fome other opportunity. In good earneft, let me defire you to take care of your health; and expect to fee me in two or three days. Farewel. I man LETTER CVI. To Servius Sulpicius. [A. U. 707.] AM continually receiving accounts from various hands, that you are in a more than common degree affected by the general calamities of our country. This is by no means a matter of furprite to me, as it in fome meature correfponds with what paffes in my own bofoin. Nevertheless, I cannot but regret that a of your fuperior understanding thould not rather enjoy his own good fortune, than vainly difquiet himself with the mifery of others. As for myself, there is none who has more bitterly lamented the general defolation of the commonwealth: yet there are many reflections from which I now derive great relief; particularly from a confcioufnels of the integrity of my former counfels. I long forelaw, as from fome advantageous eminence, the form that was gathering around us and I forefaw it, not only by the force of my own difcernment, but much clearer by the affiftance of your prophetic admonitions. For though I was abfent during the greater part of your confulate, yet I was not unapprised how often you foretold this fatal war, and what measures you recommended for its prevention. In the commencement indeed of your confular adminiftration, I was myfelf prefent in the fenate, when you prudently endeavoured to awaken our fears, by enumerating thofe civil wars that had happened within our own memories. And if the authors of thefe, you told the houfe, unfupported by a ingle example of the fame kind to give a colour to their conduct, had exercised fuch dreadful cruelties ; whoever in fu ture times fhould fuccefsfully turn his arms against the republic, would mof affuredly prove a much more intole rable tyrant. For they that act by precedent, you obferved, generally think they act by right: and in cafes of this nature feldom fail of im proving upon their model. You should remember, therefore, that those who refufed to follow your judicious advice, owe their deftruction entirely to thei own imprudence. But you will afk, per haps, "what relief can this confidera tion afford to your mind, amidit the "univerfal wreck of the republic?" It must be acknowledged, indeed, that our misfortunes will fearce admit of confola tion fo total and fo irrecoverable is the ruin we deplore! However, Cæfar himfelf, as well as every citizen of Rome befides, looks upon you as fhining forth, amidst this general extinction of the great lights of the republic, in all the luftre and dignity of wifdom and virtue. Thefe confiderations therefore ought greatly to alleviate the generous difquietude of your heart. 'Tis true, you are abfent from your friends and family: but this you have the lefs reafon to regret, as you are removed at the fame time from many very difagreeable circumitances. I would particularly point them out to you, but that I am unwilling you fhould have the pain of hearing what you are fo happy as not to see an advantage which renders your fituation, I think, fo much the more eligible than ours. I have thus far laid before you, in the warmelt friendship of my heart, thofe reafons which may justly contribute to lighten and compofe your uneafinefs. The reft are to be found within yourfelf: and they are confolations which I know, by daily experience, to be of the best and molt efficacious kind. I well remember that you paffionately cultivated the whole circle of fciences from your earliest youth, and carefully treafured up in your mind Both Marius and Sylla perpetrated, in their turns, the most horrid outrages against the parti fans of each other; but particularly Sylla; whofe fanguinary profcriptions during his ufurpation afford the most dreadful inftances, perhaps, of human cruelty, that are to be met with in the whole annals of defpotic power. Vid, Salluft. Bel. Ca til. 51. whatever whatever the wifeft philofophers have deEvered concerning the beit and happiest regalation of human life. Now thefe are templations both ufeful and enterng even in feafons of the greatest an and profperity: but in the prefent tous fituation of public affairs, there is nothing elfe that can fouth and ple our minds. I would not be fo arrogant as to take upon myself to exhort a man of your fenfe and knowledge, to Eve recourfe to thofe ftudies to which I know you have your whole life been devoted. I will only fay with refpect to myfelf (and I hope I fhall be justified by your approbation), that I confecrated all my time and attention to philofophy, when I perceived there was no farther employment either in the forum or the fate for my favourite art. Scarce more room is there for the exercife of that excellent fcience, in which you, my friend, are fo eminently distinguished. Ian