treatises on friendship and old age-第2章

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remembered　and　charmingly　told；　and　whenever　he　talked　about
him　always　gave　him　the　title　of　〃the　wise〃　without　any　hesitation。
I　had　been　introduced　by　my　father　to　Scaevola　as　soon　as　I　had
assumed　the　_toga　virilis_；　and　I　took　advantage　of　the
introduction　never　to　quit　the　venerable　man's　side　as　long　as　I　was
able　to　stay　and　he　was　spared　to　us。　　The　consequence　was　that　I
committed　to　memory　many　disquisitions　of　his；　as　well　as　many
short　pointed　apophthegms；　and；　in　short；　took　as　much　advantage
of　his　wisdom　as　I　could。　When　he　died；　I　attached　myself　to
Scaevola　the　Pontifex；　whom　I　may　venture　to　call　quite　the　most
distinguished　of　our　countrymen　for　ability　and　uprightness。　　But
of　this　latter　I　shall　take　other　occasions　to　speak。　To　return　to
Scaevola　the　augur。　Among　many　other　occasions　I　particularly
remember　one。　He　was　sitting　on　a　semicircular　garden…bench；　as
was　his　custom；　when　I　and　a　very　few　intimate　friends　were　there；
and　he　chanced　to　turn　the　conversation　upon　a　subject　which
about　that　time　was　in　many　people's　mouths。　　You　must
remember；　Atticus；　for　you　were　very　intimate　with　Publius
Sulpicius；　what　expressions　of　astonishment；　or　even　indignation；
were　called　forth　by　his　mortal　quarrel；　as　tribune；　with　the　consul
Quintus　Pompeius；　with　whom　he　had　formerly　lived　on　terms　of
the　closest　intimacy　and　affection。　Well；　on　this　occasion；
happening　to　mention　this　particular　circumstance；　Scaevola
detailed　to　us　a　discourse　of　Laelius　on　friendship　delivered　to
himself　and　Laelius's　other　son…in…law　Galus　Fannius；　son　of
Marcus　Fannius；　a　few　days　after　the　death　of　Africanus。　The
points　of　that　discussion　I　committed　to　memory；　and　have
arranged　them　in　this　book　at　my　own　discretion。　　For　I　have
brought　the　speakers；　as　it　were；　personally　on　to　my　stage　to
prevent　the　constant　〃said　I〃　and　〃said　he〃　of　a　narrative；　and　to
give　the　discourse　the　air　of　being　orally　delivered　in　our　hearing。

You　have　often　urged　me　to　write　something　on　Friendship；　and　I
quite　acknowledged　that　the　subject　seemed　one　worth　everybody's
investigation；　and　specially　suited　to　the　close　intimacy　that　has
existed　between　you　and　me。　Accordingly　I　was　quite　ready　to
benefit　the　public　at　your　request。

As　to　the　_dramatis　personae_。　In　the　treatise　on　Old　Age；　which　I
dedicated　to　you；　I　introduced　Cato　as　chief　speaker。　No　one；　I
thought；　could　with　greater　propriety　speak　on　old　age　than　one
who　had　been　an　old　man　longer　than　any　one　else；　and　had　been
exceptionally　vigorous　in　his　old　age。　Similarly；　having　learnt　from
tradition　that　of　all　friendships　that　between　Gaius　Laelius　and
Publius　Scipio　was　the　most　remarkable；　I　thought　Laelius　was　just
the　person　to　support　the　chief　part　in　a　discussion　on　friendship
which　Scaevola　remembered　him　to　have　actually　taken。
Moreover；　a　discussion　of　this　sort　gains　somehow　in　weight　from
the　authority　of　men　of　ancient　days；　especially　if　they　happen　to
have　been　distinguished。　　So　it　comes　about　that　in　reading　over
what　I　have　myself　written　I　have　a　feeling　at　times　that　it　is
actually　Cato　that　is　speaking；　not　I。

Finally；　as　I　sent　the　former　essay　to　you　as　a　gift　from　one　old
man　to　another；　so　I　have　dedicated　this　_On　Friendship_　as　a　most
affectionate　friend　to　his　friend。　In　the　former　Cato　spoke；　who
was　the　oldest　and　wisest　man　of　his　day；　in　this　Laelius　speaks　on
friendship…Laelius；　who　was　at　once　a　wise　man　（that　was　the　title
given　him）　and　eminent　for　his　famous　friendship。　　Please　forget
me　for　a　while；　imagine　Laelius　to　be　speaking。

Gaius　Fannius　and　Quintus　Mucius　come　to　call　on　their
father…in…law　after　the　death　of　Africanus。　They　start　the　subject；
Laelius　answers　them。　　And　the　whole　essay　on　friendship　is　his。　In
reading　it　you　will　recognise　a　picture　of　yourself。

