perform with greater reluctance in geberal; fo I never attempt it with regard to you and my deareft daughter, that it does not coft me a flood of tears. For how can I think of you without being pierced with grief in the reflection, that I have made thofe completely miserable, when I ought, and wifhed, to have rendered perfectly happy? And I should have rendered them fo, if I had acted with lefs timidity.

Puo's behaviour towards us in this feaf of our afflictions, has greatly endeared him to my heart: and I have, as well as I was able in the prefent difcompofure of my mind, both acknowledged his good rices and exhorted him to continue

I perceive you depend much upon the new tribanes and if Pompey perfeveres in his prefent difpofition, I am inclined to think that your hopes will not be difappointed; though I must confefs, I have fome fears with refpect to Craffus. In the mean while I have the fatisfaction to find, what indeed I had reason to expect, that you act with great spirit and tenderReis in all my concerns. But I lament it Fould be my cruel fate to expofe you to to many calamities, whilft you are thus generally endeavouring to eafe the weight of mine. Be affured it was with the utmost grief I read the account which Publius fent me, of the opprobrious manLer in which you were dragged from the temple of Veila, to the office of Valerius*. Sad reverfe indeed! that thou, the dearest object of my fondeft defires, that my Terentia, to whom fuch numbers were wont to look up for relief, fhould b. herself a fpectacle of the most affecting ddrefs! and that I, who have faved fo many others from ruin, fhould have rained both myself and my family by my owa indifcretion!

As to what you mention with regard to the area belonging to my houfe; I

point that does not depend upon ourfelves. Let me rather exprefs my concern for what does ; and lament that, diftreffed as your circumftances already are, you should engage yourself in a share of thofe expences which are incurred upon my account. Be affured, if ever I should return to Rome, I fhall eafily recover my eftate: but fhould fortune continue to perfecute me, will you, thou dear unhappy woman, will you fondly throw away in gaining friends to a defperate caufe, the laft fcanty remains of your broken fortunes? I conjure you then, my deareft Terentia, not to involve yourself in any charges of that kind : let them be borne by those who are able, if they are willing, to fupport the weight. In a word, if you have any affection for me, let not your anxiety upon my account injure your health: which, alas! is already but too much impaired. Believe me, you are the perpetual fubject of my waking and fleeping thoughts: and as I know the affiduity you exert in my behalf, I have a thousand fears left your strength fhould not be equal to fo continued a fatigue. I am fenfible at the fame time, that my affairs depend entirely upon your affiftance: and therefore that they may be attended with the fuccefs you hope and fo zealously endeavour to obtain, let me earneftly intreat you to take care of your health.

I know not whom to write to, unless to thofe who firft write to me, or whom you particularly mention in your letters.- As you and Tullia are of opinion that I should not retreat farther from Italy, I have laid afide that defign. Let me hear from you both as often as poffible, particularly if there should be any fairer profpect of my return. Farewel, ye deareft objects of my moft tender affection, Farewel!

LETTER III.

to my country, till that spot of ground is again in my poffeffion+. But this is a

⚫ Terentia had taken fanctuary in the temple of

Velta, but was forcibly dragged out from thence by

the directions of Clodius, in order to be examined 2:a public office, concerning her husband's effects.

my Son.

Dyrrachium, Nov. 26. [A. U. 695.] LEARN by the letters of feveral of my friends, as well as from general report, that you discover the greatest fortitude of

A city in Macedonia, now called Durazzo, in the Turkish dominions. This letter, though dated from Dyrrachium, appears to have been

lonica.

B 2

mind,

mind, and that you folicit my affairs with unwearied application. Oh, my Terentia, how truly wretched am 1, to be the occafion of fuch fevere misfortunes to fo faithful, fo generous, and fo excellent a woman! And my dearest Tullia too!--That he who was once fo happy in her father, fhould now derive from him fuch bitter forrows! But how fhall I exprefs the anguish I feel for my little boy! who became acquainted with grief as foon as he was capable of any reflection. Had thefe afflictions happened, as you tenderly reprefent them, by an unavoidable fate, they would have fat lefs heavy on my heart. But they are altogether owing to my own folly in imagining I was loved where I was fecretly envied, and in not joining with thofe who were fincerely defirous of my friendship t. Had I been governed, indeed, by my own fentiments, without relying fo much on thofe of my weak or wicked advisers, we might still, my Terentia, have been happy. However, fince my friends encourage me to hope, I will endeavour to reftrain my grief, left the effect it may have upon my health fhould difappoint your tender efforts for my reftoration. I am fenfible at the fame time, of the many difficulties that must be conquered ere that point can be effected; and that it would have been much easier to have maintained my poft, than it is to recover it. Nevertheless, if all the tribunes are in my intereft; if Lentulus is really as zealous in my caufe as he appears; and if Pompey and Cæfar likewife concur with him in the fame views, I ought not, moft certainly, to despair.

