letters of cicero-第8节

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sence　of　her　husband　（Dexius　is　gone　to　Spain）；　to　change　houses　without　his　being　there　and　knowing　about　it。。　I　am　much　gratified　that　you　should　value　association　with　me　and　my　domestic　life　so　highly；　as；　in　the　first　place；　to　take　a　house　which　would　enable　you　to　live　not　only　near　me；　but　absolutely　with　me；　and；　in　the　second　place；　to　be　in　such　a　hurry　to　make　this　change　of　residence。　But；　upon　my　life；　I　do　not　yield　to　you　in　eagerness　for　that　arrangement。　So　I　will　try　every　means　in　my　power。　For　I　see　the　advantage　to　myself；　and；　indeed；　the　advantages　to　us　both。　If　I　succeed　in　doing　anything；　I　will　let　you　know。　Mind　you　also　write　me　word　back　on　everything；　and　let　me　know；　if　you　please；　when　I　am　to　expect　you。。

XII

To　M。　MARIUS　（AT　CUMAE）

ROME　（OCTOBER？）

IF　some　bodily　pain　or　weakness　of　health　has　prevented　your　coming　to　the　games；　I　put　it　down　to　fortune　rather　than　your　own　wisdom：　but　if　you　have　made　up　your　mind　that　these　things　which　the　rest　of　the　world　admires　are　only　worthy　of　contempt；　and；　though　your　health　would　have　allowed　of　it；　you　yet　were　unwilling　to　come；　then　I　rejoice　at　both　factsthat　you　were　free　from　bodily　pain；　and　that　you　had　the　sound　sense　to　disdain　what　others　causelessly　admire。　Only　I　hope　that　some　fruit　of　your　leisure　may　be　forthcoming；　a　leisure；　indeed；　which　you　had　a　splendid　opportunity　of　enjoying　to　the　full；　seeing　that　you　were　left　almost　alone　in　your　lovely　country。　For　I　doubt　not　that　in　that　study　of　yours；　from　which　you　have　opened　a　window　into　the　Stabian　waters　of　the　bay；　and　obtained　a　view　of　Misenum；　you　have　spent　the　morning　hours　of　those　days　in　light　reading；　while　those　who　left　you　there　were　watching　the　ordinary　farces　half　asleep。　The　remaining　parts　of　the　day；　too；　you　spent　in　the　pleasures　which　you　had　yourself　arranged　to　suit　your　own　taste；　while　we　had　to　endure　whatever　had　met　with　the　approval　of　Spurius　Maecius。　On　the　whole；　if　you　care　to　know；　the　games　were　most　splendid；　but　not　to　your　taste。　I　judge　from　my　own。　For；　to　begin　with；　as　a　special　honour　to　the　occasion；　those　actors　had　come　back　to　the　stage　who；　I　thought；　had　left　it　for　their　own。　Indeed；　your　favourite；　my　friend　Aesop；　was　in　such　a　state　that　no　one　could　say　a　word　against　his　retiring　from　the　profession。　On　beginning　to　recite　the　oath　his　voice　failed　him　at　the　words　〃If　　I　knowingly　deceive。〃　Why　should　I　go　on　with　the　story？　You　know　all　about　the　rest　of　the　games；　which　hadn't　even　that　amount　of　charm　which　games　on　a　moderate　scale　generally　have：　for　the　spectacle　was　so　elaborate　as　to　leave　no　room　for　cheerful　enjoyment；　and　I　think　you　need　feel　no　regret　at　having　missed　it。　For　what　is　the　pleasure　of　a　train　of　six　hundred　mules　in　the　〃Clytemnestra；〃　or　three　thousand　bowls　in　the　〃Trojan　Horse；〃　or　gay…colored　armour　of　infantry　and　cavalry　in　some　battle？　These　things　roused　the　admiration　of　the　vulgar；　to　you　they　would　have　brought　no　delight。　But　if　during　those　days　you　listened　to　your　reader　Protogenes；　so　long　at　least　as　he　read　anything　rather　than　my　speeches；　surely　you　had　far　greater　pleasure　than　any　one　of　us。　