2。　_Fannius_。　You　are　quite　right；　Laelius！　there　never　was　a　better
or　more　illustrious　character　than　Africanus。　But　you　should
consider　that　at　the　present　moment　all　eyes　are　on　you。　Everybody
calls　you　〃the　wise〃　_par　excellence_；　and　thinks　you　so。　The　same
mark　of　respect　was　lately　paid　Cato；　and　we　know　that　in　the　last
generation　Lucius　Atilius　was　called　〃the　wise。〃　　But　in　both　cases
the　word　was　applied　with　a　certain　difference。　Atilius　was　so
called　from　his　reputation　as　a　jurist；　Cato　got　the　name　as　a　kind
of　honorary　title　and　in　extreme　old　age　because　of　his　varied
experience　of　affairs；　and　his　reputation　for　foresight　and　firmness；
and　the　sagacity　of　the　opinions　which　he　delivered　in　senate　and
forum。　　You；　however；　are　regarded　as　　wise　　in　a　somewhat
different　sense　not　alone　on　account　of　natural　ability　and
character；　but　also　from　your　industry　and　learning；　and　not　in　the
sense　in　which　the　vulgar；　but　that　in　which　scholars；　give　that
title。　　In　this　sense　we　do　not　read　of　any　one　being　called　wise　in
Greece　except　one　man　at　Athens；　and　he；　to　be　sure；　had　been
declared　by　the　oracle　of　Apollo　also　to　be　〃the　supremely　wise
man。〃　For　those　who　commonly　go　by　the　name　of　the　Seven
Sages　are　not　admitted　into　the　category　of　the　wise　by　fastidious
critics。　　Your　wisdom　people　believe　to　consist　in　this；　that　you
look　upon　yourself　as　self…sufficing　and　regard　the　changes　and
chances　of　mortal　life　as　powerless　to　affect　your　virtue。　
Accordingly　they　are　always　asking　me；　and　doubtless　also　our
Scaevola　here；　how　you　bear　the　death　of　Africanus。　　This　curiosity
has　been　the　more　excited　from　the　fact　that　on　the　Nones　of　this
month；　when　we　augurs　met　as　usual　in　the　suburban　villa　of
Decimus　Brutus　for　consultation；　you　were　not　present；　though　it
had　always　been　your　habit　to　keep　that　appointment　and　perform
that　duty　with　the　utmost　punctuality。

_Scaevola_。　Yes；　indeed；　Laelius；　I　am　often　asked　the　question
mentioned　by　Fannius。　　But　I　answer　in　accordance　with　what　I
have　observed：　I　say　that　you　bear　in　a　reasonable　manner　the　grief
which　you　have　sustained　in　the　death　of　one　who　was　at　once　a
man　of　the　most　illustrious　character　and　a　very　dear　friend。　　That
of　course　you　could　not　but　be　affected…anything　else　would　have
been　wholly　unnatural　in　a　man　of　your　gentle　nature…but　that　the
cause　of　your　non…attendance　at　our　college　meeting　was　illness；
not　melancholy。

_Laelius_。　　Thanks；　Scaevola！　　You　are　quite　right；　you　spoke　the
exact　truth。　For　in　fact　I　had　no　right　to　allow　myself　to　be
withdrawn　from　a　duty　which　I　had　regularly　performed；　as　long　as
I　was　well；　by　any　personal　misfortune；　nor　do　I　think　that　anything
that　can　happen　will　cause　a　man　of　principle　to　intermit　a　duty。
As　for　your　telling　me；　Fannius；　of　the　honourable　appellation
given　me　（an　appellation　to　which　I　do　not　recognise　my　title；　and
to　which　I　make　no　claim）；　you　doubtless　act　from　feelings　of
affection；　but　I　must　say　that　you　seem　to　me　to　do　less　than　justice
to　Cato。　If　any　one　was　ever　〃wise；〃…of　which　I　have　my　doubts；…he
was。　　Putting　aside　everything　else；　consider　how　he　bore　his　son's
death！　I　had　not　forgotten　Paulus；　I　had　seen　with　my　own　eyes
Gallus。　　But　they　lost　their　sons　when　mere　children；　Cato　his
when　he　was　a　full…grown　man　with　an　assured　reputation。　　Do　not
therefore　be　in　a　hurry　to　reckon　as　Cato's　superior　even　that　same
famous　personage　whom　Apollo；　as　you　say；　declared　to　be　〃the
wisest。〃　　Remember　the　former's　reputation　rests　on　deeds；　the
latter's　on　words。

3。　Now；　as　far　as　I　am　concerned　（I　speak　to　both　of　you　now）；
believe　me　the　case　stands　thus。　If　I　were　to　say　that　I　am　not
affected　by　regret　for　Scipio；　I　must　leave　the　philosophers　to
justify　my　conduct；　but　in　point　of　fact　I　should　be　telling　a　lie。
Affected　of　course　I　am　by　the　loss　of　a　friend　as　I　think　there　will
never　be　again；　such　as　I　can　fearlessly　say　there　never　was　before。　
But　I　stand　in　no　need　of　medicine。　I　can　find　my　own　consolation；
and　it　consists　chiefly　in　my　being　free　from　the　mistaken　notion
which　generally　causes　pain　at　the　departure　of　friends。　To　Scipio　I
am　convinced　no　evil　has　befallen　　mine　is　the　disaster；　if　disaster
there　be；　and　to　be　severely　distressed　at　one's　own　misfortunes
does　not