5. As to completing your Greek library, changing some books, and procuring some Latin ones, I wish indeed that those matters may be done, especially as they have reference to my accommodation. But I myself have no person by whoso agency I can get such things done for me; for the books which have attractions for me are not for sale, and cannot be completed except by a man who is both skilful and diligent: however, I will give Chrysippus a commission, and I will speak with Tynmnio. I will inquire too, what Soipio has done about the money. Whatever sooma proper, I will attend to it. As to Ascanio, you shall do whatever you please; I will interpose no obstacle on my own account. I commend you for not being iu a hurry about your suburban villa, but I advise you to have one.
6. I have written this on the 24th of October, the day on which the games wore beginning, as I wta going to my Tusiiulan villa, and taking ray Cicero with me for a game ^ of iustruotion, not of amusement; on that account ' Woiild hftve thanked ma. for not having been his aocuBer, but having meraly giveu testimony a^nst him. — Pant Manvliiu.
' 111 ladant diicrml', «ob limonU. He plnya on tha word liid-ai, whicli he had used just befure; tadi coiaiaUtehaniuT, TO HB BHOTHEB (JDIBTU3.
I did not go furtJier than I wanted, because I desired to be present at the triumph of Pomptiuius,^ on tho 3d of Novem- ber; for there will bo I know Jiot what trifle of buainesa; sitice Cato and ServiliuSj the pnetora, threaten that they will ja^vent it; and I do not kiiow what they cau do, as he will both have Appius the consiil with him, and the majority of ttc prtetora, and the tribunes of the people. However, they &o threaten, and especially Quintus Scasvolo, who breathes nothing but wai*. My kiudest and dearest brother, take care 'OUT health.
[LETTERS V. VI. Marcus Cicero to hia hrother Quvnlue, greeliiiff. 1. With respect to your question, what I have done about those books which, when I was in the neighbourhood of Cumse, I began to write, I have not been idle, nor ani I idle; but I have eeveral times changed my whole plan and method of treating the subject: for after two hooks were completed, in which, during that nine days' festival which took place in the consulship of Tuditanus and Aquilius, a conversation is commenead by me between Airieanus,^ a little before hia death, and Lffilius, Phtlus, Manilius, Quintus Tubero, and Faonius and Sceevola, the sona-in-Jaw of Ivtelius; and that conversatioo is extended over nine days, and through nine books, being on the beet form of government, and the charac- ter of the best citizen, {the work in truth was put together with sufficient clearness, and the dignity of the speakers added aime weight to the argumenta;) — wlien these books were read hj me at my Tusculau villa in the hearing of Sallust, I was assured by hira thnt opinions might be given on those aub- Jects with much greater authority, if I myself wore to speak on the republio, especially as I was not a HeracUdes of Pon- tns, but a man of eonaular rank, and one who had myself been concerned in ^e moat important affiiirs of state; but that what I attributed to eharactera of such antiquity, would appear to bo fictitious; that tia to the dialogue upon oratory ' Ovar tho AlIobrogoB.
' That is, the younger Africanus. Tbo book alluded to is the treatiaa Do Kepublioil, (lisuoT^ed in this century.
CICERO 3 LETTERS in those treatises of mine, I had done well not to litter in my own cbaracter what was eaid on the art of speaking, but to refer it to those men whom I had Been myself; but that Aristotle himself deiivera in bis own cbaracter what ho writes about the commonwealth, and the most esceilcut kind of citizen.
2. He made an impression upon me, and so much the more because, [by the plan that I had adopted,] I was nnable to touch upon the greatest disturbances in our commonwealth, inasmuch as they wore posterior to the age of the Bpeakere; though at first I had made this very thing one of my objects, lest iu touching on our own times, I should give offence to any one. Now I shall both avoid that, and shall myself converse with you; but, nevertheiess, if I come to Rome, I shall send you what I had originaliy written; for I imagine that you will be of opinion, that those hooka were not put aside by ma without some feeHng of disappointment, 3. I am exoeedingly gratified by Ceesar'e great good-will, of which he has assured me in liia letter: but I do not depend much on the promises which be holds out. I am neither eager for honours nor anxious for glory; and I am more desirous of the duration of hia good-will, than the fulfilment of bis promises. Nevertheless, I live amidst the same ■ambi- tion and labour, as if I were expecting what I never Bolioit.
