I flew your example, however, as far as the circumftances in which I am placed will permit; and have recourse, with great faction of mind, to my favourite ftuSince our country indeed either ot or will not accept our fervices; otal condemn us for returning to contemplative privacy which many pophers have thought preferable (I not fay with reafon, however they tave preferred) even to the most public and patriot labours? And why should we t indulge ourselves in thofe learned ingures, which fome of the greateft men ave deemed a juft difpenfation from all public employments; when it is a liberty the fame time which the commonwealth at is willing to allow us?-But I am ng beyond the commiffion which Cagave me and while he only dered that I would acquaint you with cfe articles of which you were not already apprifed, I am telling you what know far better than I can inform For the future, I fhall confine mymore strictly to your request; and will not fail of communicating to you ever intelligence I may learn, which tall think it imports you to know.

ewel.

LETTER XCVIII,

To Papirius Patus.

concern it

[A. U. 707.]

prudence) to conciliate the good graces of the perfons you mention; and, if I mistake not, my endeavours have not proved in vain. I receive indeed fo many marks of respect and efteem from those who are moft in Cæfar's favour, that I cannot but flatter myself they have a true regard for me. It must be confeffed at the fame time, that a pretended affection is not eafily difcernible from a real one, unless in feafons of diftrefs. For adverfity is to friendship, what fire is to gold; the only infallible teft to discover the genuine from the counterfeit; in all other ciṛcumftances they both bear the fame common fignatures. I have one strong reason, however, to perfuade me of their fincerity; as neither their fituation nor mine can by any means tempt them to diffemble with me. As to that perfon † in whom all power is now centered, I am not fenfible that I have any thing to fear from him; or nothing more, at least, than what arifes from that general precarious state in which all things muft ftand where the fence of laws is broken down; and from its being impoffible to pronounce with affurance concerning any event, which depends wholly upon the will, not to fay the caprice, of another. But this I can with confidence affirm, that I have not in any fingle inftance given him juft occafion to take offence; and in the article you point out, I have been particularly cautious. There was a time, 'tis true, when I thought it well became me, by whom Rome itself was free 1, to fpeak my fentiments with freedom: but now that our liberties are no more, I deem it equally agreeable to my prefent fituation, not to fay any thing that may difguft either Cafar or his favourites. But were I to fupprefs every rifing raillery, that might pique thofe at whom it is directed, I must renounce, you know, all my reputation as a wit. And in good earneft, it is a character upon which I do not fet fo high a value, as to be unwilling to refign it if it were in my power. However, I am in no danger of fuffering in Cafar's opinion, by being represented as the author of any farcafms to which I have no claim; for his judgment is much too penetrating ever to be deceived by any impofition of this nature. I remember your brother

well

as

Sus, it should feem, had brought an account From the army, that fome witticifms of Cicero had been reported to Cæfar, which had given him of

+ Cæfar.

Alluding to his fervices in the fuppreffion of Catiline's confpiracy.

fhal mention (and the principal one, I dare by, in your eftimation) is, that it has introduced me to the demolishing of a greater number of delicious peacocks, t you have had the devouring of pigeons in all your life. The of it is, whilft you are humbly fipg the meagre broths of the fneaking Aria, I am luxuriously regaling myself with the favoury foups of the magnificent Hardas. If you have any spirit then, fly hither, and learn from our elegant bills of tere, how to refine your own: though to do your talents juftice, this is a fort of ledge in which you are much fupeor to our inftructions. However, fince you can get no purchasers for your mortgages, and are not likely to fill those patchers you mention with denariit, it will be your wifeft fcheme to return hither: it is a better thing, let me tell you, to be fick with good eating at Rome, than for want of victuals at Naples 1. In t, I plainly perceive that your finances are in no flourishing fituation, and I expect to hear the fame account of all your ghbours: fo that famine, my friend, formidable famine must be your tre, if you do not provide against it in time. And fince you have been reted to fell your horfe, e'en mount mule (the only animal, it feems, belonging to you which you have not yet facrinced to your table), and convey arielf immediately to Rome. To enge you to do fo, you shall be hoscared with a chair and cufhion next to ; and fit the fecond great pedague in my celebrated school. Fare