For　I　don't　suppose　you　wanted　to　see　Greek　or　Oscan　plays；　especially　as　you　can　see　Oscan　farces　in　your　senate…house　over　there；　while　you　are　so　far　from　liking　Greeks；　that　you　generally　won't　even　go　along　the　Greek　road　to　your　villa　Why；　again；　should　I　suppose　you　to　care　about　missing　the　athletes；　since　you　disdained　the　gladiators？　in　which　even　Pompey　himself　confesses　that　he　lost　his　trouble　and　his　pains。　There　remain　the　two　wild…beast　hunts；　lasting　five　days；　magnificentnobody　denies　itand　yet；　what　pleasure　can　it　be　to　a　man　of　refinement；　when　either　a　weak　man　is　torn　by　an　extremely　powerful　animal；　or　a　splendid　animal　is　transfixed　by　a　hunting　spear？　Things　which；　after　all；　if　worth　seeing；　you　have　often　seen　before；　nor　did　I；　who　was　present　at　the　games；　see　anything　the　least　new。　The　last　day　was　that　of　the　elephants；　on　which　there　was　a　great　deal　of　astonishment　on　the　part　of　the　vulgar　crowd；　but　no　pleasure　whatever。　Nay；　there　was　even　a　certain　feeling　of　compassion　aroused　by　it；　and　a　kitid　of　belief　created　that　that　animal　has　soniethirig　in　common　with　mankind。　However；　for　my　part；　during　this　day；　while　the　theatrical　exhibitions　were　on；　lest　by　chance　you　should　think　me　too　blessed；　I　almost　split　my　lungs　in　defending　your　friend　Caninius　Gallus。　But　if　the　people　were　as　indulgent　to　me　as　they　were　to　Aesop；　I　would；　by　heaven；　have　been　glad　to　abandon　my　profession　and　live　with　you　and　others　like　us。　The　fact　is　I　was　tired　of　it　before；　even　when　both　age　and　ambition　stirred　me　on；　and　when　I　could　also　decline　any　defence　that　I　didn't　like；　but　now；　with　things　in　the　state　that　they　are；　there　is　no　life　worth　having。　For；　on　the　one　hand；　I　expect　no　profit　of　my　labor；　and；　on　the　other；　I　am　sometimes　forced　to　defend　men　who　have　been　no　friends　to　me；　at　the　request　of　those　to　whom　I　am　under　obligations。　Accordingly；　I　am　on　the　look…out　for　every　excuse　for　at　last　managing　my　life　according　to　my　own　taste；　and　I　loudly　applaud　and　vehemently　approve　both　you　and　your　retired　plan　of　life：　and　as　to　your　infrequent　appearances　among　us；　I　am　the　more　resigned　to　that　because；　were　you　in　Rome；　I　should　be　prevented　from　enjoying　the　charm　of　your　society；　and　so　would　you　of　mine；　if　I　have　any；　by　the　overpowering　nature　of　my　engagements；　from　which；　if　I　get　any　relieffor　entire　release　I　don't　expectI　will　give　even　you；　who　have　been　studying　nothing　else　for　many　years；　some　hints　as　to　what　it　is　to　live　a　life　of　cultivated　enjoyment。　Only　be　careful　to　nurse　your　weak　health　and　to　continue　your　present　care　of　it；　so　that　you　may　be　able　to　visit　my　country　houses　and　make　excursions　with　me　in　my　litter。　I　have　written　you　a　longer　letter　than　usual；　from　superabundance；　not　of　leisure；　but　of　affection；　because；　if　you　remember；　you　asked　me　in　one　of　your　letters　to　write　you　something　to　prevent　you　feeling　sorry　at　having　missed　the　games。　And　if　I　have　succeeded　in　that；　I　am　glad：　if　not；　I　yet　console　myself　with　this　reflexion；　that　in　future　you　will　both　come　to　the　games　and　come　to　see　me；　and　will　not　leave　your　hope　of　enjoyment　dependent　on　my　letters。

