letters of cicero-第24节

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d　of　fathers；　still　your　most　delightful　letter　put　a　finishing　stroke　to　my　joy。　So　I　no　longer　repent　of　having　suspended　writing　for　a　time；　but　am　rather　rejoiced　at　it；　for　I　have　reaped　a　great　reward　in　your　kindness　from　my　pen　having　been　silent。　I　am　therefore　exceedingly　glad　that　you　have　unhesitatingly　accepted　my　excuse。　I　am　sure；　dearest　Tiro；　that　the　reports　about　me　which　reach　you　answer　your　best　wishes　and　hopes。　I　will　make　them　good；　and　will　do　my　best　that　this　belief　in　me；　which　day　by　day　becomes　more　and　more　en　evidence；　shall　be　doubled。　Wherefore　you　may　with　confidence　and　assurance　fulfil　your　promise　of　being　the　trumpeter　of　my　reputation。　For　the　errors　of　my　youth　have　caused　me　so　much　remorse　and　suffering；　that　not　only　does　my　heart　shrink　from　what　I　did；　my　very　ears　abhor　the　mention　of　　it。　And　of　this　anguish　and　sorrow　I　know　and　am　assured　that　you　have　taken　your　share。　And　I　don't　wonder　at　it！　for　while　you　wished　me　all　success　for　my　sake；　you　did　so　also　for　your　own；　for　I　have　ever　meant　you　to　be　my　partner　in　all　my　good　fortunes。　Since；　therefore；　you　have　suffered　sorrow　through　me；　I　will　now　take　care　that　through　me　your　joy　shall　be　doubled。　Let　me　assure　you　that　my　very　close　attachment　to　Cratippus　is　that　of　a　son　rather　than　a　pupil：　for　though　I　enjoy　his　lectures；　I　am　also　specially　charmed　with　his　delightful　manners。　I　spend　whole　days　with　him；　and　often　part　of　the　night：　for　I　induce　him　to　dine　with　me　as　often　as　possible。　This　intimacy　having　been　established；　he　often　drops　in　upon　us　unexpectedly　while　we　are　at　dinner；　and　laying　aside　the　stiff　airs　of　a　philosopher　joins　in　our　jests　with　the　greatest　possible　freedom。　He　is　such　a　manso　delightful；　so　distinguishedthat　you　should　take　pains　to　make　his　acquaintance　at　the　earliest　possible　opportunity。　I　need　hardly　mention　Bruttius；　whom　I　never　allow　to　leave　my　side。　He　is　a　man　of　a　strict　and　moral　life；　as　well　as　being　the　most　delightful　company。　For　in　him　fun　is　not　divorced　from　literature　and　the　daily　philosophical　inquiries　which　we　make　in　common。　I　have　hired　a　residence　next　door　to　him；　and　as　far　as　I　can　with　my　poor　pittance　I　subsidize　his　narrow　means。　Farthermore；　I　have　begun　practising　declamation　in　Greek　with　Cassius；　in　Latin　I　like　having　my　practice　with　Bruttius。　My　intimate　friends　and　daily　company　are　those　whom　Cratippus　brought　with　him　from　Mitylenegood　scholars；　of　whom　he　has　the　highest　opinion。　I　also　see　a　great　deal　of　Epicrates；　the　leading　man　at　Athens；　and　Leonides；　and　other　men　of　that　sort。　So　now　you　know　how　I　am　going　on。