4. As to what yon ask me about making verses, it is in- credible, my dear brother, how much I want time j nor indeed am I sufficiently animated in thought to sing of those things which yon wish. And do you, who have Burpoased all men in that description of language and expression, ask mo for BU^estions on a subject which I cannot fully grasp even with the utmost exertion of thought i Nevertheless, I would do it as well as I could, but, (what by no moaua escapes your knowledge,) there ia need, for composing a poem, of a certain cheerfulness of spirit, which the times altt^ether take away from me. I indeed firee myself, as far as I can, from all anxiety on account of the commonwealth, and devote myself to literature; but still I will tell you what in truth I wished above all things concealed from you: I am made wretched, my dearest brother, I am made wretched by the consideration that there is no commouwealtli; no courts of justice; and that this present time of life of miue, which ought to be ii ao niS BBOTHER QUI^TUS.
Kjn of the authority of a senator, is either haiTissed 6 labour of pleading in the forum, or endured with of private literary pursuits; and that the idea which. hed from my childhood, At all timea to eicel, and be ahore My fellows, ia all come to nothing; that of my t attacked by me, some are even defended; that not only my inclinations, but my very dislikes are not free; and that Ca^ar is the only ono of all men who is found to love me as much as I desire; or even, aa some think, is the only one who is inclined to love me.
Yet none of these vesations are of such a nature that I cannot every day soothe myself with great consolatiou; but the greatfist consolation of nil will be if we shall be tc^etber again; but, at present, to those other disquietudes of mine, there is added even the most vehement longing to see you.
5. If, as Pansa thinks that I ought to have done, I had defended Gahinins, I should have been utterly ruined; those who bate him, and thoy are all ranks of men, would have begun to hate me, on account of him whom they already hate. I bore myself, in my opinion, admirably, so as to do only so much aa every one might see. And in the whole of my conduct, as you advise me, I dovota myself greatly to the oultivation of ease and tranquillity.
6. In respect of the library, it is Tyrannio who ia the idler. I will speak to Chiysippns; but it ia a troublesome task, and one that requirea a very diligent man. I find this myself who, with a great deal of trouble, meet with no buo- oeaa. But for Latin hooks, I kaow not whither to turn my- self; BO iiiultily are they copied, and so dishonestly are they sold; however, I will not neglect to do what may he done. Crebrius, aa I wrote you word iefore, is at Rome, and tho men who take their oaths to anything, tell me that ho is under great ohligatious to you. I fancy that the money matters have been settled in my absence.
7. When you say that you have finished four tragedies in edxteen days, are you borrowing anything fi:om any one else 1 And are you aiming at credit ^ by copying out the Electra at the Troadest Do not he an idler; and do not fancy that H^ltoet testa hnre xf^as: Cranovins and acme oihi^ra prcfur kkIos.
64 cicEno'a letteks the saying yvZQi mavrav is intended merely to ditninbh arrogance, but that it also intimates that we ehoiild know our own powers. However, I wouH wisli you to send me both them, and tLe Erigona. You have in this packet my_ lost two letters. I LETTER VII. Mcureui Cieero to hia hrotlier Quintvx, greeting. I, Tkebb 18 Q wonderful flood at Eome, ■ and especially along the Appian road, as Jiir oa the temple of Maraj the walks of Craasipes, and his gardens, have beea carried away, and many shops. There has been an amazing quantity of water down as far as the public fish-ponds. The Homer ^ is powerfully illustrated: — As on oD autumn day, vrhen Jupiter Poura violfcut waters forth, wbaue'er, enraged.
