letters of cicero-第6节

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e　backed　by　Crassus　and　Curio；　as　well　as　by　Bibulus　and　his　other　detractors：　that　he　must　take　extraordinary　precautions　to　prevent　being　overpowered　by　that　demagoguewith　a　people　all　but　wholly　alienated；　a　nobility　hostile；　a　senate　ill…affected；　and　the　younger　men　corrupt。　So　he　is　making　his　preparations　and　summoning　men　from　the　country。　On　his　part；　Clodius　is　rallying　his　gangs：　a　body　of　men　is　being　got　together　for　the　Quirinalia。　For　that　occasion　we　are　considerably　in　a　majority；　owing　to　the　forces　brought　up　by　Pompey　himself：　and　a　large　contingent　is　expected　from　Picenum　and　Gallia；　to　enable　us　to　throw　out　Cato's　bills　also　about　Milo　and　Lentulus。

On　the　10th　of　February　an　indictment　was　lodged　against　Sestius　for　bribery　by　the　informer　Cn。　Nerius；　of　the　Pupinian　tribe；　arid　on　the　same　day　by　a　certain　M。　Tullius　for　riot。　He　was　ill。　I　went　at　once；　as　I　was　bound　to　do。　to　his　house；　and　put　myself　wholly　at　his　service：　and　that　was　more　than　people　expected；　who　thought　that　I　had　good　cause　for　being　angry　with　him。　The　result　is　that　my　extreme　kindness　and　grateful　disposition　are　made　manifest　both　to　Sestius　himself　and　to　all　the　world；　and　I　shall　be　as　good　as　my　word。　But　this　same　informer　Nerius　also　named　Cn。　Lentulus　Vatia　and　C。　Cornelius　to　the　commissioners。　On　the　same　day　a　decree　passed　the　senate　〃that　political　clubs　and　associations　should　be　broken　up；　and　that　a　law　in　regard　to　them　should　be　brought　in；　enacting　that　those　who　did　not　break　off　from　them　should　be　liable　to　the　same　penalty　as　those　convicted　of　riot。〃

On　the　10th　of　February　I　spoke　in　defence　of　Bestia　on　a　charge　of　bribery　before　the　praetor　Cn。　Domitius；　in　the　middle　of　the　forum　and　in　a　very　crowded　court；　and　in　the　course　of　my　speech　I　came　to　the　incident　of　Sestius；　after　receiving　many　wounds　in　the　temple　of　Castor；　having　been　preserved　by　the　aid　of　Bestia。　Here　I　took　occasion　to　pave　the　way　beforehand　for　a　refutation　of　the　charges　which　are　being　got　up　against　Sestius；　and　I　passed　a　well…deserved　encomium　upon　him　with　the　cordial　approval　of　everybody。　He　was　himself　very　much　delighted　with　it。　I　tell　you　this　because　you　have　often　advised　me　in　your　letters　to　retain　the　friendship　of　Sestius。　I　am　writing　this　on　the　12th　of　February　before　daybreak；　the　day　on　which　I　am　to　dine　with　Pomponius　on　the　occasion　of　his　wedding。

Our　position　in　other　respects　is　such　as　you　used　to　cheer　my　despondency　by　telling　me　it　would　beone　of　great　dignity　and　popularity：　this　is　a　return　to　old　times　for　you　and　me　effected；　my　brother；　by　your　patience；　high　character；　loyalty；　and；　I　may　also　add；　your　conciliatory　manners。　The　house　of　Licinius；　near　the　grove　of　Piso；　has　been　taken　for　you。　But；　as　I　hope；　in　a　few　months　　time；　after　the　1st　of　July；　you　will　move　into　your　own。　Some　excellent　tenants；　the　Lamiae；　have　taken　your　house　in　Carinie。　I　have　received　no　letter　from　you　since　the　one　dated　Olbia。　I　am　anxious　to　hear　how　you　are　and　what　you　find　to　amuse　you；　but　above　all　to　see　you　yourself　as　soon　as　possible。　Take　care　of　your　health；　my　dear　brother；　and　though　it　is　winter　time；　yet　reflect　that　after　all　it　is　Sardinia　that　you　are　in。

