letters of cicero-第23节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


r　such　a　crushing　blow　as　this；　the　wounds　which　seemed　to　have　healed　break　out　afresh。　For　there　is　no　republic　now　to　offer　me　a　refuge　and　a　consolation　by　its　good　fortunes　when　I　leave　my　home　in　sorrow；　as　there　once　was　a　home　to　receive　me　when　I　returned　saddened　by　the　state　of　public　affairs。　Hence　I　absent　myself　both　from　home　and　forum；　because　home　can　no　longer　console　the　sorrow　which　public　affairs　cause　me；　nor　public　affairs　that　which　I　suffer　at　home。　All　the　more　I　look　forward　to　your　coming；　and　long　to　see　you　as　soon　as　possible。　No　reasoning　can　give　me　greater　solace　than　a　renewal　of　our　intercourse　and　conversation。　However；　I　hope　your　arrival　is　approaching；　for　that　is　what　I　am　told。　For　myself；　while　I　have　many　reasons　for　wishing　to　see　you　as　soon　as　possible；　there　is　this　one　especiallythat　we　may　discuss　beforehand　on　what　principles　we　should　live　through　this　period　of　entire　submission　to　the　will　of　one　man　who　is　at　once　wise　and　liberal；　far；　as　I　think　I　perceive；　from　being　hostile　to　me；　and　very　friendly　to　you。　But　though　that　is　so；　yet　it　is　a　matter　for　serious　thought　what　plans；　I　don't　say　of　action；　but　of　passing　a　quiet　life　by　his　leave　and　kindness；　we　should　adopt。　Good…bye。

XXIX

To　ATTICUS　（AT　ROME）

PUTEOLI；　2！　DECEMBER

WELL；　I　have　no　reason　after　all　to　repent　my　formidable　guest！　For　he　made　himself　exceedingly　pleasant。　But　on　his　arrival　at　the　villa　of　Philippus　on　the　evening　of　the　second　day　of　the　Saturnalia；　the　villa　was　so　choke　full　of　soldiers　that　there　was　scarcely　a　dining…room　left　for　Caesar　himself　to　dine　in。　Two　thousand　men；　if　you　please！　I　was　in　a　great　taking　as　to　what　was　to　happen　the　next　day；　and　so　Cassius　Barba　came　to　my　aid　and　gave　me　guards。　A　camp　was　pitched　in　the　open；　the　villa　was　put　in　a　state　of　defence。　He　stayed　with　Philippus　on　the　third　day　of　the　Saturnalia　till　one　o'clock；　without　admitting　anyone。　He　was　engaged　on　his　accounts；　I　think；　with　Balbus。　Then　he　took　a　walk　on　the　beach。　After　two　he　went　to　the　bath。　Then　he　heard　about　Mamurra　without　changing　countenance。　He　was　anointed：　took　his　place　at　the　table。　He　was　under　a　course　of　emetics；　and　so　ate　and　drank　without　scruple　and　as　suited　his　taste。　It　was　a　very　good　dinner；　and　well　served；　and　not　only　so；　but　

〃Well　cooked；　well　seasoned　food；　with　rare　discourse：　A　banquet　in　a　word　to　cheer　the　heart。〃

Besides　this；　the　staff　were　entertained　in　three　rooms　in　a　very　liberal　style。　The　freedmen　of　lower　rank　and　the　slaves　had　everything　they　could　want。　But　the　upper　sort　had　a　really　recherche　dinner。　In　fact；　I　shewed　that　I　was　somebody。　However；　he　is　not　a　guest　to　whom　one　would　say；　〃Pray　look　me　up　again　on　your　way　back。〃　Once　is　enough。　We　didn't　say　a　word　about　politics。　There　was　plenty　of　literary　talk。　In　short；　he　was　pleased　and　enjoyed　himself。　He　said　he　should　stay　one　day　at　Puteoli；　another　at　Baiaee。　That's　the　story　of　the　entertainment；　or　I　might　call　it　the　billeting　on　metrying　to　the　temper；　but　not　seriously　inconvenient。　I　am　staying　on　here　for　a　short　time　and　then　go　to　Tusculum。　When　he　was　passing　Dolabella's　villa；　the　whole　guard　formed　up　on　the　right　and　left　of　his　horse；　and　nowhere　else。　This　I　was　told　by　Nicias。