You　remark　in　your　letter　on　the　character　of　Gorgias。　The　fact　is；　I　found　him　very　useful　in　my　daily　practice　of　declamation；　but　I　subordinated　everything　to　obeying　my　father's　injunctions；　for　he　had　written　ordering　me　to　give　him　up　at　once。　I　wouldn't　shilly…　shally　about　the　business；　for　fear　my　making　a　fuss　should　cause　my　father　to　harbour　some　suspicion。　Moreover；　it　occurred　to　me　that　it　would　be　offensive　for　me　to　express　an　opinion　on　a　decision　of　my　father's。　However；　your　interest　and　advice　are　welcome　and　acceptable。　Your　apology　for　lack　of　time　I　quite　accept；　for　I　know　how　busy　you　always　are。　I　am　very　glad　that　you　have　bought　an　estate；　and　you　have　my　best　wishes　for　the　success　of　your　purchase。　Don't　be　surprised　at　my　congratulations　coming　in　at　this　point　in　my　letter；　for　it　was　at　the　corresponding　point　in　yours　that　you　told　me　of　your　purchase。　You　are　a　man　of　property！　You　must　drop　your　city　manners：　you　have　become　a　Roman　country…gentleman。　How　clearly　I　have　your　dearest　face　before　my　eyes　at　this　moment！　For　I　seem　to　see　you　buying　things　for　the　farm；　talking　to　your　bailiff；　saving　the　seeds　at　dessert　in　the　corner　of　your　cloak。　But　as　to　the　matter　of　money；　I　am　as　sorry　as　you　that　I　was　not　on　the　spot　to　help　you。　But　do　not　doubt；　my　dear　Tiro；　of　my　assisting　you　in　the　future；　if　fortune　does　but　stand　by　me；　especially　as　I　know　that　this　estate　has　been　purchased　for　our　joint　advantage。　As　to　my　commissions　about　which　you　are　taking　troublemany　thanks！　But　I　beg　you　to　send　me　a　secretary　at　the　earliest　opportunityif　possible　a　Greek；　for　he　will　save　me　a　great　deal　of　trouble　in　copying　out　notes。　Above　all；　take　care　of　your　health；　that　we　may　have　some　literary　talk　together　hereafter。　I　commend　Anteros　to　you。

XXXV

QUINTUS　CICERO　TO　TIRO

（TIME　AND　PLACE　UNCERTAIN）

I　HAVE　castigated　you；　at　least　with　the　silent　reproach　of　my　thoughts；　because　this　is　the　second　packet　that　has　arrived　without　a　letter　from　you。　You　cannot　escape　the　penalty　for　this　crime　by　your　own　advocacy：　you　will　have　to　call　Marcus　to　your　aid；　and　don't　be　too　sure　that　even　he；　though　he　should　compose　a　speech　after　long　study　and　a　great　expenditure　of　midnight　oil；　would　be　able　to　establish　your　innocence。　In　plain　terms；　I　beg　you　to　do　as　I　remember　my　mother　used　to　do。　It　was　her　custom　to　put　a　seal　on　wine…jars　even　when　empty　to　prevent　any　being　labelled　empty　that　had　been　surreptitiously　drained。　In　the　same　way；　I　beg　you；　even　if　you　have　nothing　to　write　about；　to　write　all　the　same；　lest　you　be　thought　to　have　sought　a　cover　for　idleness：　for　I　always　find　the　news　in　your　letters　trustworthy　and　welcome。　Love　me；　and　goodbye。

