letters of cicero-第17部分

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　so　calmly！　I　wanted　you　to　know　these　historiettes　by　the　way；　for　we　have　both　a　pretty　taste　in　gossip。　There　is　one　other　thing　I　should　like　you　to　turn　over　in　your　mind。　I　am　told　that　Appius　is　building　a　propyheum　at　Eleusis。　Should　I　be　foolishly　vain　if　I　also　built　one　at　the　Academy？　〃I　think　so；〃　you　will　say。　Well；　then；　write　and　tell　me　that　that　is　your　opinion。　For　myself；　I　am　deeply　attached　to　Athens　itself。　I　would　like　some　memorial　of　myself　to　exist。　I　loathe　sham　inscriptions　on　statues　really　representing　other　people。　But　settle　it　as　you　please；　and　be　kind　enough　to　inform　me　on　what　day　the　Roman　mysteries　fall；　and　how　you　have　passed　the　winter。　Take　care　of　your　health。　Dated　the　765th　day　since　the　battle　of　Leuctra！

XX

M。　PORCIUS　CATO　TO　CICERO　（IN　CILICIA）

ROME　（JUNE）

I　GLADLY　obey　the　call　of　the　state　and　of　our　friendship；　in　rejoicing　that　your　virtue；　integrity；　and　energy；　already　known　at　home　in　a　most　important　crisis；　when　you　were　a　civilian；　should　be　maintained　abroad　with　the　same　painstaking　care　now　that　you　have　military　command。　Therefore　what　I　could　conscientiously　do　in　setting　forth　in　laudatory　terms　that　the　province　had　been　defended　by　your　wisdom；　that　the　kingdom　of　Ariobarzanes；　as　well　as　the　king；　himself；　had　been　preserved；　and　that　the　feelings　of　the　allies　had　been　won　back　to　loyalty　to　our　empirethat　I　have　done　by　speech　and　vote。　That　a　thanksgiving　was　decreed　I　am　glad；　if　you　prefer　our　thanking　the　gods　rather　than　giving　you　the　credit　for　a　success　which　has　been　in　no　respect　left　to　chance；　but　has　been　secured　for　the　Republic　by　your　own　eminent　prudence　and　self…control。　But　if　you　think　a　thanksgiving　to　be　a　presumption　in　favour　of　a　triumph；　and　therefore　prefer　fortune　having　the　credit　rather　than　yourself；　let　me　remind　you　that　a　triumph　does　not　always　follow　a　thanksgiving；　and　that　it　is　an　honour　much　more　brilliant　than　a　triumph　for　the　senate　to　declare　its　opinion；　that　a　province　has　been　retained　rather　by　the　uprightness　and　mildness　of　its　governor；　than　by　the　strength　of　an　army　or　the　favour　of　heaven：　and　that　is　what　I　meant　to　express　by　my　vote。　And　I　write　this　to　you　at　greater　length　than　I　usually　do　write；　because　I　wish　above　all　things　that　you　should　think　of　mc　as　taking　pains　to　convince　you；　both　that　I　have　wished　for　you　what　I　believed　to　be　for　your　highest　honour；　and　am　glad　that　you　have　got　what　you　preferred　to　it。　Farewell：　continue　to　love　me；　and　by　the　way　you　conduct　your　home…journey；　secure　to　the　allies　and　the　Republic　the　advantages　of　your　integrity　and　energy。　