XXX

To　ATTICUS　（AT　ROME）

MATIUS'S　SUBURBAN　VILLA；　7　APRIL

I　HAVE　come　on　a　visit　to　the　man；　of　whom　I　was　talking　to　you　this　morning。　His　view　is　that　〃the　state　of　things　is　perfectly　shocking：　that　there　is　no　way　out　of　the　embroglio。　For　if　a　man　of　Caesar's　genius　failed；　who　can　hope　to　succeed　？〃　In　short；　he　says　that　the　ruin　is　complete。　I　am　not　sure　that　he　is　wrong；　but　then　he　rejoices　in　it；　and　declares　that　within　twenty　days　there　will　be　a　rising　in　Gaul：　that　he　has　not　had　any　conversation　with　anyone　except　Lepidus　since　the　Ides　of　March：　finally　that　these　things　can't　pass　off　like　this。　What　a　wise　man　Oppius　is；　who　regrets　Caesar　quite　as　much；　but　yet　says　nothing　that　can　offend　any　loyalist！　But　enough　of　this。　Pray　don't　be　idle　about　writing　me　word　of　anything　new；　for　I　expect　a　great　deal。　Among　other　things；　whether　we　can　rely　on　Sextus　Pompeius；　but　above　all　about　our　friend　Brutus；　of　whom　my　host　says　that　Caesar　was　in　the　habit　of　remarking：　〃It　is　of　great　importance　what　that　man　wishes；　at　any　rate；　whatever　he　wishes　he　wishes　strongly〃：　and　that　he　noticed；　when　he　was　pleading　for　Deiotarus　at　Nicaea；　that　he　seemed　to　speak　with　great　spirit　and　freedom。　Alsofor　I　like　to　jot　down　things　as　they　occur　to　methat　when　on　the　request　of　Sestius　I　went　to　Caesar's　house；　and　was　sitting　waiting　till　I　was　called　in；　he　remarked：　〃Can　I　doubt　that　I　am　exceedingly　disliked；　when　Marcus　Cicero　has　to　sit　waiting　and　cannot　see　me　at　his　own　convenience？　And　yet　if　there　is　a　good…natured　man　in　the　world　it　is　he；　still　I　feel　no　doubt　that　he　heartily　dislikes　me。〃　This　and　a　good　deal　of　the　same　sort。　But　to　my　purpose。　Whatever　the　news；　small　as　well　as　great；　write　and　tell　me　of　it。　I　will　on　my　side　let　nothing　pass。

XXXI

To　ATTICUS　（AT　ROME）

ASTURA；　II　JUNE

AT　length　a　letter…carrier　from　my　son！　And；　by　Hercules；　a　letter　elegantly　expressed；　shewing　in　itself　some　progress。　Others　also　give　me　excellent　reports　of　him。　Leonides；　however；　still　sticks　to　his　favourite　〃at　present。〃　But　Herodes　speaks　in　the　highest　terms　of　him。　In　short；　1　am　glad　even　to　be　deceived　in　this　matter；　and　am　not　sorry　to　be　credulous。　Pray　let　me　know　if　Statius　has　written　to　you　anything　of　importance　to　me。

XXXII

To　ATTICUS　（AT　ROME）

ASTURA；　13　JUNE

CONFOUND　Lucius　Antonius；　if　he　makes　himself　troublesome　to　the　Buthrotians！　I　have　drawn　out　a　deposition　which　shall　be　signed　and　sealed　whenever　you　please。　As　for　the　money　of　the　Arpinates；　if　the　aedile　L。　Fadius　asks　for　it；　pay　him　back　every　farthing。　In　a　previous　letter　I　mentioned　to　you　a　sum　of　110　sestertia　to　be　paid　to　Statius。　If；　then；　Fadius　applies　for　the　money；　I　wish　it　paid　to　him；　and　to　no　one　except　Fadius。　I　think　that　amount　was　put　into　my　hands；　and　I　have　written　to　Eros　to　produce　it。

