the meditations-第46章

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ll　have　to　spend　something　on　the　matter；　and　when　I　return　to　town；　I　shall　expect　to　go　shares　with　him。　Well；　after　reading　these　speeches　I　wrote　a　wretched　trifle；　destined　for　drowning　or　burning。　　No；　indeed　my　attempt　at　writing　did　not　come　off　at　all　to…day；　the　composition　of　a　hunter　or　a　vintager；　whose　shouts　are　echoing　through　my　chamber；　hateful　and　wearisome　as　the　law…courts。　What　have　I　said？　　Yes；　it　was　rightly　said；　for　my　master　is　an　orator。　　I　think　I　have　caught　cold；　whether　from　walking　in　slippers　or　from　writing　badly；　I　do　not　know。　I　am　always　annoyed　with　phlegm；　but　to…day　I　seem　to　snivel　more　than　usual。　　Well；　I　will　pour　oil　on　my　head　and　go　off　to　sleep。　I　don't　mean　to　put　one　drop　in　my　lamp　to…day；　so　weary　am　I　from　riding　and　sneezing。　　Farewell；　dearest　and　most　beloved　master；　whom　I　miss；　I　may　say；　more　than　Rome　it~dL'

1　Ad　M　Caes。；　iv。　　1。

2　ii。　　14

3　iv。　　5；6。

'MY　BELOVED　MASTER；…I　am　well。　　I　slept　a　little　more　than　usual　for　my　slight　cold；　which　seems　to　be　well　again。　So　I　spent　the　time　from　the　eleventh　hour　of　the　night　to　the　third　of　the　day　partly　in　reading　in　Cato's　Agriculture；　partly　in　writing；　not　quite　so　badly　as　yesterday　indeed。　Then；　after　waiting　upon　my　father；　I　soothed　my　throat　with　honey…water；　ejecting　it　without　swallowing：　　I　might　say　gargle；　but　I　won't；　though　I　think　the　word　is　found　in　Novius　and　elsewhere。　　After　attending　to　my　throat　I　went　to　my　father；　and　stood　by　his　side　as　he　sacrificed。　　Then　to　luncheon。　What　do　you　think　I　had　to　eat？　　A　bit　of　bread　so　big；　while　I　watched　others　gobbling　boiled　beans；　onions；　and　fish　full　of　roe。　Then　we　set　to　work　at　gathering　the　grapes；　with　plenty　of　sweat　and　shouting；　and；　as　the　quotation　runs；　〃A　few　high…hanging　clusters　did　we　leave　survivors　of　the　vintage。〃　After　the　sixth　hour　we　returned　home。　　I　did　a　little　work；　and　poor　work　at　that。　　Then　I　had　a　long　gossip　with　my　dear　mother　sitting　on　the　bed。　　My　conversation　was：　What　do　you　think　my　friend　Fronto　is　doing　just　now？　　She　said：　And　what　do　you　think　of　my　friend　Gratia？'（1）　My　turn　now：　And　what　of　our　little　Gratia；（2）　the　sparrowkin？　　After　this　kind　of　talk；　and　an　argument　as　to　which　of　you　loved　the　other　most；　the　gong　sounded；　the　signal　that　my　father　had　gone　to　the　bath。　We　supped；　after　ablutions　in　the　oil…cellar…I　mean　we　supped　after　ablutions；　not　after　ablutions　in　the　oil…cellar；　and　listened　with　enjoyment　to　the　rustics　gibing。　After　returning；　before　turning　on　my　side　to　snore；　I　do　my　task　and　give　an　account　of　the　day　to　my　delightful　master；　whom　if　I　could　long　for　a　little　more；　I　should　not　mind　growing　a　trifle　thinner。　　Farewell；　Fronto；　wherever　you　are；　honey…sweet；　my　darling；　my　delight。　　Why　do　I　want　you？　I　can　love　you　while　far　away。'

One　anecdote　puts　Marcus　before　us　in　a　new　light：（3）　1　Fronto's　wife。

2　Fronto's　daughter

3　Ad　M。　Caes　ii。　　12。

'When　my　father　returned　home　from　the　vineyards；　I　mounted　my　horse　as　usual；　and　rode　on　ahead　some　little　way。　Well；　there　on　the　road　was　a　herd　of　sheep；　standing　all　crowded　together　as　though　the　place　were　a　desert；　with　four　dogs　and　two　shepherds；　but　nothing　else。　Then　one　shepherd　said　to　another　shepherd；　on　seeing　a　number　of　horsemen：　　'I　say；'　says　he；　'look　you　at　those　horsemen；　they　do　a　deal　of　robbery。'　　When　I　heard　this；　I　clap　spurs　to　my　horse；　and　ride　straight　for　the　sheep。　In　consternation　the　sheep　scatter；　hither　and　thither　they　are　fleeting　and　bleating。　　A　shepherd　throws　his　fork；　and　the　fork　falls　on　the　horseman　who　came　next　to　me。　We　make　our　escape。'　　We　like　Marcus　none　the　worse　for　this　spice　of　mischief。

Another　letter（1）　describes　a　visit　to　a　country　town；　and　shows　the　antiquarian　spirit　of　the　writer　'M。　CAESAR　to　his　MASTER　M。　FRONTO；　greeting。

