letters of cicero-第19节

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　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　statein　which　it　is　a　matter　of　wonder　that　there　is　even　onewhat　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　conclusionnot　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　thatto　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　daythat　is；　the　24th　of　Novemberat　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　rashlyseamen　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　beforein　fact　twice；　one　letter　being　a　duplicate　of　the　othershewing　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　artfor　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　sinceritynamely；　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　Serviuswhom　I　consider　to　have　been　a　most　accomplished　man　of　lettershad　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　an