letters of cicero-第11部分

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bust　of　his　Venus　with　the　most　elaborate　art；　but　left　the　rest　of　her　body　in　the　rough；　so　certain　persons　only　took　pains　with　my　head；　and　left　the　rest　of　my　body　unfinished　and　unworked。　Yet　in　this　matter　I　have　falsified　the　expectation；　not　only　of　the　jealous；　but　also　of　the　downright　hostile；　who　formerly　conceived　a　wrong　opinion　from　the　case　of　Quintus　Metellus；　son　of　Luciusthe　most　energetic　and　gallant　man　in　the　world；　and　in　my　opinion　of　surpassing　courage　and　firmnesswho；　people　say；　was　much　cast　down　and　dispirited　after　his　return　from　exile。　Now；　in　the　first　place；　we　are　asked　to　believe　that　a　man　who　accepted　exile　with　entire　willingness　and　remarkable　cheerfulness；　and　never　took　any　pains　at　all　to　get　recalled；　was　crushed　in　spirit　about　an　affair　in　which　he　had　shewn　more　firmness　and　constancy　than　anyone　else；　even　than　the　preeminent　M。　Scaurus　himself！　But；　again；　the　account　they　had　received；　or　rather　the　conjectures　they　were　indulging　in　about　him；　they　now　transferred　to　me；　imagining　that　I　should　be　more　than　usually　broken　in　spirit：　whereas；　in　fact；　the　Republic　was　inspiring　me　with　even　greater　courage　than　I　had　ever　had　before；　by　making　it　plain　that　I　was　the　one　citizen　it　could　not　do　without；　and　by　the　fact　that　while　a　bill　proposed　by　only　one　tribune　had　recalled　Metellus；　the　whole　state　had　joined　as　one　man　in　recalling　methe　senate　leading　the　way；　the　whole　of　Italy　following　after；　eight　of　the　tribunes　publishing　the　bill；　a　consul　putting　the　question　at　the　centuriate　assembly；　all　orders　and　individuals　pressing　it　on；　in　fact；　with　all　the　forces　at　its　command。　Nor　is　it　the　case　that　I　afterwards　made　any　pretension；　or　am　making　any　at　this　day；　which　can　justly　offend　anyone；　even　the　most　malevolent：　my　only　effort　is　that　I　may　not　fail　either　my　friends　or　those　more　remotely　connected　with　me　in　either　active　service；　or　counsel；　or　personal　exertion。　This　course　of　life　perhaps　offends　those　who　fix　their　eyes　on　the　glitter　and　show　of　my　professional　position；　but　are　unable　to　appreciate　its　anxieties　and　laboriousness。

Again；　they　make　no　concealment　of　their　dissatisfaction　on　the　ground　that　in　the　speeches　which　I　make　in　the　senate　in　praise　of　Caesar　I　am　departing　from　my　old　policy。　But　while　giving　explanations　on　the　points　which　I　put　before　you　a　short　time　ago；　I　will　not　keep　till　the　last　the　following；　which　I　have　already　touched　upon。　You　will　not　find；　my　dear　Lentulus；　the　sentiments　of　the　loyalists　the　same　as　you　left　themstrengthened　by　my　consulship；　suffering　relapse　at　intervals　afterwards；　crushed　down　before　your　consulship；　revived　by　you：　they　have　now　been　abandoned　by　those　whose　duty　it　was　to　have　maintained　them：　and　this　fact　they；　who　in　the　old　state　of　things　as　it　existed　in　our　day　used　to　be　called　Optiinates；　not　only　declare　by　look　and　expression　of　countenance；　by　which　a　false　pretence　is　easiest　supported；　but　have　proved　again　and　again　by　their　actual　sympathies　and　votes。　Accordingly；　the　entire　view　and　aim　of　wise　citizens；　such　as　I　wish　both　to　be　and　to　be　reckoned；　must　needs　have　undergone　a　change。　For　that　is　the　maxim　of　that　same　great　Plato；　whom　I　emphatically　regard　as　my　master：　〃Maintain　a　political　controversy　only　so　far　as　you　can　convince　your　fellow　citizens　of　its　justice：　never　offer　violence　to　parent　or　fatherland。〃　He；　it　is　true；　alleges　this　as　his　motive　for　having　abstained　from　politics；　because；　having　found　the　Athenian　people　all　but　in　its　dotage；　and　seeing　that　it　could　not　be　ruled　by　persuasion；　or　by　anything　short　of　compulsion；　while　he　doubted　the　possibility　of　persuasion；　he　looked　upon　compulsion　as　criminal。　My　position　was　different　in　this：　as　the　people　was　not　in　its　dotage；　nor　the　question　of　engaging　in　politics　still　an　open　one　for　me；　I　was　bound　hand　and　foot。　Yet　I　rejoiced　that　I　was　permitted　in　one　and　the　same　cause　to　support　a　policy　at　once　advantageous　to　myself　and　acceptable　to　every　loyalist。　An　additional　motive　was　Caesar's　memorable　and　almost　superhuman　kindness　to　myself　and　my　brother；　who　thus　would　have　deserved　my　support　whatever　he　undertook；　while　as　it　is；　considering　his　great　success　and　his　brilliant　victories；　he　would　seem；　even　if　he　had　not　behaved　to　me　as　he　has；　to　claim　a　panegyric　from　me。　For　I　would　have　you　believe　that；　putting　you　aside；　who　were　the　authors　of　my　recall；　there　is　no　one　by　whose　good　offices　I　would　not　only　confess；　but　would　even　rejoice；　to　have　been　so　much　bound。