'After　I　entered　the　carriage；　after　I　took　leave　of　you；　we　made　a　journey　comfortable　enough；　but　we　had　a　few　drops　of　rain　to　wet　us。　　But　before　coming　to　the　country…house；　we　broke　our　journey　at　Anagnia；　a　mile　or　so　from　the　highroad。　Then　we　inspected　that　ancient　town；　a　miniature　it　is；　but　has　in　it　many　antiquities；　temples；　and　religious　ceremonies　quite　out　of　the　way。　There　is　not　a　corner　without　its　shrine；　or　fane；　or　temple；　besides；　many　books　written　on　linen；　which　belongs　to　things　sacred。　Then　on　the　gate　as　we　came　out　was　written　twice；　as　follows　：　〃Priest　don　the　fell。'（2）　I　asked　one　of　the　inhabitants　what　that　word　was。　He　said　it　was　the　word　in　the　Hernican　dialect　for　the　victim's　skin；　which　the　priest　puts　over　his　conical　cap　when　he　enters　the　city。　I　found　out　many　other　things　which　I　desired　to　know；　but　the　only　thing　I　do　not　desire　is　that　you　should　he　absent　from　me；　that　is　my　chief　anxiety。　　Now　for　yourself；　when　you　left　that　place；　did　you　go　to　Aurelia　or　to　Campania？　　Be　sure　to　write　to　me；　and　say　whether　you　have　opened　the　vintage；　or　carried　a　host　of　books　to　the　country…house；　this　also；　whether　you　miss　me；　I　am　foolish　to　ask　it；　whenas　you　tell　it　me　of　yourself。　Now　if　you　miss　me　and　if　you　love　me；　send　me　your　letters　often；　which　is　a　comfort　and　consolation　to　me。　　Indeed　I　should　prefer　ten　times　to　read　your　letters　than　all　the　vines　of　Gaurus　or　the　Marsians；　for　these　Signian　vines　have　grapes　too　rank　and　fruit　too　sharp　in　the　taste；　but　I　prefer　wine　to　must　for　drinking。　Besides；　those　grapes　are　nicer　to　eat　dried　than　fresh…ripe；　I　vow　I　would　rather　tread　them　under　foot　than　put　my　teeth　in　them。　But　I　pray　they　may　be　gracious　and　forgiving；　and　grant　me　free　pardon　for　these　jests　of　mine。　　Farewell；　best　friend；　dearest；　most　l~rned；　sweetest　master。　　When　you　see　the　must　ferment　in　the　vat；　remember　that　just　so　in　my　heart　the　longing　for　you　is　gushing　and　flowing　and　bubbling。　　Good…bye。'　1　Ad　Verum。　Imp　ii。　　1；　s。　　fin。

2　Santentum

Making　all　allowances　for　conventional　exaggerations；　it　is　clear　from　the　correspondence　that　there　was　deep　love　between　Marcus　and　his　preceptor。　　The　letters　cover　several　years　in　succession；　but　soon　after　the　birth　of　Marcus's　daughter；　Faustina；　there　is　a　large　gap。　It　does　not　follow　that　the　letters　ceased　entirely；　because　we　know　part　of　the　collection　is　lost；　but　there　was　probably　less　intercourse　between　Marcus　and　Fronto　after　Marcus　took　to　the　study　of　philosophy　under　the　guidance　of　Rusticus。

When　Marcus　succeeded　to　the　throne　in　161；　the　letters　begin　again；　with　slightly　increased　formality　on　Fronto's　part；　and　they　go　on　for　some　four　years；　when　Fronto；　who　has　been　continually　complaining　of　ill…health；　appears　to　have　died。　One　letter　of　the　later　period　gives　some　interesting　particulars　of　the　emperor's　public　life；　which　are　worth　quoting。　Fronto　speaks　of　Marcus's　victories　and　eloquence　in　the　usual　strain　of　high　praise；　and　then　continues。（1）　'The　army　when　you　took　it　in　hand　was　sunk　in　luxury　and　revelry；　and　corrupted　with　long　inactivity。　　At　Antiochia　the　soldiers　had　been　Wont　to　applaud　at　the　stage　plays；　knew　more　of　the　gardens　at　the　nearest　restaurant　than　of　the　battlefield。　Horses　were　hairy　from　lack　of　grooming；　horsemen　smooth　because　their　hairs　had　been　pulled　out　by　the　roots（2）　a　rare　thing　it　was　to　see　a　soldier　with　hair　on　arm　or　leg。　Moreover；　they　were　better　drest　than　armed；　so　much　so；　that　Laelianus　Pontius。　　a　strict　man　of　the　old　discipline；　broke　the　cuirasses　of　some　of　them　with　his　finger…tips；　and　observed　cushions　on　the　horses'　backs。　　At　his　direction　the　tufts　were　cut　through；　and　out　of　the　horsemnen's　saddles　came　what　appeared　to　be　feathers　pluckt　from　geese。　Few　of　the　men　could　vault　on　horseback；　the　rest　clambered　up　with　difficulty　by　aid　of　heel　and　knee　and　leg　not　many　could　throw　a　lance　hurtling；　most　did　it　without　force　or　power；　as　though　they　were　things　of　wool。　　dicing　was　common　in　the　camp；　sleep　lasted　all　night；　or　if　they　kept　watch　it　was　over　the　winecup。　By　what　regulations　to　restrain　such　soldiers　as　these；　and　to　turn　them　to　honesty　and　industry；　did　you　not　learn　from　Hannibal's　sternness；　the　discipline　of　Africanus；　the　acts　of　Metellus　recorded　in　history　1　Ad　Verum。　imp。；　ii。　　I；　s