His HJigor bums 'gainst men: For it applies well to the acquittal of Gabinius: — Men who by fores iu council will pronounce Judgments unjust, and banish rjglit, the voict Of heay-n not lieeding.
But I haTO made up my mind not to trouble myself about these matters.
3. Wheu I arrive at Eomo, I will write you word what I observe, and especially about the diotatorship; and I will give the courier letters, both for Labienua and for Ligurius.
I wrote this before daybreak, by the light of a little wooden candlestick, which was very acceptable to me, because they said tiiat you, when you were at Samos, had bad it madfiu Farewell, my most affectionate and moat excellent brother.
01 of I LETTER VIII.
Marcus to his brother Quintus, greetvng.
1. Thkre ia'no need for me to reply to your former letter, which is full of discontent and complaints; of which kind too you say that you had given Labieaus another the day beforej but he has not ai-rived yet. For your more recent ( TO Hia BROTHEIl tJCIKTtS, 85 letter haa removed from mo every feeling of annoyauoe; only I both advise and entreat you., ta recuUect amid all those annoyaLQces and labours aod feelings of regi'et, what oul' intentioa was in your journey. For we were not a,iming at any trifling or ordinary advantagea; for what advantage could there have been which we Bhoald have thought worth piir- cltasing at the price of our separation I Wo were Beeking most powerful protection, for the full maintenance of our dignity, from the good-will of a most eicellent and most influential man. More is risked on hope than on money; Bvarything else will go ^ to loaa If, therefore, you often turn bock your thoughts to the couaideratioa of our old objects and hopes, you will njore easily bear those burdsliips of military seiTice, and other things which annoy you; and atill you. will be able to shako them off when you please. But the full time for that matter has not arrived yet, though it is approaching.
2. Moreover, I recommend you not to trust anything to your letters, from which, if it should be divulged, we sho'uld Buffer annoyance. There are many things of which I had rather be ignorant than be informed of them at any risk. I will write to you further with a mind at ease, when my Cicero is going on well again, as I hope he will. I would wish you to take care and let me know to whom I must give the letter which I am to send, you next; whether to the couriers of Csesar, that he may at once send them on to you, or to those of Labicnus; for whero those Nervii " are, or how fer otf they are, I know not, 3. I derived great pleasure from your letter concerning the nrtus and gravity of Ciosar, wbich he had displayed when onder deep affliction. And as to your requesting me to finish the poem which I have begun to him, although I am distracted with labour, and still more in mind, still, since Ctesar has learned from the letter which I had sent to you, that I have b^un something, I will resume what I had commenced, and complete it in these idle days of supplica- tions 3 during which I am extremely glad that our friend ' Struenlur is tha reading of Orelliua ami moBt other editora; Nobbe 1 I » The Nfli rvii in Gaul, among whom Quint with hia Ugi ion. CCEa. B. G. y.—Paul MamUt Meesala and the rest are relieved from annoyance, and when yotf. set liira down as qnite sure to be consul with Domitins, you do not in the least dissent from my own opinioa. I will under- take for MesBala'a conduct to CiGBarj but Memmius places hopes in tiio arrival of Ctesar, in which I think he ia mis- taken; hero at least he is coldly regarded: aa for Scanrus, Pompey cast him off some time ago.
4. ilatters are postponed; the comitia are brought to an interregnum. The rnmour of a dictator ia disagreeable to the weU-afl'ected; but what they say is far more disagreeable to me. However, the whole business is regarded with alarm, and goes on slowly. Pompey plainly denies that he has any inclination for it. Before he did not use to deny it to me, Himw seems likely to propose it. 0 ye gods, what a fool of a. man 1 how does ho love himself without a rival I Ha frightened off, by my means, Ci-nssus Juniauus.^ a man wholly devoted to me. It ia very hard to laiow whether he wishes i^ or whether he does not. However, while Himia ia acting, he wUI not make people believe that he has any diaiiiclinatioiL People at this time were talking of nothing else with regard to public afiairs j at all events, nothing else is done.
