letters of cicero-第2节

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dship　and　my　present　situation。　He　seemed　to　take　this　somewhat　less　courteously　than　I　could　have　wished；　or　than　is　usual　among　gentlemen；　and　from　that　time　forth　he　has　entirely　withdrawn　from　the　intimacy　with　me　which　was　only　of　a　few　days　　standing。　Pray　forgive　me；　and　believe　that　I　was　prevented　by　nothing　but　natural　kindness　from　assailing　the　reputation　of　a　friend　in　so　vital　a　point　at　a　time　of　such　very　great　distress；　considering　that　he　had　shewn　me　every　sort　of　kindness　and　attention；　But　if　you　incline　to　the　harsher　view　of　my　conduct；　take　it　that　the　interests　of　my　canvass　prevented　me。　Yet；　even　granting　that　to　be　so；　I　think　you　should　pardon　me；　〃since　not　for　sacred　beast　or　oxhide　shield。〃　You　see　in　fact　the　position　I　am　in；　and　how　necessary　I　regard　it；　not　only　to　retain　but　even　to　acquire　all　possible　sources　of　popularity。　I　hope　I　have　justified　myself　in　your　eyes；　I　am　at　any　rate　anxious　to　have　done　so。　The　Hermathena　you　sent　I　am　delighted　with：　it　has　been　placed　with　such　charming　effect　that　the　whole　gymnasium　seems　arranged　specially　for　it。　I　am　exceedingly　obliged　to　you。

II

To　ATTICUS　（AT　ATHENS）

ROME；　JULY

I　HAVE　to　inform　you　that　on　the　day　of　the　election　of　L。　lulius　Caesar　and　C。　Marcius　Figulus　to　the　consulship；　I　had　an　addition　to　my　family　in　the　shape　of　a　baby　boy。　Terentia　doing　well。

Why　such　a　time　without　a　letter　from　you？　I　have　already　written　to　you　fully　about　my　circumstances。　At　this　present　time　I　am　considering　whether　to　undertake　the　defence　of　my　fellow　candidate；　Catiline。　We　have　a　jury　to　our　minds　with　full　consent　of　the　prosecutor。　I　hope　that　if　he　is　acquitted　he　will　be　more　closely　united　with　me　in　the　conduct　of　our　canvass；　but　if　the　result　he　otherwise　I　shall　bear　it　with　resignation。　Your　early　return　is　of　great　importance　to　me；　for　there　is　a　very　strong　idea　prevailing　that　some　intimate　friends　of　yours；　persons　of　high　rank；　will　be　opposed　to　my　election。　To　win　me　their　favour　I　see　that　I　shall　want　you　very　much。　Wherefore　be　sure　to　be　in　Rome　in　January；　as　you　have　agreed　to　be。

III

To　CN。　POMPESUS　MAGNUS

ROME

M。　Tullius　Cicero；　son　of　Marcus；　greets　Ca。　Pompeius；　son　of　Cneius；　Imperator。

IF　you　and　the　army　are　well　I　shall　be　glad。　From　your　official　despatch　I　have；　in　common　with　everyone　else；　received　the　liveliest　satisfaction；　for　you　have　given　us　that　strong　hope　of　peace；　of　which；　in　sole　reliance　on　you；　I　was　assuring　everyone。　But　I　must　inform　you　that　your　old　enemiesnow　posing　as　your　friendshave　received　a　stunning　blow　by　this　despatch；　and；　being　disappointed　in　the　high　hopes　they　were　entertaining；　are　thoroughly　depressed。　Though　your　private　letter　to　me　contained　a　somewhat　slight　expression　of　your　affection；　yet　I　can　assure　you　it　gave　me　pleasure：　for　there　is　nothing　in　which　I　habitually　find　greater　satisfaction　than　in　the　consciousness　of　serving　my　friend；　and　if　on　any　occasion　I　do　not　meet　with　an　adequate　return；　I　am　not　at　all　sorry　to　have　the　balance　of　kindness　in　my　favour。　Of　this　I　feel　no　doubteven　if　my　extraordinary　zeal　in　your　behalf　has　failed　to　unite　you　to　methat　the　interests　of　the　state　will　certainly　effect　a　mutual　attachment　and　coalition　between　us。　To　let　you　know；　however；　what　I　missed　in　your　letter　I　will　write　with　the　candour　which　my　own　disposition　and　our　common　friendship　demand。　I　did　expect　some　congratulation　in　your　letter　on　my　achievements；　for　the　sake　at　once　of　the　ties　between　us　and　of　the　Republic。　This　I　presume　to　have　been　omitted　by　you　from　a　fear　of　hurting　anyone's　feelings。　But　let　me　tell　you　that　what　I　did　for　the　salvation　of　the　country　is　approved　by　the　judgment　and　testimony　of　the　whole　world。　You　are　a　much　greater　man　that　Africanus；　but　I　am　not　much　inferior　to　Laelius　either；　and　when　you　come　home　you　will　recognize　that　I　have　acted　with　such　prudence　and　spirit；　that　you　will　not　now　be　ashamed　of　being　coupled　with　me　in　politics　as　well　as　in　private　friendship。

