout his +whole speech he was interrupted, not only by hostile cries, but by +personal abuse and insulting remarks. However, when lie had +finished his speech--for he shewed great courage in these +circumstances, he was not cowed, he said all he had to say, and at +times had by his commanding presence even secured silence for +his words--well, when he had finished, up got Clodius. Our party +received him with such a shout--for they had determined to pay +him out--that he lost all presence of mind, power of speech, or +control over his countenance. This went on up to two o +clock--Pompey having finished his speech at noon--and every kind +of abuse, and finally epigrams of the most outspoken indecency +were uttered against Clodius and Clodia. Mad and livid with rage +Clodius, in the very midst of the shouting, kept putting questions +to his claque: "Who was it who was starving the commons to +death?" His ruffians answered, "Pompey." "Who wanted to be sent +to Alexandria ?" They answered, "Pompey." "Who did they wish to +go ?" They answered, "Crassus." The latter was present at the time +with no friendly feelings to Milo. About three o clock, as though at +a given signal, the Clodians began spitting at our men. There was +an outburst of rage. They began a movement for forcing us from +our ground. Our men charged: his ruffians turned tail. Clodius was +pushed off the rostra: and then we too made our escape for fear of +mischief in the riot. The senate was summoned into the Curia: +Pompey went home. However, I did not myself enter the +senate-house, lest I should be obliged either to refrain from +speaking on matters of such gravity, or in defending Pompey (for +he was being attacked by Bibulus, Curio, Favonius, and Servilius +the younger) should give offence to the loyalists. The business was +adjourned to the next day. Clodius fixed the Quirinalia (17th of +February) for his prosecution. On the 8th the senate met in the +temple of Apollo, that Pompey might attend. Pompey made an +impressive speech. That day nothing was concluded. On the 9th in +the temple of Apollo a degree passed the senate "that what had +taken place on the 7th of February was treasonable." On this day +Cato warmly inveighed against Pompey, and throughout his speech +arraigned him as though he were at the bar. He said a great deal +about me, to my disgust, though it was in very laudatory terms. +When he attacked Pompey's perfidy to me, he was listened to in +profound silence on the part of my enemies. Pompey answered +him boldly with a palpable allusion to Crassus, and said outright +that "he would take better precautions to protect his life than +Africanus had done, whom C. Carbo had assassinated." +Accordingly, important events appear to me to be in the wind. For +Pompey understands what is going on, and imparts to me that plots +are being formed against his life, that Gaius Cato is being +supported by Crassus, that money is being supplied to Clodius, that +both are backed by Crassus and Curio, as well as by Bibulus and +his other detractors: that he must take extraordinary precautions to +prevent being overpowered by that demagogue--with a people all +but wholly alienated, a nobility hostile, a senate ill-affected, and +the younger men corrupt. So he is making his preparations and +summoning men from the country. On his part, Clodius is rallying +his gangs: a body of men is being got together for the Quirinalia. +For that occasion we are considerably in a majority, owing to the +forces brought up by Pompey himself: and a large contingent is +expected from Picenum and Gallia, to enable us to throw out +Cato's bills also about Milo and Lentulus. + +On the 10th of February an indictment was lodged against Sestius +for bribery by the informer Cn. Nerius, of the Pupinian tribe, arid +on the same day by a certain M. Tullius for riot. He was ill. I went +at once, as I was bound to do. to his house, and put myself wholly +at his service: and that was more than people expected, who +thought that I had good cause for being angry with him. The result +is that my extreme kindness and grateful disposition are made +manifest both to Sestius himself and to all the world, and I shall be +as good as my word. But this same informer Nerius also named +Cn. Lentulus Vatia and C. Cornelius to the commissioners. On the +same day a decree passed the senate "that political clubs and +associations should be broken up, and that a law in regard to them +should be brought in, enacting that those who did not break off +from them should be liable to the same penalty as those convicted +of riot." + +On the 10th of February I spoke in defence of Bestia on a charge of +bribery before the praetor Cn. Domitius, in the middle of the +forum and in a very crowded court; and in the course of my speech +I came to the incident of Sestius, after receiving many wounds in +the temple of Castor, having been preserved by the aid of Bestia. +Here I took occasion to pave the way beforehand for a refutation of +the charges which are being got up against Sestius, and I passed a +well-deserved encomium upon him with the cordial approval of +everybody. He was himself very much delighted with it. I tell you +this because you have often advised me in your letters to retain the +friendship of Sestius. I am writing this on the 12th of February +before daybreak; the day on which I am to dine with Pomponius on +the occasion of his wedding. + +Our position in other respects is such as you used to cheer my +despondency by telling me it would be--one of great dignity and +popularity: this is a return to old times for you and me effected, my +brother, by your patience, high character, loyalty, and, I may also +add, your conciliatory manners. The house of Licinius, near the +grove of Piso, has been taken for you. But, as I hope, in a few +months time, after the 1st of July, you will move into your own. +Some excellent tenants, the Lamiae, have taken your house in +Carinie. I have received no letter from you since the one dated +Olbia. I am anxious to hear how you are and what you find to +amuse you, but above all to see you yourself as soon as possible. +Take care of your health, my dear brother, and though it is winter +time, yet reflect that after all it is Sardinia that you are in. + +13 February. + +IX + +To ATTICUS (RETURNING FROM EPIRUS) + +ANTIUM (APRIL) + +IT will be delightful if you come to see us here. You will find that +Tyrannio has made a wonderfully good arrangement of my books, +the remains of which are better than I had expected. Still, I wish +you would send me a couple of your library slaves for Tyrannio to +employ as gluers, and in other subordinate work, and tell them to +get some fine parchment to make title-pieces, which you Greeks, I +think, call "sillybi." But all this is only if not inconvenient to you. +In any case, be sure you come yourself, if you can halt for a while +in such a place, and can persuade Pilia to accompany you. For that +is only fair, and Tulia is anxious that she should come. My word! +You have purchased a fine troop! Your gladiators, I am told, fight +superbly. If you had chosen to let them out you would have cleared +your expenses by the last two spectacles. But we will talk about +this later on. Be sure to come, and, as you love me, see about the +library slaves. + +X + +To L. LUCCEIUS + +ARPINUM (APRIL) + +I HAVE often tried to say to you personally what I am about to +write, but was prevented by a kind of almost clownish bashfulness. +Now that I am not in your presence I shall speak out more boldly: a +letter does not blush. I am inflamed with an inconceivably ardent +desire, and one, as I think, of which I have no reason to be +ashamed, that in a history written by you my name should be +conspicuous and frequently mentioned with praise. And though +you have often shewn me that you meant to do so, yet I hope you +will pardon my impatience. For the style of your composition, +though I had always entertained the highest expectations of it, has +yet surpassed my hopes, and has taken such a hold upon me, or +rather has so fired my imagination, that I was eager to have my +achievements as quickly as possible put on record in your history. +For it is not only the thought of being spoken of by future ages that +makes me snatch at what seems a hope of immortality, but it is +also the desre of fully enjoying in my lifetime an authoritative +expression of your judgment, or a token of your kindness for me, +or the charm of your genius. Not, however, that while thus writing +I am unaware under what heavy burdens you are labouring in the +portion of history you have undertaken, and by this time have +begun to write. But because I saw that your history of the Italian +and Civil Wars was now all but finished, and because also you told +me that you were already embarking upon the remaining portions +of your work, I determined not to lose my chance for the want of +suggesting to you to consider whether you preferred to weave your +account of me into the main context of your history, or whether, as +many Greek writers have done--Callisthenes, the Phocian War; +Timeus, the war of Pyrrhus; Polybius, that of Numantia; all of +whom separated the wars I have named from their main +narratives--you would, like them, separate the civil conspiracy +from public and external wars. For my part, I do not see that it +matters much to my reputation, but it does somewhat concern my +impatience, that you should not wait till you come to the proper +place, but should at once anticipate the discussion of that question +as a whole and the history of that epoch. And at the same time, if +your whole thoughts are engaged on one incident and one person, I +can see in imagination how much fuller your material will be, and +how much more elaborately worked out. I am quite aware, +however, what little modesty I display, first, in imposing on you so +heavy a burden (for your engagements may well prevent your +compliance with my request), and in the second place, in asking +you to shew me off to advantage. What if those transactions are +not in your judgment so very deserving of commendation? Yet, +after all, a man who has once passed the border-line of modesty +had better put a bold face on it and be frankly impudent. And so I +again and again ask you outright, both to praise those actions of +mine in warmer terms than you perhaps feel, and in that respect to +neglect the laws of history. I ask you, too, in regard to the personal +predilection, on which you wrote in a certain introductory chapter +in the most gratifying and explicit terms--and by which you shew +that you were as incapable of being diverted as Xenophon's +Hercules by Pleasure--not to go against it, but to yield to your +affection for me a little more than truth shall justify. But if I can +induce you to undertake this, you will have, I am persuaded, matter +worthy of your genius and your wealth of language. For from the +beginning of the conspiracy to my return from exile it appears to +me that a moderate-sized monograph might be composed, in which +you will, on the one hand, be able to utilize your special +knowledge of civil disturbances, either in unravelling the causes of +the revolution or in proposing remedies for evils, blaming +meanwhile what you think deserves denunciation, and establishing +the righteousness of what you approve by explaining the principles +on which they rest: and on the other hand, if you think it right to be +more outspoken (as you generally do), you will bring out the +perfidy, intrigues, and treachery of many people towards me. For +my vicissitudes will supply you in your composition with much +variety, which has in itself a kind of charm, capable of taking a +strong hold on the imagination of readers, when you are the writer. +For nothing is better fitted to interest a reader than variety of +circumstance and vicissitudes of fortune, which, though the +reverse of welcome to us in actual experience, will make very +pleasant reading: for the untroubled recollection of a past sorrow +has a charm of its own. To the rest of the world, indeed, who have +had no trouble themselves, and who look upon the misfortunes of +others without any suffering of their own, the feeling of pity is +itself a source of pleasure. For what man of us is not delighted, +though feeling a certain compassion too, with the death-scene of +Epaminondas at Mantinea? He, you know, did not allow the dart to +be drawn from his body until he had been told, in answer to his +question, that his shield was safe, so that in spite of the agony of +his wound he died calmly and with glory. Whose interest is not +roused and sustained by the banishment and return of +Themistocles? Truly the mere chronological record of the annals +has very little charm for us--little more than the entries in the fasti: +but the doubtful and varied fortunes of a man, frequently of +eminent character, involve feelings of wonder, suspense, joy, +sorrow, hope, fear: if these fortunes are crowned with a glorious +death, the imagination is satisfied with the most fascinating delight +which reading can give. Therefore it will be more in accordance +with my wishes if you come to the resolution to separate from the +main body of your narrative, in which you embrace a continuance +history of events, what I may call the drama of my actions and +fortunes: for it includes varied acts, and shifting scenes both of +policy and circumstance. Nor am I afraid of appearing to lay snares +for your favour by flattering suggestions, when I declare that I +desire to be complimented and mentioned with praise by you +above all other writers. For you are not the man to be ignorant of +your own powers, or not to be sure that those who withhold their +admiration of you are more to be accounted jealous, than those +who praise you flatterers. Nor, again, am I so senseless as to wish +to be consecrated to an eternity of fame by one who, in so +consecrating me, does not also gain for himself the glory which +rightfully belongs to genius. For the famous Alexander himself did +not wish to be painted by Apelles, and to have his statue made by +Lysippus above all others, merely from personal favour to them, +but because he thought that their art would be a glory at once to +them and to himself. And, indeed, those artists used to make +images of the person known to strangers: but if such had never +existed, illustrious men would yet be no less illustrious. The +Spartan Agesilaus, who would not allow a portrait of himself to be +painted or a statue made, deserves to be quoted as an example +quite as much as those who have taken trouble about such +representations: for a single pamphlet of Xenophon's in praise of +that king has proved much more effective than all the portraits and +statues of them all, And, moreover, it will more redound to my +present exultation and the honour of my memory to have found my +way into your history, than if I had done so into that of others, in +this, that I shall profit not only by the genius of the writer--as +Timoleon did by that of Timaeus, Themistocles by that of +Herodotus--but also by the authority of a man of a most illustrious +and well-established character, and one well known and of the first +repute for his conduct in the most important and weighty matters +of state; so that I shall seem to have gained not only the fame +which Alexander on his visit to Sigeum said had been bestowed on +Achilles by Homer, but also the weighty testimony of a great and +illustrious man. For I like that saying of Hector in Naevius, who +not only rejoices that he is "praised," but adds, "and by one who +has himself been praised." But if I fail to obtain my request from +you, which is equivalent to saying, if you are by some means +prevented--for I hold it to be out of the question that you would +refuse a request of mine--I shall perhaps be forced to do what +certain persons have often found fault with, write my own +panegyric, a thing, after all, which has a precedent of many +illustrious men. But it will not escape your notice that there are the +following drawbacks in a composition of that sort: men are bound, +when writing of themselves, both to speak with greater reserve of +what is praiseworthy, and to omit what calls for blame. Added to +which such writing carries less conviction, less weight; many +people, in fine, carp at it, and say that the heralds at the public +games are more modest, far after having placed garlands on the +other recipients and proclaimed their names in a loud voice, when +their own turn comes to be presented with a garland before the +games break up, they call in the services of another herald, that +they may not declare themselves victors with their own voice. I +wish to avoid all this, and, if you undertake my cause, I shall avoid +it: and, accordingly, I ask you this favour. But why, you may well +ask, when you have already often assured me that yOu intended to +record in your book with the utmost minuteness the policy and +events of my consulship, do I now make this request to you with +such earnestness and in so many words? The reason is to be found +in that burning desire, of which I spoke at the beginning of my +letter, for something prompt: because I am in a flutter of +impatience, both that men should learn what I am from your book, +while I am still alive, and that I may myself in my lifetime have +the full enjoyment of my little bit of glory. What you intend doing +on this subject I should like you to write me word, if not +troublesome to you. For if you do undertake the subject, I will put +together sonic notes of all occurrences: but if you put me off to +some future time, I will talk the matter over with you. Meanwhile, +do not relax your efforts, and thoroughly polish what you have +already on the stocks, and--continue to love me. + +XI. + +To M. FADIUS GALLU5 + +ROME (MAY) + +I HAD only just arrived from Arpinum when your letter was +delivered to me; and from the same bearer I received a letter from +Avianius, in which there was this most liberal offer, that when he +came to Rome he would enter my debt to him on whatever day I +chose. Pray put yourself in my place: is it consistent with your +modesty or mine, first to prefer a request as to the day, and then to +ask more than a year's credit? But, my dear Gallus, everything +would have been easy, if you had bought the things I wanted, and +only up to the price that I wished. However, the purchases which, +according to your letter, you have made shall not only be ratified +by me, but with gratitude besides: for I fully understand that you +have displayed zeal and affection in purchasing (because you +thought them worthy of me) things which pleased yourself--a man, +as I have ever thought, of the most fastidious judgment in all +matters of taste. Still, I should like Damasippus to abide by his +decision: for there is absolutely none of those purchases that I care +to have. But you, being unacquainted with my habits, have bought +four or five of your selection at a price at which I do not value any +statues in the world. You compare your Bacchae with Metellus's +Muses. Where is the likeness? To begin with, I should never have +considered the Muses worth all that money, and I think all the +Muses would have approved my judgment: still, it would have +been appropriate to a library, and in harmony with my pursuits But +Bacchae! What place is there in my house for them? But, you will +say, they are pretty. I know them very well and have often seem +them. I would have commissioned you definitely in the case of +statues known to me, if I had decided on them. The sort of statues +that I am accustomed to buy are such as may adorn a place in a +pala stra after the fashion of gymnasia. What, again, have I, the +promoter of peace, to do with a statue of Mars? I am glad there +was not a statue of Saturn also: for I should have thought these two +statues had brought mc debt! I should have preferred some +representation of Mercury: I might then, I suppose, have made a +more favourable bargain with Arrianus. You say you meant the +table-stand for yourself; well, if you like it, keep it. But if you have +changed your mind I will, of course, have it. For the money you +have laid out, indeed, I would rather have purchased a place of call +at Tarracina, to prevent my being always a burden on my host. +Altogether I perceive that the fault is with my freedman, whom I +had distinctly commissioned to purchase certain definite things, +and also with lunius, whom I think you know, an intimate friend of +Avianius. I have constructed some new sitting-rooms in a +miniature colonnade on my Tusculan property. I want to ornament +them with pictures: for if I take pleasure in anything of that sort it +is in painting. However, if I am to have what you have bought, I +should like you to inform me where they are, when they are to be +fetched, and by what kind of conveyance. For if Damasippus +doesn't abide by his decision, I shall look for some would-be +Damasippus, even at a loss. + +As to what you say about the house, as I was going out of town I +intrusted the matter to my daughter Tullia: for it 'vas at the very +hour of my departure that I got your letter. I also discussed the +matter with your friend Nicias, because he is, as you know, +intimate with Cassius. On my return, however, before I got your +last letter, I asked Tullia what she had done. She said that she had +approached Licinia (though I think Cassius is not very intimate +with his sister), and that she at once said that she could venture, in +the absence of her husband (Dexius is gone to Spain), to change +houses without his being there and knowing about it.. I am much +gratified that you should value association with me and my +domestic life so highly, as, in the first place, to take a house which +would enable you to live not only near me, but absolutely with me, +and, in the second place, to be in such a hurry to make this change +of residence. But, upon my life, I do not yield to you in eagerness +for that arrangement. So I will try every means in my power. For I +see the advantage to myself, and, indeed, the advantages to us +both. If I succeed in doing anything, I will let you know. Mind you +also write me word back on everything, and let me know, if you +please, when I am to expect you.. + +XII + +To M. MARIUS (AT CUMAE) + +ROME (OCTOBER?) + +IF some bodily pain or weakness of health has prevented your +coming to the games, I put it down to fortune rather than your own +wisdom: but if you have made up your mind that these things +which the rest of the world admires are only worthy of contempt, +and, though your health would have allowed of it, you yet were +unwilling to come, then I rejoice at both facts--that you were free +from bodily pain, and that you had the sound sense to disdain what +others causelessly admire. Only I hope that some fruit of your +leisure may be forthcoming, a leisure, indeed, which you had a +splendid opportunity of enjoying to the full, seeing that you were +left almost alone in your lovely country. For I doubt not that in that +study of yours, from which you have opened a window into the +Stabian waters of the bay, and obtained a view of Misenum, you +have spent the morning hours of those days in light reading, while +those who left you there were watching the ordinary farces half +asleep. The remaining parts of the day, too, you spent in the +pleasures which you had yourself arranged to suit your own taste, +while we had to endure whatever had