letters of cicero-第14部分

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n　captured　or　were　disaffected。

Well　now；　I　would　have　you　feel　convinced　that；　should　a　motion　be　brought　before　the　senate　on　these　matters；　I　shall　consider　that　the　highest　possible　compliment　has　been　paid　me；　if　you　give　your　vote　in　favour　of　a　mark　of　honour　being　bestowed　upon　me。　And　as　to　this；　though　I　am　aware　that　in　such　matters　men　of　the　most　respectable　character　are　accustomed　to　ask　and　to　be　asked；　yet　I　think　in　your　case　that　it　is　rather　a　reminder　than　a　request　which　is　called　for　from　me。　For　it　is　you　who　have　on　very　many　occasions　complimented　me　in　votes　which　you　delivered；　who　have　praised　me　to　the　skies　in　conversation；　in　panegyric；　in　the　most　laudatory　speeches　in　senate　and　public　meeting：　you　are　the　man　to　whose　words　I　ever　attached　such　weight　as　to　hold　myself　in　possession　of　my　utmost　ambition；　if　your　lips　joined　the　chorus　of　my　praise。　It　was　you　finally；　as　I　recollect；　who　said；　when　voting　against　a　supplicatlo　in　honour　of　a　certain　illustrious　and　noble　person；　that　you　would　have　voted　for　it；　if　the　motion　had　related　to　what　he　had　done　in　the　city　as　consul。　It　was　you；　too；　who　voted　for　granting　me　a　supplicatio；　though　only　a　civilian；　not　as　had　been　done　in　many　instances；　〃for　good　services　to　the　state；〃　but；　as　I　remember；　〃for　having　saved　the　state。〃　I　pass　over　your　having　shared　the　hatred　I　excited；　the　dangers　I　ran；　all　the　storms'　that　I　have　encountered；　and　your　having　been　entirely　ready　to　have　shared　them　much　more　fully　if　I　had　allowed　it；　and　finally　your　having　regarded　my　enemy　as　your　own；　of　whose　death　eventhus　shewing　me　clearly　how　much　you　valued　meyou　manifested　your　approval　by　supporting　the　cause　of　Milo　in　the　senate。　On　the　other　hand；　I　have　borne　a　testimony　to　you；　which　I　do　not　regard　as　constituting　any　claim　on　your　gratitude；　but　as　a　frank　expression　of　genuine　opinion：　for　I　did　not　confine　myself　to　a　silent　admiration　of　your　eminent　virtueswho　does　not　admire　them？　But　in　all　forms　of　speech；　whether　in　the　senate　or　at　the　bar；　in　all　kinds　of　writing；　Greek　or　Latin；　in　fine；　in　all　the　various　branches　of　my　literary　activity；　I　proclaimed　your　superiority　not　only　to　contemporaries；　but　also　to　those　of　whom　we　have　heard　in　history。

