21. There is to be added likewise affability in listening to others, gentleness in pronouncing' ones decisions, and diligence in satislying people, and in discusRing their claims. It waa by such qualificatioaa that Cneiua Octavius lately became very popular, as it was under him that the lictor first had nothing to do, the sergeant was reduced to ailence, and every one who had a suit before Ii'th Epoke aa ofl^en and aa long ae he pleased. In which particulars he might perchance be looked upon Rs too remiss, if this very remissness had not been the support of that severity. Sylla's men were compelled to mnke restitutiou of the things which they had taken away by ™lence, and through the influence of fear; and those who in their offices had given unjuBt decisions, had, when reduced to the rank of private individuida, to bow beneath similar law. This severity of hia might appear to have been in- tolerable, had it not been softened by many Beaaonings of humnnitj.
22. But if this kind of lenity is agreeable at Rome, where there is such escessivo arrogance, such immoderate liberty, such boundless hcentiousaess among menj and besides such a number of m^istratea, so many sources of help, such great power, Buoh absolute authority belonging to the senate; how attractive surely may the courtesy of a pnetor be in Asia, in irtiich such a multitude of citizens, such a number of allies, BO many cities, and so many states, look to the nod of ono man; where there is no help, no power of making complaints, aa senate, no assembly of the people! It is therefore the part of a very great man, and of one who is both moderate by natural disposition, and who has also been trained by education, and by the study of the moat eiceUent accompliah- meute, to conduct himaelf, when invested with so great power, in such a manner that no other authority may be wished for by those over whom he is ajipointed go\etn.OT.
CIOEROS LETTESS CIOEROS LETTESS VIII. 23, The "Cyru-a" of Xeuophon is written not in accordance with the truth of history, but to exhibit o represeu- tatioa of a just government; in whose character the greatest gravity ia united by that philosopher with aingular courtesy. These books our own countiyman, the illustriouB Africnuus, waa accustomed, not without reason, scarcely ever to lay out of his hand, for in them is omitted no duty belonging to carefol and moderate government; and if he, who was never to become a. private individual, paid such attention to those precepts, how ought they to bo observed by those to whom authority has been given ou condition of laying it down again, and given them too by those laws to the observance of which they themselves must again rotum?
34. To me, indeed, everything seems necessary to be re- ferred, by those who rule others, to this principle, that those who shall bo under their government may be as happy as possible; an object which has been established by unvarying (amB, and the renort of all men, as being of primary import- ance with you, and as having been so from the commence- ment, since you first arrived in Asia. And it ia the duty, not only of the man who governs allies and fellow-citizens, but even of him who manages slaves, or dumb aninials, to have a regard to the comforts and advantage of those beings over whom he presides.
25. In this respect I find it agreed by all men that the greatest assiduity is exerted by you; that no new debt is contracted by any state, and that many cities have been freed by you from old, great, and heavy debt; that many cities previously in ruins and almost deserted, among which I may mention one, the most eminent city of Ionia, another, the moat eminent city of Caria, Somos and Hallcnmassus, have beea restored by you; that there are no seditions in the towns, no discord; that provision is made by you that the different states shall be reguUted by the counsels of the most respectable citizens; that depredations in Mysia are stopped; that bloodshed has been suppressed in many places; that peace is established throughout the whole province; that not only the thefts and robberies on the roads and in tho fields, but the more numerous and greater ones in the towns and in the temples, are brought to an end tliroughout the country; that that must spiteful minister to the avarice of TO niS DROTHEB QUINTUS.