I　can't　stand　the　Queen：　and　the　voucher　for　her　promises；　Hammonius；　knows　that　I　have　good　cause　for　saying　so。　What　she　promised；　indeed；　were　all　things　of　the　learned　sort　and　suitable　to　my　charactersuch　as　I　could　avow　even　in　a　public　meeting。　As　for　Sara；　besides　finding　him　to　be　an　unprincipled　rascal；　I　also　found　him　inclined　to　give　himself　airs　to　me。　I　only　saw　him　once　at　my　house。　And　when　I　asked　him　politely　what　I　could　do　for　him；　he　said　that　he　had　come　in　hopes　of　finding　Atticus。　The　Queen's　insolence；　too；　when　she　was　living　in　Caesar's　trans…　Tiberine　villa；　I　cannot　recall　without　a　pang。　I　won't　have　anything　to　do　therefore　with　that　lot。　They　think　not　so　much　that　I　have　no　spirit；　as　that　I　have　scarcely　any　proper　pride　at　all。　My　leaving　Italy　is　hindered　by　Eros's　way　of　doing　business。　For　whereas　from　the　balances　struck　by　him　on　the　5th　of　April　I　ought　to　be　well　off；　I　am　obliged　to　borrow；　while　the　receipts　from　those　paying　properties　of　mine　I　think　have　been　put　aside　for　building　the　shrine。　But　I　have　charged　Tiro　to　see　to　all　this；　whom　I　am　sending　to　Rome　for　the　express　purpose。

I　did　not　wish　to　add　to　your　existing　embarrassments。　The　steadier　the　conduct　of　my　son；　the　more　I　am　vexed　at　his　being　hampered。　For　he　never　mentioned　the　subject　to　methe　first　person　to　whom　he　should　have　done　so。　But　he　said　in　a　letter　to　Tiro　that　he　had　received　nothing　since　the　1st　of　Aprilfor　that　was　the　end　of　his　financial　year。　Now　I　know　that　your　own　kind　feeling　always　caused　you　to　be　of　opinion　that　he　ought　to　be　treated　not　only　with　liberality；　but　with　splendour　and　generosity；　and　that　you　also　considered　that　to　be　due　to　my　position。　Wherefore　pray　seeI　would　not　have　troubled　you　if　I　could　have　done　it　through　anyone　elsethat　he　has　a　bill　of　exchange　at　Athens　for　his　year's　allowance。　Eros　will　pay　you　the　money。　I　am　sending　Tiro　on　that　business。　Pray　therefore　see　to　it；　and　write　and　tell　me　any　idea　you　may　have　on　the　subject。

XXXIII

To　C。　TREBATIUS　TESTA　（AT　ROME）

TUSCULUM　（JUNE）

You　jeered　at　me　yesterday　amidst　our　cups；　for　having　said　that　it　was　a　disputed　point　whether　an　heir　could　lawfully　prosecute　on　an　embezzlement　which　had　been　committed　before　he　became　the　owner。　Accordingly；　though　I　returned　home　full　of　wine　and　late　in　the　evening；　I　marked　the　section　in　which　that　question　is　treated　and　caused　it　to　be　copied　out　and　sent　to　you。　I　wanted　to　convince　you　that　the　doctrine　which　you　said　was　held　by　no　one　was　maintamed　by　Sextus　Aelius；　Manius　Manilius；　Marcus　　Brutus。　Nevertheless；　I　concur　with　Scaevola　and　Testa。

XXXIV

M。　CICERO　（THE　YOUNGER）　TO　TIR0

ATHENS　（AUGUST）

AFTER　I　had　been　anxiously　expecting　letter…carriers　day　after　day；　at　length　they　arrived　forty…six　days　after　they　left　you。　Their　arrival　was　most　welcome　to　me：　for　while　I　took　the　greatest　possible　pleasure　in　the　letter　of　the　kindest　and　most　beloved　of　fathers；　still　your　most　delightful　letter　put　a　finishing　stroke　to　my　joy。　So　I　no　longer　rep