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might know where or rather, that you both these towns; for hervee fun at which of them And in the next dulge a little piece of you, that I am fo well es of Cæfar, as to be privy council. To vliee no reason to decline big, for furely there is a wide Noween fubmitting to evils we dy, and approving measures it to condemn: though, to ah, I do not know there can jully blame, except volved us in the civil wars; nat be owned, were altogeI raw indeed (what your Rope prevented you from ako pirty were eager Con, on the contrary, ›ed than afraid to have That far, therefore, 5. ive been preventad was unavoidable; for mait neceflarily Now, we both of us, I sted thofe infinite 、、,、: one, whichever wo contending armies

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fhould happen to fall in battle: as we wer well convinced that of all the complicate evils which attend a civil war, victory i the fupreme. I dreaded it indeed eve on that fide which both you and I though proper to join; as they threatened mo cruel vengeance on those who stood neu ter, and were no lefs offended at you fentiments than at my fpeeches. Bu had they gained this laft battle, we shoul ftill more feverely have experienced the effects of their power; as our late conduc had incenfed them to the highest degree Yet what measures have we taken fo our own fecurity, that we did not warmly recommend for theirs? And how have they more advantaged the republic by having recourfe to Juba and his ele phants ||, than if they had perished by their own fwords, or fubmitted to live under the prefent fyitem of affairs, with fome hopes at least, if not with the fairest But they may tell us perhaps (and indeed with truth), that the government under which we have chofen to live, is altogether turbulent and unfettled. Let this objection, however, have weight with those who have treasured up no ftores in their minds to fupport themselves under all the poffible viciflitudes of human affairs: a reflection which brings me round to what I principally had in view, when I undefignedly wandered into this long digreflion. I was going to have faid, that as I always looked upon your character with great admiration, fo nothing raifes it higher in my esteem, than to obferve that you are almoft the only perfon in thefe tempeftuous days, who has wifely retreated into harbour, and are enjoying the happy fruits of thofe important ftudies which are attended with more public advantage, as well as private fatisfaction, than all the ambitious exploits, or voluptuous indulgences, of thefe licentious victors. The contemplative hours you fpend at your Tufculan villa are, in my eftimation indeed, what alone deferve to be called life; and I would willingly renounce the whole wealth and splendour of the world, to be at liberty to pass my time in the fame philofophical manner.

Thefe elephants were drawn up in the front of the right and left wing of Scipio's army. But be of one of his ing driven back upon the line behind them, they put the ranks into great confufion; and infteal of proving of any advantage to Scipio, contributed to facilitate his defeat. H. r. de B.N. 1464-. 83. I follow

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I flow your example, however, as far as the circumftances in which I am placed w permit; and have recourfe, with great fraction of mind, to my favourite stuSince our country indeed either or will not accept our fervices; to al condemn us for returning to that contemplative privacy which many pophers have thought preferable (I will not fay with reafon, however they Lave preferred) even to the most public and patriot labours? And why should we Ex indulge ourselves in those learned incres, which fome of the greateft men have deemed a juft difpenfation from all public employments; when it is a liberty the fame time which the commonwealth ef is willing to allow us?-But I am ng beyond the commiffion which Cagave me and while he only dered that I would acquaint you with cfe articles of which you were not already apprifed, I am telling you what you know far better than I can inform For the future, I fhall confine mymore trictly to your request; and wrot fail of communicating to you ever intelligence I may learn, which al think it imports you to know. Farwel.

LETTER XCVIII,

To Papirius Patus.

[A. U. 707.] YOUR letter afforded me a very agreeable initance of your friendship, in the concern it expreffed left I fhould be aly at the report which had been brought hither by Silius. I was before ded perfectly fenfible how much you were disturbed at this circumftance, by your care in fending me duplicates of a mer letter upon the fame fubject: and I then returned fuch an answer as I thought would be fufficient to abate at leair, if not entirely remove, this your geerous folicitude. But fince I perceive by your last letter, how much this affair upon your mind; let me affure you, my dear Pætus, that I have employevery artifice (for we muft now, my frend, be armed with cunning as well as