13　February。

IX

To　ATTICUS　（RETURNING　FROM　EPIRUS）

ANTIUM　（APRIL）

IT　will　be　delightful　if　you　come　to　see　us　here。　You　will　find　that　Tyrannio　has　made　a　wonderfully　good　arrangement　of　my　books；　the　remains　of　which　are　better　than　I　had　expected。　Still；　I　wish　you　would　send　me　a　couple　of　your　library　slaves　for　Tyrannio　to　employ　as　gluers；　and　in　other　subordinate　work；　and　tell　them　to　get　some　fine　parchment　to　make　title…pieces；　which　you　Greeks；　I　think；　call　〃sillybi。〃　But　all　this　is　only　if　not　inconvenient　to　you。　In　any　case；　be　sure　you　come　yourself；　if　you　can　halt　for　a　while　in　such　a　place；　and　can　persuade　Pilia　to　accompany　you。　For　that　is　only　fair；　and　Tulia　is　anxious　that　she　should　come。　My　word！　You　have　purchased　a　fine　troop！　Your　gladiators；　I　am　told；　fight　superbly。　If　you　had　chosen　to　let　them　out　you　would　have　cleared　your　expenses　by　the　last　two　spectacles。　But　we　will　talk　about　this　later　on。　Be　sure　to　come；　and；　as　you　love　me；　see　about　the　library　slaves。