5. The fimeral of Serrauua Domesticua the son, waa a, very mournful one; it took place on the I9th of November. The fether spoke a funeral panegyric over him, of my writing, 6. Now aa to Milo: Pompey has given nothing to him, and everything to Gutta; and says that he will take care that Ciesar shall use all his endeavours to further his interest Milo is apprehensive of this, — and not without reason, — and almost despairs, if ho becomes dictator. If ho with any armed force, or with his protection, should assist any one who posed a veto to hia dictatorehip, he fears Pompey would be his enemy; and if he does not assist some one, then he ' afraid that matters will be carried by violence. Ho is pra^ paring the most magnificent games,^ of Euch a character that no man has ever exhibited any more costly ones; a double and a treble piece of folly, as they are not demanded,* — either because he had already exhibited a very £ne show, or becauaO}!
H » iQhoD is probably ' of tEa ileail, L j wh( .pt 11 he Ijatl recBJyed a teque ' By the people. See Ep. ad Fam. is. S.^Idffi.
PO JIIB BROTHER QUISTUS.
means were wanting, or because lie was a director,^ or because Le might fairly look upon himself as a director, imd not as an ledile.^ I Lave now wTitten ntarly all that I had to say. My dearest brother, take care of your bcaltli.
^^B LETTER IX.
^^^^f MarctiB to hU hrolher Quintvs, greeting.
' 1. In the matter of Gabinius, none of those things which were moat afFectionately imagined by you, ii be done: earth, witii Bmplo rnwn.
I acted with the moat consummate dignity, as opinion, and also with the greatest leuity, in all tlje steps vbich I took: I neither pressed >iim hard, nor relieved him. I was a very stroug witness; in other respects I was quiet. The disgraceful and ruinous resnlt of the trial I took very easily; and w.j prudence indeed now redounds to my ad- vaatage; so that I am not in the least moved by these calomitiea of the commonwealth, and the licentiouanesa of aadacious citizens, with which I iised to be distracted; for nothing con bo mors utterly lost than these men and these 2. Since, therefore, no pleasure can now be derived from public affiiira, I do not know why I should veK mysalE Literature, my studies, and leisure, my country-houses, and eapedally our boya, give me great pleasure. Milo is the only one that gives me annoyance; but I wish that the consulship may put an end to it; in regard to which I will use no less exertions than I used about my own; and you, from where you are, will ba able to help me, aa indeed you do. Concerning I > ifagiaia: A director or < the legatees. — Idem.
' (Soero's meaning is, that not of magiiiri, directors or tnu only a magitler, and not ezbibitiug gniues.^ — Ideni.
MBtea to lee the property divided among I exhibit gomes was the part of ledflea, ■ustees, and that Milo, tharefare, aa ho an tedile, ought to have forbonia from and is preparing games which are to cost a hundred thousand pounds.' But in this one jMirticular I will bear with his in- considerateuesa as well as I can; and it is for your firmness to be able to bear it.
3. With respect to the commotions of the coming year, I had wished you to understand that there is no cause for domeatio apprehension, hut oaly for the common oonditioa of the republic, about wMch, if I am not able t6 effect any good, I am still unable to be wholly indifferent. But how cautious I wish you to be in writing, you may conjecture from this, that I do not even write to you any account of the disturb- ances which are openly made in the republic, lest my letters, being intercepted, should hurt any one's feelings. I there- fore would have yon free from domeatio anxiety. As to the interests of the commonwealtii, I know how ansious you always are about them.
I sea that our friend Messala is consul; if by the interven- tiou of the interrei, without any proper decision; if by the dictator's ' iafiuence, still without danger; he has no unpopu- larity to contend with. The ardour of Hortensius will have great influence: the acquittal of Gabinius is looked on as the promulgation of a law of impunity. By the bye, there has not been anything done yet about a dictator.