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Sus, it should seem, had brought an account from the army, that fome witticifms of Cicero had reported to Cæfar, which had given him of

prudence) to conciliate the good graces of the perfons you mention; and, if I mistake not, my endeavours have not proved in vain. I receive indeed fo many marks of respect and efteem from those who are most in Cæfar's favour, that I cannot but flatter myself they have a true regard for me. It must be confeffed at the fame time, that a pretended affection is not eafily difcernible from a real one, unless in feafons of diftrefs. For adverfity is to friendship, what fire is to gold; the only infallible teft to discover the genuine from the counterfeit; in all other circumftances they both bear the fame common fignatures. I have one strong reason, however, to perfuade me of their fincerity; as neither their fituation nor mine can by any means tempt them to dissemble with me. As to that perfon † in whom all power is now centered, I am not fenfible that I have any thing to fear from him; or nothing more, at leaft, than what arises from that general precarious ftate in which all things must stand where the fence of laws is broken down; and from its being impoffible to pronounce with affurance concerning any event, which depends wholly upon the will, not to fay the caprice, of another. But this I can with confidence affirm, that I have not in any fingle inftance given him juft occafion to take offence; and in the article you point out, I have been particularly cautious. There was a time, 'tis true, when I thought it well became me, by whom Rome itself was free †, to speak my sentiments with freedom: but now that our liberties are no more, I deem it equally agreeable to my prefent fituation, not to fay any thing that may difguft either Cafar or his favourites. But were I to fupprefs every rifing raillery, that might pique thofe at whom it is directed, I must renounce, you know, all my reputation as

a wit.

And in good earneft, it is a character upon which I do not fet so high a value, as to be unwilling to refign it if it were in my power. However, I am in no danger of fuffering in Cafar's opinion, by being reprefented as the author of any farcafms to which I have no claim; for his judgment is much too penetrating ever to be deceived by any impofition of this nature. I remember your brother

+ Cæfar. Alluding to his fervices in the fuppreffion of Catiline's confpiracy.

Servius,

Servius, whom I look upon to have been one of the most learned critics that this age has produced, was fo converfant in the writings of our pocts, and had acquired fuch an excellent and judicious ear, that he could immediately diftinguifh the numbers of Plautus from thofe of any other author. Thus Cæfar, I am told, when he made his large collection of apophthegms*, conftantly rejected any piece of wit that was brought to him as mine, if it happened to be fpurious: a diftinc tion which he is much more able to make at prefent, as his particular friends pafs almost every day of their lives in my company. As our converfation generally turns upon a variety of fubjects, I frequently ftrike out thoughts which they look upon as not altogether void, perhaps, of fpirit or ingenuity. Now thefe little fallies of pleafantry, together with the general occurrences of Rome, are conftantly tranfmitted to Cæfar, in purfuance of his own exprefs directions: fo that if any thing of this kind is mentioned by others as coming from me, he always difregards it. You fee, then, that the lines you quote with fo much propriety from the tragedy of Oenomaus †, contain a caution altogether unneceffary. For tell me, my friend, what jealoufies can I poffibly create? Or who will look with envy upon a man in my humble fitnation? But granting that I were in ever fo enviable a flate; yet let me obferve, that it is the opinion of thofe philofophers, who alone feem to have understood the true nature of virtue, that a good man is anfwerable for nothing farther than his own innocence. Now in this refpect I think myfelf doubly irreproachable in the firft place, by having recommended fuch public meafures as were for the intereft of the commonwealth; and in the next, that finding I was not fufficiently fupported to render my counfels effectual, I did not deem it advisable to contend for them by arms against a fuperior ftrength. Moit certainly, therefore, I cannot justly be accufed of having failed in the duty of a good

:

• This collection was made by Cefar when he was very young, and probably it was a performance by no means to his honour. For Auguftus, into whofe hands it came after his death, would not fuffer it to be published. Suet. in vit. Jul. 56.

+ Written by Accius, a tragic poet, who flourifhed about the year of Rome 617.

12

citizen. The only part then that no remains for me, is to be cautious not t expofe myfelf, by any indifcreet word action, to the refentment of thofe i power: a part which I hold likewife t be agreeable to the character of tru wifdom. As to the reft; what liberti any man may take in imputing words me which I never fpoke; what cred Cæfar may give to fuch reports; an how far thofe who court my friendshi are really fincere: these are points fo which it is by no means in my power be anfwerable. My tranquillity arif therefore from the confcious integrity my counfels in the times that are pal and from the moderation of my condu in thefe that are prefent. Accordingly, apply the fimile you quote from Accius not only to Envy, but to Fortune; tha weak and inconftant power, whom ever wife and refolute mind fhould refift wit as much firmness as a rock repels the waves. Grecian ftory will abundanth fupply examples of the greatest men both at Athens and Syracufe, who hav in fome fort preferved their independen cy amid the general fervitude of thei refpective communities. May I not hop then to be able fo to comport myself un der the fame circumftances, as neither to give offence to our rulers, on the on hand, nor to injure the dignity of my character, on the other?