perfuaded, therefore, that I have no occafion to admonish you to apply your thoughts to the fame philofophical contemplations; which if they were attended with no other advantage, would have that leaft to recommend them, that they divert the mind from dwelling on anxieties. Your fon applies himself to all the poarts in general, with great fuccefs: bat he particularly excels in those philoiptical ftudies from whence I just now proteffed to derive the principal confolaica of my life. I know not any man, except yourself, for whom I have conceived tronger affection: and indeed he very amply returns the warmth of my friendp. But he evidently fhews at the fame te, that in distinguishing me with the arks of his refpect and esteem, he imagies that he is acting in the most agreeable manner to your inclinations. Fare wel. LETTER CVII, To Gallus. [A. U. 707.] AM much furprised at your reproaches; as I am fure they are altogether withcat foundation. But were they ever fo jet, they would come with a very ill • Oratory. grase from you, who ought to have remembered thofe marks of distinction you received from me during my confulate. It feems however (for fo you are pleased to inform me), that Cæfar will certainly restore you. I know you are never fparing of your boafts: but I know too, that they have the ill luck never to be credited. It is in the fame spirit you remind me, that you offered yourself as a candidate for the tribunitial office, merely in order to ferve met. Now to fhew you how much I am in your intereft, I with you were a tribune ftill as in that cafe you could not be at a lofs for an interceffort. You go on to reproach me, with not daring to fpeak my fentiments. In proof however of the contrary, I need only refer you to the reply I made, when you had the front to folicit my affiftance. Thus (to let you fee how abfolutely impotent you are, where you most affect to appear formidable), I thought proper to anfwer you in your own style. If you had made your remonstrances in the fpirit of good manners, I should with pleafure, as I could with eafe, have vindicated myself from your charge: and in truth, it is not your conduct, but your language, that I have reason to refent. I am aftonifhed indeed that you, of all men living, fhould accufe me of want of freedom, who are fenfible it is by my means that there is any freedom left in the republic. I fay you of all men living becaufe, if the informations you gave me concerning Catiline's confpiracy, were falfe; where are the fervices of which you remind me? If they were true, you yourself are the best judge how great thofe obligations are which I have conferred upon every Roman in general. Farewel. : Probably during Cicero's exile. Cicero's witticifm in this paffage, turns upon the double fenfe of the word interceffor which, befides its general meaning, has relation likewile to a particular privilege annexed to the tribunitial office. For every tribune had the liberty of interpofing his negative upon the proceedings of the fenate which act was called interceffio, and the perfon who executed it was faid to be the intercer of the particular law, or other matter in deliberation. Alluding to his having fuppreffed Catiline's confpiracy. F LETTER CVII. I T } of the fhare friendship, than it affection which I ver med for you in return. here fatiments, I always now it was your choice, or rayour fate, to perfevere and I now feel the the unjut delay you ng redored to your eftate As you have always fhewn I have frequently opened my heart upon this fubto Poftumulenus, to Sefd to our common friend Atticus, o to your freedman Theuda wt of whom I have given repeated at it is my earneft defire to cove bout you and your children to the 1 catod of my ability. I beg therefore, when you write to the latter, that you would state them they may moft readily comond me upon every occafion wherepurte, my pains, or my fincere yce for thete at least are ftill in my ower), can be of any advantage to their I enjoyed that influence and docity in the commonwealth, to which gode services I have performed moit you, who deferve every can be conferred, as well ce con caled's the firit of that illuftrisake to which you belong*, fhould ne didinguithed rank in the exe poffeffed. But fince wt at the fame time and sute. I can only promife whains in my power: the t mentioned above, togele degree of credit haps have in fome fort che general wreck of my I have reafon indeed tances to believe, that to me: and almost all routes, who happen to I have formerly renderable fervices, diftina peculiar marks of their If therefore I emable opportunity of at in your behalf (which ་་ I am more and more inclined to hope from what I can difcover by the conver fation of thefe my friends), I fhall not fail very ftrenuoufly to folicit