goyernors, &lae accasation, has bccii repelled ia its attacks the fame and fortune and ease of the wealthy; that the es- penses aud tributes levied on the different cities are borne vfith equanimity by all who inhabit the territoriea of those cities; that acceBS to you is most easy; that your ears are open to the complainta of all men; that no man's poverty or desolatenesa ia osoluded by you, not merely from access to you in pubhc and on the tribunftl, hut even from your house, and your private chamber; that, in short, throughout your whole government, there is nothing severe, nothing cruel; but that everything ia fiiU of clemency, and gentleness, and humanity, IX. 26. Again, how great a benefit is it on your port, that you have delivered Asia from that iniquitous and heavy tax imposed upon it by the acdiles,^ though at the expense of great enmity to us. In truth, if one man of noble birth makes a eomplaiut openly that you, by issuing an edict " that money should not bo voted for the games at Eome," caused him a loss of two hundred sestertia; how great a sum of money must have been paid, if, as had become the custom, it was eiacted in the name of all, whoever they were, that exhibited games at Eomel Although we checked these com- plunts of our citizens with this design, (which is estolled in Asia, I know not to what extent, and at Bome with no ordi- nary admiration,) inasmuch as when the cities had voted sums of money to erect a temple and monument in our honour, and when they had done so of their own OKfa-eme good-will, in return for my great services, aud for your eiceaaive kind- nesses, and when the law made an exception in our favour by name, providing that " it might be permitted to receive money for a temple and a monumenti" and that which was then given was not likely to perish, but to remain among the ornaments of the temple, so as to appear to have been given, not more for my sake than that of the Roman people and tha inunorla! gods; nevertheless I did not think that even that, in which concurred merit, a special law, and the good-will of those who niado it, ought to be accepted by me, both for 7 the lediles hud grown to ba : aum mentioned in the test CICERO S LETTEBS other reaaonSj and in order tliat othere to whom nothing was due, and in whoea favour no permiasion was given, might bear the matter with more eqaaiamity.
37. Apply youTBelf, therefore, with all your heart and with oil your zeal to the couree of conduct which you have hitherto pursued, that you may love, and iu every way protect, thoec whom the senate and people of Bome have committed and entrusted to your good faith and power, and that you may tafce thought for their being as happy as poBsiblo. But if chance ' had set you over Africans, or Spamai'ds, or Gauls, aavage and barl)arous nations, it would still have become your humanity to consult their advautage, and to show a regard fbr their comfort and safety. Since, however, we govern that race of mankind, among whom not only humanity itself pre- vails, but from whom it is even thought to have spread to other nations, we certainly ought, in the greatest possible degree, to exhibit it to those from whom we received it.
28. For I shall not now be aahamed to assert this, (espe- cially amidst such a course of life, and after performing such actions, on which no suspicion of indolence or levity can affix itself) that we have attained those successes which we have achieved, by the aid of those studies and arts which have been handed down to ub by the I'ecords and discipline of Greece. On those accounts, besides tliat common good fe,ith ■whicii is due to alJ mankind, we also appear to be ill aa especial maimer the debtors of that race of men, so that we may show a readiness to display in action those principles in which we have been instructed before that very people from which we have learned theni. ' X. 29. And, indeed, tliat chief of all genius and learning, Plato, thought that republics would then at last become happy, if cither learned and wise men began to govern them, or if those who governed them devoted all their attention to learning and wisdom. This union of power and wisdom he assuredly thought would be security to a state; a union which may have at some time fallen to the lot of our whole republic, but which has certainly, at this present time, Cillen to that province of yours; so that he might have the chief power in it, by whom, from his chUdhood, the moat ' The Laiio is eon, lot The differeat Boman magiBtF&tea had tiieir proTiaees a^aigaed to IIieiq hj lot.
'"^ BIB BROniKR QCINTCa.
, thorough ^H study and ttrae has been bestowed ou acquiriog a underataui^Dg of virtue and humanity.
30. Be careful, therefore, that this year which ia added to yoor labour may appear at the Eame time to have been added for the prosperity of Asia, Since Asia has been more for- tunate in her efforts to detain you than we have been in oiu-s to recal you, take care that our regret may be mitigated hy the gladness of the province. For if you have been the raoet diligent of al! men in deserving that such great honours should be paid to you as I know not whether any one has received, you ought to eiert far greater diligence in preserving those honours.