With regard to our flaves; I am will ing to act as our friends, you tell me, ad

vile.

As to your concern in respect to the plague which broke out here; it is entirely ceafed and I had the good fortune to elcape all infection. However, it was my defire to have changed my prefent fituation for fome more retired place in Epirus, where I might be fecure from Pito and his foldiers 1. But the obliging

Cicero's fon was at this time about eight yens of age.

Cetar and Callus frequently folcted Cicero to buite himtelt to ther party, promifitg to prothm tim the outriges of Clodius, provided be would fill in with their medures. Life of Ca. i.

Plancius was unwilling to part with me; and fill indeed detains me here in the hope that we may return together to Rome . If ever I fhould live to fee that happy day; if ever I fhould be restored to my Terentia, to my children, and to myfelf, I fhall think all the tender folicitudes we have fuffered during this fad feparation, abundantly repaid.

:

Nothing can exceed the affection and humanity of Pifo's § behaviour towards every one of us and I wish he may receive from it as much fatisfaction, as I am perfuaded he will honour.I was far from intending to blame you with refpect to my brother: but it is much my defire, efpecially as there are fo few of you, that you fhould live together in the most perfect harmony. I have made my acknowledgments where you defired, and acquainted the perfons you mention, that you had informed me of their fervices.

As to the estate you propofe to fell; alas! my dear Terentia, think well of the confequence: think what would become of our unhappy boy, fhould fortune ftill continue to perfecute us. But my eyes ftream too faft to fuffer me to add more: nor would I draw the fame tender flood from yours. I will only fay, that if my friends thould not defert me, I fhall be in no diftrefs for money and if they fhould, the money you can raise by the fale of this eftate will little avail. I conjure you then by all our misfortunes, let us not abfolutely ruin our poor boy, who is well-nigh totally undone already. If we can but raife him above indigence, a moderate share of good fortune and merit will be fufficient to open his way to whatever elfe we can with him to obtain. Take care of your health, and let me know by an exprefs how your negocia tions proceed, and how affairs in general ftand.-My fate must now be foon deterfalen to the former and he was now preparing to violent menfures. The province of Macedonia had let out for his government, where his troops were duly arriving. Cicero has delineated the characters at large of thefe confuls in feveral of his orations: but he has in two words given the mott odious picture of them that exasperated eloquence perhaps ever drew, where he calls them duo reipublue potenta ac pæne fanera: an expreflion for which modern language can furnish no equivalent. De prov. corul.

Pneus was at this time Quæftor in Mace don, and di tinguished himself by many generous orhees to Cice o in h's exile. Pro Planc. paffim. $ Cicero's ton-in-law.

Dyrrachium, Nov. the 30th. [A. U. 695.] Received three letters from you by the hands of Ariftocritus, and have wept over them till they are almoft defaced with my tears. Ah! my Terentia, I am worn out with grief: nor do my own perfonal misfortunes more feverely torture my mind, than thofe with which you and my children are oppreffed. Unhappy indeed as you are, I am fill infaitely more fo; as our common affic tions are attended with this aggravating circumitance to myself, that they are justly to be imputed to my imprudence alone. I ought, moft undoubtedly, either to have avoided the danger by accepting

you

the commiffion which was offered me ; or to have repelled force by force, or bravely to have perished in the attempt. Whereas nothing could have been more Unworthy of my character, or more pregnant with misery, than the scheme I have puriued. I am overwhelmed, therefore, not only with forrow, but with fhame: ves, my Terentia, I blush to reflect that Jdid not exert that fpirit I ought for the ake of fo excellent a wife and fuch amiable children. The distress in which are all equally involved, and your own lftate of health in particular, are ever my thoughts: as I have the mortification at the fame time to obferve, that there appear but flender hopes of my being recalled. My enemies, in truth, are many; while thofe who are jealous of me are almoft innumerable; and though they great difficulty in driving me from my country, it will be extremely eafy for them to prevent my return. How ever, as long as you have any hopes that my refloration may be effected, I will not

found

That is, a city which had the privilege, though in the dominions of the Roman republic, to be governed by its own laws.

ceafe to co-operate with your endeavours for that purpose, left my weakness should feem upon all occafions to fruftrate every meafure in my favour. In the mean while, my perfon (for which you are fo tenderly concerned) is fecure from all danger: as in truth I am fo completely wretched, that even my enemies themfelves muft with, in mere malice, to preferve my life. Nevertheless, I fhall not fail to obferve the caution you kindly give

me.

I have fent my acknowledgments by Dexippus to the perfons you defired me, and mentioned at the fame time, that you had informed me of their good offices. I am perfectly fenfible of those which Pifo exerts towards us with fo uncommon a zeal

and indeed it is a circumftance which all the world speaks of to his honour. Heaven grant I may live to enjoy with you and our children, the common happiness of fo valuable a relation † !