met with the approval of +Spurius Maecius. On the whole, if you care to know, the games +were most splendid, but not to your taste. I judge from my own. +For, to begin with, as a special honour to the occasion, those actors +had come back to the stage who, I thought, had left it for their +own. Indeed, your favourite, my friend Aesop, was in such a state +that no one could say a word against his retiring from the +profession. On beginning to recite the oath his voice failed him at +the words "If I knowingly deceive." Why should I go on with the +story? You know all about the rest of the games, which hadn't +even that amount of charm which games on a moderate scale +generally have: for the spectacle was so elaborate as to leave no +room for cheerful enjoyment, and I think you need feel no regret at +having missed it. For what is the pleasure of a train of six hundred +mules in the "Clytemnestra," or three thousand bowls in the +"Trojan Horse," or gay-colored armour of infantry and cavalry in +some battle? These things roused the admiration of the vulgar; to +you they would have brought no delight. But if during those days +you listened to your reader Protogenes, so long at least as he read +anything rather than my speeches, surely you had far greater +pleasure than any one of us. For I don't suppose you wanted to see +Greek or Oscan plays, especially as you can see Oscan farces in +your senate-house over there, while you are so far from liking +Greeks, that you generally won't even go along the Greek road to +your villa Why, again, should I suppose you to care about missing +the athletes, since you disdained the gladiators? in which even +Pompey himself confesses that he lost his trouble and his pains. +There remain the two wild-beast hunts, lasting five days, +magnificent--nobody denies it--and yet, what pleasure can it be to +a man of refinement, when either a weak man is torn by an +extremely powerful animal, or a splendid animal is transfixed by a +hunting spear? Things which, after all, if worth seeing, you have +often seen before; nor did I, who was present at the games, see +anything the least new. The last day was that of the elephants, on +which there was a great deal of astonishment on the part of the +vulgar crowd, but no pleasure whatever. Nay, there was even a +certain feeling of compassion aroused by it, and a kitid of belief +created that that animal has soniethirig in common with mankind. +However, for my part, during this day, while the theatrical +exhibitions were on, lest by chance you should think me too +blessed, I almost split my lungs in defending your friend Caninius +Gallus. But if the people were as indulgent to me as they were to +Aesop, I would, by heaven, have been glad to abandon my +profession and live with you and others like us. The fact is I was +tired of it before, even when both age and ambition stirred me on, +and when I could also decline any defence that I didn't like; but +now, with things in the state that they are, there is no life worth +having. For, on the one hand, I expect no profit of my labor; and, +on the other, I am sometimes forced to defend men who have been +no friends to me, at the request of those to whom I am under +obligations. Accordingly, I am on the look-out for every excuse for +at last managing my life according to my own taste, and I loudly +applaud and vehemently approve both you and your retired plan of +life: and as to your infrequent appearances among us, I am the +more resigned to that because, were you in Rome, I should be +prevented from enjoying the charm of your society, and so would +you of mine, if I have any, by the overpowering nature of my +engagements; from which, if I get any relief--for entire release I +don't expect--I will give even you, who have been studying +nothing else for many years, some hints as to what it is to live a +life of cultivated enjoyment. Only be careful to nurse your weak +health and to continue your present care of it, so that you may be +able to visit my country houses and make excursions with me in +my litter. I have written you a longer letter than usual, from +superabundance, not of leisure, but of affection, because, if you +remember, you asked me in one of your letters to write you +something to prevent you feeling sorry at having missed the +games. And if I have succeeded in that, I am glad: if not, I yet +console myself with this reflexion, that in future you will both +come to the games and come to see me, and will not leave your +hope of enjoyment dependent on my letters. + +XIII + +To His BROTHER QUINTUS (IN THE COUNTRY) + +ROME (FEBRUARY) + +YOUR note by its strong language has drawn out this letter. For as +to what actually occurred on the day of your start, it supplied me +with absoutely no subject for writing. But as when we are together +we are never at a loss for something to say, so ought our letters at +times to digress into loose chat. Well then, to begin, the liberty of +the Tenedians has received short shrift, no one speaking for them +except myself, Bibulus, Calidius, and Favonius. A complimentary +reference to you was made by the legates from Magnesia and +Sipylum, they saying that you were the man who alone had resisted +the demand of L. Sestius Pansa. On the remaining days of this +business in the senate, if anything occurs which you ought to +know, or even if there is nothing, I will write you something every +day. On the 12th I will not fail you or Pomponius. The poems of +Lucretius are as you say-- with many flashes of genius, yet very +technical. But when you return, . . . if you succeed in reading the +Empedoclea of Sallustius, I shall regard you as a hero, yet scarcely +human. + +XLV + +To His BROTHER QUINTUS (IN BRITAIN) + +ARPINUM AND ROME, 28 SEPTEMBER + +AFTER extraordinary hot weather--I never remember greater +heat--I have refreshed myself at Arpinum, and enjoyed the extreme +loveliness of the river during the days of the games, having left my +tribesmen under the charge of Philotimus. I was at Arcanum on the +ioth of September. There I found Mescidius and Philoxenus, and +saw the water, for which they were making a course not far from +your villa, running quite nicely, especially considering the extreme +drought, and they said they were going to collect it in much greater +abundance. Everything is right with Herus. In your Manilian +property I came across Diphilus outdoing himself in dilatoriness. +Still, he had nothing left to construct, except baths, and a +promenade, and an aviary. I liked that villa very much, because its +paved colonnade gives it an air of very great dignity. I never +appreciated this till now that the colonnade itself has been all laid +open, and the columns have been polished. It all depends--and this +I will look to--upon the stuccoing being prettily done. The +pavements seemed to be being well laid. Certain of the ceilings I +did not like, and ordered them to be changed. As to the place in +which they say that you write word that a small entrance hall is to +be built--namely, in the colonnade--I liked it better as it is. For 1 +did not think there was space sufficient for an entrance hall; nor is +it usual to have one, except in those buildings which have a larger +court; nor could it have bedrooms and apartments of that kind +attached to it. As it is, from the very beauty of its arched roof, it +will serve as an admirable summer room. However, if you think +differently, write back word as soon as possible. In the bath I have +moved the hot chamber to the other corner of the dressing-room, +because it was so placed that its steampipe was immediately under +the bedrooms. A fair-sized bed-room and a lofty winter one I +admired very much, for they were both spacious and +well-situated--on the side of the promenade nearest to the bath. +Diphilus had placed the columns out of the perpendicular, and not +opposite each other. These, of course, he shall take down; he will +learn some day to use the plumb-line and measure. On the whole, I +hope Diphilus's work will be completed in a few months: for +Qesius, who was with me at the time, keeps a very sharp look-out +upon him. + +Thence I started straight along the via Vitularia to your +Fufidianum, the estate which we bought for you a few weeks ago +at Arpinum for 100,000 sesterces (about 8oo pounds). I never saw +a shadier spot in summer--water springs in many parts of it, and +abundant into the bargain. In short, Caesius thought that you would +easily irrigate fifty iugera of the meadow land. For my part, I can +assure you of this, which is more in my line, that you will have a +villa marvellously pleasant, with the addition of a fish-pond, +spouting fountains, a pakestra, and a shrubbery. I am told that you +wish to keep this Bovillae estate. You will determine as you think +good. Calvus said that, even if the control of the water were taken +from you, and the right of drawing it off were established by the +vendor, and thus an easement were imposed on that property, we +could yet maintain the price in case we wish to sell. He said that he +had agreed with you to do the work at three sesterces a foot, and +that he had stepped it, and made it three miles. It seemed to me +more. But I will guarantee that the money could nowhere be better +laid out. I had sent for Cillo from Venafrum, but on that very day +four of his fellow servants and apprentices bad been crushed by the +falling in of a tunnel at Venafrum. On the 23th of September I was +at Laterium. I examined the road, which appeared to me to be so +good as to Seem almost like a high road, except a hundred and +fifty paces--for I measured it myself from the little bridge at the +temple of Furina, in the direction of Satricum. There they had put +down dust, not gravel (this shall he changed), and that part of the +road is a very steep incline. But I understood that it could not be +taken in any other direction, particularly as you did not wish it to +go through the property of Locusta or Varro. The latter alone had +made the road very well where it skirted his own property. Locusta +hadn't touched it; but I will call on him at Rome, and think I shall +be able to stir him up, and at the same tune I think I shall ask M. +Tarus, who is now at Rome, and whom I am told promised to +allow you to do so, about making a watercourse through his +property. I much approved of your steward Nicephorius and I +asked him what orders you had given about that small building at +Laterium, about which you spoke to me. He told me in answer that +he had himself contracted to do the work for sixteen sestertia +(about 128 pounds), but that you had afterwards made many +additions to the work, but nothing to the price, and that he had +therefore given it up. I quite approve by Hercules, of your making +the additions you had determined upon; although the villa as it +stands seems to have the air of a philosopher, meant to rebuke the +extravagance of other villas. Yet, after all, that addition will be +pleasing. I praised your landscape gardener: he has so covered +everything with ivy, both the foundation-wall of the villa and the +spaces between the columns of the walk, that, upon my word, +those Greek statues seemed to be engaged in fancy gardening, and +to be shewing off the ivy. Finally, nothing can be cooler or more +mossy than the dressing-room of the bath. That is about all I have +to say about country matters. The gardener, indeed, as well as +Philotimus and Cincius are pressing on the ornamentation of your +town house; but I also often look in upon it myself, as I can do +without difficulty. Wherefore don't be at all anxious about that. + +As to your always asking me about your son, of course I "excuse +you"; but I must ask you to "excuse" me also, for I don't allow that +you love him more than I do. And oh that he had been with me +these last few days at Arpinum, as he had himself set his heart on +being, and as I had no less done! As to Pomponia, please write and +say that, when I go out of town anywhere, she is to come with me +and bring the boy. I'll do wonders with him, if I get him to myself +when I am at leisure: for at Rome there is no time to breathe. You +know I formerly promised to do so for nothing. What do you +expect with such a reward as you promise me? I now come to your +letters which I received in several packets when I was at Arpinum. +For I received three from you in one day, and, indeed, as it seemed, +despatched by you at the same time--one of considerable length, in +which your first point was that my letter to you was dated earlier +than that to Caesar. Oppius at times cannot help this: the reason is +that, having settled to send letter-carriers, and having received a +letter from me, he is hindered by something turning up, and +obliged to despatch them later than he had intended; and I don't +take the trouble to have the day altered on a letter which I have +once handed to him. You write about Caesar's extreme affection +for us. This affection you must on your part keep warm, and I for +mine will endeavour to increase it by every means in my power. +About Pompey, I am carefully acting, and shall continue to act, as +you advise. That my permission to you to stay longer is a welcome +one, though I grieve at your absence and miss you exceedingly, 1 +am yet partly glad. What you can be thinking of in sending for +such people as Hippodamus and some others, I do not understand. +There is not one of those fellows that won't expect a present from +you equal to a suburban estate. However, there is no reason for +your classing my friend Trebatius with them. I sent him to Caesar, +and Caesar has done all I expected. If he has not done quite what +he expected himself, I am not bound to make it up to him, and I in +like manner free and absolve you from all claims on his part. Your +remark, that you are a greater favourite with Caesar every day, is a +source of undying satisfaction to me. As to Balbus, who, as you +say, promotes that state of things, he is the apple of my eye. I am +indeed glad that you and my friend Trebonius like each other. As +to what you say about the military tribuneship, I, indeed, asked for +it definitely for Curtius, and Caeesar wrote back definitely to say +that there was one at Curtius's service, and chided me for my +modesty in making the request. If I have asked one for anyone +else--as I told Oppius to write and tell Caesar--I shall not be at all +annoyed by a refusal, since those who pester me for letters are +annoyed at a refusal from me. I like Curtius, as I have told him, not +only because you asked me to do so, but from the character you +gave of him; for from your letter I have gathered the zeal he +shewed for my restoration. As for the British expedition, I +conclude from your letter that we have no occasion either for fear +or exultation. As to public affairs, about which you wish Tiro to +write to you, I have written to you hitherto somewhat more +carelessly than usual, because I knew that all events, small or +great, were reported to Caesar. I have now answered your longest +letter. + +Now hear what I have to say to your small one. The first point is +about Clodius's letter to Caesar. In that matter I approve of +Caesar's policy, in not having given way to your request so far as +to write a single word to that Fury. The next thing is about the +speech of Calventius "Marius." I am surprised at your saying that +you think I ought to answer it, particularly as, while no one is +likely to read that speech, unless I write an answer to it, every +schoolboy learns mine against him as an exercise. My books, all of +which you are expecting, I have begun, but I cannot finish them for +some days yet. The speeches for Scaurus and Plancius which you +clamour for I have finished. The poem to Caesar, which I had +begun, I have cut short. I will write what you ask me for, since +your poetic springs are running dry, as soon as I have time. + +Now for the third letter. It is very pleasant and welcome news to +hear from you that Balbus is soon coming to Rome, and so well +accompanied! and will stay with me continuously till the 15th of +May. As to your exhorting me in the same letter, as in many +previous ones, to ambition and labour, I shall, of course, do as you +say: but when am I to enjoy any real life? + +Your fourth letter reached me on the 13th of September, dated on +the ioth of August from Britain. In it there was nothing new except +about your Erigona, and if I get that from Oppius I will write and +tell you what I think of it. I have no doubt I shall like it. Oh yes! I +had almost forgotten to remark as to the man who, you say in your +letter, had written to Qesar about the applause given to Milo-- I am +not unwilling that Caesar should think that it was as warm as +possible. And in point of fact it was so, and yet that applause, +which is given to him, seems in a certain sense to be given to me. + +I have also received a very old letter, but which was late in coming +into my hands, in which you remind me about the temple of Tellus +and the colonnade of Catulus. Both of these matters are being +actively carried out. At the temple of Tellus I have even got your +statue placed. So, again, as to your reminder about a suburban villa +and gardens, I was never very keen for one, and now my town +house has all the charm of such a pleasure-ground. On my arrival +in Rome on the 18th of September I found the roof on your house +finished: the part over the sitting-rooms, which you did not wish to +have many gables, now slopes gracefully towards the roof of the +lower colonnade. Our boy, in my absence, did not cease working +with his rhetoric master. You have no reason for being anxious +about his education, for you know his ability, and I see his +application. Everything else I take it upon myself to guarantee, +with full consciousness that I am bound to make it good. + +As yet there are three parties prosecuting Gabinius: first, L. +Lentulus, son of the flainen, who has entered a prosecution for lese +majeste; secondly, Tib. Nero with good names at the back of his +indictment; thirdly, C. Memmius the tribune in conjunction with L. +Capito. He came to the walls of the city on the 19th of September, +undignified and neglected to the last degree. But in the present +state of the law courts I do not venture to be confident of anything. +As Cato is unwell, he has not yet been formally indicted for +extortion. Pompey is trying hard to persuade me to be reconciled +to him, but as yet he has not yet succeeded at all, nor, if I retain a +shred of liberty, will he succeed. I am very anxious for a letter +from you. You say that you have been told that I was a party to the +coalition of the consular candidates--it is a lie. The compacts male +in that coalition afterwards made public by Memmius, were of +such a nature that no loyal man ought to have been a party to them; +nor at the same time was it possible for me to be a party to a +coalition from which Messalla was excluded, who is thoroughly +satisfied with my conduct in every particular, as also, I think, is +Memmius. To Domitius himself I have rendered many services +which he desired and asked of me. I have put Scaurus under a +heavy obligation by my defence of him. It is as yet very uncertain +both when the elections will be and who will be consuls. + +Just as I was folding up this epistle letter-carriers arrived from you +and Caesar (20th September) after a journey of twenty days. How +anxious I was! How painfully I was affected by Caesar's most kind +letter! But the kinder it was, the more sorrow did his loss occasion +me. But to turn to your letter. To begin with, I reiterate my +approval of your staying on, especially as, according to your +account, you have consulted Caesar on the subject. I wonder that +Oppius has anything to do with Publius for I advised against it. +Farther on in your letter you say that I am going to be made legatus +to Pompey on the 13th of September: I have heard nothing about it, +and I wrote to Caesar to tell him that neither Vibullius nor Oppius +had delivered his message to Pompey about my remaining at +home. Why, I know not. However, it was I who restrained Oppius +from doing so, because it was Vibullius who should take the +leading part in that matter: for with him Caesar had communicated +personally, with Oppius only by letter. I indeed can have no +"second thoughts" in matters connected with Caesar. He comes +next after you and our children in my regard, and not much after. I +think I act in this with deliberate judgment, for I have by this time +good cause for it, yet warm personal feeling no doubt does +influence me also. + +Just as I had written these last words--which are by my own +hand--your boy came in to dine with me, as Pomponia was dining +out. He gave me your letter to read, which he had received shortly +before--a truly Aristophanic mixture of jest and earnest, with +which I was greatly charmed. He gave me also your second letter, +in which you bid him cling to my side as a mentor. How delighted +he was with those letters! And so was I. Nothing could be more +attractive than that boy, nothing more affectionate to me !