him in per fon for your refloration; as it is upon the obtaining of this point that the recovery of your eftate muft depend. It is unneceffary to enter into particulars upon this article: let me only affure you in one word, that I am wholly and molt affectionately devoted to your fervice. But as it much imports me that all your family fhould be apprifed of this truth, I hope your letters will acquaint them, that Trebianus may command whatever is in the power of Cicero to perform. I particularly mention this, as I am defirous they fhould be perfuaded, that there is nothing fo difficult which I thould not with pleasure undertake, in order to render you any fervice. Farewel. LETTER CIX. To Papirius Patus. [A. U. 707.] I RECEIVED a letter from you fome time fince by your courier Phileros, as alfo another three days ago by the hands of Zethus: both which I will now anfwer. It was with much fatisfaction I found by the former, that you were extremely fenfible of the concern I exprefied for your health. Believe me, however, a letter could but faintly reprefent the uncafinefs I fuffered upon that account. For though I cannot but acknowledge that there are many from whom I receive great marks of esteem and affection; yet there is not one in that number whom I prefer to yourself. It is a very great, perhaps I might say a principal inducement for my holding you in this rank, that you have long diftinguifhed me with an unvaried friendship; yet this is a circumstance which you share in common with many others. But your amiable difpofition, and thofe agreeable qualities of every kind which you poffefs, are claims to my heart in which you are without a rival. To thefe I must add, I will not call it the Attic, but (what is far more fpirited) the true old Roman wit, which fo elegantly enlivens your converfation. I will not fcruple indeed to acknowledge (whatever you may think tink of me from the confeffion) that I an wonderfully delighted with humour; pecially with that fort which is of our o domeftic growth. I eftcem this latkind so much the more, as it is now become extremely uncommon: for by the Eon fome years fince of the Latians* Rome, and lately even of the Gauls themieives, our native humour has been titted with the infufion of foreign cant, and is almost entirely extinct. For this rezica, whenever I converfe with you, I imagine myfelf tranfported back into former times, and to be talking with the Grai, the Lucilii, or in truth even with the Craffi and the Lælii of old +. There not a fingle perfon indeed, except elf, in whom I can difcover the at vein of that original fpirit which fo ably diftinguished the pleafantry of tur forefathers. But fince to thefe unCommon charms of wit, you add the attations likewife of fo fingular a friendLp towards myfelf; can you wonder that I was greatly alarmed at your late very dangerous indifpofition? juftified, I will not fay in wholly renouncing, but in feldom taking a part in public. affairs. With this view I imagine it was, that you reminded me of those times in which Catulus acted fo distinguished a part. But tell me, my friend, what refemblance is there between those days and the prefent? I was at that period far from being inclined to abfent myself from the care of the republic: as I then fate at the helm of the commonwealth, and fhared in the direction of its most important motions. But now I can scarce claim the privilege to officiate even in the lowest functions of the ftate. Were I to refide therefore altogether at Naples, would there be a fingle decree of the fenate the lefs by my abfence? On the contrary, though I live in Rome, and appear publicly in the forum, they are fettled by our friend § in his own house, entirely without my participation. If I happen, however, to occur to his memory, he fometimes does me the honour to prefix my name. Accordingly I am often informed from Syria and Armenia, that a decree of the fenate is published in those provinces, and published too as made on my motion, of which I had never heard the leaft mention before. You will fufpect, perhaps, that I am not ferious but be affured I speak the literal truth. I have at this inftant letters in my poffeffion from the remoteft potentates of the globe, returning me thanks for having procured them an acknowledgment of their regal title from the fenate ; when I was fo far from knowing they were honoured with that appellation, that I was utterly ignorant there were any fuch perfons exifting. Nevertheless, as long as this fuperintendant of our manners ** fhall continue in As to your other letter, in which you acyourfelf of all intention to diffuade me my Neapolitan purchase f, and the af. wance you give me that you only meant tarife my continuance in Rome; I unrood you in no other fenfe. But I pole (and your