Pompey ia away; Appiua disturbs everything; Hirrus is preparing to act. Many people are counted ready to inter- pose their veto. The people doea not care; the chiefs are adverse; I tako no part.
4. I am greatly obliged to you for the promises which you make about the slaves, and I am, as you write word, but very poorly attended both in Rome and in the country; but take care of troubling yourself, I intreat you, about anything which regards my convenience, unleBS it ia entirely convenient to you, and quite witiiin your power.
' Copies TQ17 BB to this sum. Most of them luive HBCCC; which hu la genevally thought corrupt Per diciatorem, An nllusion to Fompef, whom a puiy wished to ■.e dictator.
TO HIS BROTHEH tJClKTOS. 89 5. I laughed at Vatinins's letter; but I am well awaro that I tin obsoryed by him in such a manner, that I must not only swallow hifl esistiBg hatred, but even digest [and put np with] it.
6. Aa to the work which yon exhort me to finish, I have finished a very pleasant epic poem, (as it appears to me,) to Cfesar; but I want a trustworthy oourier, lest that should happen which happened to your Erigona, for which alone, unce CEcsar bos had the command, the road out of Gaul bus not been safe.
7. • • * "Well! if I have not good mortar, ought I to pull down the house 1 which indeed pleases me more and more every day; and, above all, the lower portico; and the rooms out of it are ndmimfaly made. As to Arcanum, that is a work of CiesBr himself, or indeed of some still neater Trorkman: for those images, and that paljestra, and fish-pond, and stream, ia the work of many Philotimi, not Diphili. But I will myself go there, and send orders, and give directions.
8. You would complain still more of the will of Felii, if you knew the truth; for the documents which ha thought that he was signing, in which he had laid down strict directions as to the division of hia property, he did not sign; (he mistook partly though his own blunder, and partly through that of his slave, Sicuraa;) and he signed documents which ho did not intend to sign. But let him bemoan himsolf Let us take care of ourselves.
9. I love your Cicero as you beg me, and as he deserves, and as I ought; hut 1 do not keep him always with me, both that I may not withdraw him from his teachers, and because his mother Porcia ia away, without whom I am atVaid of tbe boy's appetite; but still we are a great deal together. I havo now replied to everything in your letter, my must affectiouate and most excellent brother. Fare you well, 1 I I CICEKOS LETTEHS TO BHUTUS.
1 I CICERO'S LETTERS TO BRUTUS.
INTRODUCTION.
The fint of theee Lettera vb£ written in the year of Cri^sar'a murder, 710 A.u.a, in the consulebip of Autonius and Dolnbolk, who seised that office oa the death of Csisar, wlilch he hiuueU had prsrioualj promked to resigu to him.
Cioero, though be hod not been privy to the conspimey, yet bs Boon ni the deed iru done, ranged himself on the aide of the conspiraton^ I OB being the only party vith Bufficient power to secure order. In a few ^ys, however, they negotiated wiUi Antony, and he, desirous to grasp the power which had been poaBessad by Csesw, procured them diahint proviuoea, some of which had been previously assigned to them by CieaQr. Brutus wao to have Macedonia; Cnaeiua, Syria; ■nil Dacimus Brutus, CisalpUje GauL Soou afterwards Ootavius re- tnnied to Italy, arriving at Naples in the jniddle of April, whore he liad HU interview with Gioero; and hefore the eud of ibe month, he arrived in Rome. Brutus and CaasiuB had already become unpopolar in the city, nnd retreated to Laviniom; and Antony now begsn to show his hostility to Uieir party, forbidding Deoimus Brutus to bo to his province, and prevailing on the senato to transfer Haoedoma and Syria from Marcus Brutua sud Cassius to himself and Dolabella, while they were to have, instead, the charge of supplying tbo d^ with grain. The day after this vote was pnssed, (June 6,) Cicero bad an interview with Brutua and Casaius at Aixtium, where notliing wu decided on. As the city-pra>tor, Brutus ought to bava exhibited the Ludi ApoUinarei; but he was afnud to return to tbe city, whioh indeed even Cicero did oot think that he could do with safety. He retired to the nsighbonrbood of BeuO!, while his coUea^ie presided over the games, which were celebrated at his expense, and with great magnificence. The conspirators were a little encouraged by newa of some advantages which Seitus Fompey had gained in Spam, thoaf^«| he did not belong to their party; but he, in conaequeoce,!~* learning that Lepidus was raising an army to attacic him, propo a general disarming of all parties.