--This, to +explain its being in another handwriting, I dictated to Tiro while at +dinner. + +Your letter gratified Annalis very much, as shewing that you took +an active interest in his concerns, and yet assisted him with +exceedingly candid advice. Publius Servilius the elder, from a +letter which he said he had received from Caesar, declares himself +highly obliged to you for having spoken with the greatest kindness +and earnestness of his devotion to Caesar. After my return to Rome +from Arpinum I was told that Hippodamus had started to join you. +I cannot say that I was surprised at his having acted so +discourteously as to start to join you without a letter from me: I +only say that, that I was annoyed. For I had long resolved, from an +expression in your letter, that if I had anything I wished conveyed +to you with more than usual care, I should give it to him: for, in +truth, into a letter like this, which I send you in an ordinary way, I +usually put nothing that, if it fell into certain hands, might be a +source of annoyance. I reserve myself for Minucius and Salvius +and Labeo. Labeo will either be starting late or will stay here +altogether. Hippodamus did not even ask me whether he could do +anything for me. T. Penarius sends me a kind letter about you: says +that he is exceedingly charmed with your literary pursuits, +conversation, and above all by your dinners. He was always a +favourite of mine, and I see a good deal of his brother. Wherefore +continue, as you have begun, to admit the young man to your +intimacy. + +From the fact of this letter having been in hand during many days, +owing to the delay of the letter-carriers, I have jotted down in it +many various things at odd times, as, for instance, the following: +Titus Anicius has mentioned to me more than once that he would +not hesitate to buy a suburban property for you, if he found one. In +these remarks of his I find two things surprising: first, that when +you write to him about buying a suburban property, you not only +don't write to me to that effect, but write even in a contrary sense; +and, secondly, that in writing to him you totally forget his letters +which you shewed me at Tusculum, and as totally the rule of +Epicharmus, "Notice how he has treated another": in fact, that you +have quite forgotten, as I think, the lesson conveyed by the +expression of his face, his conversation, and his spirit. But this is +your concern. As to a suburban property, be sure to let me know +your wishes, and at the same time take care that that fellow doesn't +get you into trouble. What else have I to say? Anything? Yes, there +is this: Gabinius entered the city by night on the 27th of +September, and today, at two o clock, when he ought to have +appeared on his trial for lese majeste, in accordance with the edict +of C. Alflus, he was all but crushed to the earth by a great and +unanimous demonstration of the popular hatred. Nothing could +exceed his humiliating position. However, Piso comes next to him. +So I think of introducing a marvellous episode into my second +book--Apollo declaring in the council of the gods what sort of +return that of the two commanders was to be, one of whom had +lost, and the other sold his army. From Britain I have a letter of +Qesar's dated the 1st of September, which reached me on the 27th, +satisfactory enough as far as the British expedition is concerned, in +which, to prevent my wondering at not getting one from you, he +tells me that you were not with him when he reached the coast. To +that letter I made no reply, not even a formal congratulation, on +account of his mourning. Many, many wishes, dear brother, for +your health. + +XV + +To P. LENTTJLUS SPINTHER (IN CILICIA) + +ROME (OCTOBER) + +M. CICERO desires his warmest regards to P. Lentulus, imperator. +Your letter was very gratifying to me, from which I gathered that +you fully appreciated my devotion to you: for why use the word +kindness, when even the word "devotion" itself, with all its solemn +and holy associations, seems too weak to express my obligations to +you? As for your saying that my services to you are gratefully +accepted, it is you who in your overflowing affection make things, +which cannot be omitted without criminal negligence, appear +deserving of even gratitude. However, my feelings towards you +would have been much more fully known and conspicuous, if, +during all this time that we have been separated, we had been +together, and together at Rome. For precisely in what you declare +your intention of doing--what no one is more capable of doing, and +what I confidently look forward to from you--that is to say, in +speaking in the senate, and in every department of public life and +political activity, we should together have been in a very strong +position (what my feelings and position are in regard to politics +I will explain shortly, and will answer the questions you ask), and +at any rate I should have found in you a supporter, at once most +warmly attached and endowed with supreme wisdom, while in me +you would have found an adviser, perhaps not the most unskilful in +the world, and at least both faithful and devoted to your interests. +However, for your own sake, of course, I rejoice, as I am bound to +do, that you have been greeted with the title of imperator, and are +holding your province and victorious army after a successful +campaign. But certainly, if you had been here, you would have +enjoyed to a fuller extent and more directly the benefit of the +services 1which I am bound to render you. Moreover, in taking +vengeance on those whom you know in some cases to be your +enemies, because you championed the cause of my recall, in others +to be jealous of the splendid position and renown which that +measure brought you, I should have done you yeoman's service as +your associate. However, that perpetual enemy of his own friends, +who, in spite of having been honoured with the highest +compliments on your part, has selected you of all people for the +object of his impotent and enfeebled violence, has saved me the +trouble by punishing himself. For he has made attempts, the +disclosure of which has left him without a shred, not only of +political position, but every of freedom of action. And though I +should have preferred that you should have gained your experience +in my case alone, rather than in your own also, yet in the midst of +my regret I am glad that you have learnt what the fidelity of +mankind is worth, at no great cost to yourself, which I learnt at the +price of excessive pain. And I think that I have now an opportunity +presented me, while answering the questions you have addressed +to me, of also explaining my entire position and view. You say in +your letter that you have been informed that I have become +reconciled to Cmesar and Appius, and you add that you have no +fault to find with that. But you express a wish to know what +induced me to defend and compliment Vatinius. In order to make +my explanation plainer I must go a little farther back in the +statement of my policy and its grounds. + +Well, Lentulus! At first--after the success of your efforts for my +recall--I looked upon myself as having been restored not alone to +my friends, but to the Republic also; and seeing that I owed you an +affection almost surpassing belief, and every kind of service, +however great and rare, that could be bestowed on your person, I +thought that to the Republic, which had much assisted you in +restoring me, I at least was bound to entertain the feeling which I +had in old times shewed merely from the duty incumbent on all +citizens alike, and not as an obligation incurred by some special +kindness to myself. That these were my sentiments I declared to +the senate when you were consul, and you had yourself a full view +of them in our conversations and discussions. Yet from the very +first my feelings were hurt by many circumstances, when, on your +mooting the question of the full restoration of my position, I +detected the covert hatred of some and the equivocal attachment of +others. For you received no support from either in regard to my +vexatious to me: but much more so was the fact that they used, +before my very eyes, so to embrace, fondle, make much of, and +kiss my enemy mine do I say? rather the enemy of the laws, of the +law courts, of peace, of his country, of all loyal men ! that they did +not indeed rouse my bile, for I have utterly lost all that, but +imagined they did. In these circumstances, having, as far as is +possible for human prudeuce, thoroughly examined my whole +position, and having balanced the items of the account, I arrived at +a final result of all my reflexions, which, as well as I can, I will +now briefly put before you. + +If I had seen the Republic in the hands of bad or profligate +citizens, as we know happened during the supremacy of Cinna, and +on some other occasions, I should not under the pressure, I don t +say of rewards, which are the last things to influence me, but even +of danger, by which, after all, the bravest men are moved, have +attached myself to their party, not even if their services to me had +been of the very highest kind. As it is, seeing that the leading +statesman in the Republic was Pompey, a man who had gained this +power and renown by the most eminent services to the state and +the most glorious achievements, and one of whose postion I had +been a supporter from my youth up, and in my praetorship and +consulship an active promoter also, and seeing that this same +statesman had assisted me, in his own person by the weight of his +influence and the expression of his opinion, and, in conjunction +with you, by his counsels and zeal, and that he regarded my enemy +as his own supreme enemy in the state I did not think that I need +fear the reproach of inconsistency, if in some of my senatorial +votes I somewhat changed my standpoint, and contributed my zeal +to the promotion of the dignity of a most distiii guished man, and +one to whom I am under the highest obligations. In this sentiment I +had necessarily to include Caesar, as you see, for their policy and +position were inseparably united. Here I was greatly influenced by +two things the old friendship which you know that I and my +brother Quintus have had with Caesar, and his own kindness and +liberality, of which we have recently had clear and mistakable +evidence both by his letters and his personal attentions. I was also +strongly affected by the Republic itself, which appeared to me to +demand, especially considering Caesar's brilliant successes, that +there should be no quarrel maintained with these men, and indeed +to forbid it in the strongest manner possible. Moreover, while +entertaining these feelings, I was above all shaken by the pledge +which Pompey had given for me to Caesar, and my brother to +Pompey. Besides, I was forced to take into consideration the state +maxim so divinely expressed by our master Plato--" Such as are +the chief men in a republic, such are ever wont to be the other +citizens." I called to mind that in my consulship, from the very 1st +of January, such a foundation was laid of encouragement for the +senate, that no one ought to have been surprised that on the 5th of +December there was so much spirit and such commanding +influence in that house. I also remember that when I became a +private citizen up to the consulship of Caesar and Bibulus, when +the opinions expressed by me had great weight in the senate, the +feeling among all the loyalists was invariable. Afterwards, while +you were holding the province of hither Spain with imperiuni and +the Republic had no genuine consuls, but mere hucksters of +provinces, mere slaves and agents of sedition, an accident threw +my head as an apple of discord into the midst of contending +factions and civil broils. And in that hour of danger, though a +unanimity was displayed on the part of the senate that was +surprising, on the part of all Italy surpassing belief, and of all the +loyalists unparalleled, in standing forth in my defence, I will not +say what happened--for the blame attaches to many, and is of +various shades of turpitude--I will only say briefly that it was not +the rank and file, but the leaders, that played me false. And in this +matter, though some blame does attach to those who failed to +defend me, no less attaches to those who abandoned me: and if +those who were frightened deserve reproach, if there are such, still +more are those to be blamed who pretended to be frightened. At +any rate, my policy is justly to be praised for refusing to allow my +fellow citizens (preserved by me and ardently desiring to preserve +me) to be exposed while bereft of leaders to armed slaves, and for +preferring that it should be made manifest how much force there +might be in the unanimity of the loyalists, if they had been +permitted to champion my cause before I had fallen, when after +that fall they had proved strong enough to raise me up again. And +the real feelings of these men you not only had the penetration to +see, when bringing forward my case, but the power to encourage +and keep alive. In promoting which measure--I will not merely not +deny, but shall always remember also and gladly proclaim it--you +found certain men of the highest rank more courageous in securing +my restoration than they had been in preserving me from my fall: +and, if they had chosen to maintain that frame of mind, they would +have recovered their own commanding position along with my +salvation. For when the spirit of the loyalists had been renewed by +your consulship, and they had been roused from their dismay by +the extreme firmness and rectitude of your official conduct; when, +above all, Pompey's support had been secured; and when Caesar, +too, with all the prestige of his brilliant achievements, after being +honoured with unique and unprecedented marks of distinction and +compliments by the senate, was now supporting the dignity of the +house, there could have been no opportunity for a disloyal citizen +of outraging the Republic. + +But now notice, I beg, what actually ensued. First of all, that +intruder upon the women's rites, who had shewn no more respect +for the Bona Dea than for his three sisters, secured immunity by +the votes of those men who, when a tribune wished by a legal +action to exact penalties from a seditious citizen by the agency of +the loyalists, deprived the Republic of what would have been +hereafter a most splendid precedent for the punishment of sedition. +And these same persons, in the case of the monument, which was +not mine, indeed--for it was not erected from the proceeds of +spoils won by me, and I had nothing to do with it beyond giving +out the contract for its construction--well, they allowed this +monument of the senate's to have branded upon it the name of a +public enemy, and an inscription written in blood. That those men +wished my safety rouses my liveliest gratitude, but I could have +wished that they had not chosen to take my bare safety into +consideration, like doctors, but, like trainers, my strength and +complexion also! As it is, just as Apelles perfected the head and +bust of his Venus with the most elaborate art, but left the rest of +her body in the rough, so certain persons only took pains with my +head, and left the rest of my body unfinished and unworked. Yet in +this matter I have falsified the expectation, not only of the jealous, +but also of the downright hostile, who formerly conceived a wrong +opinion from the case of Quintus Metellus, son of Lucius--the most +energetic and gallant man in the world, and in my opinion of +surpassing courage and firmness--who, people say, was much cast +down and dispirited after his return from exile. Now, in the first +place, we are asked to believe that a man who accepted exile with +entire willingness and remarkable cheerfulness, and never took any +pains at all to get recalled, was crushed in spirit about an affair in +which he had shewn more firmness and constancy than anyone +else, even than the preeminent M. Scaurus himself! But, again, the +account they had received, or rather the conjectures they were +indulging in about him, they now transferred to me, imagining that +I should be more than usually broken in spirit: whereas, in fact, the +Republic was inspiring me with even greater courage than I had +ever had before, by making it plain that I was the one citizen it +could not do without; and by the fact that while a bill proposed by +only one tribune had recalled Metellus, the whole state had joined +as one man in recalling me--the senate leading the way, the whole +of Italy following after, eight of the tribunes publishing the bill, a +consul putting the question at the centuriate assembly, all orders +and individuals pressing it on, in fact, with all the forces at its +command. Nor is it the case that I afterwards made any pretension, +or am making any at this day, which can justly offend anyone, +even the most malevolent: my only effort is that I may not fail +either my friends or those more remotely connected with me in +either active service, or counsel, or personal exertion. This course +of life perhaps offends those who fix their eyes on the glitter and +show of my professional position, but are unable to appreciate its +anxieties and laboriousness. + +Again, they make no concealment of their dissatisfaction on the +ground that in the speeches which I make in the senate in praise of +Caesar I am departing from my old policy. But while giving +explanations on the points which I put before you a short time ago, +I will not keep till the last the following, which I have already +touched upon. You will not find, my dear Lentulus, the sentiments +of the loyalists the same as you left them--strengthened by my +consulship, suffering relapse at intervals afterwards, crushed down +before your consulship, revived by you: they have now been +abandoned by those whose duty it was to have maintained them: +and this fact they, who in the old state of things as it existed in our +day used to be called Optiinates, not only declare by look and +expression of countenance, by which a false pretence is easiest +supported, but have proved again and again by their actual +sympathies and votes. Accordingly, the entire view and aim of +wise citizens, such as I wish both to be and to be reckoned, must +needs have undergone a change. For that is the maxim of that same +great Plato, whom I emphatically regard as my master: "Maintain a +political controversy only so far as you can convince your fellow +citizens of its justice: never offer violence to parent or fatherland." +He, it is true, alleges this as his motive for having abstained from +politics, because, having found the Athenian people all but in its +dotage, and seeing that it could not be ruled by persuasion, or by +anything short of compulsion, while he doubted the possibility of +persuasion, he looked upon compulsion as criminal. My position +was different in this: as the people was not in its dotage, nor the +question of engaging in politics still an open one for me, I was +bound hand and foot. Yet I rejoiced that I was permitted in one and +the same cause to support a policy at once advantageous to myself +and acceptable to every loyalist. An additional motive was Caesar's +memorable and almost superhuman kindness to myself and my +brother, who thus would have deserved my support whatever he +undertook; while as it is, considering his great success and his +brilliant victories, he would seem, even if he had not behaved to +me as he has, to claim a panegyric from me. For I would have you +believe that, putting you aside, who were the authors of my recall, +there is no one by whose good offices I would not only confess, +but would even rejoice, to have been so much bound. + +Having explained this matter to you, the questions you ask about +Vatinius and Crassus are easy to answer. For, since you remark +about Appius, as about Caesar, "that you have no fault to find," I +can only say that I am glad you approve my policy. But as to +Vatinius, in the first place there had been in the interval a +reconciliation effected through Pompey, immediately after his +election to the praetorship, though I had, it is true, impugned his +candidature in some very strong speeches in the senate, and yet not +so much for the sake of attacking him as of defending and +complimenting Cato. Again, later on, there followed a very +pressing request from Caesar that I should undertake his defence. +But my reason for testifying to his character I beg you will not ask, +either in the case of this defendant or of others, lest I retaliate by +asking you the same question when you come home: though I can +do so even before you return: for remember for whom you sent a +certificate of character from the ends of the earth. However, don't +be afraid, for those same persons are praised by myself, and will +continue to be so. Yet, after all, there was also the motive spurring +me on to undertake his defence, of which, during the trial, when I +appeared for him, I remarked that I was doing just what the +parasite in the Eunuchus advised the captain to do: + +"As oft as she names Phxdria, you retort +With Pamphila. If ever she suggest, +'Do let us have in Phudria to our revel:' +Quoth you, 'And let us call on Pamphila +To sing a song.' If she shall praise his looks, +Do you praise hers to match them: and, in fine, +Give tit for tat, that you may sting her soul." + +So I asked the jurors, since certain men of high rank, who, had also +done me very great favours, were much enamoured of my enemy, +and often under my very eyes in the senate now took him aside in +grave consultation, now embraced him familiarly and +cheerfully--since these men had their Publius, to grant me another +Publius, in whose person I might repay a slight attack by a +moderate retort. And, indeed, I am often as good as my word, with +the applause of gods and men. So much for Vatinius. Now about +Crassus. I thought I had done much to secure his gratitude in +having, for the sake of the general harmony, wiped out by a kind of +voluntary act of oblivion all his very serious injuries, when he +suddenly undertook the defence of Gabinius, whom only a few +days before he had attacked with the greatest bitterness. +Nevertheless, I should have borne that, if he had done so without +casting any offensive reflexions on me. But on his attacking tile, +though I was only arg-tling and not inveighing against him, I fired +up not only, I think, with the passion of the moment--for that +perhaps would not have been so hot--but the smothered wrath at +his many wrongs to me, of which I thought I had wholly got rid, +having, unconsciously to myself, lingered in my soul, it suddenly +shewed itself in full force, And it was at this precise time that +certain persons (the same whom I frequently indicate by a sign or +hint), while declaring that they had much enjoyed my outspoken +style, and had never before fully realized that I was restored to the +Republic in all my old character, and when my conduct of that +controversy had gained me much credit outside the house also, +began saying that they were glad both that he was now my enemy, +and that those who were involved with him would never be my +friends. So when their ill-natured remarks were reported to me by +men of most respectable character, and when Pompey pressed me +as he had never done before to be reconciled to Crassus, and +Caesar wrote to say that he was exceedingly grieved at that +quarrel, I took into consideration not only my circumstances, but +my natural inclination: and Crassus, that our reconciliation might, +as it were, be attested to the Roman people, started for his +province, it might almost be said, from my hearth. For he himself +named a day and dined with me in the suburban villa of my +son-in-law Crassipes. On this account, as you say that you have +been told, I supported his cause in the senate, which I had +undertaken on Pompey's strong recommendation, as I was bound +in honour to do. + +I have now told you with what motives I have supported each +measure and cause, and what my position is in politics as far as I +take any part in them: and I would wish you to make sure of +this--that I should have entertamed the same sentiments, if I had +been still perfectly uncommitted and free to choose. For I should +not have thought it right to fight against such overwhelming +power, nor to destroy the supremacy of the most distinguished +citizens, even if it had been possible; nor, again, should I have +thought myself bound to abide by the same view, when +circumstances were changed and the feelings of the loyalists +altered, but rather to bow to circumstances. For the persistence in +the same view has never been regarded as a merit in men eminent +for their guidance of the helm of state; but as in steering a ship one +secret of the art is to run before the storm, even if you cannot make +the harbour; yet, when you can do so by tacking about, it is folly to +keep to the course you have begun rather than by changing it to +arrive all the same at the destination you desire: so while we all +ought in the administration of the state to keep always in view the +object I have very frequently mentioned, peace combined with +dignity, we are not bound always to use the same language, but to +fix our eyes on the same object. Wherefore, as I laid down a little +while ago, if I had had as free a hand as possible in everything, I +should yet have been no other than I now am in politics. When, +moreover, I am at once induced to adopt these sentiments by the +kindness of certain persons, and driven to do so by the injuries of +others, I am quite content to think and speak about public affairs as +I conceive best conduces to the interests both of myself and of the +Republic. Moreover, I make this declaration the more