Having　explained　this　matter　to　you；　the　questions　you　ask　about　Vatinius　and　Crassus　are　easy　to　answer。　For；　since　you　remark　about　Appius；　as　about　Caesar；　〃that　you　have　no　fault　to　find；〃　I　can　only　say　that　I　am　glad　you　approve　my　policy。　But　as　to　Vatinius；　in　the　first　place　there　had　been　in　the　interval　a　reconciliation　effected　through　Pompey；　immediately　after　his　election　to　the　praetorship；　though　I　had；　it　is　true；　impugned　his　candidature　in　some　very　strong　speeches　in　the　senate；　and　yet　not　so　much　for　the　sake　of　attacking　him　as　of　defending　and　complimenting　Cato。　Again；　later　on；　there　followed　a　very　pressing　request　from　Caesar　that　I　should　undertake　his　defence。　But　my　reason　for　testifying　to　his　character　I　beg　you　will　not　ask；　either　in　the　case　of　this　defendant　or　of　others；　lest　I　retaliate　by　asking　you　the　same　question　when　you　come　home：　though　I　can　do　so　even　before　you　return：　for　remember　for　whom　you　sent　a　certificate　of　character　from　the　ends　of　the　earth。　However；　don't　be　afraid；　for　those　same　persons　are　praised　by　myself；　and　will　continue　to　be　so。　Yet；　after　all；　there　was　also　the　motive　spurring　me　on　to　undertake　his　defence；　of　which；　during　the　trial；　when　I　appeared　for　him；　I　remarked　that　I　was　doing　just　what　the　parasite　in　the　Eunuchus　advised　the　captain　to　do：

〃As　oft　as　she　names　Phxdria；　you　retort　With　Pamphila。　If　ever　she　suggest；　'Do　let　us　have　in　Phudria　to　our　revel：'　Quoth　you；　'And　let　us　call　on　Pamphila　To　sing　a　song。'　If　she　shall　praise　his　looks；　Do　you　praise　hers　to　match　them：　and；　in　fine；　Give　tit　for　tat；　that　you　may　sting　her　soul。〃