Yon　will　ask；　perhaps；　why　I　place　such　value　on　this　or　that　modicum　of　congratulation　or　compliment　from　the　senate。　I　will　be　frank　with　you；　as　our　common　tastes'　and　mutual　good　services；　our　close　friendship；　nay；　the　intimacy　of　our　fathers　demand。　If　there　ever　was　anyone　by　natural　inclination；　and　still　more；　I　think；　by　reason　and　reflexion；　averse　from　the　empty　praise　and　comments　of　the　vulgar；　I　am　certainly　the　man。　Witness　my　consulship；　in　which；　as　in　the　rest　of　my　life；　I　confess　that　I　eagerly　pursued　the　objects　capable　of　producing　true　glory：　mere　glory　for　its　own　sake　I　never　thought　a　subject　for　ambition。　Accordingly；　I　not　only　passed　over　a　province　after　the　votes　for　its　outfit　had　been　taken；　but　also　with　it　an　almost　certain　hope　of　a　triumph；　and　finally　the　priesthood；　though；　as　I　think　you　will　agree　with　me；　I　could　have　obtained　it　without　much　difficulty；　I　did　not　try　to　get。　Yet　after　my　unjust　disgracealways　stigmatized　by　you　as　a　disaster　to　the　Republic；　and　rather　an　honour　than　a　disaster　to　myselfI　was　anxious　that　some　very　signal　marks　of　the　approbation　of　the　senate　and　Roman　people　should　be　put　on　record。　Accordingly；　in　the　first　place；　I　did　subsequently　wish　for　the　augurship；　about　which　I　had　not　troubled　myself　before；　and　the　compliment　usually　paid　by　the　senate　in　the　case　of　success　in　war；　though　passed　over　by　me　in　old　times；　I　now　think　an　object　to　be　desired。　That　you　should　approve　and　support　this　wish　of　mine；　in　which　you　may　trace　a　strong　desire　to　heal　the　wounds　inflicted　upon　me　by　my　disgrace；　though　I　a　little　while　ago　declared　that　I　would　not　ask　it；　I　now　do　earnestly　ask　of　you：　but　only　on　condition　that　you　shall　not　think　my　humble　services　paltry　and　insignificant；　but　of　such　a　nature　and　importance；　that　many　for　far　less　signal　successes　have　obtained　the　highest　honours　from　the　senate。　I　have；　too；　I　think；　noticed　thisfor　you　know　how　attentively　I　ever　listen　to　youthat　in　granting　or　withholding　honours　you　are　accustomed　to　look　not　so　much　to　the　particular　achievements　as　to　the　character；　the　principles'　and　conduct　of　commanders。　Well；　if　you　apply　this　test　to　my　case；　you　will　find　that；　with　a　weak　army；　my　strongest　support　against　the　threat　of　a　very　formidable　war　has　been　my　equity　and　purity　of　conduct。　With　these　as　my　aids　I　accomplished　what　I　never　could　have　accomplished　by　any　amount　of　legions：　among　the　allies　I　have　created　the　warmest　devotion　in　place　of　the　most　extreme　alienation；　the　most　complete　loyalty　in　place　of　the　most　dangerous　disaffection；　and　their　spirits　fluttered　by　the　prospect　of　change　I　have　brought　back　to　feelings　of　affection　for　the　old　rule。

But　I　have　said　too　much　of　myself；　especially　to　you；　in　whom　singly　the　grievances　of　all　our　allies　alike　find　a　listener。　You　will　learn　the　truth　from　those　who　think　themselves　restored　to　life　by　my　administration。　And　while　all　with　nearly　one　consent　will　praise　me　in　your　hearing　as　I　most　desire　to　be　praised；　so　will　your　two　chief　client　statesthe　island　of　Cyprus　and　the　kingdom　of　Cappadociahave　something　to　say　to　you　about　me　also。　So；　too；　I　think；　will　Deiotarus；　who　is　attached　to　you　with　special　warmth。　Now；　if　these　things　are　above　the　common　run；　and　if　in　all　ages　it　has　been　rarer　to　find　men　capable　of　conquering　their　own　desires　than　capable　of　conquering　an　enemy's　army；　it　is　quite　in　harmony　with　your　principles；　when　you　find　these　rarer　and　more　difficult　virtues　combined　with　success　in　war；　to　regard　that　success　itself　as　more　complete　and　glorious。

I　have　only　one　last　resourcephilosophy：　and　to　make　her　plead　for　me；　as　though　I　doubted　the　efficacy　of　a　mere　request：　philosophy；　the　best　friend　I　have　ever　had　in　all　my　life；　the　greatest　gift　which　has　been　bestowed　by　the　gods　upon　mankind。　Yes！　this　common　sympathy　in　tastes　and　studiesour　inseparable　devotion　and　attachment　to　which　from　boyhood　have　caused　us　to　become　almost　unique　examples　of　men　bringing　that　true　and　ancient　philosophy　（which　some　regard　as　only　the　employment　of　leisure　and　idleness）　down　to　the　forum；　the　council　chamber；　and　the　very　camp　itselfpleads　the　cause　of　my　glory　with　you：　and　I　do　not　think　a　Cato　can；　with　a　good　conscience；　say　her　nay。　Wherefore　I　would　have　you　convince　yourself　that；　if　my　despatch　is　made　the　ground　of　paying　me　this　compliment　with　your　concurrence；　I　shall　consider　that　the　dearest　wish　of　my　heart　has　been　fulfilled　owing　at　once　to　your　influence　and　to　your　friendship。