letter now before me rms the fuppofition) that you did agree with me in thinking I might be The inhabitants of Latium: a part of Italy iscaled the Campagna di Roma. They trained the honour and advantage of being made Rome, towards the clofe of the Italic war, A.U.664. Q. L. Catulus was conful in the year 675, he had many opportunities of exerting his paand died about the year 693: during which period triotism, by rifing up against the gradual encroachberty. ments of Pompey and Cæfar upon the public li The feveral perfons here mentioned were cele. ts, who flourished about the time that I was born, that is, in the confulate of C. A Serracus and Q. Servilius Cæpio, U. C. Cratius was the moft diftinguished orator of times; and fignaifed his eloquence when he C. Carbo, who was concerned in the disturbances y twenty-one years of age, at the trial of ralled by the Gracchi. Lucilius was Roman knight, and great uncle to Pompey. He (miserably improved upon that kind of fatirical My which received its utmost perfection in the tain an acknowledgment of their regal title from It was the ambition of foreign princes to ob Mowing century from the hands of Horace. Some the fenate, and to be declared friends and allies of faments of his writings fill remain. Granius the republic: an honour which in the more regufunt of cryer in the courts of justice. Cicero, how- grantel, and only in confideration of fome signal perion of inw rank; being only a præco, or lar times of the Roman government was but rarely 17 were mer, bied his memory by the freencomune ne paffes upon the fingular elefary of his wit and humour. Cic. star. 000 158, 159, Sr. Dac. Praf. fur les § Cæfar. preceded the ruin of the commonwealth, this hofervices. But in that general corruption which nour became venal. Rome, I will comply with your advice: but the moment he leaves us, I fhall certainly fet out to join you over a plate of mushrooms †. If I can procure a houfe at Naples, it is my purpofe, you muit know, to live to abilemicutly that what our late fumptuary law ‡ allows for one day's experce, thall fuffice me for ten. But if I cannot meet with one to my fatisfection, I intend to be your gueft; and I am fù e it is not in my power to oblige you more. Though I mentioned in my laft, that I almod depared of Sylla's houfe; yet I have not abfolutely given up all thoughts of that purchafe. Agreeably the clove to your offer, I beg you would tuse toime workmen with you in order to for it the walls and roof are in a good repair. I thall perfectly well apLove of all the reit. Farewel. I with in his advantage. That you may be fenfi ble I ought not to refuse this request, must inform you, that he cultivated m friendship from his first appearance in th forum; and in his more mature years tw circumitances concurred, which extreme ly encreased the affection I had con ceived for him; the one, that he diftin guished himself, as you well know, wit great genius and application in that per fuafive art, in which I till take parti cular pleafure; the other, that he earl became a member of the fociety fo farming the public revenues. deed, that he had never embarked in their concerns; as he has been a confi derable fufferer by his engagements of thi fort. However, his union with a com pany for whofe interefts I have fo grea a regard, was one means of more ftrong ly cementing our friendship. After hav ing acted with the higheft integrity and applaufe both as an advocate and a judge, he turned his ambition (long indeed be fore this revolution in the commonwealth had taken place) upon obtaining fome employment in the magiftracy: and he eiteenied the honours of this kind which his country fhould confer upon him, as the nobleft reward of all his former fervices. During my late refidence at Brundifium, he obligingly charged himfelf with carrying a letter and a meflage from me to Cæfar; and he gave me a very strong proof of his affection, in the zeal and fidelity with which he undertook and executed this generous commiflion. I purpofed, after having thus affigned the reafons which induce me to give Varro my friendship, to have particularly pointed out the virtues of his heart: bat I think I muft have fufficiently rendered you fenfible of thefe, by declaring upon what motives he has fo strongly engaged my affection. Nevertheless, I will here in a more diftinct and explicit manner affure you, that you will receive much fatisfaction and advantage from the company and affiftance of my friend. You will find him, indeed, to be a man of fingular modefty and good fenfe, as well as of indefatigable application to bufinefs; at the fame time that he is an entire ftranger to immoderate defires of every Cicero upon his return into Italy after the battle of Pharfalia, refided at Brundifium til Cæfar's arrival. |