letters of cicero-第17章

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le　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　dinnerwhat　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　shakenought　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　Pompeyfor　he　was　affected　by　itas　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　honorwhichever　you　pleaselike　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　leftaccording　to　the　system　of　our　augural　collegenor　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　clementas　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；　thenyou　may　askhave　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　alreadythough　sparinglybespattered。　Lastly；　he　is　a　man　very　acute　and　farseeing：　he　knows　very　well　that　a　man　like　youfar　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　peoplecannot　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　theorywhether　it　remain　as　i