31, I have, indeed, written to you before what I think of honours of that kind. I have always thought them, if they were common, worthless; if they were appointed for some tenaponiry occasion, trifling; but if, as has been the case now, they were granted to your merits, I thought tluit much eiertion should be used by you to preserve them. Since, therefore, you reside with supreme power and authority in those cities in which you see your virtues con^ci'ated and nuked in the number of [those of] the gods, in everything which yon shall determine, or decree, or do, you wiU recol- lect' what you owe to such high opinions of mankind, such fevourable judgment concerning you, such exalted honours. This resolution will be of such influence, that you will consult the welfare of all, will remedy the distresses of the people, and provide for their safety, and that you will wish to be both called and thought the fother of Asia.
XI. 32. No doubt the farmers of the public revenue offer great obstacles to your desires and efforts. But if n'e oppose them, we shall separate both from ourselves and from the repablic an order of men which deserves well of ourselves per- SMially, and which is by our means attached to the republic. Tet, if we comply with their wishes in everything, we shall be allowing those persons to be utterly ruined, not only whose safety, but whose advantage, we are bound to couault. Tliis, if we would form a correct judgment, is the one difficulty which pervades yoiir whole government. For to be disin- terested, to restrain all one's desires, to keep a check upon one's people, to maintain an equitable system of law, to show oneself courteous in inquiring into matters of business, and Ifl OICKBO'a LETTERS affftble m listening and giving access to people, is honourablo rether thnu difficult: for it does not depend on any Jaboiir,, but rather on a certain inclination and willingness of mind.
33. How great distress the line of conduct adopted by thft; fnnnera causeB the allies, we have learned from those citizens' fif our own, who lately, in the matter of the removal of the. harbour-dues of Italy, complained not so much of the tax itself, as of certain wrongs committed by the tai-oollectora., So that I cannot be ignorant what'of happens to the allies ia remote districts, when I hear the complaints of my owa countrymen in Italy. That you abould ao conduct yourself in auch circumstances, as both to satisfy the farmers, (espe- cially if they made an unlucky coutraet for the revenues,) and not to allow the allies to be ruined, appears an achievement worthy of some dirine virtue, that is, of your own.
_ And in the first place, that which to the Greeks is a moat bitter consideration, namely, that they are liable to pay taiea, ouglit not to appear so bitter; because, without auy inter- ference of the power of the Roman people, while they lived^ under their own laws, they were themselves, and of thein-'i selves, in the same condition; and they have uo right to- disdain the name of fiirmer, as they themselves could not pay the tax which Sylla had, with perfect fairness, levied upon them, without a (armer. And that, in exacting the taxes, the Greek farmers are not mote lenient than our own, may be Beau from this fact, that a little while ago the Caunians, and all the inhabitants of the islands which had been made over to the Rhodiana by Sylla, fled to the senate with entreaties to be allowed to pay tribute to us rather than to the Rhodiana. Those, therefore, have no right to eiprcaa auy horror of the name of furmer, who have always been bable to the payment of taiea; nor ought those who by themselves could not pay tiie taxes, to disdain him; not ought those to object to him, I Lave actually asked for his appointment, k- Let Asia at the same time recollect, that uo calamity ~t domestic dissension, would have been were not held under tlie dominion that dominiou cau by no means be intentedly purchase fur herself _^^__ a certain portion of her TO HIS BROTHBB QniNTUS.
XIL 35, Aad, if they Tvill endure thnt clasa of men, and the BUme of larnier, 'with patience, other grievances, through your wisdom and prudence, may possibly appear lighter to them. They may, in making contracts, regard, not the mere Censorian. \aw,^ but rather the convenience of transacting business, aad their freedom from trouble. You, too, may do, what you have already done admirably, and what you still are doing, namely, to take frequent occosious to mention how great worth there is in the farmers, and how much we owe to that order; so that, laying aside anthority, and the exertion of power and of the faacea, yon may bind the &rmerB to the Greeks by afiection and influence. But you may also beg of those of whom you have deserved estremely well, and who indeed owe everything to you, to allow us, by good-temper on their part, to secnrs and maintain that connesion which already exists between us and the &rmera.