openly and +frequently, both because my brother Quintus is Caesar's legate, and +because no word of mine, however trivial, to say nothing of any +act, in support of Caesar has ever transpired, which lie has not +received with such marked gratitude, as to make me look upon +myself as closely bound to him. Accordingly, I have the advantage +of his popularity, which you know to be very great, and his +material resources, which you know to be immense, as though they +were my own. Nor do I think that I could in any other way have +frustrated the plots of unprincipled persons against me, unless I +had now combined with those protections, which I have always +possessed, the goodwill also of the men in power. I should, to the +best of my belief, have followed this same line of policy even if I +had had you here. For I well know the reasonableness and +soberness of your judgment: I know your mind, while warmly +attached to me, to be without a tinge of malevolence to others, but +on the contrary as open and candid as it is great and lofty. I have +seen certain persons conduct themselves towards you as you might +have seen the same persons conduct themselves towards me. The +same things that have annoyed me would certainly have annoyed +you. But whenever I shall have the enjoyment of your presence, +you will be the wise critic of all my plans: you who took thought +for my safety will also do so for my dignity. Me, indeed, you will +have as the partner and associate in all your actions, sentiments, +wishes--in fact, in everything; nor shall I ever in all my life have +any purpose so steadfastly before me, as that you should rejoice +more and more warmly every day that you did me such eminent +service. + +As to your request that I would send you any books I have written +since your departure, there are sonic speeches, which I will give +Menocritus, not so very many, so don't be afraid! I have also +written- for I am now rather withdrawing from oratory and +returning to the gentler Muses, which now give me greater delight +than any others, as they have done since my earliest youth--well, +then, I have written in the Aristotelian style, at least that was my +aim, three books in the form of a discussion in dialogue "On the +Orator," which, I think, well be of some service to your Lentulus. +For they differ a good deal from the current maxims, and embrace +a discussion on the whole oratorical theory of the ancients, both +that of Aristotle and Isocrates. I have also written in verse three +books "On my own Times," which I should have sent you some +time ago, if I had thought they ought to be published--for they are +witnesses, and will he eternal witnesses, of your services to me +arid of my affection--hut I refrained because I was afraid, not of +those who might think themselves attacked, for I have been very +sparing and gentle in that respect, but of my benefactors, of whom +it were an endless task to mention the whole list. Nevertheless, the +books, such as they are, if I find anyone to whom I can safely +commit them, I will take care to have conveyed to you: and as far +as that part of my life and conduct is concerned, I submit it entirely +to your judgment. All that I shall succeed in accomplishing in +literature or in learning--my old favourite relaxations--I shall with +the utmost cheerfulness place before the bar of your criticism, for +you have always had a fondness for such things. As to what you +say in your letter about your domestic affairs, and all you charge +me to do, I am so attentive to them that I don't like being +reminded, can scarcely bear, indeed, to be asked without a very +painful feeling. As to your saying, in regard to Quintus's business, +that you could not do anything last summer, because you were +prevented by illness from crossing to Cilicia, but that you will now +do everything in your power to settle it, I may tell you that the fact +of the matter is that, if he can annex this property, my brother +thinks that he will owe to you the consolidation of this ancestral +estate. I should like you to write about all your affairs, and about +the studies and training of your son Lentulus (whom I regard as +mine also) as confidentially and as frequently as possible, and to +believe that there never has been anyone either dearer or more +congenial to another than you are to me, and that I will not only +make you feel that to be the case, but will make all the world and +posterity itself to the latest generation aware of it. + +Appius used some time back to repeat in conversation, and +afterwards said openly, even in the senate, that if he were allowed +to carry a law in the cornitia curiata, he vould draw lots with his +colleague for their provinces; but if no curiatian law were passed, +he would make an arralgement with his colleague and succeed +you: that a curiatian law was a proper thing for a consul, but was +not a necessity: that since he was in possession of a province by a +decree of the senate, he should have imperiuns in virtue of the +Cornelian law until such time as he entered the city. I don't know +what your several connexions write to you on the subject: I +understand that opinion varies. There are some who think that you +can legally refuse to quit your province, because your successor is +named without a curiatian law: some also hold that, even if you do +quit it, you may leave some one behind you to conduct its +government. For myself, I do not feel so certain about the point of +law--although there is not much doubt even about that--as I do of +this, that it is for your greatest honour, dignity, and independence, +which I know you always value above everything, to hand over +your province to a successor without any delay, especially as you +cannot thwart his greediness without rousing suspicion of your +own. I regard my duty as twofold--to let you know what I think, +and to defend what you have done. + +PS.--I had written the above when I received your letter about the +publicani, to whom I could not but admire the justice of your +conduct. I could have wished that you had been able by sonic +lucky chance to avoid running counter to the interests and wishes +of that order, whose honour you have always promoted. For my +part, I shall not cease to defend your decrees: but you know the +ways of that class of men; you are aware how bitterly hostile they +were to the famous Q. Scaevola himself. However, I advise you to +reconcile that order to yourself, or at least soften its feelings, if you +can by any means do so. Though difficult, I think it is, +nevertheless, not beyond the reach of your sagacity. + +XVI + +To C. TREBATIUS TESTA (IN GAUL) + +ROME (NOVEMBER) + +IN the "Trojan Horse," just at the end, you remember the words, +"Too late they learn wisdom." You, however, old man, were wise +in time. Those first snappy letters of yours were foolish enough, +and then--! I don't at all blame you for not being over-curious in +regard to Britain. For the present, however, you seem to be in +winter quarters somewhat short of warm clothing, and therefore +not caring to stir out: + +"Not here and there, but everywhere, +Be wise and ware: +No sharper steel can warrior bear." + +If I had been by way of dining out, I would not have failed your +friend Cn. Octavius; to whom, however, I did remark upon his +repeated invitations, "Pray, who are you?" But, by Hercules, joking +apart, be is a pretty fellow: I could have wished you had taken him +with you! Let me know for certain what you are doing and whether +you intend coming to Italy at all this winter. Balbus has assured me +that you will be rich. Whether he speaks after the simple Roman +fashion, meaning that you will be well supplied with money, or +according to the Stoic dictum, that "all are rich who can enjoy the +sky and the earth," I shall know hereafter. Those who come from +your part accuse you of pride, because they say you won't answer +men who put questions to you. However, there is one thing that +will please you: they all agree in saying that there is no better +lawyer than you at Samarobriva! + +XVII + +To ATTICUS (AT ROME) + +MINTURNAE, MAY + +YES, I saw well enough what your feelings were as I parted from +you; what mine were I am my own witness. This makes it all the +mote incumbent on you to prevent an additional decree being +passed, so that this mutual regret of ours may not last more than a +year. As to Annius Saturninus, your measures are excellent. As to +the guarantee, pray, during your stay at Rome, give it yourself. +You will find several guarantees on purchase, such as those of the +estates of Memmius, or rather of Attilius. As to Oppius, that is +exactly what I wished, and especially your having engaged to pay +him the 8oo sestertia (about 6,400 pounds), which I am determined +shall be paid in any case, even if I have to borrow to do so, rather +than wait for the last day of getting in my own debts. + +I now come to that last line of your letter written crossways, in +which you give me a word of caution about your sister. The facts +of the matter are these. On arriving at my place at Arpinum, my +brother came to see me, and our first subject of conversation was +yourself, and we discussed it at great length. After this I brought +the conversation round to what you and I had discussed at +Tusculum, on the subject of your sister. I never saw anything so +gentle and placable as my brother was on that occasion in regard to +your sister: so much so, indeed, that if there had been any cause of +quarrel on the score of expense, it was not apparent. So much for +that day. Next day we started from Arpinum. A country festival +caused Quintus to stop at Arcanum; I stopped at Aquinum; but we +lunched at Arcanum. You know his property there. When we got +there Quintus said, in the kindest manner, "Pomponia, do you ask +the ladies in, I will invite the men." Nothing, as I thought, could be +more courteous, and that, too, not only in the actual words, but +also in his intention and the expression of face. But she, in the +hearing of us all, exclaimed, "I am only a stranger here! " The +origin of that was, as I think, the fact that Statius had preceded us +to look after the luncheon. Thereupon Quintus said to me, "There, +that's what I have to put up with every day!" You will say, "Well, +what does that amount to?" A great deal, and, indeed, she had +irritated even me: her answer had been given with such +unnecessary acrimony, both of word and look. I concealed my +annoyance. We all took our places at table except her. However, +Ouintus sent her dishes from the table, which she declined. In +short, I thought I never saw anything better tempered than my +brother, or crosser than your sister: and there were many +particulars which I omit that raised my bile more than did that of +Quintus himself. I then went on to Aquinum; Quintus stopped at +Arcanum, and joined me early the next day at Aquinum. He told +me that she had refused to sleep with him, and when on the point +of leaving she behaved just as I had seen her. Need I say more? +You may tell her herself that in my judgment she shewed a marked +want of kindness on that day. I have told you this story at greater +length, perhaps, than was necessary, to convince you that you, too, +have something to do in the way of giving her instruction and +advice. + +There only remains for me to beg you to complete all my +commissions before leaving town; to give Pomptinus a push, and +make him start; to let me know as soon as you have left town, and +to believe that, by heaven, there is nothing I love and find more +pleasure in than yourself. I said a most affectionate good-bye to +that best of men, A. Torquatus, at Minturnae, to whom I wish you +would remark, in the course of conversation, that I have mentioned +him in my letter. + +XVIII + +To M. PORCIUS CATO (AT ROME) + +CILICIA (JANUARY) + +Your own immense prestige and my unvarying belief in your +consummate virtue have convinced me of the great importance it +is to me that you should be acquainted with what I have +accomplished, and that you should not be ignorant of the equity +and disinterestedness with which I protected our allies and +governed my province. For if you knew these facts, I thought I +should with greater ease secure your approval of my wishes. + +Having entered my province on the last day of July, and seeing that +the time of year made it necessary for me to make all haste to the +army, I spent but two days at Laodicea, four at Apamea three at +Synnada, and the same at Philomelium. Having held largely +attended assizes in these towns, I freed a great number of cities +from very vexatious tributes, excessive interest, and fraudulent +debt. Again, the army having before my arrival been broken up by +something like a mutiny, and five cohorts--without a legate or a +military tribune, and, in fact, actually without a single centurion-- +having taken up its quarters at Philomelium, while the rest of the +army was in Lycaonia, I ordered my legate M. Anneius to bring +those five cohorts to join the main army; and, having thus got the +whole army together into one place, to pitch a camp at Iconium in +Lycaonia. This order having been energetically executed by him, I +arrived at the camp myself on the 24th of August, having +meanwhile, in accordance with the decree of the senate, collected +in the intervening days a strong body of reserve men, a very +adequate force of cavalry, and a contingent of volunteers from the +free peoples and allied sovereigns. While this was going on, and +when, after reviewing the army, I had on the 28th of August begun +my march to Cilicia, some legates sent to me by the sovereign of +Commagene announced, with every sign of panic, yet not without +some foundation, that the Parthians had entered Syria. On hearing +this I was rendered very anxious both for Syria and my own +province, and, in fact, for all the rest of Asia. Accordingly, I made +up my mind that I must lead the army through the district of +Cappadocia, which adjoins Cilicia. For if I had gone straight down +into Cilicia, I could easily indeed have held Cilicia itself, owing to +the natural strength of Mount Amanus--for there are only two +defiles opening into Cilicia from Syria, both of which are capable +of being closed by insignificant garrisons owing to their +narrowness, nor can anything be imagined better fortified than is +Cilicia on the Syrian side--but I was disturbed for Cappadocia, +which is quite open on the Syrian side, and is surrounded by kings, +who, even if they are our friends in secret, nevertheless do not +venture to be openly hostile to the Parthians. Accordingly, I +pitched my camp in the extreme south of Cappadocia at the town +of Cybistra, not far from Mount Taurus, with the object at once of +covering Cilicia, and of thwarting the designs of the neighbouring +tribes by holding Cappadocia. Meanwhile, in the midst of this +serious commotion and anxious expectation of a very formidable +war king Deiotarus, who has with good reason been always highly +honoured in your judgment and my own, as well as that of the +senate--a man distinguished for his goodwill and loyalty to the +Roman people, as well as for his eminent courage and +wisdom--sent legates to tell me that he was on his way to my camp +in full force. Much affected by his zeal and kindness, I sent him a +letter of thanks, and urged him to hasten. However, being detained +at Cybistra five days while mats ring my plan of campaign, I +rescued king Ariobarzanes, whose safety had been intrusted to me +by the senate on your motion, from a plot that, to his surprise, had +been formed against him: and I not only saved his life, but I took +pains also to secure that his royal authority should be respected. +Metras and Athenus (the latter strongly commended to me by +yourself), who had been exiled owing to the persistent enmity of +queen Athenais, I restored to a position of the highest influence +and favour with the king. Then, as there was danger of serious +hostilities arising in Cappadocia in case the priest, as it was +thought likely that he would do, defended himself with arms--for +he was a young man, well furnished with horse and foot and +money, and relying on those all who desired political change of +any sort--I contrived that he should leave the kingdom: and that the +king, without civil war or an appeal to arms, with the full authority +of the court thoroughly secured, should hold the kingdom with +proper dignity. + +Meanwhile. I was informed by despatches and messengers from +many sides, that the Parthians and Arabs had approached the town +of Antioch in great force, and that a large body of their horsemen, +which had crossed into Cilicia, had been cut to pieces by some +squadrons of my cavalry and the prntorian cohort then on garrison +duty at Epiphanea- Wherefore, seeing that the forces of the +Parthians had turned their backs upon Cappadocia, and were not +far from the frontiers of Cilicia, I led my army to Anianus with the +longest forced marches I could. Arrived there, I learnt that the +enemy had retired from Antioch, and that Bibulus was at Antioch. +I thereupon informed Deiotarus, who was hurrying to join me with +a large and strong body of horse and foot, and with all the forces +he could muster, that I saw no reason for his leaving his own +do-minions, and that in case of any new event, I would +immediately write and send to him. And as my intention in coming +had been to relieve both provinces, should occasion arise, so now I +proceeded to do what I had all along made up my mind was greatly +to the interest of both provinces, namely, to reduce Amanus, and to +remove from that mountain an eternal enemy. So I made a feint +of retiring from the mountain and making for other parts of Cilicia: +and having gone a day's march from Amanus and pitched a camp, +on the 12th of October, towards evening, at Epiphanea, with my +army in light marching order I effected such a night march, that by +dawn on the 13th I was already ascending Amanus. Having formed +the cohorts and auxiliaries into several columns of attack--I and +my legate Quintus (my brother) commanding one, my legate C. +Pomptinus another, and my legates M. Anneius and L. Tullius the +rest--we surprised most of the inhabitants, who, being cut off from +all retreat, were killed or taken prisoners. But Erana, which was +more like a town than a village, and was the capital of Amanus, as +also Sepyra and Commons, which offered a determined and +protracted resistance from before daybreak till four in the +afternoon--Pomptinus being in command in that part of +Amanus--we took, after killing a great number of the enemy, and +stormed and set fire to several fortresses. After these operations +we lay encamped for four days on the spurs of Amanus, near the +Arce Alezandri, and all that time we devoted to the destruction of +the remaining inhabitants of Amanus, and devastating their lands +on that side of the mountain which belongs to my province. +Having accomplished this, I led the army away to Pindenissus, a +town of the Eleutherocilices. And since this town was situated on a +very lofty and strongly fortified spot, and was inhabited by men +who have never submitted even to the kings, and since they were +offering harbourage to deserters, and were eagerly expecting the +arrival of the Parthians, I thought it of importance to the prestige +of the empire to suppress their audacity, in order that there might +be less difficulty in breaking the spirits of all such as were +anywhere disaffected to our rule. I encircled them with a stockade +and trench: I beleaguered them with six forts and huge camps: I +assaulted them by the aid of earth-works, pent-houses, and towers: +and having employed numerous catapults and bowmen, with great +personal labour, and without troubling the allies or costing them +anything, I reduced them to such extremities that, after every +region of their town had been battered down or fired, they +surrendered to me on the fifty-seventh day. Their next neighbours +were the people of Tebra, no less predatory and audacious: from +them after the capture of Pindenissus I received hostages. I then +dismissed the army to winter quarters; and I put my brother in +command, with orders to station the men in villages that had either +been captured or were disaffected. + +Well now, I would have you feel convinced that, should a motion +be brought before the senate on these matters, I shall consider that +the highest possible compliment has been paid me, if you give +your vote in favour of a mark of honour being bestowed upon me. +And as to this, though I am aware that in such matters men of the +most respectable character are accustomed to ask and to be asked, +yet I think in your case that it is rather a reminder than a request +which is called for from me. For it is you who have on very many +occasions complimented me in votes which you delivered, who +have praised me to the skies in conversation, in panegyric, in the +most laudatory speeches in senate and public meeting: you are the +man to whose words I ever attached such weight as to hold myself +in possession of my utmost ambition, if your lips joined the chorus +of my praise. It was you finally, as I recollect, who said, when +voting against a supplicatlo in honour of a certain illustrious and +noble person, that you would have voted for it, if the motion had +related to what he had done in the city as consul. It was you, too, +who voted for granting me a supplicatio, though only a civilian, +not as had been done in many instances, "for good services to the +state," but, as I remember, "for having saved the state." I pass over +your having shared the hatred I excited, the dangers I ran, all the +storms' that I have encountered, and your having been entirely +ready to have shared them much more fully if I had allowed it; and +finally your having regarded my enemy as your own; of whose +death even--thus shewing me clearly how much you valued +me--you manifested your approval by supporting the cause of Milo +in the senate. On the other hand, I have borne a testimony to you, +which I do not regard as constituting any claim on your gratitude, +but as a frank expression of genuine opinion: for I did not confine +myself to a silent admiration of your eminent virtues--who does +not admire them? But in all forms of speech, whether in the senate +or at the bar; in all kinds of writing, Greek or Latin; in fine, in all +the various branches of my literary activity, I proclaimed your +superiority not only to contemporaries, but also to those of whom +we have heard in history. + +Yon will ask, perhaps, why I place such value on this or that +modicum of congratulation or compliment from the senate. I +will be frank with you, as our common tastes' and mutual good +services, our close friendship, nay, the intimacy of our fathers +demand. If there ever was anyone by natural inclination, and still +more, I think, by reason and reflexion, averse from the empty +praise and comments of the vulgar, I am certainly the man. +Witness my consulship, in which, as in the rest of my life, I +confess that I eagerly pursued the objects capable of producing +true glory: mere glory for its own sake I never thought a subject for +ambition. Accordingly, I not only passed over a province after the +votes for its outfit had been taken, but also with it an almost +certain hope of a triumph; and finally the priesthood, though, as I +think you will agree with me, I could have obtained it without +much difficulty, I