IV　（A　I；　17）

To　ATTICUS　（IN　ERIAUS）

ROME；　5　DECEMBER

Your　letter；　in　which　you　inclose　copies　of　his　letters；　has　made　me　realize　that　my　brother　Quintus's　feelings　have　undergone　many　alternations；　and　that　his　opinions　and　judgments　have　varied　widely　from　time　to　time。　This　has　not　only　caused　me　all　the　pain　which　my　extreme　affection　for　both　of　you　was　bound　to　bring；　but　it　has　also　made　me　wonder　what　can　have　happened　to　cause　my　brother　Quintus　such　deep　offence；　or　such　an　extraordinary　change　of　feeling。　And　yet　I　was　already　aware；　as　I　saw　that　you　also；　when　you　took　leave　of　me；　were　beginning　to　suspect；　that　there　was　some　lurking　dissatisfaction；　that　his　feelings　were　wounded；　and　that　certain　unfriendly　suspicions　had　sunk　deep　into　his　heart。　On　trying　on　several　previous　occasions；　but　more　eagerly　than　ever　after　the　allotment　of　his　province；　to　assuage　these　feelings；　I　failed　to　discover　on　the　one　hand　that　the　extent　of　his　offence　was　so　great　as　your　letter　indicates；　but　on　the　other　I　did　not　make　as　much　progress　in　allaying　it　as　I　wished。　However；　I　consoled　myself　with　thinking　that　there　would　be　no　doubt　of　his　seeing　you　at　Dyrrachium；　or　somewhere　in　your　part　of　the　country：　and；　if　that　happened；　I　felt　sure　and　fully　persuaded　that　everything　would　be　made　smooth　between　you；　not　only　by　conversation　and　mutual　explanation；　but　by　the　very　sight　of　each　other　in　such　an　interview。　For　I　need　not　say　in　writing　to　you；　who　knows　it　quite　well；　how　kind　and　sweet…tempered　my　brother　is；　as　ready　to　forgive　as　he　is　sensitive　in　taking　offence。　But　it　most　unfortunately　happened　that　you　did　not　see　him　anywhere。　For　the　impression　he　had　received　from　the　artifices　of　others　had　more　weight　with　him　than　duty　or　relationship；　or　the　old　affection　so　long　existing　between　you；

which　ought　to　have　been　the　strongest　influence　of　all。　And　yet；　as　to　where　the　blame　for　this　misunderstanding　resides；　I　can　more　easily　conceive　than　write：　since　I　am　afraid　that；　while　defending　my　own　relations；　I　should　not　spare　yours。　For　I　perceive　that；　though　no　actual　wound　was　inflicted　by　members　of　the　family；　they　yet　could　at　least　have　cured　it。　But　the　root　of　the　mischief　in　this　case；　which　perhaps　extends　farther　than　appears；　I　shall　more　conveniently　explain　to　you　when　we　meet。　As　to　the　letter　he　sent　to　you　from　Thessalonica；　and　about　the　language　which　you　suppose　him　to　have　used　both　at　Rome　among　your　friends　and　on　his　journey；　I　don't　know　how　far　the　matter　went；　but　my　whole　hope　of　removing　this　unpleasantness　rests　on　your　kindness。　For　if　you　will　only　make　up　your　mind　to　believe　that　the　best　men　are　often　those　whose　feelings　are　most　easily　irritated　and　appeased；　and　that　this　quickness；　so　to　speak；　and　sensitiveness　of　disposition　are　generally　signs　of　a　good　heart；　and　lastlyand　this　is　the　main　thingthat　we　must　mutually　put　up　with　each　other's　gaucheries　（shall　I　call　them？）；　or　faults；　or　injurious　acts；　then　these　misunderstandings　will；　I　hope；　be　easily　smoothed　away。　I　beg　you　to　take　this　view；　for　it　is　the　dearest　wish　of　my　heart　（which　is　yours　as　no　one　else's　can　be）　that　there　should　not　be　one　of　my　family　or　friends　who　does　not　love　you　and　is　not　loved　by　you。

That　part　of　your　letter　was　entirely　superfluous；　in　which　you　mention　what　opportunities　of　doing　good　business　in　the　provinces　or　the　city　you　let　pass　at　other　times　as　well　as　in　the　year　of　my　consulship：　for　I　am　thoroughly　persuaded　of　your　unselfishness　and　magnanimity；　nor　did　I　ever　think　that　there　was　any　difference　between　you　and　me　except　in　our　choice　of　a　career。　Ambition　led　me　to　seek　official　advancement；　while　another　and　perfectly　laudable　resolution　led　you　to　seek　an　honourable　privacy。　In　the　true　glory；　which　is　founded　on　honesty；　industry；　and　piety；　I　place　neither　myself　nor　anyone　else　above　you。　In　affection　towards　myself；　next　to　my　brother　and　immediate　family；　I　put　you　first。　For　indeed；　indeed　I　have　seen　and　thoroughly　appreciated　how　your　anxiety　and　joy　have　corresponded　with　the　variations　of　my　fortunes。　Often　has　your　congratulation　added　a　charm　to　praise；　and　your　consolation　a　welcome　antidote　to　alarm。　Nay；　at　this　moment　of　your　absence；　it　is　not　only　your　advicein　which　you　excelbut　the　interchange　of　speechin　which　no　one　gives　me　so　much　delight　as　you　dothat　I　miss　most；　shall　I　say　in　politics；　in　which　circumspection　is　always　incumbent　on　me；　or　in　my　forensic　labour；　which　I　formerly　sustained　with　a　view　to　official　promotion；　and　nowadays　to　maintain　my　position　by　securing　popularity；　or　in　the　mere　business　of　my　family？　In　all　these　I　missed　you　and　our　conversations　before　my　brother　left　Rome；　and　still　more　do　I　miss　them　since。　Finally；　neither　my　work　nor　rest；　neither　my　business　nor　leisure；　neither　my　affairs　in　the　forum　or　at　home；　public　or　private；　can　any　longer　do　without　your　most　consolatory　and　affectionate　counsel　and　conversation。　The　modest　reserve　which　characterizes　both　of　us　has　often　prevented　my　mentioning　these　facts；　but　on　this　occasion　it　was　rendered　necessary　by　that　part　of