letters of cicero-第24章

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that　I　did　not　foretell。　Therefore；　since；　after　the　manner　of　augurs　and　astrologers；　I　too；　as　a　state　augur；　have　by　my　previous　predictions　established　the　credit　of　my　prophetic　power　and　knowledge　of　divination　in　your　eyes；　my　prediction　will　justly　claim　to　be　believed。　Well；　then；　the　prophecy　I　now　give　you　does　not　rest　on　the　flight　of　a　bird　nor　the　note　of　a　bird　of　good　omen　on　the　leftaccording　to　the　system　of　our　augural　collegenor　from　the　normal　and　audible　pattering　of　the　corn　of　the　sacred　chickens。　I　have　other　signs　to　note；　and　if　they　are　not　more　infallible　than　those；　yet　after　all　they　are　less　obscure　or　misleading。　Now　omens　as　to　the　future　are　observed　by　me　in　what　I　may　call　a　twofold　method：　the　one　I　deduce　from　Caesar　himself；　the　other　from　the　nature　and　complexion　of　the　political　situation。　Caesar's　characteristics　are　these：　a　disposition　naturally　placable　and　clementas　delineated　in　your　brilliant　book　of　〃Grievances〃and　a　great　liking　also　for　superior　talent；　such　as　your　own。　Besides　this；　he　is　relenting　at　the　expressed　wishes　of　a　large　number　of　your　friends；　which　are　well…grounded　and　inspired　by　affection。　not　hollow　and　self…seeking。　Under　this　head　the　unanimous　feeling　of　Etruria　will　have　great　influence　on　him。

Why；　thenyou　may　askhave　these　things　as　yet　had　no　effect？　Why；　because　he　thinks　if　he　grants　you　yours；　he　cannot　resist　the　applications　of　numerous　petitioners　with　whom　to　all　appearance　he　has　juster　grounds　for　anger。　〃What　hope；　then；〃　you　will　say；　〃from　an　angry　man？〃　Why；　he　knows　very　well　that　he　will　draw　deep　draughts　of　praise　from　the　same　fountain；　from　which　he　has　been　alreadythough　sparinglybespattered。　Lastly；　he　is　a　man　very　acute　and　farseeing：　he　knows　very　well　that　a　man　like　youfar　and　away　the　greatest　noble　in　an　important　district　of　Italy；　and　in　the　state　at　large　the　equal　of　anyone　of　your　generation；　however　eminent；　whether　in　ability　or　popularity　or　reputation　among　the　Roman　peoplecannot　much　longer　be　debarred　from　taking　part　in　public　affairs。　He　will　be　unwilling　that　you　should；　as　you　would　sooner　or　later；　have　time　to　thank　for　this　rather　than　his　favour。

So　much　for　Caesar。　Now　I　will　speak　of　the　nature　of　the　actual　situation。　There　is　no　one　so　bitterly　opposed　to　the　cause；　which　Pompey　undertook　with　better　intentions　than　provisions；　as　to　venture　to　call　us　bad　citizens　or　dishonest　men。　On　this　head　I　am　always　struck　with　astonishment　at　Caesar's　sobriety；　fairness；　and　wisdom。　He　never　speaks　of　Pompey　except　in　the　most　respectful　terms。　〃But；〃　you　will　say；　〃in　regard　to　him　as　a　public　man　his　actions　have　often　been　bitter　enough。〃　Those　were　acts　of　war　and　victory；　not　of　Caesar。　But　see　with　what　open　arms　he　has　received　us！　Cassius　he　has　made　his　legate；　Brutus　governor　of　Gaul；　Sulpicius　of　Greece；　Marcellus；　with　whom　he　was　more　angry　than　with　anyone；　he　has　restored　with　the　utmost　consideration　for　his　rank。　To　what；　then；　does　all　this　tend？　The　nature　of　things　and　of　the　political　situation　will　not　suffer；　nor　will　any　constitutional　theorywhether　it　remain　as　it　is　or　is　changedpermit；　first；　that　the　civil　and　personal　position　of　all　should　not　be　alike　when　the　merits　of　their　cases　are　the　same；　and；　secondly；　that　good　men　and　good　citizens　of　unblemished　character　should　not　return　to　a　state；　into　which　so　many　have　returned　after　having　been　condemned　of　atrocious　crimes。　　That　is　my　prediction。　If　I　had　felt　any　doubt　about　it　I　would　not　have　employed　it　in　preference　to　a　consolation　which　would　have　easily　enabled　me　to　support　a　man　of　spirit。　It　is　this。　If　you　had　taken　up　arms　for　the　Republicfor　so　you　then　thoughtwith　the　full　assurance　of　victory；　you　would　not　deserve　special　commendation。　But　if；　in　view　of　the　uncertainty　attaching　to　all　wars；　you　had　taken　into　consideration　the　possibility　of　our　being　beaten；　you　ought　not；　while　fully　prepared　to　face　success；　to　be　yet　utterly　unable　to　endure　failure。　I　would　have　urged　also　what　a　consolation　the　consciousness　of　your　action；　what　a　delightful　distraction　in　adversity；　literature　ought　to　be。　I　would　have　recalled　to　your　mind　the　signal　disasters　not　only　of　men　of　old　times；　but　of　those　of　our　own　day　also；　whether　they　were　your　leaders　or　your　comrades。　I　would　even　have　named　many　cases　of　illustrious　foreigners：　for　the　recollection　of　what　I　may　call　a　common　law　and　of　the　conditions　of　human　existence　softens　grief。　I　would　also　have　explained　the　nature　of　our　life　here　in　Rome；　how　bewildering　the　disorder；　how　universal　the　chaos：　for　it　must　needs　cause　less　regret　to　be　absent　from　a　state　in　disruption；　than　from　one　well…ordered。　But　there　is　no　occasion　for　anything　of　this　sort。　I　shall　soon　see　you；　as　I　hope；　or　rather　as　I　clearly　perceive；　in　enjoyment　of　your　civil　rights。　Meanwhile；　to　you　in　your　absence；　as　also　to　your　son　who　is　herethe　express　image　of　your　soul　and　person；　and　a　man　of　unsurpassable　firmness　and　excellenceI　have　long　ere　this　both　promised　and　tendered　practically　my　zeal；　duty；　exertions；　and　labours：　all　the　more　so　now　that　Caesar　daily　receives　me　with　more　open　arms；　while　his　intimate　friends　distinguish　me　above　everyone。　Any　influence　or　favour　I　may　gain　with　him　I　will　employ　in　your　service。　Be　sure；　for　your　part；　to　support　yourself　not　only　with　courage；　but　also　with　the　brightest　hopes。