did not try to get. Yet after my unjust +disgrace--always stigmatized by you as a disaster to the Republic, +and rather an honour than a disaster to myself--I was anxious that +some very signal marks of the approbation of the senate and +Roman people should be put on record. Accordingly, in the first +place, I did subsequently wish for the augurship, about which I had +not troubled myself before; and the compliment usually paid by +the senate in the case of success in war, though passed over by me +in old times, I now think an object to be desired. That you should +approve and support this wish of mine, in which you may trace a +strong desire to heal the wounds inflicted upon me by my disgrace, +though I a little while ago declared that I would not ask it, I now +do earnestly ask of you: but only on condition that you shall not +think my humble services paltry and insignificant, but of such a +nature and importance, that many for far less signal successes have +obtained the highest honours from the senate. I have, too, I think, +noticed this--for you know how attentively I ever listen to you--that +in granting or withholding honours you are accustomed to look not +so much to the particular achievements as to the character, the +principles' and conduct of commanders. Well, if you apply this test +to my case, you will find that, with a weak army, my strongest +support against the threat of a very formidable war has been my +equity and purity of conduct. With these as my aids I accomplished +what I never could have accomplished by any amount of legions: +among the allies I have created the warmest devotion in place of +the most extreme alienation; the most complete loyalty in place of +the most dangerous disaffection; and their spirits fluttered by the +prospect of change I have brought back to feelings of affection for +the old rule. + +But I have said too much of myself, especially to you, in whom +singly the grievances of all our allies alike find a listener. You will +learn the truth from those who think themselves restored to life by +my administration. And while all with nearly one consent will +praise me in your hearing as I most desire to be praised, so will +your two chief client states--the island of Cyprus and the kingdom +of Cappadocia--have something to say to you about me also. So, +too, I think, will Deiotarus, who is attached to you with special +warmth. Now, if these things are above the common run, and if in +all ages it has been rarer to find men capable of conquering their +own desires than capable of conquering an enemy's army, it is +quite in harmony with your principles, when you find these rarer +and more difficult virtues combined with success in war, to regard +that success itself as more complete and glorious. + +I have only one last resource--philosophy: and to make her plead +for me, as though I doubted the efficacy of a mere request: +philosophy, the best friend I have ever had in all my life, the +greatest gift which has been bestowed by the gods upon mankind. +Yes! this common sympathy in tastes and studies--our inseparable +devotion and attachment to which from boyhood have caused us to +become almost unique examples of men bringing that true and +ancient philosophy (which some regard as only the employment of +leisure and idleness) down to the forum, the council chamber, and +the very camp itself--pleads the cause of my glory with you: and I +do not think a Cato can, with a good conscience, say her nay. +Wherefore I would have you convince yourself that, if my despatch +is made the ground of paying me this compliment with your +concurrence, I shall consider that the dearest wish of my heart has +been fulfilled owing at once to your influence and to your +friendship. + +XIX + +To ATTICUS (IN EPIRUS) + +LAODTCEA, 22 FEBRUARY + +I RECEIVED your letter on the fifth day before the Terminalia +(19th of February) at Laodicea. I was delighted to read it, for it +teemed with affection, kindness, and an active and obliging +temper. I will, therefore, answer it sentence by sentence--for such +is your request--and I will not introduce an arrangement of my +own, but will follow your order. + +You say that the last letter you had of mine was from Cybistra, +dated 21st September, and you want to know which of yours I have +received. Nearly all you mention, except the one that you say that +you delivered to Lentulus's messengers at Equotuticus and +Brundisium. Wherefore your industry has not been thrown away, +as you fear, but has been exceedingly well laid out, if, that is to +say, your object was to give me pleasure. For I have never been +more delighted with anything. I am exceedingly glad that you +approve of my self-restraint in the case of Appius, and of my +independence even in the case of Brutus: and I had thought that it +might be somewhat otherwise. For Appius, in the course of his +journey, had sent me two or three rather querulous letters, because +I rescinded some of his decisions. It is exactly as if a doctor, upon +a patient having been placed under another doctor, should choose +to be angry with the latter if he changed some of his prescriptions. +Thus Appius, having treated the province on the system of +depletion, bleeding, and removing everything he could, and having +handed it over to me in the last state of exhaustion, he cannot bear +seeing it treated by me on the nutritive system. Yet he is +sometimes angry with me, at other times thanks me; for nothing I +ever do is accompanied with any reflexion upon him. It is only the +dissimilarity of my system that annoys him. For what could be a +more striking difference--under his rule a province drained by +charges for maintenance and by losses, under mine, not a penny +exacted either from private persons or public bodies? Why speak +of his praefecti, staff, and legates? Or even of acts of plunder, +licentiousness, and insult? While as things actually are, no private +house, by Hercules, is governed with so much system, or on such +strict principles, nor is so well disciplined, as is my whole +province. Some of Appius's friends put a ridiculous construction +on this, holding that I wish for a good reputation to set off his bad +one, and act rightly, not for the sake of my own credit, but in order +to cast reflexion upon him. But if Appius, as Brutus's letter +forwarded by you indicated, expresses gratitude to me, I am +satisfied. Nevertheless, this very day on which I write this, before +dawn, I am thinking of rescinding many of his inequitable +appointments and decisions. + +I now come to Brutus, whose friendship I embraced with all +possible earnestness on your advice. I had even begun to feel +genuine affection for him--but here I pull myself up short, lest I +should offend you: for don't imagine that there is anything I wish +more than to fulfil his commissions, or that there is anything about +which I have taken more trouble. Now he gave me a volume of +commissions, and you had already spoken with me about the same +matters. I have pushed them on with the greatest energy. To begin +with, I put such pressure on Ariobarzanes, that he paid him the +talents which he promised me. As long as the king was with me, +the business was in excellent train: later on he begun to be pressed +by countless agents of Pompey. Now Pompey has by himself more +influence than all the rest put together for many reasons, and +especially because there is an idea that he is coming to undertake +the Parthian war. However, even he has to put up with the +following scale of payment: on every thirtieth day thirty-three Attic +talents (7,920 pounds), and that raised by special taxes: nor is it +sufficient for the monthly interest. But our friend Gnaeus is an +easy +creditor: he stands out of his capital, is content with the interest, +and even that not in full. The king neither pays anyone else, nor is +capable of doing so: for he has no treasury, no regular income, He +levies taxes after the method of Appius. They scarcely produce +enough to satisfy Pompey's interest. The king has two or three very +rich friends, but they stick to their own as energetically as you or I. +For my part, nevertheless, I do not cease sending letters asking, +urging, chiding the king. Delotarus also has informed me that he +has sent emissaries to him on Brutus's business: that they have +brought him back word that he has not got the money. And, by +Hercules, I believe it is the case; nothing can be stripped cleaner +than his kingdom, or be more needy than the king. Accordingly, I +am thinking either of renouncing my guardianship, or, as Scaevola +did on behalf of Glabrio, of stopping payment altogether--principal +and interest alike. However, I have conferred the prefectures which +I promised Brutus through you on M. Scaptius and L. Gavius, who +were acting as Brutus's agents in the kingdom: for they were not +carrying on business in my own province. You will remember that +I made that condition, that he might have as many prefectures as +he pleased, so long as it was not +for a man in business. Accordingly, I have given him two others +besides: but the men for whom he asked them had left the +province. Now for the case of the Salaminians, which I see came +upon you also as a novelty, as it did upon me. For Brutus never +told me that the money was his own. Nay, I have his own +document containing the words, "The Salaminians owe my friends +M. Scaptius and P. Matinius a sum of money." He recommends +them to me: he even adds, as though by way of a spur to me, that +he has gone surety for them to a large amount. I had succeeded in +arranging that they should pay with interest for six years at the rate +of twelve per cent, and added yearly to the capital sum. But +Scaptius demanded forty-eight per cent. I was afraid, if he got that, +you yourself would cease to have any affection for me. For I +should have receded from my own edict, and should have titterly +ruined a statc which was under the protection not only of Cato, but +also of Brutus himself, and had been the recipient of favours from +myself. When lo and behold! at this very juncture Scaptius comes +down upon me with a letter from Brutus, stating that his own +property is being imperilled--a fact that Brutus had never told +either me or you. He also begged that I would confer a prefecture +on Scaptius. That was the very reservation that I had made to +you--" not to a man in business": and if to anyone, to such a man as +that--no I for he has been a praefectus to Appius, and had, in fact, +had some squadrons of cavalry, with which he had kept the senate +under so close a siege in their own council chamber at Salamis, +that five senators died of starvation. Accordingly, the first day of +my entering my province, Cyprian legates having already visited +me at Ephesus, I sent orders for the cavalry to quit the island at +once. For these reasons I believe Scaptius has written some +unfavorable remarks about me to Brutus. However, my feeling is +this: if Brutus holds that I ought to have decided in favour of +forty-eight per cent., though throughout my province I have only +recognized twelve per cent., and had laid down that rule in my +edict with the assent even of the most grasping money-lenders; if +he complains of my refusal of a prefecture to a man in business, +which I refused to our friend Torquatus in the case of your protege +Lamius, and to Pompey himself in the case of Sext. Statius, +without offending either of them; if, finally, he is annoyed at my +recall of the cavalry, I shall indeed feel some distress at his being +angry with me, but much greater distress at finding him not to be +the man that I had thought him. Thus much Scaptius will own--that +he had the opportunity in my court of taking away with him the +whole sum allowed by my edict. I will add a fact which I fear you +may not approve. The interest ought to have ceased to run (I mean +the interest allowed by my edict), but I induced the Salasninians to +say nothing about that. They gave in to me, it is true, but what will +become of them if Paullus comes here? However, I have granted +all this in favour of Brutus, who writes very kind letters to you +about me, but to me myself, even when he has a favour to ask, +writes usually in a tone of hauteur, arrogance, and offensive +superiority. You, however, I hope will write to him on this +business, in order that I may know how he takes what I have done. +For you will tell me. I have, it is true, written you a full and careful +account in a former letter, but I wished you clearly to understand +that I had not forgotten what you had said to me in one of your +letters: that if I brought home from this province nothing else +except his goodwill, I should have done enough. By all means, +since you will have it so: but I assume my dealings with him to be +without breach of duty on my part. Well, then, by my decree the +payment of the money to Statius is good at law: whether that is just +you must judge for yourself--I will not appeal even to Cato. But +don't think that I have cast your exhortations to the winds: they +have sunk deeply into my mind. With tears in your eyes you urged +me to be careful of my reputation. Have I ever got a letter from +you without the same subject being mentioned? So, then, let who +will be angry, I will endure it: "for the right is on my side," +especially as I have given six books as bail, so to speak, for my +good conduct. I am very glad you like them, though in one +point--about Cn. Flavius, son of Annius--you question my history. +He, it is true, did not live before the decemvirs, for he was curule +aedile, an office created many years after the decemvirs. What +good did he do, then, by publishing the Fasti? It is supposed that +the tablet containing them had been kept concealed up to a certain +date, in order that information as to days for doing business might +have to be sought from a small coterie. And indeed several of our +authorities relate that a scribe named Cn. Flavius published the +Fasti and composed forms of pleading--so don't imagine that I, or +rather Africanus (for he is the spokesman), invented the fact. So +you noticed the remark about the "action of an actor," did you? +You suspect a malicious meaning: I wrote in all simplicity. + +You say that Philotimus told you about my having been saluted +imperator. But I feel sure that, as you are now in Epirus, you have +received my own letters on the whole subject, one from +Pindenissus after its capture, another from Laodicea, both +delivered to your own messengers. On these events, for fear of +accidents at sea, I sent a public despatch to Rome in duplicate by +two different letter-carriers. + +As to my Tullia, I agree with you, and I have written to her and to +Terentia giving my consent. For you have already said in a +previous letter to me, "and I could wish that you had returned to +your old set." There was no occasion to alter the letter you sent by +Memnius: for I much prefer to accept this man from Pontidia, than +the other from Servilia. Wherefore take our friend Saufeius into +council. He was always fond of me, and now I suppose all the +more so as he is bound to have accepted Appius's affection for me +with the rest of the property he has inherited. Appius often showed +how much he valued me, and especially in the trial of Bursa. +Indeed you will have relieved me of a serious anxiety. + +I don't like Furnius's proviso. For, in fact, there is no state of things +that alarms me except just that of which he makes the only +exception. But I should have written at great length to you on this +subject if you had been at Rome. I don't wonder that you rest all +your hope of peace on Ponipey: I believe that is the truth, and in +my opinion you must strike out your word " insincerity." If my +arrangement of topics is somewhat random, blame yourself: for I +am following your own haphazard order. + +My son and nephew are very fond of each other. They take their +lessons and their exercise together; but as Isocrates said of +Ephorus and Theopompus, the one wants the rein, the other the +spur. I intend giving Quintus the toga virilis on the Liberalia. For +his father commissioned me to do so. And I shall observe the day +without taking intercalation into account. I am very fond of +Dionysius: the boys, however, say that he gets into mad passions. +But after all there could not be a man of greater learning, purer +character, or more attached to you and me. The praises you hear of +Thermus and Silius are thoroughly deserved: they conduct +themselves in the most honourable manner. You may say the same +of M. Nonius, Bibulus, and myself, if you like. I only wish Scrofa +had had an opportunity to do the same: for he is an excellent +fellow. The rest don't do much honour to Cato's policy. Many +thanks for commending my case to Hortensius. As for Amianus, +Dionysius thinks there is no hope. I haven't found a trace of +Terentius. Maeragenes has certainly been killed. I made a progress +through his district, in which there was not a single living thing +left. I didn't know about this, when I spoke to your man +Democritus. I have ordered the service of Rhosian ware. But, +hallo! what are you thinking of? You generally serve us up a +dinner of herbs on fern-pattern plates, and the most sparkling of +baskets: what am I to expect you to give on porcelain? I have +ordered a horn for Phemius: one will be sure to turn up; I only +hope he may play something worthy of it. + +There is a threat of a Parthian war. Cassius's despatch was empty +brag: that of Bibulus had not arrived: when that is read I think the +senate will at length be roused. I am myself in serious anxiety. If, +as I hope, my government is not prolonged, I have only June and +July to fear. May it be so! Bibulus will keep them in check for two +months. What will happen to the man I leave in charge, especially +if it is my brother? Or, again, what will happen to me, if I don't +leave my province so soon? It is a great nuisance. However, I have +agreed with Deiotarus that he should join my camp in full force. +He has thirty cohorts of four hundred men apiece, armed in the +Roman fashion, and two thousand cavalry. That will be sufficient +to hold out till the arrival of Pompey, who in a letter he writes to +me indicates that the business will be put in his hands. The +Parthians are wintering in a Roman province. Orodes is expected +in person. In short, it is a serious matter. As to Bibulus's edict there +is nothing new, except the proviso of which you said in your letter, +"that it reflected with excessive severity on our order." I, however, +have a proviso in my own edict of equivalent force, but less openly +expressed (derived from the Asiatic edict of Q. Mucius, son of +Publius)--" provided that the agreement made is not such as cannot +hold good in equity." I have followed Scaevola in many points, +among others in this--which the Greeks regard as a charta of +liberty.--that Greeks are to decide controversies between each +other according to their own laws. But my edict was shortened by +my method of making a division, as I thought it well to publish it +under two heads: the first, exclusive.Iy applicable to a province, +concerned borough accounts, debt, rate of interest, contracts, all +regulations also referring to the publicani: the second, including +what cannot conveniently be transacted without an edict, related to +inheritances, ownership and sale, appointment of receivers, all +which are by custom brought into court and settled in accordance +with the edict: a third division, embracing the remaining +departments of judicial business, I left unwritten. I gave out that in +regard to that class of business I should accommodate my +decisions to those made at Rome: I accordingly do so, and give +general satisfaction. The Greeks, indeed, are jubilant because they +have non-Roman jurors. + +"Yes," you will say, "a very poor kind." What does that matter? +They, at any rate, imagine themselves to have obtained +"autonomy." You at Rome, I suppose, have men of high character +in that capacity--Tupio the shoemaker and Vettius the broker! You +seem to wish to know how I treat the publicani. I pet, indulge, +compliment, and honour them: I contrive, however, that they +oppress no one. The most surprising thing is that even Servilius +maintained the rates of usury entered on their contracts. My line is +this: I mirrie a day fairly distant, before which, if they have paid, I +give out that I shall recognize only twelve per cent.: if they have +not paid, the rate shall be according to the contract. The result is +that the Greeks pay at a reasonable rate of interest, and the +publicani are thoroughly satisfied by receiving in full measure +what I mentioned--complimentary speeches and frequent +invitations. Need I say more? They are all on such terms with me +that each thinks himself my most intimate friend. However, (Greek +phrase)--you know the rest. + +As to the statue of Africanus--what a mass of confusion I But that +was just what interested me in your letter. Do you really mean it? +Does the present Metellus Scipio not know that his +great-grandfather was never censor? Why, the statue placed at a +high elevation in the temple of Ops had no inscription except +CENS, while on the statue near the Hercules of Polycles there is +also the inscription CENS, and that this is the statue of the same +man is proved by attitude, dress, ring, and the likeness itself. But, +by Hercules, when I observed in the group of gilded equestrian +statues, placed by the present Metellus on the Capitol, a statue of +Africanus with the name of Serapio inscribed under it, I thought it +a mistake of the workman. I now see that it is an error of +Metellus's. What a shocking historical blunder! For that about +Flavius and the Fasti, if it is a blunder, is one shared in by all, and +you were quite right to raise the question. I followed the opinion +which runs through nearly all historians, as is often the case with +Greek writers. For example, do they not all say that Eupolis, the +poet of the old comedy, was thrown into the sea by Alcibiades on +his voyage to Sicily? Eratosthenes disproves it: for he produces +some plays exhibited by him after that date. Is that careful +historian, Duris of Samos, laughed out of court because he, in +common with many others, made this mistake? Has not, again, +every writer affirmed that Zaleucus drew up a constitution for the +Locrians? Are we on that account to regard Theophrastus as utterly +discredited, because your favourite Timams attacked his +statement? But not to know that one's own great-grandfather was +never censor is discreditable, especially as since his consulship no +Cornelius was censor in his lifetime. + +As to what you say about Philotimus and the payment ot the +20,600 sestertia, I hear that Philotimus arrived in the Chersonese +about the 1st of January: but as yet I have not had a word from +him. The balance due to me Camillus writes me word that he has +received; I don't know how much it is, and I am anxious to know. +However, we will talk of this later on, and with greater advantage, +perhaps, when we meet? ++ +But, my dear Atticus, that sentence almost at the end of your letter +gave me great uneasiness. For you say, "What else is there to say?" +and then you go on to entreat me in most affectionate terms not to +forget my vigilance, and to keep my eyes on what is going on. +Have you heard any-thing about anyone? I am sure nothing of the +sort has taken place. No, no, it can't