So　I　asked　the　jurors；　since　certain　men　of　high　rank；　who；　had　also　done　me　very　great　favours；　were　much　enamoured　of　my　enemy；　and　often　under　my　very　eyes　in　the　senate　now　took　him　aside　in　grave　consultation；　now　embraced　him　familiarly　and　cheerfullysince　these　men　had　their　Publius；　to　grant　me　another　Publius；　in　whose　person　I　might　repay　a　slight　attack　by　a　moderate　retort。　And；　indeed；　I　am　often　as　good　as　my　word；　with　the　applause　of　gods　and　men。　So　much　for　Vatinius。　Now　about　Crassus。　I　thought　I　had　done　much　to　secure　his　gratitude　in　having；　for　the　sake　of　the　general　harmony；　wiped　out　by　a　kind　of　voluntary　act　of　oblivion　all　his　very　serious　injuries；　when　he　suddenly　undertook　the　defence　of　Gabinius；　whom　only　a　few　days　before　he　had　attacked　with　the　greatest　bitterness。　Nevertheless；　I　should　have　borne　that；　if　he　had　done　so　without　casting　any　offensive　reflexions　on　me。　But　on　his　attacking　tile；　though　I　was　only　arg…tling　and　not　inveighing　against　him；　I　fired　up　not　only；　I　think；　with　the　passion　of　the　momentfor　that　perhaps　would　not　have　been　so　hotbut　the　smothered　wrath　at　his　many　wrongs　to　me；　of　which　I　thought　I　had　wholly　got　rid；　having；　unconsciously　to　myself；　lingered　in　my　soul；　it　suddenly　shewed　itself　in　full　force；　And　it　was　at　this　precise　time　that　certain　persons　（the　same　whom　I　frequently　indicate　by　a　sign　or　hint）；　while　declaring　that　they　had　much　enjoyed　my　outspoken　style；　and　had　never　before　fully　realized　that　I　was　restored　to　the　Republic　in　all　my　old　character；　and　when　my　conduct　of　that　controversy　had　gained　me　much　credit　outside　the　house　also；　began　saying　that　they　were　glad　both　that　he　was　now　my　enemy；　and　that　those　who　were　involved　with　him　would　never　be　my　friends。　So　when　their　ill…natured　remarks　were　reported　to　me　by　men　of　most　respectable　character；　and　when　Pompey　pressed　me　as　he　had　never　done　before　to　be　reconciled　to　Crassus；　and　Caesar　wrote　to　say　that　he　was　exceedingly　grieved　at　that　quarrel；　I　took　into　consideration　not　only　my　circumstances；　but　my　natural　inclination：　and　Crassus；　that　our　reconciliation　might；　as　it　were；　be　attested　to　the　Roman　people；　started　for　his　province；　it　might　almost　be　said；　from　my　hearth。　For　he　himself　named　a　day　and　dined　with　me　in　the　suburban　villa　of　my　son…in…law　Crassipes。　On　this　account；　as　you　say　that　you　have　been　told；　I　supported　his　cause　in　the　senate；　which　I　had　undertaken　on　Pompey's　strong　recommendation；　as　I　was　bound　in　honour　to　do。

I　have　now　told　you　with　what　motives　I　have　supported　each　measure　and　cause；　and　what　my　position　is　in　politics　as　far　as　I　take　any　part　in　them：　and　I　would　wish　you　to　make　sure　of　thisthat　I　should　have　entertamed　the　same　sentiments；　if　I　had　been　still　perfectly　uncommitted　and　free　to　choose。　For　I　should　not　have　thought　it　right　to　fight　against　such　overwhelming　power；　nor　to　destroy　the　supremacy　of　the　most　distinguished　citizens；　even　if　it　had　been　possible；　nor；　again；　should　I　have　thought　myself　bound　to　abide　by　the　same　view；　when　circumstances　were　changed　and　the　feelings　of　the　loyalists　altered；　but　rather　to　bow　to　circumstances。　For　the　persistence　in　the　same　view　has　never　been　regarded　as　a　merit　in　men　eminent　for　their　guidance　of　the　helm　of　state；　but　as　in　steering　a　ship　one　secret　of　the　art　is　to　run　before　the　storm；　even　if　you　cannot　make　the　harbour；　yet；　when　you　can　do　so　by　tacking　about；　it　is　folly　to　keep　to　the　course　you　have　begun　rather　than　by　changing　it　to　arrive　all　the　same　at　the　destination　you　desire：　so　while　we　all　ought　in　the　administration　of　the　state　to　keep　always　in　view　the　object　I　have　very　frequently　mentioned；　peace　combined　with　dignity；　we　are　not　bound　always　to　use　the　same　language；　but　to　fix　our　eyes　on　the　same　object。　Wherefore；　as　I　laid　down　a　little　while　ago；　if　I　had　had　as　free　a　hand　as　possible　in　everything；　I　should　yet　have　been　no　other　than　I　now　am　in　politics。　When；　moreover；　I　am　at　once　induce