X

To　L。　LUCCEIUS

ARPINUM　（APRIL）

I　HAVE　often　tried　to　say　to　you　personally　what　I　am　about　to　write；　but　was　prevented　by　a　kind　of　almost　clownish　bashfulness。　Now　that　I　am　not　in　your　presence　I　shall　speak　out　more　boldly：　a　letter　does　not　blush。　I　am　inflamed　with　an　inconceivably　ardent　desire；　and　one；　as　I　think；　of　which　I　have　no　reason　to　be　ashamed；　that　in　a　history　written　by　you　my　name　should　be　conspicuous　and　frequently　mentioned　with　praise。　And　though　you　have　often　shewn　me　that　you　meant　to　do　so；　yet　I　hope　you　will　pardon　my　impatience。　For　the　style　of　your　composition；　though　I　had　always　entertained　the　highest　expectations　of　it；　has　yet　surpassed　my　hopes；　and　has　taken　such　a　hold　upon　me；　or　rather　has　so　fired　my　imagination；　that　I　was　eager　to　have　my　achievements　as　quickly　as　possible　put　on　record　in　your　history。　For　it　is　not　only　the　thought　of　being　spoken　of　by　future　ages　that　makes　me　snatch　at　what　seems　a　hope　of　immortality；　but　it　is　also　the　desre　of　fully　enjoying　in　my　lifetime　an　authoritative　expression　of　your　judgment；　or　a　token　of　your　kindness　for　me；　or　the　charm　of　your　genius。　Not；　however；　that　while　thus　writing　I　am　unaware　under　what　heavy　burdens　you　are　labouring　in　the　portion　of　history　you　have　undertaken；　and　by　this　time　have　begun　to　write。　But　because　I　saw　that　your　history　of　the　Italian　and　Civil　Wars　was　now　all　but　finished；　and　because　also　you　told　me　that　you　were　already　embarking　upon　the　remaining　portions　of　your　work；　I　determined　not　to　lose　my　chance　for　the　want　of　suggesting　to　you　to　consider　whether　you　preferred　to　weave　your　account　of　me　into　the　main　context　of　your　history；　or　whether；　as　many　Greek　writers　have　doneCallisthenes；　the　Phocian　War；　Timeus；　the　war　of　Pyrrhus；　Polybius；　that　of　Numantia；　all　of　whom　separated　the　wars　I　have　named　from　their　main　narrativesyou　would；　like　them；　separate　the　civil　conspiracy　from　public　and　external　wars。　For　my　part；　I　do　not　see　that　it　matters　much　to　my　reputation；　but　it　does　somewhat　concern　my　impatience；　that　you　should　not　wait　till　you　come　to　the　proper　place；　but　should　at　once　anticipate　the　discussion　of　that　question　as　a　whole　and　the　history　of　that　epoch。　And　at　the　same　time；　if　your　whole　thoughts　are　engaged　on　one　incident　and　one　person；　I　can　see　in　imagination　how　much　fuller　your　material　will　be；　and　how　much　more　elaborately　worked　out。　I　am　quite　aware；　however；　what　little　modesty　I　display；　first；　in　imposing　on　you　so　heavy　a　burden　（for　your　engagements　may　well　prevent　your　compliance　with　my　request）；　and　in　the　second　place；　in　asking　you　to　shew　me　off　to　advantage。　What　if　those　transactions　are　not　in　your　judgment　so　very　deserving　of　commendation？　Yet；　after　all；　a　man　who　has　once　passed　the　border…line　of　modesty　had　better　put　a　bold　face　on　it　and　be　frankly　impudent。　And　so　I　again　and　again　ask　you　outright；　both　to　praise　those　actions　of　mine　in　warmer　terms　than　you　perhaps　feel；　and　in　that　respect　to　neglect　the　laws　of　history。　I　ask　you；　too；　in　regard　to　the　personal　predilection；　on　which　you　wrote　in　a　certain　introductory　chapter　in　the　most　gratifying　and　explicit　termsand　by　which　you　shew　that　you　were　as　incapable　of　being　diverted　as　Xenophon's　Hercules　by　Pleasurenot　to　go　against　it；　but　to　yield　to　your　affection　for　me　a　little　more　than　truth　shall　justify。　But　if　I　can　induce　you　to　undertake　this；　you　will　have；　I　am　persuaded；　matter　worthy　of　your　genius　and　your　wealth　of　language。　For　from　the　beginning　of　the　conspiracy　to　my　return　from　exile　it　appears　to　me　that　a　moderate…sized　monograph　might　be　composed；　in　which　you　will；　on　the　one　hand；　be　able　to　utilize　your　special　knowledge　of　civil　disturbances；　either　in　unravelling　the　causes　of　the　revolution　or　in　proposing　remedies　for　evils；　blaming　meanwhile　what　you　think　deserves　denunciation；　and　establishing　the　righteousness　of　what　you　approve　by　explaining　the　principles　on　which　they　rest：　and　on　the　other　hand；　if　you　think　it　right　to　be　more　outspoken　（as　you　generally　do）；　you　will　bring　out　the　perfidy；　intrigues；　and　treachery　of　many　people　towards　me。　For　my　vicissitudes　will　supply　you　in　your　composition　with　much　variety；　which　has　in　itself　a　kind　of　charm；　capable　of　taking　a　strong　hold　on　the　imagination　of　readers；　when　you　are　the　writer。　For　nothing　is　better　fitted　to　interest　a　reader　than　variety　of　circumstance　and　vicissitudes　of　fortune；　which；　though　the　reverse　of　welcome　to　us　in　actual　experience；　will　make　very　pleasant　reading：　for　the　untroubled　recollection　of　a　past　sorrow　has　a　charm　of　its　own。　To　the　rest　of　the　world；　indeed；　who　have　had　no　trouble　themselves；　and　who　look　upon　the　misfortunes　of　others　without　any　suffering　of　their　own；　the　feeling　of　pity　is　itself　a　source　of　pleasure。　For　what　man　of　us　is　not　delighted；　though　feeling　a　certain　compassion　too；　with　the　death…scene　o