XIII

To　His　BROTHER　QUINTUS　（IN　THE　COUNTRY）

ROME　（FEBRUARY）

YOUR　note　by　its　strong　language　has　drawn　out　this　letter。　For　as　to　what　actually　occurred　on　the　day　of　your　start；　it　supplied　me　with　absoutely　no　subject　for　writing。　But　as　when　we　are　together　we　are　never　at　a　loss　for　something　to　say；　so　ought　our　letters　at　times　to　digress　into　loose　chat。　Well　then；　to　begin；　the　liberty　of　the　Tenedians　has　received　short　shrift；　no　one　speaking　for　them　except　myself；　Bibulus；　Calidius；　and　Favonius。　A　complimentary　reference　to　you　was　made　by　the　legates　from　Magnesia　and　Sipylum；　they　saying　that　you　were　the　man　who　alone　had　resisted　the　demand　of　L。　Sestius　Pansa。　On　the　remaining　days　of　this　business　in　the　senate；　if　anything　occurs　which　you　ought　to　know；　or　even　if　there　is　nothing；　I　will　write　you　something　every　day。　On　the　12th　I　will　not　fail　you　or　Pomponius。　The　poems　of　Lucretius　are　as　you　say　with　many　flashes　of　genius；　yet　very　technical。　But　when　you　return；　。　。　。　if　you　succeed　in　reading　the　Empedoclea　of　Sallustius；　I　shall　regard　you　as　a　hero；　yet　scarcely　human。

XLV

To　His　BROTHER　QUINTUS　（IN　BRITAIN）　

ARPINUM　AND　ROME；　28　SEPTEMBER

AFTER　extraordinary　hot　weatherI　never　remember　greater　heatI　have　refreshed　myself　at　Arpinum；　and　enjoyed　the　extreme　loveliness　of　the　river　during　the　days　of　the　games；　having　left　my　tribesmen　under　the　charge　of　Philotimus。　I　was　at　Arcanum　on　the　ioth　of　September。　There　I　found　Mescidius　and　Philoxenus；　and　saw　the　water；　for　which　they　were　making　a　course　not　far　from　your　villa；　running　quite　nicely；　especially　considering　the　extreme　drought；　and　they　said　they　were　going　to　collect　it　in　much　greater　abundance。　Everything　is　right　with　Herus。　In　your　Manilian　property　I　came　across　Diphilus　outdoing　himself　in　dilatoriness。　Still；　he　had　nothing　left　to　construct；　except　baths；　and　a　promenade；　and　an　aviary。　I　liked　that　villa　very　much；　because　its　paved　colonnade　gives　it　an　air　of　very　great　dignity。　I　never　appreciated　this　till　now　that　the　colonnade　itself　has　been　all　laid　open；　and　the　columns　have　been　polished。　It　all　dependsand　this　I　will　look　toupon　the　stuccoing　being　prettily　done。　The　pavements　seemed　to　be　being　well　laid。　Certain　of　the　ceilings　I　did　not　like；　and　ordered　them　to　be　changed。　As　to　the　place　in　which　they　say　that　you　write　word　that　a　small　entrance　hall　is　to　be　builtnamely；　in　the　colonnadeI　liked　it　better　as　it　is。　For　1　did　not　think　there　was　space　sufficient　for　an　entrance　hall；　nor　is　it　usual　to　have　one；　except　in　those　buildings　which　have　a　larger　court；　nor　could　it　have　bedrooms　and　apartments　of　that　kind　attached　to　it。　As　it　is；　from　the　very　beauty　of　its　arched　roof；　it　will　serve　as　an　admirable　summer　room。　However；　if　you　think　differently；　write　back　word　as　soon　as　possi