36. But why do I eihort you to this courae of conducf, which you can not only pursue of your own accord without directjons from any one, but have already to a great eitent practised? For highly honourable and important companies do not cease to address their thanks to us, and this is the more acceptable to me, because the Greeks do the same. And it is difficult to imite in good-will those things which in interests, utility, and almost in their very nature, are dif- ferent from each other. But I have written what is written above, not for the purpose of instructing you, (for your wisdom stands in need of no instructions from any one,) but because, while thus writing, the commemoration of your virtues was a pleasure to me, although I have been more prolix in this letter than I either intended or expected to be, XIII. 37. There is oao thing to which I shall not cease to exhort you; nor will I allow your praises to be spoken, as far as shall be in my power, with any abatement; for all who come from thcee regions speak in such a manner of your virtue, integrity, and humanity, as to make, among your great praises, proneness to anger the only esception. This ' The terms on which tlie reveauea of the proyinoes ware let ware fixed by the censors, in the adioti c&Ued Ler/ci Ckaioria; but those nara ■omatimeB modified to raise the credit or popularity of the pnblioana. In theoBDHOcahip of Cato, 563 S-U.c, the aoDate itaalf intflrfered to iowec IB wLioli his rigour had sought to impose. — LIT, ixui. U.
CICEB0 3 LETTERS affable in listening and giving access to people, ia honourable rather thaa difficult: for it does not depend on any labour, but rather on a certain inolination and willingness of mind.
33. How great diatreas tha line of conduct adopted by the fitrmere causes the allies, we have learned irom those citizens I, who lately, in the matter of the removal of the hnrbour-duea of Italy, complained not so much of the tas itself, as of certain wrongs committed by the tax-collectors. So that I cannot be ignorant what'of happens to the allies in remote districts, when I hear the complaints of my own countrymen in Italy. That you should so conduct yourself, in such circumstances, aa both to satisfy the farmers, (espe- cially if they made an unlucky contract for the revenues,) and not to allow the allies to be ruined, appears an achievement worthy of some divine virtue, that is, of your own.
And in the first place, that which to the Greeks is a most bitter consideration, namely, that they are liable to pay taxes, ought not to appear so bitter; because, without any inter- ference of the power of the Roman people, while they lived under their own laws, they were themselves, and of them- selves, in the same condition; and they have no right to disdain the name of farmer, as they themselves could not pay the tas which Sylla had, with perfect fairness, levied upon them, without a farmer. And that, in exacting the tases, the Greek formers are not more lenient than our own, may be Been fi-om this fact, that a little while ago the Caunians, and all the inhabitants of the islands which had been made over to the Rhodians by Sylia, fled to the senate with entreaties to be allowed to jwty tribute to ua rather than to the Rhodiana. Those, therefore, have no right to express any horror of the name of fiirmer, who have always been liable to the payment of taxes; nor ought those who by themselves could not pay the taxes, to disdain him; nor ought those to object to him, who have actually asked for his appointment.
34. Let Asia at the sanae time recollect, that no calamity of foreign war, or of domestic dissension, woulil have been absent from her, if she were not held under the dominion of this country. And as that dominion can by no means bo upheld without taxes, let her contentedly purchase fur herself perpetual peace and tranq^uillity with a certain portion of her TO Hia BBOTHEB QUOfTUS.