But to turn from the ferious, to the jocofe part of your letter.-The ftrain of pleafantry you break into, immediately after having quoted the tragedy of Oeno. maus, puts me in mind of the modern method of introducing at the end of thofe graver dramatic pieces, the buffoon humour of our low mimes, inftead of the more delicate burlesque of the old Atellan faces §. Why elfe do talk of your paltry polypus ||, and your mouldy

mark.

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lanous trash you mention; or even one of your boasted polypuffes, with an hue as florid as vermilioned Jovet. Take my word for it, my friend, your prudence will not fuffer you to be thus adventurous. Fame, no doubt, will have proclaimed at your villa my late converfion to luxury, long before my arrival: and you will fhiver at the found of her tremendous report. Nor muft you flatter yourself with the hope of abating the edge of my appetite, by your cloying fweet-wines before fupper: a filly cuftom which I have now entirely renounced; being much wiser than when I used to damp my stomach with your antepasts of olives and Leucanian faufages.-But not to run on any longer in this jocofe strain; my only serious with is, that I may be able to make you a vifit. You may compofe your countenance, therefore, and return to your mouldy cheese in full fecurity: for my being your gueft will occafion you, as ufual, no other expence than that of heating your baths. As for all the reft, you are to look upon it as mere pleasantry.

chee In pure good-nature, 'tis true, I formerly fubmitted to fit down with you to fuch homely fare; but more refined Company has improved me into a better for Hirtius and Dolabella, let me tell you, are my preceptors in the face of the table; as in return, they art my difciples in that of the bar. But i fuppofe you have already heard, at eat if all the town-news is tranfmitted to you, that they frequently declaim at my hofe, and that I as often fup at theirs. You must not however hope to escape my intended vifit, by pleading poverty in bar to the admiffion of fo luxurious a ref. Whilft you were raising a fortune aded, I bore with your parfimonious humour: but now that you are in circumaces to fupport the lofs of half your wealth, I expect that you receive me in other manner than you would one of your compounding debtors +. And though your finances may fomewhat fuffer by my vifit, remember it is better they ld be impaired by treating a friend, than by lending to a ftranger. I do not til, however, that you fpread your tabie with fo unbounded a profufion as to farmth out a fplendid treat with the re: I am fo wonderfully moderate, defire nothing more than what is ly elegant and exquifite in its kind. remember to have heard you defcribe entertainment, which was given by Paneas. Let yours be the exact copy of his only I fhould be glad not to wait kit quite fo long. Should you ftill per, after all, to invite me, as ufual,

penurious fupper dished out by the paring hand of maternal œconomy; even , perhaps, I may be able to fupport. But I would fain fee that hero bold who ould dare to fet before me the vil

The trouble you have given yourself about Selicius's villa is extremely obliging; as your defcription of it was exceffively droll. I believe therefore, from the account you give me, I fhall renounce all thoughts of making that purchafe: for though the country, it feems, abounds in falt, the neighbourhood, I find, is but infipid. Farewel.

Cicero had lately intituted a kind of academy for eloquence in his own houfe; at which feveTaf the leading young men in Rome used to meet, order to exercife themselves in the art of oratory. This alludes (as Manutius obferves) to a law sach Caefar paffed in favour of thofe who had contracted debts before the commencement of the On war. By this law, as appears from the pafages which that commentator has cited, commifappointed to take an account of the hate and effects of these debtors, which were to affigned to their respective creditors according to their valuation before the civil war broke out: and whatever fams had been paid for intereft, was to be confidered as in difcharge of the principal. By this ordinance Pætus, it feems, had been a partitale fufferer. Caf. Bel. Civil. iii. 1. Suet. in

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LETTER XCIX.

To Volumnius.