be! It would never have eluded +my notice, nor will it. Yet that reminder of yours, so carefully +worded, seems to suggest something. + +As to M. Octavius, I hereby again repeat that your answer was +excellent: I could have wished it a little more positive still. For +Caelius has sent me a freedman and a carefully written letter about +some panthers and also a grant from the states. I have written back +to say that, as to the latter, I am much vexed if my course of +conduct is still obscure, amid if it is not known at Rome that not a +penny has been exacted from my province except for the payment +of debt; and I have explained to him that it is improper both for me +to solicit the money and for him to receive it; and I have advised +him (for I am really attached to him) that, after prosecuting others, +he should be extra-careful as to his own conduct. As to the former +request, I have said that it is inconsistent with my character that +the people of Cibyra should hunt at the public expense while I am +governor. + +Lepta jumps for joy at your letter. it is indeed prettily written, and +has placed me in a very agreeable light in his eyes. I am much +obliged to your little daughter for so earnestly bidding you send me +her love. It is very kind of Pilia also; but your daughter's kindness +is the greater, because she sends the message to one she has never +seen. Therefore pray give my love to both in return. The day on +which your letter was dated, the last day of December, reminded +me pleasantly of that glorious oath of mine, which I have not +forgotten. I was a civilian Magnus on that day. + +There's your letter completely answered! Not as you were good +enough to ask, with "gold for bronze," but tit for tat. Oh, but here +is another little note, which I will not leave unanswered. Lucceius, +on my word, could get a good price for his Tusculan property, +unless, perchance, his flute-player is a fixture (for that's his way), +and I should like to know in what condition it is. Our friend +Lentulus, I hear, has advertised everything for sale except his +Tusculan property. I should like to see these men cleared of their +embarrassments, Cestius also, and you may add Caelius, to all of +whom the line applies, + +"Ashamed to shrink and yet afraid to take." + +I suppose you have heard of Curio's plan for recalling Memmius. +Of the debt due from Egnatius of Sidicinum I am not without some +hope, though it is a feeble one. Pinarius, whom you recommended +to me, is seriously ill, and is being very carefully looked after by +Deiotarus. So there's the answer to your note also. + +Pray talk to me on paper as frequently as possible while I am at +Laodicea, where I shall be up to the 15th of May: and when you +reach Athens at any rate send me letter-carriers, for by that time +we shall know about the business in the city and the arrangements +as to the provinces, the settlement of all which has been fixed for +March. + +But look here! Have you yet wrung out of Caesar by the agency of +Herodes the fifty Attic talents? In that matter you have, I hear, +roused great wrath on the part of Pompey. For he thinks that you +have snapped up money rightly his, and that Caesar will be no less +lavish in his building at the Nemus Diame. + +I was told all this by P. Vedius, a hare-brained fellow enough, but +yet an intimate friend of Pompey's. This Vedius came to meet me +with two chariots, and a carriage and horses, and a sedan, and a +large suite of servants, for which last, if Curio has carried his law, +he will have to pay a toll of a hundred sestertii apiece. There was +also in a chariot a dog-headed baboon, as well as some wild asses. +I never saw a more extravagant fool. But the cream of the whole is +this. He stayed at Laodicea with Pompeius Vindullus. There he +deposited his properties when coming to see me. Meanwhile +Vindullus dies, and his property is supposed to revert to Pompeius +Magnus. Gaius Vennonius comes to Vindullus's house: when, +while putting a seal on all goods, he conies across the baggage of +Vedius. In this are found five small portrait busts of married +ladies, among which is one of the wife of your friend--" brute," +indeed, to be intimate with such a fellow! and of the wife of +Lepidus-- as easy-going as his name to take this so calmly! I +wanted you to know these historiettes by the way; for we have both +a pretty taste in gossip. There is one other thing I should like you +to turn over in your mind. I am told that Appius is building a +propyheum at Eleusis. Should I be foolishly vain if I also built one +at the Academy? "I think so," you will say. Well, then, write and +tell me that that is your opinion. For myself, I am deeply attached +to Athens itself. I would like some memorial of myself to exist. I +loathe sham inscriptions on statues really representing other +people. But settle it as you please, and be kind enough to inform +me on what day the Roman mysteries fall, and how you have +passed the winter. Take care of your health. Dated the 765th day +since the battle of Leuctra! + +XX + +M. PORCIUS CATO TO CICERO (IN CILICIA) + +ROME (JUNE) + +I GLADLY obey the call of the state and of our friendship, in +rejoicing that your virtue, integrity, and energy, already known at +home in a most important crisis, when you were a civilian, should +be maintained abroad with the same painstaking care now that you +have military command. Therefore what I could conscientiously +do in setting forth in laudatory terms that the province had been +defended by your wisdom; that the kingdom of Ariobarzanes, as +well as the king, himself, had been preserved; and that the feelings +of the allies had been won back to loyalty to our empire--that I +have done by speech and vote. That a thanksgiving was decreed I +am glad, if you prefer our thanking the gods rather than giving you +the credit for a success which has been in no respect left to chance, +but has been secured for the Republic by your own eminent +prudence and self-control. But if you think a thanksgiving to be a +presumption in favour of a triumph, and therefore prefer fortune +having the credit rather than yourself, let me remind you that a +triumph does not always follow a thanksgiving; and that it is an +honour much more brilliant than a triumph for the senate to +declare its opinion, that a province has been retained rather by the +uprightness and mildness of its governor, than by the strength of an +army or the favour of heaven: and that is what I meant to express +by my vote. And I write this to you at greater length than I usually +do write, because I wish above all things that you should think of +mc as taking pains to convince you, both that I have wished for +you what I believed to be for your highest honour, and am glad that +you have got what you preferred to it. Farewell: continue to love +me; and by the way you conduct your home-journey, secure to the +allies and the Republic the advantages of your integrity and +energy. + +XXI + +To M. PORCLUS CATO (AT ROME) + +(ASIA, SEPTEMBER) + +"RIGHT glad am I to be praised "--says Hector, I think, in +Naevius--" by thee, reverend senior, who hast thyself been +praised." For certainly praise is sweet that comes from those who +themselves have lived in high repute. For myself, there is nothing I +should not consider myself to have attained either by the +congratulation contained in your letter, or the testimony borne to +me in your senatorial speech: and it was at once the highest +compliment and the greatest gratification to me, that you willingly +conceded to friendship, what you transparently conceded to truth. +And if, I don't say all, but if many were Catos in our state--in +which it is a matter of wonder that there is even one--what +triumphal chariot or laurel should I have compared with praise +from you? For in regard to my feelings, and in view of the ideal +honesty and subtihity of your judgment, nothing can be more +complimentary than the speech of yours, which has been copied +for me by my friends. But the reason of my wish, for I will not call +it desire, I have explained to you in a former letter. And even if it +does not appear to you to be entirely sufficient, it at any rate leads +to this conclusion--not that the honour is one to excite excessive +desire, but yet is one which, if offered by the senate, ought +certainly not to be rejected. Now I hope that that House, +considering the labours I have undergone on behalf of the state, +will not think me undeserving of an honour, especially one that has +become a matter of usage. And if this turns out to be so, all I ask of +you is that--to use your own most friendly words-- since you have +paid me what in your judgment is the highest compliment, you will +still "be glad" if I have the good fortune to get what I myself have +preferred. For I perceive that you have acted, felt, and written in +this sense: and the facts themselves shew that the compliment paid +me of a supplicatio was agreeable to you, since your name appears +on the decree: for decrees of the senate of this nature are, I am +aware, usually drawn out by the warmest friends of the man +concerned in the honour. I should, I hope, soon see you, and may it +be in a better state of political affairs than my fears forebode! + +XXII + +TO TRO (AT PATRAE) + +BRUNDISIUM, 26 NOVEMBER. + +CICERO and his son greet Tiro warmly. We parted from you, as +you know, on the 2nd of November. We arrived at Leucas on the +6th of November, on the 7th at Actium. There we were detained +till the 8th by a storm. Thence on the 9th we arrived at Corcyra +after a charming voyage. At Corcyra we were detained by bad +weather till the 15th. On the 16th we continued our voyage to +Cassiope, a harbor of Corcyra, a distance of 120 stades. There we +were detaine4 by winds until the 22nd. Many of those who in this +interval impatiently attempted the crossing suffered shipwreck. On +the 22nd, after dinner, we weighed anchor. Thence with a very +gentle south wind and a clear sky, in the coarse of that night and +the next day we arrived in high spirits on Italian soil at Hydrus, and +with the same wind next day--that is, the 24th of November--at io +o'clock in the morning we reached Brundisium, and exactly at the +same time as ourselves Terentia (who values you very highly) +made her entrance into the town. On the 26th, at Brundisium, a +slave of Cn. Plancius at length delivered to me the ardently +expected letter from you, dated the 13th of November. It greatly +lightened my anxiety: would that it had entirely removed it! +However, the physician Asclapo positively asserts that you will +shortly be well. What need is there for me at this time of day to +exhort you to take every means to re-establish your health? I know +your good sense, temperate habits, and affection for me: I am sure +you will do everything you can to join me as soon as possible. But +though I wish this, I would not have you hurry yourself in any way. +I could have wished you had shirked Lyso's concert, for fear of +incurring a fourth fit of your seven-day fever. But since you have +preferred to consuit your politeness rather than your health, be +careful for the future. I have sent orders to Curius for a douceur to +be given to the physician, and that he should advance you +whatever you want, engaging to pay the money to any agent he +may name. I am leaving a horse and mule for you at Brundisium. + +At Rome I fear that the 1st of January will be the beginning of +serious disturbances. I shall take a moderate line in all respects. It +only remains to beg and entreat you not to set sail rashly--seamen +are wont to hurry things for their own profit: be cautious, my dear +Tiro: you have a wide and difficult sea before you. If you can, start +with Mescinius; he is usually cautious about a sea passage: if not, +travel with some man of rank, whose position may give him +influence over the ship-owner. If you take every precaution in this +matter and present yourself to us safe and sound, I shall want +nothing more of you. Good-bye, again and again, dear Tiro! I am +writing with the greatest earnestness about you to the physician, to +Curius, and to Lyso. Good-bye, and God bless you. + +XXIII + +To L. PAPIRIUS PAETUS (AT NAPLES) + +TUSCULUM (JULY) + +I WAS charmed with your letter, in which, first of all, what I loved +was the tenderness which prompted you to write, in alarm lest +Silius should by his news have caused me any anxiety. About this +news, not only had you written to me before--in fact twice, one +letter being a duplicate of the other--shewing me clearly that you +were upset, but I also had answered you in full detail, in order that +I might, as far as such a business and such a crisis admitted, free +you from your anxiety, or at any rate alleviate it. But since you +shew in your last also how anxious you are about that matter-- +make up your mind to this, my dear Paetus: that whatever could +possibly be accomplished by art--for it is not enough nowadays to +contend with mere prudence, a sort of system must be elaborated-- +however, whatever could be done or effected towards winning and +securing the goodwill of those men I have done, and not, I think, in +vain. For I receive such attentions, such politenesses from all +Caesar's favourites as make me believe myself beloved by them. +For, though genuine love is not easily distinguished from feigned, +unless some crisis occurs of a kind to test faithful affection by its +danger, as gold in the fire, there are other indications of a general +nature. But I only employ one proof to convince me that I am +loved from the heart and in sincerity--namely, that my fortune and +theirs is of such a kind as to preclude any motive on their part for +pretending. In regard, again, to the man who now possesses all +power, I see no reason for my being alarmed: except the fact that, +once depart from law, everything is uncertain; and that nothing can +be guaranteed as to the future which depends on another man's +will, not to say caprice. Be that as it may, personally his feelings +have in no respect been wounded by me. For in that particular +point I have exhibited the greatest self-control. For, as in old times +I used to reckon that to speak without reserve was a privilege of +mine, since to my exertions the existence of liberty in the state was +owing, so, now that that is lost, I think it is my duty to say nothing +calculated to offend either his wishes or those of his favourites. +But if I want to avoid the credit of certain keen or witty epigrams, I +must entirely abjure a reputation for genius, which I would not +refuse to do, if I could. But after all Caesar himself has a very keen +critical faculty, and, just as your cousin Servius--whom I consider +to have been a most accomplished man of letters--had no difficulty +in saying: "This verse is not Plautus's, this is--" because he had +acquired a sensitive ear by dint of classifying the various styles of +poets and habitual reading, so I am told that Caesar, having now +completed his volumes of bons mots, if anything is brought to him +as mine, which is not so, habitually rejects it. This he now does all +the more, because his intimates are in my company almost every +day. Now in the course of our discursive talk many remarks are let +fall, which perhaps at the time of my making them seem to them +wanting neither in literary flavour nor in piquancy. These are +conveyed to him along with the other news of the day: for so he +himself directed. Thus it comes about that if he is told of anything +besides about me, he considers that he ought not to listen to it. +Wherefore I have no need of your DEnomaus, though your +quotation of Accius's verses was very much on the spot. But what +is this jealousy, or what have I now of which anyone can be +jealous? But suppose the worst. I find that the philosophers, who +alone in my view grasp the true nature of virtue, hold that the wise +man does not pledge himself against anything except doing wrong; +and of this I consider myself clear in two ways, first in that my +veiws were most absolutely correct; and second because, when I +found that we had not sufficient material force to maintain them, I +was against a trial of strength with the stronger party. Therefore, so +far as the duty of a good citizen is concerned, I am certainly not +open to reproach. What remains is that I should not say or do +anything foolish or rash against the men in power: that too, I think, +is the part of the wise man. As to the rest--what this or that man +may say that I said, or the light in which he views it, or the amount +of good faith with which those who continually seek me out and +pay me attention may be acting--for these things I cannot be +responsible. The result is that I console myself with the +consciousness of my uprightness in the past and my moderation in +the present, and apply that simile of Accius's not to jealousy, but to +fortune, which I hold--as being inconstant and frail--ought to be +beaten back by a strong and manly soul, as a wave is by a rock. +For, considering that Greek history is full of examples of how the +wisest men endured tyrannies either at Athens or Syracuse, when, +though their countries were enslaved, they themselves in a certain +sense remained free--am I to believe that I cannot so maintain my +position as not to hurt anyone's feelings and yet not blast my own +character? + +I now come to your jests, since as an afterpiece to Accius's +DEnomaus, you have brought on the stage, not, as was his wont, an +Atellan play, but, according to the present fashion, a mime. What's +all this about a pilot-fish, a denarius, and a dish of salt fish and +cheese? In my old easy-going days I put up with that sort of thing: +but times are changed. Hirthms and Dolabella are my pupils in +rhetoric, but my masters in the art of dining. For I think you must +have heard, if you really get all news, that their practice is to +declaim at my house, and mine to dine at theirs. Now it is no use +your making an affidavit of insolvency to me: for when you had +some property, petty profits used to keep you a little too close to +business; but as things are now, seeing that you are losing money +so cheerfully, all you have to do, when entertaining me, is to +regard yourself as accepting a "composition"; and even that loss is +less annoying when it comes from a friend than from a debtor. Yet, +after all, I don't require dinners superfluous in quantity: only let +what there is be first-rate in quality and recherche. I remember you +used to tell me stories of Phamea's dinner. Let yours be earlier, but +in other respects like that. But if you persist in bringing me back to +a dinner like your mother's, I should put up with that also. For I +should like to see the man who had the face to put on the table for +me what you describe, or even a polypus--looking as red as Iupiter +Miniatus. Believe me, you won't dare. Before I arrive the fame of +my new magnificence will reach you: and you will be awestruck at +it. Yet it is no use building any hope on your hors d'aeuvre. I have +quite abolished that: for in old times I found my appetite spoilt by +your olives and Lucanian sausages. But why all this talk? Let me +only get to you. By all means--for I wish to wipe away all fear +from your heart--go back to your old cheese-and-sardine dish. The +only expense I shall cause you will be that you will have to have +the bath heated. All the rest according to my regular habits. What I +have just been saying was all a joke. + +As to Selicius's villa, you have managed the business carefully and +written most wittily. So I think I won't buy. For there is enough salt +and not enough savour. + +XXIV + +To L. PAPIRIUS PAETUS (AT NAPLES) + +TUSCULUM (JULY) + +BEING quite at leisure in my Tusculan villa, because I had sent +my pupils to meet him, that they might at the same time present +me in as favourable a light as possible to their friend, I received +your most delightful letter, from which I learnt that you approved +my idea of having begun--now that legal proceedings are abolished +aiid my old supremacy in the forum is lost--to keep a kind of +school, just as Dionysius, when expelled from Syracuse, is said to +have opened a school at Corinth. In short, I too am delighted with +the idea, for I secure many advantages. First and foremost, I am +strengthening my position in view of the present crisis, and that is +of primary importance at this time. How much that amounts to I +don't know: I only see that as at present advised I prefer no one's +policy to this, unless, of course, it had been better to have died. In +one's own bed, I confess it might have been, but that did not occur: +and as to the field of battle, I was not there. The rest indeed-- +Pompey, your friend Lentulus, Afranius--perished ingloriously. +But, it may be said, Cato died a noble death. Well, that at any rate +is in our power when we will: let us only do our best to prevent its +being as necessary to us as it was to him. That is what I am doing. +So that is the first thing I had to say. The next is this: I am +improving, in the first place in health, which I had lost from giving +up all exercise of my lungs. In the second place, my oratorical +faculty, such as it was, would have completely dried up, had I not +gone back to these exercises. The last thing I have to say, which I +rather think you will consider most important of all, is this: I have +now demolished more peacocks than you have young pigeons! +You there revel in Haterian law-sauce, I here in Hirtian hot-sauce. +Come then, if you are half a man, and learn from me the maxims +which you seek: yet it is a case of "a pig teaching Minerva." But it +will be my business to see to that: as for you, if you can't find +purchasers for your foreclosures and so fill your pot with denaril, +back you must come to Rome. It is better to die of indigestion +here, than of starvation there. I see you have lost money: I hope +these friends of yours have done the same. You are a ruined man if +you don't look out. You may possibly get to Rome on the only +mule that you say you have left, since you have eaten up your pack +horse. Your seat in the school, as second master, will be next to +mine: the honour of a cushion will come by-and-by. + +XXV +To L. PAPIRIUS PAETUS (AT NAPLES) + +ROME (AUGUST) + +I WAS doubly charmed by your letter, first because it made me +laugh myself, and secondly because I saw that you could still +laugh. Nor did I in the least object to being overwhelmed with +your shafts of ridicule, as though I were a light skirmisher in the +war of wits. What I am vexed at is that I have not been able, as I +intended, to run over to see you: for you would not have had a +mere guest, but a brother-in-arms. And such a hero! not the man +whom you used to do for by the hors d'aeuvre. I now bring an +unimpaired appetite to the egg, and so the fight is maintained right +up to the roast veal. The compliments you used to pay me in old +times "What a contented person !" "What an easy guest to entertain +!" are things of the past. All my anxiety about the good of the state, +all meditating of speeches to be delivered in the senate, all getting +up of briefs I have cast to the winds. I have thrown myself into the +camp of my old enemy Epicurus not, however, with a view to the +extravagance of the present day, but to that refined splendour of +yours I mean your old style when you had money to spend (though +you never had more landed estate). Therefore prepare! You have to +deal