fovereign § rulers are thus wonderfully temperate; much more does it become a difcarded confular || to practise the same abftemioufnefs. But do you know, my friend, that I have artfully drawn from Balbus himself, the whole hiftory of the reception you gave him? He came directly to my house the moment he arrived in Rome; a circumftance, by the way, fomewhat extraordinary. Not that I am furprised at his wanting the politeness to call firft at yours; but my wonder is, that he fhould not go directly to his own. However, after the two or three first falutations had paffed, I immediately enquired what account he had to give of my friend Pætus ? Never, he pro"tefted, was he better entertained in his "whole life." Now if you merited this compliment by your wit; I defire you to remember, that I fhall bring as elegant a tafte with me as Balbus himself: but if he alluded to the honours of your table; let it never be faid, that the family of the ftammerers were more fplendidly regaled by Pætus, than the fons of elocution.

Bufinefs has prevented me from time to time, in my defign of paying you a vifit but if I can difpatch my affairs fo as to be able to come into your part of the world, I fhall take care that you fhall have no reason to complain of my not having given you timely notice. Farewel.

-LETTER CII. To the fame.

[A. U. 707.]

ARE you not a pleasant mortal to queftion me concerning the fate of those eftates you mention, when Balbus had just before been paying you a vifit? It is from him indeed, that I derive my whole fund of intelligence: and you may be affured, that where he is ignorant, I have no chance of being better informed. I might with much more propriety defire you would tell me what is likely to be the fate of my own poffeffions; fince you have fo lately had a perfon under your roof, from whom, either in or out of his

§ Balbus was a fort of prime minifter and chief confident of Cæfar.

The confulars were thofe who had paffed through the office of conful. Balbus.

cups,

cups, you might certainly have difcovered that fecret. But this, my dear Pætus, is an article that makes no part of my inquiry. For, in the first place, I have reafon to be well fatisfied; having now almost these four years been indulged with my life: if life or indulgence it may be called, to be the fad furvivor of our country's ruin. In the next place, I believe it is a queftion I may eafily anfwer myfelf: for I know it will be juft as it fhall feem meet to the men in power; and the men in power, my friend, will ever be those whofe fwords are the most prevailing. I must reft contented there fore with whatever grace it fhall be their pleasure to fhew me: for he who could not tamely fubmit to fuch wretched terms, ought to have taken refuge in the arms of death. Notwithstanding, therefore, that the estates about Veii and Capena * are actually dividing out (and thefe, you know, are not far diftant from Tufcu lum +), yet it gives me no fort of difquietude. I enjoy my property whilft I may, and please myfelf with the hope that I fhall never be deprived of that privilege. But fhould it happen otherwife; ftill, however, fince it was my noble maxim (hero and philofopher as I was!) that life is the fairest of all poffeffions, I cannot, undoubtedly, but love the man by whofe bounty I have obtained the continuance of that enjoyment. It is certain, at the fame time, that how much foever he may be difpofed perhaps to restore the republic (as we ought all of us most certainly to wifh), yet he has entangled himself in fuch a variety of different connections, that he is utterly embarraffed in what manner to act. this is going farther into these points than is neceffary, confidering the perfon to whom I am writing. Nevertheless I will add, that our chief himself is as abfolutely ignorant what measures will finally be refolved upon, as I am who have no share in his councils. For Cæfar is no lefs under the control of circumstances, than we are under the control of Cæfar: and it is as much impoffible for him to foresee what thefe may require, as it is for us to penetrate into what he may intend.

But

Veii and Capena were cities in that part of Italy called Etruria, which is now comprehended

under the name of Tuscany.

+ Where Cicero had a villa. + Cæfar.

You must not impute it to neglect fault, you are fenfible, of which I : feldom guilty in the article of writin that I have not faid thus much to y before. The fingle reafon for my n fooner anfwering your enquiry was, th as I could only fpeak from conjecture, was unwilling, without a just foundatio either to encrease your fears or to e courage your hopes. But this I c with truth affure you, that I have n heard the leaft hint of the danger yo apprehend. A man of your philofoph however, ought to hope for the best, i be prepared for the worst, and to be with equanimity whatever may happe Farewel.

YOUR

LETTER CIII. To the fame.