XIL 35. And, if they will endure that class of men, Jie name of fanner, with patieuce, other grievances, through your wisdom and prudence, may possibly appear lighter to them. They raay, in making contracts, regard, not the mere Censorian law,^ but rather the convenience of transacting business, and their freedom from trouble. You, too, may do, "what yon have already done admirably, and what you still are doing, namely, to take frequent oocosions to mention how great worth there is in the fftrmerB,and bow much we owe to that order; so that, laying aside authority, and the exertion of power and of the fasces, you may bind the farmers to the Greeks by affection aod infiuenoe. But you may also beg of those of whom you have deserved extremely well, and who indeed owe everything to you, to allow us, fay good-temper on their part, to secure and maintain that connexion which alieady exists between us and the farmers.
36. But why do I exhort you to this couree of condnct, which you can not only pursue of your own accord without directions from any one, but have already to a great extent practised ) For highly honourable and important companies do not cease to address their thanks to us, and this is the mora aoceptable to me, because the Greeks do the same. And it is difficult to miite in good-wiil those things which in interests, utility, and almost in their very nature, are dif- ferent from each other. But I have written what is written above, not for the purpose of instructing yon, (for your wisdom stands in need of no instructions from any one,) but because, while thus writing, the commemoration of your virtues was a pleasure to me, although I have been more prolix in this letter than I either intended or expected to be.
XIII. 37. There is one thing to which I sh^ not cease to eJthort you; nor will I allow yonr praises to be spoken, as as shall be in my power, with any abatement; for all who ne from those regions speak in such a manner of your virtue, integrity, and humanity, as to make, among your great praises, proneuess to anger the only exception. This The terms on wbicli tlie reveDuaa of the pravincea were let were Ex«d bj the censors, is ths edicts csUed Leget <UntoriiB; but these nero Bometiroes modiBed to raise tho orodit or populnrity of the publionQa In the censerahip of Cflto, 668 j1.d.c., the aeDate itself interfered to lower tha tenna which hia rigour had sought to impose. — Liv, •"■•'" 41.
1 lirough ^1 I 1. bult, even in ovix private and daily life, appears to bs that of ■a imsteadj aad weak mind; but nothing is bo unseemly as to unite tbe aoerbity of natural ill-temper to supreme power. For this reason I will not now proceed to set before you the observations which are commonly made on passionateness, both because I am unwilling to bo too prolix, and because you can easily learn them frooi the writings of Eoany authors; but that which peculiarly belongs to a letter, I mean that be, to whom it is written, should be informed of matters of which , he is ignorant, I think that I ought not to omit 38. Every one makes us almost the same report, that, wheu ill-t«mper does not affeot you, nothing can be more agreeable than your behaviour; but that, when any one's dishonesty or pervcraeness has provoked you, you become so excited that your natural kindness is missed by every one. Since, there- fore, it is not BO much any thirst for glory as mere ciroum- Btances and fortune that have brought us into that station of life in whieh we are, so that the conversation of mankind respecting us will be incessant, let us, as far as we can pos- Bibly achieve and succeed, take care that no remarkable vice may be said to have heea iu us. Nor do I now insist upon that which is perhaps difBcult in every disposition, and is certainly so at our time of life, namely, to cbwige tbe temper, and suddenly to pluck out whatever is deeply implanted iu the character; but I give you this admonition, that if you ouinot wholly avoid this habit, because your mind is oocu- I jued by anger before reason can prevent it from being so I occupied, you should still prepare yourself beforehand, and meditate every day that you must resist this proneness to anger, and that, when it has the greatest effect upon your mind, your tongue must then bo most oirefully restrained; for this appeare to me at timea a virtue not inferior to that of never being angry, For the latter is the consequence, not merely of gravity of temper, but sometimes even of dulness; but to restrain your passion and lauguogo when yon are provoked, or even to be silent, and to keep your agitation of mind and indignation under control, although it be not a proof of perfect wisdom, is certainly an indication of no moderate mental power.
39. In this respect men report that you have already I become much more moderate and gentle. No estreraely 3 BROTHER QUWTUS.