[A. U. 707-] YOU have little reafon, believe me, to

regret the not being prefent at my declamations; and if you should really envy Hirtius, as you affure me you should if you did not love him, it must be much more for his own eloquence, than as he is an auditor of mine. In truth, my dear Volumnius, either I am utterly void of all genius, or incapable of exercising it to my fatisfaction, now that I have loft thofe illuftrious fellow-labourers at the

Pliny the naturalift mentions a statue of Ju piter erected in the Capitol, which on certain feftival days it was cuftomary to paint with vermilion. Manut.

§ In Naples.

bar.

Let

his intention, it feems, to have landed at fhould happen to fall in battle: as we were Alfium, his friends have written to dif- well convinced that of all the complicated funde him from that defign. They think evils which attend a civil war, victory is that his coming on fhore at that place will the fupreme. I dreaded it indeed even prove extremely troublesome to himfelf, on that fide which both you and I thought as well as very much incommode many proper to join; as they threatened mot others; and have therefore recommended cruel vengeance on thofe who flood neuOtia as a more convenient port. For ter, and were no lefs offended at your my own part, I can fee no difference. fentiments than at my fpeeches. But Hirtius, however, aflures me, that him- had they gained this laft battle, we should felf as well as Balbus and Oppius (who, ftill more feverely have experienced the let me obferve by the way, are every one effects of their power; as our late conduct of them greatly in your interest), have had incenfed them to the highest degree. written to Calar for this purpofe. I Yet what measures have we taken for thought proper therefore to fend you this our own fecurity, that we did not warmly piece of intelligence for two reafons. In recommend for theirs? And how have the first place, that you might know where they more advantaged the republic by to engage a lodging; or rather, that you having recourfe to Juba and his elemight fecure one in both these towns; for phants ||, than if they had perished by it is extremely uncertain at which of them their own fwords, or fubmitted to live Cæfar will difembark. And in the next under the prefent fyitem of affairs, with place, in order to indulge a little piece of fome hopes at leaft, if not with the fairest ? vanity, by fhewing you, that I am fo well But they may tell us perhaps (and inwith thefe favourites of Cæfar, as to be deed with truth), that the government admitted into their privy council. To under which we have choten to live, is fpeak feriously, I fee no reafon to decline altogether turbulent and unfettled. their friendship; for furely there is a wide this objection, however, have weight difference between fubmitting to evils we with thofe who have treatured up no stores cannot remedy, and approving measures in their minds to fupport themselves unthat we ought to condemn : though, to der all the poffible viciflitudes of human confefs the truth, I do not know there affairs: a reflection which brings me are any that I can juflly blame, except round to what I principally had in view, thofe which involved us in the civil wars; when I undefignedly wandered into this for thefe, it must be owned, were altoge- long digreffion. I was going to have ther voluntary. I faw indeed (what your fid, that as I always looked upon your distance from Rome prevented you from character with great admiration, fo noobferving §) that our party were eager thing raifes it higher in my eiteem, than for war; while Cafar, on the contrary, to obferve that you are almost the only appeared lefs inclined than afraid to have perfon in thefe tempeftucus days, who recourfe to arms. Thus far, therefore, has wifely retreated into harbour, and our calamities might have been prevent- are enjoying the happy fruits of thofe imed; but all beyond was unavoidable; for portant ftudies which are attended with one fide or the other mut neceflarily more public advantage, as well as private prove fuperior. Now, we both of us, I fatisfaction, than all the ambitious exploits, am fure, always lamented thofe infinite or voluptuous indulgences, of these licenmifchiefs that would enfue, whichever tious victors. The contemplative hours general of the two contending armies you fpend at your Tufculan villa are, in my eftimation indeed, what alone deferve to be called life; and I would willingly renounce the whole wealth and fplendour of the world, to be at liberty to pass my time in the fame philofophical manner.

*The fituation of this place is not exactly known: fome geographers fuppofe it to be the fame town which is now called Severa, a fea port about twenty-five miles diftant from Rome, on the western coast of Italy.

It still retains its ancient name; and is fituated at the mouth of the Tiber.

He lived in great intimacy with Cæfar, and had ferved under him in quality of cne of his lieutenants in Gaul.

Varro, at the breaking out of the civil war, was in Spain: where he refided in quality of one of Pompey's lieutenants.

Thefe elephants were drawn up in the front of the right and left wing of Scipio's army. But be ing driven back upon the line behind them, they put the ranks into great confufion; and instead of proving of any advantage to Scipio, contributed to facilitate his defeat. Ht. de Ed. 44. 83.

I follow

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