with a man, who not only has a large appetite, but who also +knows a thing or two. You are aware of the extravagance of your +bourgeois gentilhomtne. You must forget all your little baskets and +your omelettes. I am now far advanced in the art that I frequently +venture to ask your friend Verrius and Camillus to dinner--what +dandies! how fastidious! But think of my audacity: I even gave +Hirtius a dinner, without a peacock however. In that dinner my +cook could not imitate him in anything but the hot sauce. + +So this is my way of life nowadays: in the morning I receive not +only a large number of "loyalists," who, however, look gloomy +enough, but also our exultant conquerors here, who in my case are +quite prodigal in polite and affectionate attentions. When the +stream of morning callers has ebbed, I wrap myself up in my +books, either writing or reading. There are also some visitors who +listen to my discourses under the belief of my being a man of +learning, because I am a trifle more learned than themselves. After +that all my time is given to my bodily comfort. I have mourned for +my country more deeply and longer than any mother for her only +son. But take care, if you love me, to keep your health, lest I +should take advantage of your being laid up to eat you out of house +and home. For I am resolved not to spare you even when you are +ill. + +XXVI + +To AULUS CAECINA (IN EXILE) + +ROME (SEPTEMBER) + +I AM afraid you may think me remiss in my attentions to you, +which, in view of our close union resulting from many mutual +services and kindred tastes, ought never to be lacking. In spite of +that I fear you do find me wanting in the matter of writing. The +fact is, I would have sent you a letter long ago and on frequent +occasions, had I not, from expecting day after day to have sonic +better news for you, wished to fill my letter with congratulation +rather than with exhortations to courage. As it is, I shall shortly, I +hope, have to congratulate you: and so I put off that subject for a +letter to another time. But imi this letter I think that your courage-- +which I am told and hope is not at all shaken--ought to be +repeatedly braced by the authority of a man, who, if not the wisest +in the world, is yet the most devoted to you: and that not with such +words as I should use to console one utterly crushed and bereft of +all hope of restoration, but as to one of whose rehabilitation I have +no more doubt than I remember that you had of mine. For when +those men had driven me from the Republic, who thought that it +could not fall while I was on my feet, I remember hearing from +many visitors from Asia, in which country you then were, that you +were emphatic as to my glorious and rapid restoration. If that +system, so to speak, of Tuscan augury which you had inherited +from your noble and excellent father did not deceive you, neither +will our power of divination deceive me; which I have acquired +from the writings and maxims of the greatest savants, and, as you +know, by a very diligent study of their teaching, as well as by an +extensive experience in managing public business, and from the +great vicissitudes of fortune which I have encountered. And this +divination I am the more inclined to trust, from the fact that it +never once deceived me in the late troubles, in spite of their +obscurity and confusion. I would have told you what events I +foretold, were I not afraid to be thought to be making up a story +after the event Yet, after all, I have numberless witnesses to the +fact that I warned Pompey not to form a union with Caesar, and +afterwards not to sever it. By this union I saw that the power of the +senate would be broken, by its severance a civil war be provoked. +And yet I was very intimate with Caesar, and had a very great +regard for Pompey, but my advice was at once loyal to Pompey +and in the best interests of both alike. My other predictions I pass +over; for I would not have Caaesar think that I gave Pompey +advice, by which, if he had followed it, Caesar himself would have +now been a man of illustrious character in the state indeed, and the +first man in it, but yet not in possession of the great power he now +wields. I gave it as my opinion that he should go to Spain; and if +he had done so, there would have been no civil war at all. That +Caesar should be allowed to stand for the consulship in his +absence I did not so much contend to be constitutional as that, +since the law had been passed by the people at the instance of +Pompey himself when consul, it should be done. The pretext for +hostilities was given. What advice or remonstrance did I omit, +when urging that any peace, even the most inequitable, should be +preferred to the most righteous war? My advice was overruled, not +so much by Pompey--for he was affected by it--as by those who, +relying on him as a military leader, thought that a victory in that +war would be highly conducive to their private interests and +personal ambitions. The war was begun without my taking any +active part in it; it was forcibly removed from Italy, while I +remained there as long as I could. But honour had greater weight +with me than fear: I had scruples about failing to support Pompey's +safety, when on a certain occasion he had not failed to support +mine. Accordingly, overpowered by a feeling of duty, or by what +the loyalists would say, or by a regard for my honor--whichever +you please--like Amphiarus in the play, I went deliberately, and +fully aware of what I was doing, "to ruin full displayed before my +eyes." In this war there was not a single disaster that I did not +foretell. Therefore, since, after the manner of augurs and +astrologers, I too, as a state augur, have by my previous predictions +established the credit of my prophetic power and knowledge of +divination in your eyes, my prediction will justly claim to be +believed. Well, then, the prophecy I now give you does not rest on +the flight of a bird nor the note of a bird of good omen on the +left--according to the system of our augural college--nor from the +normal and audible pattering of the corn of the sacred chickens. I +have other signs to note; and if they are not more infallible than +those, yet after all they are less obscure or misleading. Now omens +as to the future are observed by me in what I may call a twofold +method: the one I deduce from Caesar himself, the other from the +nature and complexion of the political situation. Caesar's +characteristics are these: a disposition naturally placable and +clement--as delineated in your brilliant book of "Grievances"--and +a great liking also for superior talent, such as your own. Besides +this, he is relenting at the expressed wishes of a large number of +your friends, which are well-grounded and inspired by affection. +not hollow and self-seeking. Under this head the unanimous +feeling of Etruria will have great influence on him. + +Why, then--you may ask--have these things as yet had no effect? +Why, because he thinks if he grants you yours, he cannot resist the +applications of numerous petitioners with whom to all appearance +he has juster grounds for anger. "What hope, then," you will say, +"from an angry man?" Why, he knows very well that he will draw +deep draughts of praise from the same fountain, from which he has +been already--though sparingly--bespattered. Lastly, he is a man +very acute and farseeing: he knows very well that a man like +you--far and away the greatest noble in an important district of +Italy, and in the state at large the equal of anyone of your +generation, however eminent, whether in ability or popularity or +reputation among the Roman people--cannot much longer be +debarred from taking part in public affairs. He will be unwilling +that you should, as you would sooner or later, have time to thank +for this rather than his favour. + +So much for Caesar. Now I will speak of the nature of the actual +situation. There is no one so bitterly opposed to the cause, which +Pompey undertook with better intentions than provisions, as to +venture to call us bad citizens or dishonest men. On this head I am +always struck with astonishment at Caesar's sobriety, fairness, and +wisdom. He never speaks of Pompey except in the most respectful +terms. "But," you will say, "in regard to him as a public man his +actions have often been bitter enough." Those were acts of war and +victory, not of Caesar. But see with what open arms he has +received us! Cassius he has made his legate; Brutus governor of +Gaul; Sulpicius of Greece; Marcellus, with whom he was more +angry than with anyone, he has restored with the utmost +consideration for his rank. To what, then, does all this tend? The +nature of things and of the political situation will not suffer, nor +will any constitutional theory--whether it remain as it is or is +changed--permit, first, that the civil and personal position of all +should not be alike when the merits of their cases are the same; +and, secondly, that good men and good citizens of unblemished +character should not return to a state, into which so many have +returned after having been condemned of atrocious crimes. +That is my prediction. If I had felt any doubt about it I would not +have employed it in preference to a consolation which would have +easily enabled me to support a man of spirit. It is this. If you had +taken up arms for the Republic--for so you then thought--with the +full assurance of victory, you would not deserve special +commendation. But if, in view of the uncertainty attaching to all +wars, you had taken into consideration the possibility of our being +beaten, you ought not, while fully prepared to face success, to be +yet utterly unable to endure failure. I would have urged also what a +consolation the consciousness of your action, what a delightful +distraction in adversity, literature ought to be. I would have +recalled to your mind the signal disasters not only of men of old +times, but of those of our own day also, whether they were your +leaders or your comrades. I would even have named many cases of +illustrious foreigners: for the recollection of what I may call a +common law and of the conditions of human existence softens +grief. I would also have explained the nature of our life here in +Rome, how bewildering the disorder, how universal the chaos: for +it must needs cause less regret to be absent from a state in +disruption, than from one well-ordered. But there is no occasion +for anything of this sort. I shall soon see you, as I hope, or rather as +I clearly perceive, in enjoyment of your civil rights. Meanwhile, to +you in your absence, as also to your son who is here--the express +image of your soul and person, and a man of unsurpassable +firmness and excellence--I have long ere this both promised and +tendered practically my zeal, duty, exertions, and labours: all the +more so now that Caesar daily receives me with more open arms, +while his intimate friends distinguish me above everyone. Any +influence or favour I may gain with him I will employ in your +service. Be sure, for your part, to support yourself not only with +courage, but also with the brightest hopes. + +XXVII + +SERVIUS SULPICIUS TO CICERO (AT ASTURA) + +ATHENS (MARCH) + +WHEN I received the news of your daughter Tullia's death, I -was +indeed much grieved and distressed as I was bound to be, and +looked upon it as a calamity in which I shared. For, if I had been at +home, I should not have failed to be at your side, and should have +made my sorrow plain to you face to face. That kind of consolation +involves much distress and pain, because the relations and friends, +whose part it is to offer it, are themselves overcome by an equal +sorrow. They cannot attempt it without many tears, so that they +seem to require consolation themselves rather than to be able to +afford it to others. Still I have decided to set down briefly for your +benefit such thoughts as have occurred to my mind, not because I +suppose them to be unknown to you, but because your sorrow may +perhaps hinder you from being so keenly alive to them. + +Why is it that a private grief should agitate you so deeply? Think +how fortune has hitherto dealt with us. Reflect that we have had +snatchcd from us what ought to be no less dear to human beings +than their children--country, honour, rank, every political +distinction. What additional wound to your feelings could be +inflicted by this particular loss? Or where is the heart that should +not by this time have lost all sensibility and learn to regard +everything else as of minor importance? Is it on her account, pray, +that you sorrow? How many times have you recurred to the +thought--and I have often been struck with the same idea--that in +times like these theirs is far from being the worst fate to whom it +has been granted to exchange life for a painless death? Now what +was there at such an epoch that could greatly tempt her to live? +What scope, what hope, what heart's solace? That she might spend +her life with some young and distinguished husband? How +impossible for a man of your rank to select from the present +generation of young men a son-in-law, to whose honour you might +think yourself safe in trusting your child! Was it that she might +bear children to cheer her with the sight of their vigorous youth? +who might by their own character maintain the position handed +down to them by their parent, might be expected to sta~id for the +offices in their order, might exercise their freedom in supporting +their friends? What single one of these prospects has not been +taken away before it was given? But, it will be said, after all it is +an evil to lose one's children. Yes, it is: only it is a worse one to +endure and submit to the present state of things. + +I wish to mention to you a circumstance which gave me no +common consolation, on the chance of its also proving capable of +diminishing your sorrow. On my voyage from Asia, as I was +sailing from Aegina towards Megara, I began to survey the +localities that were on every side of me. Behind me was Aegina, in +front Megara, on the right Piraeus, on my left Corinth: towns +which at one time were most flourishing, but now lay before my +eyes in ruin and decay. I began to reflect to myself thus: "Hah! do +we mannikins feel rebellious if one of us perishes or is killed--we +whose life ought to be still shorter--when the corpses of so many +towns lie in helpless ruin? Will you please, Servius, restrain +yourself and recollect that you are born a mortal man?" Believe +me, I was no little strengthened by that reflection. Now take the +trouble, if you agree with me, to put this thought before your eyes. +Not long ago all those most illustrious men perished at one blow: +the empire of the Roman people suffered that huge loss: all the +provinces were shaken to their foundations. If you have become +the poorer by the frail spirit of one poor girl, are you agitated thus +violently? If she had not died now, she would yet have had to die a +few years hence, for she was mortal born. You, too, withdraw soul +and thought from such things and rather remember those which +become the part you have played in life: that she lived as long as +life had anything to give her; that her life outlasted that of the +Republic; that she lived to see you--her own father--praetor, +consul, and augur; that she married young men of the highest rank; +that she had enjoyed nearly every possible blessing; that, when the +Republic fell, she departed from life. What fault have you or she to +find with fortune on this score? In fine, do not forget that you are +Cicero, and a man accustomed to instruct and advise others; and +do not imitate bad physicians, who in the diseases of others profess +to understand the art of healing, but are unable to prescribe for +themselves. Rather suggest to yourself and bring home to your own +mind the very maxims which you are accustomed to impress upon +others. There is no sorrow beyond the power of time at length to +diminish and soften: it is a reflexion on yea that you should wait +for this period, and not rather anticipate that restmlt by the aid of +your wisdom. But if here is any consciousness still existing in the +world below, such was her love for you and her dutiful affection +for all her family, that she certainly does not wish you to act as you +are acting. Grant this to her--your lost one! Grant it to your friends +and comrades who mourn with you in your sorrow! Grant it to your +country, that if the need arises she may have the use of your +services and advice. + +Finally--since we are reduced by fortune to the necessity of taking +precautions on this point also--do not allow anyone to think that +you are not mourning so much for your daughter as for the state of +public affairs and the victory of others. I am ashamed to say any +more to you on this subject, lest I should appear to distrust your +wisdom. Therefore I will only make one suggestion before +bringing my letter to an end. We have seen you on many occasions +bear good fortune with a noble dignity which greatly enhanced +yotmr fame: now is the time for you to convince us that you are +able to bear bad fortune equally well, and that it does not appear to +you to be a heavier burden than you ought to think it. I would not +have this to be the only one of all the virtues that you do not +possess. + +As far as I am concerned, when I learn that your mind is more +composed, I will write you an account of what is going on here, +and of the condition of th. province. Good-bye. + +XXVIII + +To SERVIUS SULPICIUS RUFUS (IN ACHAIA) + +FICULEA (APRIL) + +YES, indeed, my dear Servius, I would have wished--as you +say--that you had been by my side at the time of my grievous loss. +How much help your presence might have given me, both by +consolation and by your taking an almost equal share in my +sorrow, I can easily gather from the fact that after reading your +letter I experienced a great feeling of relief. For not only was what +you wrote calculated to soothe a mourner, but in offering me +consolation you manifested no slight sorrow of heart yourself. Yet, +after all, your son Servius by all the kindness of which such a time +admitted made it evident, both how much he personally valued me, +and how gratifying to you he thought such affection for me would +be. His kind offices have of course often been pleasanter to me, yet +never more acceptable. For myself again, it is not only your words +and (I had almost said) your partnership in my sorrow that +consoles me, it is your character also. For I think it a disgrace that I +should not bear my loss as you--a man of such wisdom-- think it +should be borne. But at times I am taken by surprise and scarcely +offer any resistance to my grief, because those consolations fail +me, which were not wanting in a similar misfortune to those +others, whose examples I put before my eyes. For instance, +Quintus Maximus, who lost a son who had been consul and was of +illustrious character and brilliant achievements, and Lucius +Paullus, who lost two within seven days, and your kinsman Gallus +and M. Cato, who each lost a son of the highest character and +valour,--all lived in circumstances which permitted their own great +position, earned by their public services, to assuage their grief. In +my case, after losing the honours which you yourself mention, and +which I had gained by the greatest possible exertions, there was +only that one solace left which has now been torn away. My sad +musings were not interrupted by the business of my friends, nor by +the management of public affairs: there was nothing I cared to do +in the forum: I could not bear the sight of the senate-house; I +thought--as was the fact--that I had lost all the fruits both of my +industry and of fortune. But while I thought that I shared these +losses with you and certain others, and while I was conquering my +feelings and forcing myself to bear them with patience, I had a +refuge, one bosom where I could find repose, one in whose +conversation and sweetness I could lay aside all anxieties and +sorrows. But now, after such a crushing blow as this, the wounds +which seemed to have healed break out afresh. For there is no +republic now to offer me a refuge and a consolation by its good +fortunes when I leave my home in sorrow, as there once was a +home to receive me when I returned saddened by the state of +public affairs. Hence I absent myself both from home and forum, +because home can no longer console the sorrow which public +affairs cause me, nor public affairs that which I suffer at home. All +the more I look forward to your coming, and long to see you as +soon as possible. No reasoning can give me greater solace than a +renewal of our intercourse and conversation. However, I hope your +arrival is approaching, for that is what I am told. For myself, while +I have many reasons for wishing to see you as soon as possible, +there is this one especially--that we may discuss beforehand on +what principles we should live through this period of entire +submission to the will of one man who is at once wise and liberal, +far, as I think I perceive, from being hostile to me, and very +friendly to you. But though that is so, yet it is a matter for serious +thought what plans, I don't say of action, but of passing a quiet life +by his leave and kindness, we should adopt. Good-bye. + +XXIX + +To ATTICUS (AT ROME) + +PUTEOLI, 2! DECEMBER + +WELL, I have no reason after all to repent my formidable guest! +For he made himself exceedingly pleasant. But on his arrival at the +villa of Philippus on the evening of the second day of the +Saturnalia, the villa was so choke full of soldiers that there was +scarcely a dining-room left for Caesar himself to dine in. Two +thousand men, if you please! I was in a great taking as to what was +to happen the next day; and so Cassius Barba came to my aid and +gave me guards. A camp was pitched in the open, the villa was put +in a state of defence. He stayed with Philippus on the third day of +the Saturnalia till one o'clock, without admitting anyone. He was +engaged on his accounts, I think, with Balbus. Then he took a walk +on the beach. After two he went to the bath. Then he heard about +Mamurra without changing countenance. He was anointed: took +his place at the table. He was under a course of emetics, and so ate +and drank without scruple and as suited his taste. It was a very +good dinner, and well served, and not only so, but + +"Well cooked, well seasoned food, with rare discourse: +A banquet in a word to cheer the heart." + +Besides this, the staff were entertained in three rooms in a very +liberal style. The freedmen of lower rank and the slaves had +everything they could want. But the upper sort had a really +recherche dinner. In fact, I shewed that I was somebody. However, +he is not a guest to whom one would say, "Pray look me up again +on your way back." Once is enough. We didn't say a word about +politics. There was plenty of literary talk. In short, he was pleased +and enjoyed himself. He said he should stay one day at Puteoli, +another at Baiaee. That's the story of the entertainment, or I might +call it the billeting on me--trying to the temper, but not seriously +inconvenient. I am staying on here for a short time and then go to +Tusculum. When he was passing Dolabella's villa, the whole guard +formed up on the right and left of his horse, and nowhere else. +This I was told by Nicias. + +XXX + +To ATTICUS (AT ROME) + +MATIUS'S SUBURBAN VILLA, 