letters of cicero-第23章
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le death。 Well； that at any rate is in our power when we will： let us only do our best to prevent its being as necessary to us as it was to him。 That is what I am doing。 So that is the first thing I had to say。 The next is this： I am improving； in the first place in health； which I had lost from giving up all exercise of my lungs。 In the second place； my oratorical faculty； such as it was； would have completely dried up； had I not gone back to these exercises。 The last thing I have to say； which I rather think you will consider most important of all； is this： I have now demolished more peacocks than you have young pigeons！ You there revel in Haterian law…sauce； I here in Hirtian hot…sauce。 Come then； if you are half a man； and learn from me the maxims which you seek： yet it is a case of 〃a pig teaching Minerva。〃 But it will be my business to see to that： as for you； if you can't find purchasers for your foreclosures and so fill your pot with denaril； back you must come to Rome。 It is better to die of indigestion here； than of starvation there。 I see you have lost money： I hope these friends of yours have done the same。 You are a ruined man if you don't look out。 You may possibly get to Rome on the only mule that you say you have left； since you have eaten up your pack horse。 Your seat in the school； as second master； will be next to mine： the honour of a cushion will come by…and…by。
XXV To L。 PAPIRIUS PAETUS （AT NAPLES）
ROME （AUGUST）
I WAS doubly charmed by your letter； first because it made me laugh myself； and secondly because I saw that you could still laugh。 Nor did I in the least object to being overwhelmed with your shafts of ridicule； as though I were a light skirmisher in the war of wits。 What I am vexed at is that I have not been able； as I intended； to run over to see you： for you would not have had a mere guest； but a brother…in…arms。 And such a hero！ not the man whom you used to do for by the hors d'aeuvre。 I now bring an unimpaired appetite to the egg； and so the fight is maintained right up to the roast veal。 The compliments you used to pay me in old times 〃What a contented person ！〃 〃What an easy guest to entertain ！〃 are things of the past。 All my anxiety about the good of the state； all meditating of speeches to be delivered in the senate； all getting up of briefs I have cast to the winds。 I have thrown myself into the camp of my old enemy Epicurus not； however； with a view to the extravagance of the present day； but to that refined splendour of yours I mean your old style when you had money to spend （though you never had more landed estate）。 Therefore prepare！ You have to deal with a man； who not only has a large appetite； but who also knows a thing or two。 You are aware of the extravagance of your bourgeois gentilhomtne。 You must forget all your little baskets and your omelettes。 I am now far advanced in the art that I frequently venture to ask your friend Verrius and Camillus to dinnerwhat dandies！ how fastidious！ But think of my audacity： I even gave Hirtius a dinner； without a peacock however。 In that dinner my cook could not imitate him in anything but the hot sauce。
So this is my way of life nowadays： in the morning I receive not only a large number of 〃loyalists；〃 who； however； look gloomy enough； but also our exultant conquerors here； who in my case are quite prodigal in polite and affectionate attentions。 When the stream of morning callers has ebbed； I wrap myself up in my books； either writing or reading。 There are also some visitors who listen to my discourses under the belief of my being a man of learning； because I am a trifle more learned than themselves。 After that all my time is given to my bodily comfort。 I have mourned for my country more deeply and longer than any mother for her only son。 But take care； if you love me； to keep your health； lest I should take advantage of your being laid up to eat you out of house and home。 For I am resolved not to spare you even when you are ill。
XXVI
To AULUS CAECINA （IN EXILE）
ROME （SEPTEMBER）
I AM afraid you may think me remiss in my attentions to you； which； in view of our close union resulting from many mutual services and kindred tastes； ought never to be lacking。 In spite of that I fear you do find me wanting in the matter of writing。 The fact is； I would have sent you a letter long ago and on frequent occasions； had I not； from expecting day after day to have sonic better news for you； wished to fill my letter with congratulation rather than with exhortations to courage。 As it is； I shall shortly； I hope； have to congratulate you： and so I put off that subject for a letter to another time。 But imi this letter I think that your courage which I am told and hope is not at all shakenought to be repeatedly braced by the authority of a man； who； if not the wisest in the world； is yet the most devoted to you： and that not with such words as I should use to console one utterly crushed and bereft of all hope of restoration； but as to one of whose rehabilitation I have no more doubt than I remember that you had of mine。 For when those men had driven me from the Republic； who thought that it could not fall while I was on my feet； I remember hearing from many visitors from Asia； in which country you then were； that you were emphatic as to my glorious and rapid restoration。 If that system； so to speak； of Tuscan augury which you had inherited from your noble and excellent father did not deceive you； neither will our power of divination deceive me； which I have acquired from the writings and maxims of the greatest savants； and； as you know； by a very diligent study of their teaching； as well as by an extensive experience in managing public business； and from the great vicissitudes of fortune which I have encountered。 And this divination I am the more inclined to trust； from the fact that it never once deceived me in the late troubles； in spite of their obscurity and confusion。 I would have told you what events I foretold； were I not afraid to be thought to be making up a story after the event Yet； after all； I have numberless witnesses to the fact that I warned Pompey not to form a union with Caesar； and afterwards not to sever it。 By this union I saw that the power of the senate would be broken； by its severance a civil war be provoked。 And yet I was very intimate with Caesar； and had a very great regard for Pompey； but my advice was at once loyal to Pompey and in the best interests of both alike。 My other predictions I pass over； for I would not have Caaesar think that I gave Pompey advice； by which； if he had followed it； Caesar himself would have now been a man of illustrious character in the state indeed； and the first man in it； but yet not in possession of the great power he now wields。 I gave it as my opinion that he should go to Spain； and if he had done so； there would have been no civil war at all。 That Caesar should be allowed to stand for the consulship in his absence I did not so much contend to be constitutional as that； since the law had been passed by the people at the instance of Pompey himself when consul； it should be done。 The pretext for hostilities was given。 What advice or remonstrance did I omit； when urging that any peace； even the most inequitable； should be preferred to the most righteous war？ My advice was overruled； not so much by Pompeyfor he was affected by itas by those who； relying on him as a military leader； thought that a victory in that war would be highly conducive to their private interests and personal ambitions。 The war was begun without my taking any active part in it； it was forcibly removed from Italy； while I remained there as long as I could。 But honour had greater weight with me than fear： I had scruples about failing to support Pompey's safety； when on a certain occasion he had not failed to support mine。 Accordingly； overpowered by a feeling of duty； or by what the loyalists would say； or by a regard for my honorwhichever you pleaselike Amphiarus in the play； I went deliberately； and fully aware of what I was doing； 〃to ruin full displayed before my eyes。〃 In this war there was not a single disaster that I did not foretell。 Therefore； since； after the manner of augurs and astrologers； I too； as a s