Tiolent borsta of passion, no reproacheB, no insultd, uro reported to ue; &ulta which are not only ioconaisteat with, leoming and politcne^, but at variance with authority and d^ity: for if our imgcr is implacable, it is estreme rancour; bttt if easily appeased, it ia estreme levity; which, however, in a choice of evils, is to be preferred to rancour.
XIV. 40. But since it was your first year that caused the most talk on this subject of censure (I im^ne because injustice, and avarice, and insolence in men occurred to you contrary to your anticipation, and on that account appeared intolerable); while the second year was much more quiet, because habit, and reason, and, as I flatter myself, my letters also, have rendered you more patient and gentle; the third year ought to be eo corrected tbat no one may be able to find even the slightest cause for ceasure in it 41. And now, on this topic, I apeak to you not with es- hortation and precepts, but with brotherly entreaty, beseech- ing yon to devote all your thought, caro, and meditatiou to secviring the praise of all men in all quaileis. If our rank in life were in a moderate position for talk and dia- cnssion about na, nothing estra ordinary, nothing beyond the common conduct of other men, would bo required of you: but DOW, by reason of the splendour and importance of the circumstances in which we are placed, uniesB we secure the bluest poffiible praise from that province, we seem scarcely in a. condition to escape extreme censure. Such is our posi- tion, that while all good men look with favour on us, they at the same time require and eipect from us all imaginable diligence and virtue; but all the unprincipled, because we have eugnged in everlasting war against them, seem to be CMitented with fie very smallest pretext for censuring us.
42. Since, therefore, a theatre of such a kind, that of all Ado, has been presented for the display of your virtues — a theatre crowded with a numerous body of spectators, most ample in size, with au audience of most cultivated judgment; and so well adapted for sound, that the Bcuee and expressions of the actors reach even t*j Rome; strive, I entreat you, and labour, not only to appear worthy of the oircumstJuioeB in vfaloh yun are placed, but even superior to them by your own good qualities.
XV. 43. Andsiuce, among the different offices of the atata.
chance has Bsaigned to mo tbe domestic administration of thftf republic, but to jou a provincial government, if my part ii inferior to none, take care that yours may surpass that of ' others. At the same time reflect that we are uot now labouring for a reputation as yet unattained, and only ex- pected; but that wo are striving for the preservation of one already earned, which indeed was not so much to be desired previously, as it is now to be maintained by lis. And if I could have any interests separate from yours, I should desire for myself nothing more honourable than this poaition which has been already acipired by me. But such is now the state of af&irs, that unless all your actions and expressions in that quarter harmoniKO with my conduct, I shall think that I have gained nothing by such toils and such dangers on ray part, in all of which you were a sharer. But if you alone, above all others, assisted me in obtaining a most honourable fame, you will now aaauredly strive beyond all others that I may retain it. You must uot regard only the opinions and judgments of men who are now living, but also of those wh» i will live hereafter, though indeed their judgment will be mor» \ just, as being free &om all detraction and malevolence. ' 44. Lastly, you ought to remember this too, that you are not seeking glory for yourself alone j though, even were that the case, you mould not neglect it, especially when you had desired to consecrate the memory of your name by the most honourable records; but it ia also to be shared with m^ and to be liandod down to our children. Ia regard to i1^ therefore, you must take care lest, if you are too remiss, you should seem, not merely to have man-iged ill for yourself but even to have grudged reputation to your relations.
XVI. 45, These remarks are not made with this view, that my words may seem to have roused you when asleep, but rather to have given you an impulse while running; for you will always give all men cause, as you have done, to praise your equity, your moderation, your strictness, aod your integrity. But from the singular love ■which I bear you, an insatiable eagerness for your gloiy possesses me; although I am of opinion, that when Asia ought now to be as well known to you as his own private house is to every man, and when such great experience is added to your excel- lent natural sense, there is nothing which can contribute to TO BIS EBOTHKB 0U1NTU3.
that does ^H ihortatioa ^|