XXXVI

To　M。　IUNIUS　BRUTUS　（IN　MACEDONIA）

ROME　（MIDDLE　OF　JULY）

YOU　have　Messalla　with　you。　What　letter；　therefore；　can　I　write　with　such　minute　care　as　to　enable　me　to　explain　to　you　what　is　being　done　and　what　is　occurring　in　public　affairs；　more　thoroughly　than　he　will　describe　them　to　you；　who　has　at　once　the　most　intimate　knowledge　of　everything；　and　the　talent　for　unfolding　and　conveying　it　to　you　in　the　best　possible　manner？　For　beware　of　thinking；　Brutusfor　though　it　is　unnecessary　for　me　to　write　to　you　what　you　know　already；　yet　I　cannot　pass　over　in　silence　such　eminence　in　every　kind　of　greatnessbeware　of　thinking；　I　say；　that　he　has　any　parallel　in　honesty　and　firmness；　care　and　zeal　for　the　Republic。　So　much　so　that　in　him　eloquencein　which　he　is　extraordinarily　eminentscarcely　seems　to　offer　any　opportunity　for　praise。　Yet　in　this　accomplishment　itself　his　wisdom　is　made　more　evident；　with　such　excellent　judgment　and　with　so　much　acuteness　has　he　practised　himself　in　the　most　genuine　style　of　rhetoric。　Such　also　is　his　industry；　and　so　great　the　amount　of　midnight　labour　that　he　bestows　on　this　study；　that　the　chief　thanks　would　not　seem　to　be　due　to　natural　genius；　great　as　it　is　in　his　case。　But　my　affection　carries　me　away：　for　it　is　not　the　purpose　of　this　letter　to　praise　Mesalla；　especially　to　Brutus；　to　whom　his　excellence　is　not　less　known　than　it　is　to　me；　and　these　particular　accomplishments　of　his　which　I　am　praising　even　better。　Grieved　as　I　was　to　let　him　go　from　my　side；　my　one　consolation　was　that　in　going　to　you　who　are　to　me　a　second　self；　he　was　performing　a　duty　and　following　the　path　of　the　truest　glory。　But　enough　of　this。　I　now　come；　after　a　long　interval　of　time；　to　a　certain　letter　of　yours；　in　which；　while　paying　me　many　compliments；　you　find　one　fault　with　methat　I　was　excessive　and；　as　it　were；　extravagant　in　proposing　votes　of　honour。　That　is　your　criticism：　another's；　perhaps；　might　be　that　I　was　too　stern　in　inflicting　punishment　and　exacting　penalties；　unless　by　chance　you　blame　me　for　both。　If　that　is　so；　I　desire　that　my　principle　in　both　these　things　should　be　very　clearly　known　to　you。　And　I　do　not　rely　solely　on　the　dictum　of　Solon；　who　was　at　once　the　wisest　of　the　Seven　and　the　only　lawgiver　among　them。　He　said　that　a　state　was　kept　together　by　two　thingsreward　and　punishment。　Of　course　there　is　a　certain　moderation　to　be　observed　in　both；　as　in　everything　else；　and　what　we　may　call　a　golden　mean　in　both　these　things。　But　I　have　no　intention　to　dilate　on　such　an　important　subject　in　this　place。

But　what　has　been　my　aim　during　this　war　in　the　motions　I　have　made　in　the　senate　I　think　it　will　not　be　out　of　place　to　explain。　After　the　death　of　Caesar　and　your　ever　memorable　Ides　of　March；　Brutus；　you　have　not　forgotten　what　I　said　had　been　omitted　by　you　and　your　colleagues；　and　what　a　heavy　cloud　I　declared　to　be　hanging　over　the　Republic。　A　great　pest　had　been　removed　by　your　means；　a　great　blot　on　the　Roman　people　wiped　out；　immense　glory　in　truth　acquired　by　yourselves：　but　an　engine　for　exercising　kingly　power　had　been　put　into　the　hands　of　Lepidus　and　Antony；　of　whom　the　former　was　the　more　fickle　of　the　two；　the　latter　the　more　corrupt；　but　both　of　whom　dreaded　peace　and　were　enemies　to　quiet。　Against　these　men；　inflamed　with　the　ambition　of　revolutionizing　the　state；　we　had　no　protecting　force　to　oppose。　For　the　fact　of　the　matter　was　this：　the　state　had　become　roused　as　one　man　to　maintain　its　liberty；　I　at　the　time　was　even　excessively　warlike；　you；　perhaps　with　more　wisdom；　quitted　the　city　which　you　had　liberated；　and　when　Italy　offered　you　her　services　declined　them。　Accordingly；　when　I　saw　the　city　in　the　possession　of　parricides；　and　that　neither　you　nor　Cassius　could　remain　in　it　with　safety；　and　that　it　was　held　down　by　Antony's　armed　guards；　I　th