7 APRIL + +I HAVE come on a visit to the man, of whom I was talking to you +this morning. His view is that "the state of things is perfectly +shocking: that there is no way out of the embroglio. For if a man of +Caesar's genius failed, who can hope to succeed ?" In short, he says +that the ruin is complete. I am not sure that he is wrong; but then +he rejoices in it, and declares that within twenty days there will be +a rising in Gaul: that he has not had any conversation with anyone +except Lepidus since the Ides of March: finally that these things +can't pass off like this. What a wise man Oppius is, who regrets +Caesar quite as much, but yet says nothing that can offend any +loyalist! But enough of this. Pray don't be idle about writing me +word of anything new, for I expect a great deal. Among other +things, whether we can rely on Sextus Pompeius; but above all +about our friend Brutus, of whom my host says that Caesar was in +the habit of remarking: "It is of great importance what that man +wishes; at any rate, whatever he wishes he wishes strongly": and +that he noticed, when he was pleading for Deiotarus at Nicaea, that +he seemed to speak with great spirit and freedom. Also--for I like +to jot down things as they occur to me--that when on the request of +Sestius I went to Caesar's house, and was sitting waiting till I was +called in, he remarked: "Can I doubt that I am exceedingly +disliked, when Marcus Cicero has to sit waiting and cannot see me +at his own convenience? And yet if there is a good-natured man in +the world it is he; still I feel no doubt that he heartily dislikes me." +This and a good deal of the same sort. But to my purpose. +Whatever the news, small as well as great, write and tell me of it. I +will on my side let nothing pass. + +XXXI + +To ATTICUS (AT ROME) + +ASTURA, II JUNE + +AT length a letter-carrier from my son! And, by Hercules, a letter +elegantly expressed, shewing in itself some progress. Others also +give me excellent reports of him. Leonides, however, still sticks to +his favourite "at present." But Herodes speaks in the highest terms +of him. In short, 1 am glad even to be deceived in this matter, and +am not sorry to be credulous. Pray let me know if Statius has +written to you anything of importance to me. + +XXXII + +To ATTICUS (AT ROME) + +ASTURA, 13 JUNE + +CONFOUND Lucius Antonius, if he makes himself troublesome to +the Buthrotians! I have drawn out a deposition which shall be +signed and sealed whenever you please. As for the money of the +Arpinates, if the aedile L. Fadius asks for it, pay him back every +farthing. In a previous letter I mentioned to you a sum of 110 +sestertia to be paid to Statius. If, then, Fadius applies for the +money, I wish it paid to him, and to no one except Fadius. I think +that amount was put into my hands, and I have written to Eros to +produce it. + +I can't stand the Queen: and the voucher for her promises, +Hammonius, knows that I have good cause for saying so. What she +promised, indeed, were all things of the learned sort and suitable +to my character--such as I could avow even in a public meeting. As +for Sara, besides finding him to be an unprincipled rascal, I also +found him inclined to give himself airs to me. I only saw him +once at my house. And when I asked him politely what I could do +for him, he said that he had come in hopes of finding Atticus. The +Queen's insolence, too, when she was living in Caesar's trans- +Tiberine villa, I cannot recall without a pang. I won't have anything +to do therefore with that lot. They think not so much that I have no +spirit, as that I have scarcely any proper pride at all. My leaving +Italy is hindered by Eros's way of doing business. For whereas +from the balances struck by him on the 5th of April I ought to be +well off, I am obliged to borrow, while the receipts from those +paying properties of mine I think have been put aside for building +the shrine. But I have charged Tiro to see to all this, whom I am +sending to Rome for the express purpose. + +I did not wish to add to your existing embarrassments. The steadier +the conduct of my son, the more I am vexed at his being hampered. +For he never mentioned the subject to me--the first person to +whom he should have done so. But he said in a letter to Tiro that +he had received nothing since the 1st of April--for that was the end +of his financial year. Now I know that your own kind feeling +always caused you to be of opinion that he ought to be treated not +only with liberality, but with splendour and generosity, and that +you also considered that to be due to my position. Wherefore pray +see--I would not have troubled you if I could have done it through +anyone else--that he has a bill of exchange at Athens for his year's +allowance. Eros will pay you the money. I am sending Tiro on that +business. Pray therefore see to it, and write and tell me any idea +you may have on the subject. + +XXXIII + +To C. TREBATIUS TESTA (AT ROME) + +TUSCULUM (JUNE) + +You jeered at me yesterday amidst our cups, for having said that it +was a disputed point whether an heir could lawfully prosecute on +an embezzlement which had been committed before he became the +owner. Accordingly, though I returned home full of wine and late +in the evening, I marked the section in which that question is +treated and caused it to be copied out and sent to you. I wanted to +convince you that the doctrine which you said was held by no one +was maintamed by Sextus Aelius, Manius Manilius, Marcus +Brutus. Nevertheless, I concur with Scaevola and Testa. + +XXXIV + +M. CICERO (THE YOUNGER) TO TIR0 + +ATHENS (AUGUST) + +AFTER I had been anxiously expecting letter-carriers day after +day, at length they arrived forty-six days after they left you. Their +arrival was most welcome to me: for while I took the greatest +possible pleasure in the letter of the kindest and most beloved of +fathers, still your most delightful letter put a finishing stroke to my +joy. So I no longer repent of having suspended writing for a time, +but am rather rejoiced at it; for I have reaped a great reward in +your kindness from my pen having been silent. I am therefore +exceedingly glad that you have unhesitatingly accepted my excuse. +I am sure, dearest Tiro, that the reports about me which reach you +answer your best wishes and hopes. I will make them good, and +will do my best that this belief in me, which day by day becomes +more and more en evidence, shall be doubled. Wherefore you may +with confidence and assurance fulfil your promise of being the +trumpeter of my reputation. For the errors of my youth have caused +me so much remorse and suffering, that not only does my heart +shrink from what I did, my very ears abhor the mention of it. And +of this anguish and sorrow I know and am assured that you have +taken your share. And I don't wonder at it! for while you wished +me all success for my sake, you did so also for your own; for I +have ever meant you to be my partner in all my good fortunes. +Since, therefore, you have suffered sorrow through me, I will now +take care that through me your joy shall be doubled. Let me assure +you that my very close attachment to Cratippus is that of a son +rather than a pupil: for though I enjoy his lectures, I am also +specially charmed with his delightful manners. I spend whole days +with him, and often part of the night: for I induce him to dine with +me as often as possible. This intimacy having been established, he +often drops in upon us unexpectedly while we are at dinner, and +laying aside the stiff airs of a philosopher joins in our jests with +the greatest possible freedom. He is such a man--so delightful, so +distinguished--that you should take pains to make his acquaintance +at the earliest possible opportunity. I need hardly mention Bruttius, +whom I never allow to leave my side. He is a man of a strict and +moral life, as well as being the most delightful company. For in +him fun is not divorced from literature and the daily philosophical +inquiries which we make in common. I have hired a residence next +door to him, and as far as I can with my poor pittance I subsidize +his narrow means. Farthermore, I have begun practising +declamation in Greek with Cassius; in Latin I like having my +practice with Bruttius. My intimate friends and daily company are +those whom Cratippus brought with him from Mitylene--good +scholars, of whom he has the highest opinion. I also see a great +deal of Epicrates, the leading man at Athens, and Leonides, and +other men of that sort. So now you know how I am going on. + +You remark in your letter on the character of Gorgias. The fact is, I +found him very useful in my daily practice of declamation; but I +subordinated everything to obeying my father's injunctions, for he +had written ordering me to give him up at once. I wouldn't shilly- +shally about the business, for fear my making a fuss should cause +my father to harbour some suspicion. Moreover, it occurred to me +that it would be offensive for me to express an opinion on a +decision of my father's. However, your interest and advice are +welcome and acceptable. Your apology for lack of time I quite +accept; for I know how busy you always are. I am very glad that +you have bought an estate, and you have my best wishes for the +success of your purchase. Don't be surprised at my congratulations +coming in at this point in my letter, for it was at the corresponding +point in yours that you told me of your purchase. You are a man of +property! You must drop your city manners: you have become a +Roman country-gentleman. How clearly I have your dearest face +before my eyes at this moment! For I seem to see you buying +things for the farm, talking to your bailiff, saving the seeds at +dessert in the corner of your cloak. But as to the matter of money, I +am as sorry as you that I was not on the spot to help you. But do +not doubt, my dear Tiro, of my assisting you in the future, if +fortune does but stand by me; especially as I know that this estate +has been purchased for our joint advantage. As to my commissions +about which you are taking trouble--many thanks! But I beg you to +send me a secretary at the earliest opportunity--if possible a Greek; +for he will save me a great deal of trouble in copying out notes. +Above all, take care of your health, that we may have some literary +talk together hereafter. I commend Anteros to you. + +XXXV + +QUINTUS CICERO TO TIRO + +(TIME AND PLACE UNCERTAIN) + +I HAVE castigated you, at least with the silent reproach of my +thoughts, because this is the second packet that has arrived without +a letter from you. You cannot escape the penalty for this crime by +your own advocacy: you will have to call Marcus to your aid, and +don't be too sure that even he, though he should compose a speech +after long study and a great expenditure of midnight oil, would be +able to establish your innocence. In plain terms, I beg you to do as +I remember my mother used to do. It was her custom to put a seal +on wine-jars even when empty to prevent any being labelled empty +that had been surreptitiously drained. In the same way, I beg you, +even if you have nothing to write about, to write all the same, lest +you be thought to have sought a cover for idleness: for I always +find the news in your letters trustworthy and welcome. Love me, +and goodbye. + +XXXVI + +To M. IUNIUS BRUTUS (IN MACEDONIA) + +ROME (MIDDLE OF JULY) + +YOU have Messalla with you. What letter, therefore, can I write +with such minute care as to enable me to explain to you what is +being done and what is occurring in public affairs, more +thoroughly than he will describe them to you, who has at once the +most intimate knowledge of everything, and the talent for +unfolding and conveying it to you in the best possible manner? For +beware of thinking, Brutus--for though it is unnecessary for me to +write to you what you know already, yet I cannot pass over in +silence such eminence in every kind of greatness--beware of +thinking, I say, that he has any parallel in honesty and firmness, +care and zeal for the Republic. So much so that in him +eloquence--in which he is extraordinarily eminent--scarcely seems +to offer any opportunity for praise. Yet in this accomplishment +itself his wisdom is made more evident; with such excellent +judgment and with so much acuteness has he practised himself in +the most genuine style of rhetoric. Such also is his industry, and so +great the amount of midnight labour that he bestows on this study, +that the chief thanks would not seem to be due to natural genius, +great as it is in his case. But my affection carries me away: for it is +not the purpose of this letter to praise Mesalla, especially to +Brutus, to whom his excellence is not less known than it is to me, +and these particular accomplishments of his which I am praising +even better. Grieved as I was to let him go from my side, my one +consolation was that in going to you who are to me a second self, +he was performing a duty and following the path of the truest +glory. But enough of this. I now come, after a long interval of time, +to a certain letter of yours, in which, while paying me many +compliments, you find one fault with me--that I was excessive and, +as it were, extravagant in proposing votes of honour. That is your +criticism: another's, perhaps, might be that I was too stern in +inflicting punishment and exacting penalties, unless by chance you +blame me for both. If that is so, I desire that my principle in both +these things should be very clearly known to you. And I do not rely +solely on the dictum of Solon, who was at once the wisest of the +Seven and the only lawgiver among them. He said that a state was +kept together by two things--reward and punishment. Of course +there is a certain moderation to be observed in both, as in +everything else, and what we may call a golden mean in both these +things. But I have no intention to dilate on such an important +subject in this place. + +But what has been my aim during this war in the motions I have +made in the senate I think it will not be out of place to explain. +After the death of Caesar and your ever memorable Ides of March, +Brutus, you have not forgotten what I said had been omitted by you +and your colleagues, and what a heavy cloud I declared to be +hanging over the Republic. A great pest had been removed by your +means, a great blot on the Roman people wiped out, immense +glory in truth acquired by yourselves: but an engine for exercising +kingly power had been put into the hands of Lepidus and Antony, +of whom the former was the more fickle of the two, the latter the +more corrupt, but both of whom dreaded peace and were enemies +to quiet. Against these men, inflamed with the ambition of +revolutionizing the state, we had no protecting force to oppose. For +the fact of the matter was this: the state had become roused as one +man to maintain its liberty; I at the time was even excessively +warlike; you, perhaps with more wisdom, quitted the city which +you had liberated, and when Italy offered you her services declined +them. Accordingly, when I saw the city in the possession of +parricides, and that neither you nor Cassius could remain in it with +safety, and that it was held down by Antony's armed guards, I +thought that I too ought to leave it: for a city held down by traitors, +with all opportunity of giving aid cut off, was a shocking +spectacle. But the same spirit as always had animated me, staunch +to the love of country, did not admit the thought of a departure +from its dangers. Accordingly, in the very midst of my voyage to +Achaia, when in the period of the Etesian gales a south wind--as +though remonstrating against my design--had brought me back to +Italy, I saw you at Velia and was much distressed: for you were on +the point of leaving the country, Brutus--leaving it, I say, for our +friends the Stoics deny that wise men ever "flee." As soon as I +reached Rome I at once threw myself in opposition to Antony's +treason and insane policy: and having roused his wrath against me, +I began entering upon a policy truly Brutus-like--for this is the +distinctive mark of your family--that of freeing my country. The +rest of the story is too long to tell, and must be passed over by me, +for it is about myself. I will only say this much: that this young +Caesar, thanks to whom we still exist, if we would confess the +truth, was a stream from the fountain-head of my policy. To him I +voted honours, none indeed, Brutus, that were not his due. none +that were not inevitable. For directly we began the recovery of +liberty, when the divine excellence of even Decimus Brutus had +not yet bestirred itself sufficiently to give us an indication of the +truth, and when our sole protection depended on the boy who had +shaken Antony from our shoulders, what honour was there that he +did not deserve to have decreed to him? However, all I then +proposed for him was a complimentary vote of thanks, and that too +expressed with nioderation. I also proposed a decree conferring +imperium on him, which, although it seemed too great a +compliment for one of his age, was yet necessary for one +commanding an army--for what is an army without a commander +with imperium? Philippus proposed a statue; Servius at first +proposed a license to stand for office before the regular time. +Servilius afterwards proposed that the time should be still farther +curtailed. At that time nothing was thought too good for him. + +But somehow men are more easily found who are liberal at a time +of alarm, than grateful when victory has been won. For when that +most joyful day of Decimus Brutus's relief from blockade had +dawned on the Republic and happened also to be his birthday, I +proposed that the name of Brutus should be entered in the fasti +under that date. And in that I followed the example of our +ancestors, who paid this honour to the woman Laurentia, at whose +altar in the Velabrum you pontiffs are accustomed to offer service. +And when I proposed this honor to Brutus I wished that there +should be in the fasti an eternal memorial of a most welcome +victory: and yet on that very day I discovered that the ill-disposed +in the senate were somewhat in a majority over the grateful. In the +course of those same days I lavished honours--if you like that +word--upon the dead Hirtius, Pansa, and even Aquila. And who has +any fault to find with that, unless he be one who, no sooner an +alarm is over, forgets the past danger? There was added to this +grateful memorial of a benefit received some consideration of +what would be for the good of posterity also; for I wished that +there should exist some perpetual record of the popular execration +of our most ruthless enemies. I suspect that the next step does not +meet with your approbation. It was disapproved by your friends, +who are indeed most excellent citizens, but inexperienced in +public business. I mean my proposing an ovation for Caesar. For +myself, however--though I am perhaps wrong, and I am not a man +who believes his own way necessarily right--I think that in the +course of this war I never took a more prudent step. The reason for +this I must not reveal, lest I should seem to have a sense of favours +to come rather than to be grateful for those received. I have said +too much already: let us look at other points. I proposed honours to +Decimus Brutus, and also to Lucius Plancus. Those indeed are +noble spirits whose spur to action is glory: but the senate also is +wise to avail itself of any means--provided that they are +honourable--by which it thinks that a particular man can be +induced to support the Republic. But--you say--I am blamed in +regard to Lepidus: for, having placed his statue on the rostra, I also +voted for its removal. I tried by paying him a compliment to recall +him from his insane policy. The infatuation of that most unstable +of men rendered my prudence futile. Yet all the same more good +was done by demolishing the statue of Lepidus, than harm by +putting it up. + +Enough about honours; now I must say a few words about +penalties. For I have gathered from frequent expressions in your +letters that in regard to those whom you have conquered in war, +you desire that your clemency should be praised. I hold, indeed, +that you do and say nothing but what becomes a philosopher. But +to omit the punishment of a crime--for that is what "pardoning" +amounts to--even if it is endurable in other cases, is mischievous in +a war like this. For there has been no civil war, of all that have +occurred in the state within my memory, in which there was not +certain to be some form of constitution remaining, whichever of +the two sides prevailed. In this war, if we are victorious, I should +not find it easy to affirm what kind of constitution we are likely to +have; if we are conquered, there will certainly never be any. 1 +therefore proposed severe measures against Antony, and severe +ones also against Lepidus, and not so much out of revenge as in +order that I might for the present prevent unprincipled men by this +terror from attacking their country, and might for the future +establish a warning for all who were minded to imitate their +infatuation. + +However, this proposal was not mine more than it was +everybody's. The point in it which had the appearance of cruelty +was that the penalty extended to the children who did not deserve +any. But that is a thing of long standing and characteristic of all +states. For instance, the children of Themistocles were in poverty. +And if the same penalty attaches to citizens legally condemned in +court, how could we be more indulgent to public enemies? What, +moreover, can anyone say against me when he must confess that, +had that man conquered, he would have been still more revengeful +towards me? + +Here you have the principles which dictated my senatorial +proposals, at any rate in regard to this class of honours and +penalties. For, in regard to other matters, I think you have been +told what opinions I have expressed and what votes I have given. +But all this is not so very pressing. What is really pressing, Brutus, +is that you should come to Italy with your army as soon as +possible. There is the greatest anxiety for your arrival. Directly you +reach Italy all classes will flock to you. For whether we win the +victory--and we had in fact won a most glorious one, only that +Lepidus set his heart on ruining everything and perishing himself +with all his friends--there will be need of your counsel in +establishing some form of constitution. And even if there is still +some fighting left to be done, our greatest hope is both in your +personal influence and in the material strength of your army. +But make haste, in God's name! You know the importance of +seizing the right moment, and of rapidity. What pains I am taking +in the interests of your sister's children, I hope you know from the +letters of your mother and sister. In undertaking their cause I shew +more regard to your affection, which is very precious to me, than, +as some think, to my own consistency. But there is nothing in +which I more wish to be and to seem consistent than in loving you. + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext Letters of Marcus Tullius Cicero + diff --git a/2812.zip b/2812.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e42bef5 --- /dev/null +++ b/2812.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. 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