[A. U. 707-]

letter gave me a double plea fure for it not only diverted me ex tremely, but was a proof likewife tha you are fo well recovered as to be able to indulge your ufual gaiety. I was wel contented at the fame time to find myfel the fubject of your raillery; and, in truth, the repeated provocations I ha given you, were fufficient to call fort all thefe verity of your fatire. My only regret is, that I am prevented from tak ing my intended journey into your par of the world; where I purposed to have made myself, I do not say your guest, but one of your family. You would have found me wonderfully changed from the man I formerly was, when you ufed to cram me with your cloying antepafts §. For I now more prudently fit down to table with an appetite altogether unimpaired, and most heroically make my way through every dish that comes before me, from the cgg that leads the van, to the roaft veal that brings up the

Thefe antepafts feem to have been a kind of collation preparatory to the principal entertainment. They generally confifted, it is probable, of fuch dishes as were provocatives to appetite: but prudent economifts, as may be collected from the turn of Cicero's raillery, fometimes contrived them in fuch a manner as to damp rather than improve the ftomach of their guests.

The first difh at every Roman table was con ftantly eggs; which maintained their post of ho nour even at the most magnificent entertain

ments.

rear.

Tear. The temperate and unexpenfive guct shom you were wont to applaud, is now no more. I have bidden a total farewel to all the cares of the patriot; and have joined the profeffed enemies of my former principles: in short, I am become an abfolute Epicurean. You are by no means however to confider me as a inend to that injudicious profufion, which is now the prevailing tafte of our modern entertainments: on the contrary, it is that more elegant luxury I admire which you formerly used to difplay when your finances were more flourishing, though your farms were not more numerous than at prefest. Be prepared therefore for my reception accordingly and remember you are to entertain a man who has not only a molt enormous appetite, but who has home little knowledge, let me tell you, in the fcience of elegant eating. You know there is a peculiar air of felf

ciency, that generally diftinguishes the who enter late into the ftudy of any

art. You will not wonder, therefore, wich I take upon me to inform you, that Te must banish your cakes and your fweetmeats, as articles that are now utterly difcarded from all fashionable bills

of are. I am become indeed fuch a

pro

cent in this science, that I frequently Fere to invite to my table thofe refed friends of yours, the delicate Veras and Camillus. Nay I am bolder Ell, and have prefumed to give a fupper even to Hirtius himself; though, I

mat own, I could not advance fo far as

to honour him with a peacock. To tell you the truth, my honeft cook had not El enough to imitate any other part of hfplendid entertainments, except only his fmoking foups.

But to give you a general sketch of my manner of life; I fpend the first part of the morning in receiving the compliments of feveral both of our dejected patriots and our gay victors: the latter of whom treat me with great marks of civility and efteem. As foon as that ceremony as over, I retire to my library; where I employ myself either with my books or my pen. And here I am fometimes furrounded by an audience, who look upon me as a man of moft profound erudition, for no other reason, perhaps, than because

*It appears by a paffage which Manutius cites from Tertullian, that the Romans ufually conCoded their feafts with broiled or roafted meat.

I am not altogether fo ignorant as themfelves. The rest of my time I wholly devote to indulgences of a lefs intellectual kind. I have fufficiently indeed paid the tribute of forrow to my unhappy country; the miferies whereof I have longer and more bitterly lamented, than ever tender mother bewailed the lofs of her only fon.

Let me defire you, as you would fecure your magazine of provifions from falling into my hands, to take care of your health; for I have most unmercifully refolved that no pretence of indifpofition fhall preferve your larder from my depredations. Farewel.

LETTER CIV. To the fame.

{A. U. 707.]

I ARRIVED yesterday at Cuma †, and perhaps I may pay you a vifit to-mor→ row; but I fhall take care to give you a

mined indeed not only to fee you, but to fhort notice before-hand. I am deterfup with you too. For though I had the mortification to be informed by Marcus Ceparius, whom I met on the road, that you were laid up with the gout; yet I fuppofe your cook is not difabled as well as his master. You may expect therefore very speedily to receive a guest, who as he is remarkable for having a wonpuny ftomach, is equally famous likewife for being an irreconcilable enemy to all fumptuous entertainments. Farewel.

drous