XXVII

SERVIUS　SULPICIUS　TO　CICERO　（AT　ASTURA）

ATHENS　（MARCH）

WHEN　I　received　the　news　of　your　daughter　Tullia's　death；　I　…was　indeed　much　grieved　and　distressed　as　I　was　bound　to　be；　and　looked　upon　it　as　a　calamity　in　which　I　shared。　For；　if　I　had　been　at　home；　I　should　not　have　failed　to　be　at　your　side；　and　should　have　made　my　sorrow　plain　to　you　face　to　face。　That　kind　of　consolation　involves　much　distress　and　pain；　because　the　relations　and　friends；　whose　part　it　is　to　offer　it；　are　themselves　overcome　by　an　equal　sorrow。　They　cannot　attempt　it　without　many　tears；　so　that　they　seem　to　require　consolation　themselves　rather　than　to　be　able　to　afford　it　to　others。　Still　I　have　decided　to　set　down　briefly　for　your　benefit　such　thoughts　as　have　occurred　to　my　mind；　not　because　I　suppose　them　to　be　unknown　to　you；　but　because　your　sorrow　may　perhaps　hinder　you　from　being　so　keenly　alive　to　them。

Why　is　it　that　a　private　grief　should　agitate　you　so　deeply？　Think　how　fortune　has　hitherto　dealt　with　us。　Reflect　that　we　have　had　snatchcd　from　us　what　ought　to　be　no　less　dear　to　human　beings　than　their　childrencountry；　honour；　rank；　every　political　distinction。　What　additional　wound　to　your　feelings　could　be　inflicted　by　this　particular　loss？　Or　where　is　the　heart　that　should　not　by　this　time　have　lost　all　sensibility　and　learn　to　regard　everything　else　as　of　minor　importance？　Is　it　on　her　account；　pray；　that　you　sorrow？　How　many　times　have　you　recurred　to　the　thoughtand　I　have　often　been　struck　with　the　same　ideathat　in　times　like　these　theirs　is　far　from　being　the　worst　fate　to　whom　it　has　been　granted　to　exchange　life　for　a　painless　death？　Now　what　was　there　at　such　an　epoch　that　could　greatly　tempt　her　to　live？　What　scope；　what　hope；　what　heart's　solace？　That　she　might　spend　her　life　with　some　young　and　distinguished　husband？　How　impossible　for　a　man　of　your　rank　to　select　from　the　present　generation　of　young　men　a　son…in…law；　to　whose　honour　you　might　think　yourself　safe　in　trusting　your　child！　Was　it　that　she　might　bear　children　to　cheer　her　with　the　sight　of　their　vigorous　youth？　who　might　by　their　own　character　maintain　the　position　handed　down　to　them　by　their　parent；　might　be　expected　to　sta~id　for　the　offices　in　their　order；　might　exercise　their　freedom　in　supporting　their　friends？　What　single　one　of　these　prospects　has　not　been　taken　away　before　it　was　given？　But；　it　will　be　said；　after　all　it　is　an　evil　to　lose　one's　children。　Yes；　it　is：　only　it　is　a　worse　one　to　endure　and　submit　to　the　present　state　of　things。

I　wish　to　mention　to　you　a　circumstance　which　gave　me　no　common　consolation；　on　the　chance　of　its　also　proving　capable　of　diminishing　your　sorrow。　On　my　voyage　from　Asia；　as　I　was　sailing　from　Aegina　towards　Megara；　I　bega