XXI

To　M。　PORCLUS　CATO　（AT　ROME）

（ASIA；　SEPTEMBER）

〃RIGHT　glad　am　I　to　be　praised　〃says　Hector；　I　think；　in　Naevius〃　by　thee；　reverend　senior；　who　hast　thyself　been　praised。〃　For　certainly　praise　is　sweet　that　comes　from　those　who　themselves　have　lived　in　high　repute。　For　myself；　there　is　nothing　I　should　not　consider　myself　to　have　attained　either　by　the　congratulation　contained　in　your　letter；　or　the　testimony　borne　to　me　in　your　senatorial　speech：　and　it　was　at　once　the　highest　compliment　and　the　greatest　gratification　to　me；　that　you　willingly　conceded　to　friendship；　what　you　transparently　conceded　to　truth。　And　if；　I　don't　say　all；　but　if　many　were　Catos　in　our　statein　which　it　is　a　matter　of　wonder　that　there　is　even　onewhat　triumphal　chariot　or　laurel　should　I　have　compared　with　praise　from　you？　For　in　regard　to　my　feelings；　and　in　view　of　the　ideal　honesty　and　subtihity　of　your　judgment；　nothing　can　be　more　complimentary　than　the　speech　of　yours；　which　has　been　copied　for　me　by　my　friends。　But　the　reason　of　my　wish；　for　I　will　not　call　it　desire；　I　have　explained　to　you　in　a　former　letter。　And　even　if　it　does　not　appear　to　you　to　be　entirely　sufficient；　it　at　any　rate　leads　to　this　conclusionnot　that　the　honour　is　one　to　excite　excessive　desire；　but　yet　is　one　which；　if　offered　by　the　senate；　ought　certainly　not　to　be　rejected。　Now　I　hope　that　that　House；　considering　the　labours　I　have　undergone　on　behalf　of　the　state；　will　not　think　me　undeserving　of　an　honour；　especially　one　that　has　become　a　matter　of　usage。　And　if　this　turns　out　to　be　so；　all　I　ask　of　you　is　thatto　use　your　own　most　friendly　words　since　you　have　paid　me　what　in　your　judgment　is　the　highest　compliment；　you　will　still　〃be　glad〃　if　I　have　the　good　fortune　to　get　what　I　myself　have　preferred。　For　I　perceive　that　you　have　acted；　felt；　and　written　in　this　sense：　and　the　facts　themselves　shew　that　the　compliment　paid　me　of　a　supplicatio　was　agreeable　to　you；　since　your　name　appears　on　the　decree：　for　decrees　of　the　senate　of　this　nature　are；　I　am　aware；　usually　drawn　out　by　the　warmest　friends　of　the　man　concerned　in　the　honour。　I　should；　I　hope；　soon　see　you；　and　may　it　be　in　a　better　state　of　political　affairs　than　my　fears　forebode！

XXII

TO　TRO　（AT　PATRAE）

BRUNDISIUM；　26　NOVEMBER。

CICERO　and　his　son　greet　Tiro　warmly。　We　parted　from　you；　as　you　know；　on　the　2nd　of　November。　We　arrived　at　Leucas　on　the　6th　of　November；　on　the　7th　at　Actium。　There　we　were　detained　till　the　8th　by　a　storm。　Thence　on　the　9th　we　arrived　at　Corcyra　after　a　charming　voyage。　At　Corcyra　we　were　detained　by　bad　weather　till　the　15th。　On　the　16th　we　continued　our　voyage　to　Cassiope；　a　harbor　of　Corcyra；　a　distance　of　120　stades。　There　we　were　detaine4　by　winds　until　the　22nd。　Many　of　those　who　in　this　interval　impatiently　attempted　the　crossing　suffered　shipwreck。　On　the　22nd；　after　dinner；　we　weighed　anchor。　Thence　with　a　very　gentle　south　wind　and　a　clear　sky；　in　the　coarse　of　that　night　and　the　next　day　we　arrived　in　high　spirits　on　Italian　soil　at　Hydrus；　and　with　the　same　wind　next　daythat　is；　the　24th　of　Novemberat　io　o'clock　in　the　morning　we　reached　Brundisium；　and　exactly　at　the　same　time　as　ourselves　Terentia　（who　values　you　very　highly）　made　her　entrance　into　the　town。　On　the　26th；　at　Brundisium；　a　slave　of　Cn。　Plancius　at　length　delivered　to　me　the　ardently　expected　letter　from　you；　dated　the　13th　of　November。　It　greatly　lightened　my　anxiety：　would　that　it　had　entirely　removed　it！　However；　the　physician　Asclapo　positively　asserts　that　you　will　shortly　be　well。　What　need　is　there　for　me　at　this　time　of　day　to　exhort　you　to　take　every　means　to　re…establish　your　health？　I　know　your　good　sense；　temperate　habits；　and　affection　for　me：　I　am　sure　you　will　do　everything　you　can　to　join　me　as　soon　as　possible。　But　though　I　wish　this；　I　would　not　have　you　hurry　yourself　in　any　way。　I　could　have　wished　you　had　shirked　Lyso's　concert；　for　fear　of　incurring　a　fourth　fit　of　your　seven…day　fever。　But　since　you　have　preferred　to　consuit　your　politeness　rather　than　your　health；　be　careful　for　the　future。　I　have　sent　orders　to　Curius　for　a　douceur　to　be　given　to　the　physician；　and　that　he　should　advance　you　whatever　you　want；　engaging　to　pay　the　money　to　any　agent　he　may　name。　I　am　leaving　a　horse　and　mule　for　you　at　Brundisium。