XIX

To　ATTICUS　（IN　EPIRUS）

LAODTCEA；　22　FEBRUARY

I　RECEIVED　your　letter　on　the　fifth　day　before　the　Terminalia　（19th　of　February）　at　Laodicea。　I　was　delighted　to　read　it；　for　it　teemed　with　affection；　kindness；　and　an　active　and　obliging　temper。　I　will；　therefore；　answer　it　sentence　by　sentencefor　such　is　your　requestand　I　will　not　introduce　an　arrangement　of　my　own；　but　will　follow　your　order。

You　say　that　the　last　letter　you　had　of　mine　was　from　Cybistra；　dated　21st　September；　and　you　want　to　know　which　of　yours　I　have　received。　Nearly　all　you　mention；　except　the　one　that　you　say　that　you　delivered　to　Lentulus's　messengers　at　Equotuticus　and　Brundisium。　Wherefore　your　industry　has　not　been　thrown　away；　as　you　fear；　but　has　been　exceedingly　well　laid　out；　if；　that　is　to　say；　your　object　was　to　give　me　pleasure。　For　I　have　never　been　more　delighted　with　anything。　I　am　exceedingly　glad　that　you　approve　of　my　self…restraint　in　the　case　of　Appius；　and　of　my　independence　even　in　the　case　of　Brutus：　and　I　had　thought　that　it　might　be　somewhat　otherwise。　For　Appius；　in　the　course　of　his　journey；　had　sent　me　two　or　three　rather　querulous　letters；　because　I　rescinded　some　of　his　decisions。　It　is　exactly　as　if　a　doctor；　upon　a　patient　having　been　placed　under　another　doctor；　should　choose　to　be　angry　with　the　latter　if　he　changed　some　of　his　prescriptions。　Thus　Appius；　having　treated　the　province　on　the　system　of　depletion；　bleeding；　and　removing　everything　he　could；　and　having　handed　it　over　to　me　in　the　last　state　of　exhaustion；　he　cannot　bear　seeing　it　treated　by　me　on　the　nutritive　system。　Yet　he　is　sometimes　angry　with　me；　at　other　times　thanks　me；　for　nothing　I　ever　do　is　accompanied　with　any　reflexion　upon　him。　It　is　only　the　dissimilarity　of　my　system　that　annoys　him。　For　what　could　be　a　more　striking　differenceunder　his　rule　a　province　drained　by　charges　for　maintenance　and　by　losses；　under　mine；　not　a　penny　exacted　either　from　private　persons　or　public　bodies？　Why　speak　of　his　praefecti；　staff；　and　legates？　Or　even　of　acts　of　plunder；　licentiousness；　and　insult？　While　as　things　actually　are；　no　private　house；　by　Hercules；　is　governed　with　so　much　system；　or　on　such　strict　principles；　nor　is　so　well　disciplined；　as　is　my　whole　province。　Some　of　Appius's　friends　put　a　ridiculous　construction　on　this；　holding　that　I　wish　for　a　good　reputation　to　set　off　his　bad　one；　and　act　rightly；　not　for　the　sake　of　my　own　credit；　but　in　order　to　cast　reflexion　upon　him。　But　if　Appius；　as　Brutus's　letter　forwarded　by　you　indicated；　expresses　gratitude　to　me；　I　am　satisfied。　Nevertheless；　this　very　day　on　which　I　write　this；　before　dawn；　I　am　thinking　of　rescinding　many　of　his　inequitable　appointments　and　decisions。

I　now　come　to　Brutus；　whose　friendship　I　embraced　with　all　possible　earnestness　on　your　advice。　I　had　even　begun　to　feel　genuine　affection　for　himbut　here　I　pull　myself　up　short；　lest　I　should　offend　you：　for　don't　imagine　that　there　is　anything　I　wish　more　than　to　fulfil　his　commissions；　or　that　there　is　anything　about　which　I　have　taken　more　trouble。　Now　he　gave　me　a　volume　of　commissions；　and　you　had　already　spoken　with　me　about　the　same　matters。　I　have　pushed　them　on　with　the　greatest　energy。　To　begin　with；　I　put　such　pressure　on　Ariobarzanes；　that　he　paid　him　the　talents　which　he　promised　me。　As　long　as　the　king　was　with　me；　the　business　was　in　excellent　train：　la