Cioero himself was absent from Rome, visiting diffan coast, during the summer, Antony reconciled himself to Antoniua, ftnd by his add prevsiled on tbe senato to allow him to resign Maoe- , ^nia to his brother Cbjiib, and to give him Docimus Brutos'a ' province of Cisalpine OauL Brutus and Cassius, as pnotors, had no ' ' ' ' ha absent from the city without leave; but they obtained It thoaf^«M iroposaj^H Brutns'a antl7 quitted Italy for Hg Eaat. with TOG TeauiutiuD CO EinaeiLTDur lo ma&e thGinselroa masters by force of the pruviiioes which had haen origiaally assi^Gd to them, and of which tiey had now been dapriToi Cicero bailed from Italy, and went to Syracuse, intending tfl proceed to Athens; bnt the wind being unfavourable, he was driven back to Itnly, He returned to JLome QD the last day of Au^at^ where he was reoeived with aoda- mations by all parties; hut as he rcfuaed to appear the next day in the aenat^ AntoDV was offended, and attacked him: and the day afterwards Cicero delivered his first Philippic Antony and OctavioB quarrel: Antony leaves Roma for Bnmdiisium, to take the command of the legions assembled there; and Octavius visits the coloniea in Campania, and then Ravenna, and the towns between Rome and tha frontiera of Qaul. Cieero supports Octarius. Antony returns to Home, and agaia leaics it, and goes northward ti> attnnk DedmuB Brutus, who throws himself into Mutina. The coaeule-elect for the eomiiig year were Hirtioa and Panaa.
LETTER I. Cicero to Bruttu, greeting. '" LirciDB Clodiua,^ tribune of the people elect, has a very great liking for me; or, that I may use a more emphatic expreesioi], lias a very gi-eat love for me; and as I am quite certain of that, I have no doubt that you (for you know my diaposition thoroughly) will suppose that ho also is beloved by me; for ncrthing appears to me to be less becoming to a man, than not to respond in attachment to those by whom you aiB in- vited to it.
He appeared to me to suspect, {and not indeed, without great ooncom,) that something baa been reported to you by his enemies, or rather through the agency of hia enemies, by which your affectlou hna heeu alienated from him. It is not my custom, my dear BmtuSj (and this 1 think you know,) to Bay anything rashly about anothar; for it is dangerous, on account of the secret nature of men's wishes, and the TMiaty of their characters. But I haye thoroughly examined and nnderstood and appreciated the disposition of Clodius; there are many indicationa of it, but not ncceasary to be written; for I wish you to look upon this rather as a testi- monial than as a letter. He was promoted by the iavour of Antony, and a great portion of that very faTonr is owing to you; and therefore, as long as it did not interfere with our u J ' Nothing more la knowu of this Clodius.
I ERUTna TO CICERO.
safety, he would bo glnd to see him safe. But he i that mattera have been brought into such a state, (for he is, as you are aware, by no means deficient in acutenesa,) that both cannot be safe: and therefore he prefers that we should be so. And of you youi'self he speaks and feels with the greatest iHeudlitiess: so that if any one has written you a different account of him, or has sought to give you a difiarent impression in conversation, I beg of you over and over again rather to believe me, who am both able to judge of him more easily than any ohaouve informer, and am more sincerely at^ tached to yon; think therefore that Clodiua is most friendly to yon, and that he h such a citizen as a man of the: prudence and of the most aiHuent fortune ought to be LETTER IT. H