At　Rome　I　fear　that　the　1st　of　January　will　be　the　beginning　of　serious　disturbances。　I　shall　take　a　moderate　line　in　all　respects。　It　only　remains　to　beg　and　entreat　you　not　to　set　sail　rashlyseamen　are　wont　to　hurry　things　for　their　own　profit：　be　cautious；　my　dear　Tiro：　you　have　a　wide　and　difficult　sea　before　you。　If　you　can；　start　with　Mescinius；　he　is　usually　cautious　about　a　sea　passage：　if　not；　travel　with　some　man　of　rank；　whose　position　may　give　him　influence　over　the　ship…owner。　If　you　take　every　precaution　in　this　matter　and　present　yourself　to　us　safe　and　sound；　I　shall　want　nothing　more　of　you。　Good…bye；　again　and　again；　dear　Tiro！　I　am　writing　with　the　greatest　earnestness　about　you　to　the　physician；　to　Curius；　and　to　Lyso。　Good…bye；　and　God　bless　you。

XXIII

To　L。　PAPIRIUS　PAETUS　（AT　NAPLES）

TUSCULUM　（JULY）

I　WAS　charmed　with　your　letter；　in　which；　first　of　all；　what　I　loved　was　the　tenderness　which　prompted　you　to　write；　in　alarm　lest　Silius　should　by　his　news　have　caused　me　any　anxiety。　About　this　news；　not　only　had　you　written　to　me　beforein　fact　twice；　one　letter　being　a　duplicate　of　the　othershewing　me　clearly　that　you　were　upset；　but　I　also　had　answered　you　in　full　detail；　in　order　that　I　might；　as　far　as　such　a　business　and　such　a　crisis　admitted；　free　you　from　your　anxiety；　or　at　any　rate　alleviate　it。　But　since　you　shew　in　your　last　also　how　anxious　you　are　about　that　matter　make　up　your　mind　to　this；　my　dear　Paetus：　that　whatever　could　possibly　be　accomplished　by　artfor　it　is　not　enough　nowadays　to　contend　with　mere　prudence；　a　sort　of　system　must　be　elaborated　however；　whatever　could　be　done　or　effected　towards　winning　and　securing　the　goodwill　of　those　men　I　have　done；　and　not；　I　think；　in　vain。　For　I　receive　such　attentions；　such　politenesses　from　all　Caesar's　favourites　as　make　me　believe　myself　　beloved　by　them。　For；　though　genuine　love　is　not　easily　distinguished　from　feigned；　unless　some　crisis　occurs　of　a　kind　to　test　faithful　affection　by　its　danger；　as　gold　in　the　fire；　there　are　other　indications　of　a　general　nature。　But　I　only　employ　one　proof　to　convince　me　that　I　am　loved　from　the　heart　and　in　sinceritynamely；　that　my　fortune　and　theirs　is　of　such　a　kind　as　to　preclude　any　motive　on　their　part　for　pretending。　In　regard；　again；　to　the　man　who　now　possesses　all　power；　I　see　no　reason　for　my　being　alarmed：　except　the　fact　that；　once　depart　from　law；　everything　is　uncertain；　and　that　nothing　can　be　guaranteed　as　to　the　future　which　depends　on　another　man's　will；　not　to　say　caprice。　Be　that　as　it　may；　personally　his　feelings　have　in　no　respect　been　wounded　by　me。　For　in　that　particular　point　I　have　exhibited　the　greatest　self…control。　For；　as　in　old　times　I　used　to　reckon　that　to　speak　without　reserve　was　a　privilege　of　mine；　since　to　my　exertions　the　existence　of　liberty　in　the　state　was　owing；　so；　now　that　that　is　lost；　I　think　it　is　my　duty　to　say　nothing　calculated　to　offend　either　his　wishes　or　those　of　his　favourites。　But　if　I　want　to　avoid　the　credit　of　certain　keen　or　witty　epigrams；　I　must　entirely　abjure　a　reputation　for　genius；　which　I　would　not　refuse　to　do；　if　I　could。　But　after　all　Caesar　himself　has　a　very　keen　critical　faculty；　and；　just　as　your　cousin　Serviuswhom　I　consider