The only hope I have now left, arifes from the new tribunes; and that too depends upon the fteps they fhall take in the commencement of their office: for if they should poftpone my affair, I fhall give up all expectations of its ever being effected. Accordingly I have difpatched Ariftocritus, that you may fend me immediate notice of the first measures they fhall purfue, together with the general plan upon which they propofe to conduct

themselves. I have likewise ordered

Dexippus to return to me with all expedition, and have written to my brother to requeft he would give me frequent information in what manner affairs proceed. It is with a view of receiving the earliest intelligence from Rome, that I continue at Dyrrachium: a place where I can remain in perfect fecurity, as I have upon all occafions diftinguished this city by my particular patronage. However, as foon as I fhall receive intimation that

He had the great misfortune to be disappointed of this with for Pifo died foon after this letter was written. Cicero mentions him in several parts of his writings, with the higheft gratitude and eftcem. He represents him as a young nobleman, of the greatest talents and application, who devoted his whole time to the improvements of his mind,

and the exercise of eloquence; as one whose moral qualifications were no lefs extraordinary than his intellectual, and in short as poffeffed of every accomplishment and every virtue that could endear him to his friends, to his family, and to the public. Pro Sext. 31. De clar. crator. 271. Ad Quiriter, i.

my enemies are approaching, it is my refolution to retire into Epirus.

In answer to your tender propofal of accompanying me in my exile; I rather choose you should continue in Rome; as I am fenfible it is upon you, that the principal burthen of my affairs must reft. If your generous negociations fhould fuccecd, my return will prevent the neceffity of that journey; if otherwife-But I need not add the reft. The next letter I thall receive from you, or at most the fubfequent one, will determine me in what manner to act. In the mean time

I defire you would give me a full and faithful information how things go on: though indeed I have now more reafon to expect the final refult of this affair, than an account of its progrefs.

Take care of your health I conjure you; affuring yourself that you are, as you ever have been, the object of my fondeft withes. Farewel, my dear Terentia! I fee you fo ftrongly before me whilft I am writing, that I am utterly fpent with the tears I have fned. Once more, Farewel.

I

[A. U. 666.] HAVE been attacked with a diferder in my bowels, which continued with violence during ten days: but as it great was not attended with a fever, I could not perfuade thofe who had occafion for my fervices, that I was really indifpofid. In order, therefore, to avoid their impor tunities, I retired to Tufculanum, having obferved fo ftrict an abfinence for two days before, as not to have talled even a drop of water. Reduced then as I am by my illness and my fafting, I had more reafon to hope for a visit from you, than to imagine you expected one from me. Ditempers of every kind I greatly dread, but particularly of that fort for which the Stoics have cenfured your favourite Epicurus, where he complains of

being violently afflicted with the dyfentery and the frangury: as the former, they affert, is the confequence of table indulgences, and the latter of a more fhameful intemperance. I had indeed great reafon to apprehend a dyfentery: but whether it be from change of air, or a relaxation from bufinefs, or that the distemper had almoft fpent itfelf, I know not; but I am fomewhat better fince I came hither. You will wonder perhaps what exceffes I have been guilty of, to bring upon myfelf this diforder. ́ I must inform you then, that I owe it to the frugal regulations of the fumptuary law it. The products of the earth being excepted out of the restrictions of that act; our elegant eaters, in order to bring vegetables into fashion, have found out a method of drefling them in fo high a taite, that nothing can be more palatable. It was immediately after having eaten very freely of a dith of this fort, at the inauguration feat of Lentulus §, that I was feized with a diarrhoea which has never ceafed till this day. Thus you fee, that I who have withitood all the temptations. that the nobleft lampreys and oysters could throw in my way, have at last been overpowered by paltry beets and mallows: but it has taught me, however, to be more cautious for the future. As Anicius found me in one of my fick fits, you mutt undoubtedly have heard of my illnefs: I was in hopes, therefore, you would not have contented yourfelf with inquiring after my welfare, but would have given me the fati faction of a vifit. I purpofe to continue here, till I fhall have re-ettablifhed my health: for I am exif I can once get the better of my difortremely weakened and emaciated. But der, I hope I fhall find no difficulty in recovering all the reft. Farewel.

Manutius conjectures, that the law al'uded to, one which is atcribed by Aulas Genus to Marcus Licinius Crafius, and which pased in the year of Rome 643. By this law the expences of the table were regulated both in regard to ordinary and extraordinary occafions, with the expreis exception ing the antice of verables. Fid. A. G. ii. 24. mentioned by Cicero in the next fentence, concern

He was fon of Pubilus Cornhus Lentulus, one of the confuls of the prefent year; to whom the next letter and feve, al of the following ones in this and the rubfequent bock are witten. He gave this entertainment, on occafion of his being chofen a men.ber of the college of Augurs. Manut.