letters of cicero-第13节

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r　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　thisthat　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；　wishesin　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　youthwell；　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　publishedfor　they　are　witnesses；　and　will　he　eternal　witnesses；　of　your　services　to　me　arid　of　my　affectionhut　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　learningmy　old　favourite　relaxationsI　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　lawalthough　there　is　not　much　doubt　even　about　thatas　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　twofoldto　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