it especiallie appertaines to my care and ofâ—ice in that I being desirous to reduce that Towne into better forme I haue beene the cause that my sonne my nephew and Marcus Caesius my great friâ—nd should be made Aediles for in our Towne this onely Magistracie is created and no more These you shall honor and especially my selfe if by your fauour and vigilancie â—he Communaltie of this Towne shall end their businesse without difficultie which I request you to effect as earnestly as I can possibly Farewell Cicero to Brutus Ep. 12. IN another Epistle I did generâ—llie commend vnto you the Commissioners of Arpinas and with the greatest care I could In this I more particularly recommend vnto you Quintus Fusidius my especiall friend not any waies to diminish the former but to adde this recommendation For he is sonne in law to my singular good friend Marcus Caeâ—ius and heretofore in Cilicia he was with me Tribune of the souldiers In which place he so bare himselfe as I thought I had rather receiued then bestow'd a benefit Besides this he is delighted with our studies which you were wont to esteeme highly Wherefore I would entreat you to enterteine him with all courâ—esie and to vse all meanes that this Embassie which being inioy'd by â—â—ine authoritie he hath with his owne inconueniencie vndertakeÌ„ may ad glory to his industrie For he desires as â—uery vertuous man naturally doth to reape great commendation as well from vs who perswaded him therunto as also â—rom our countri-men Which he shall compasse if he obtaine your fauour by my recommendation Farewell Cicero to Brutus Ep. 13. LVcius Castronius Patus the chiefest without comparison in the towne of Luca is noble wise full of courtesie a man of great bountie and graced both by vertue and also fortune if this be any thing to the present purpose And besides he is so far my most familiar friend that he more respectiuely obserues no man of our order Wherefore I commend him vnto you both as my friend and one that 's worthie of your acquaintance Whatsoeuer you doe for him will assuredly be returned by your owne content and mine acceptance Farewell Cicero to Brutus Ep. 14. LVâ—ius Titius Strabo a Romaine Knight of an honourable familie and of great and rich estate is my bosome friend and all intrinsecall rightâ— runne equally betweene vs. This man should haue certaine moneys out of your Prouince from Publius Cornelius The matter is remitted into Gallia by Volcatius a iudge of Rome And because it is more honest to be carefull of a friends moneys then of our owne I more seriously then if it were an interest of mine request you that about the procuring an end of the action you would interpose your selfe for expedition And to endeuour so farre aâ— you thinke it iust and reasonable that Strabo's Freeman who is sent for this effect may without any encumbrance finish the businesse and recouer the moneys And it shall both giue me great contenâ—ment and you your selâ—e shall acknowledge Lucius Titius to bee most worthie of your friendship And I heartily entreat you to employ that care herein which you were wont to take in euerie thing wherein you found that I delighted Farewell Cicero to Caius Caesar Imperator Ep. 15. I Solidly commend vnto you Praecilius whose Father is your friend my familiar and a man of great integritie For besidâ—s that I beare an infinite loue to this young man being ciuill and modest and because he loues me entirely I haue manifestly found his father in all my occasions to haue beene much affected to me This is he who amongst others was especially wont to laugh at my proceedings and reprehend me in that I did not ioyne with you and the rather because you inuited mee thereunto with honourable conditions But his inducementâ— drâ—e not my consent Because on the other part I heard those our great defenders of the Common-wealth cry out Be valorous that after world's may rayse Some brain to blazon thy deserts praise Thus was I puckled in a foggie mist. And yet he continued his exhortations But they though I were alreadie thoroughly hot seeking by glorie to enflame meâ— said Die not vnusefull and without renowne But die that memory thy acts may crowne But now you may perceiue they moue me but a little And therefore leauing the loftie style of Homer I betake me to the true precepts of Euripides I hate his councell that 's for others wiâ—e And in his owne occasions wants his eyes Which verses Praecilius the elder commendes exceedingly affirming that we may liue warily and yet retaine our precedencie and principalitie But to returne where we began you shall shew me a memorable fauour if out of your singular courtesie you enterteine this young man and to the good inclination which I am perswaded you haue to pleasure him and his Father make vpon this my recommendation some new addition I haue vs'd a new style of writing to giue you to vnderstand that I send no vulgar commendation Farewell Cicero to Caius Caesar Imperator Ep. 16. AMongst all the mobilitie I lou'd no young man so well as Publius Crassus and hauing conceiu'd great hope of him in his tender yeares I began to hope better seeing my iudgement of him to be verified Now you shall vnderstand that euen when he liued I much esteem'd and made great accompt of Apollonius his Free-man because he was affected to Crassus and Crassus in his vertuous studies made so good vse of him that he lou'd him dearely Then after the death of Crassus I thought him also for this cause more worthie of my loue and to be receiued into my protection in that he held himselfe bound to obserue and honour those that Crassus lou'd and loued Crassus Whereupon he came to me in Câ—licia and seru'd me in manie occurrents both faithfully and prudently And as I thinke in the warre of Alexandria hee neuer fail'd you in whatsoeuer he was able to compasse either by his fidelitie or industrie And hoping that you also had the same opinion of him he came into Spaine first questionlesse vpon his owne deliberation but next for your assistance Neither did I otherwise promise to recommend him vnto you not but that I suppos'd my commendation would be of some effect with you but in that I thought he needed not be to you commended hauing beene with you in the warre and you for the memoriall of Crassus reputing him in the number of your owne And if he would haue sought recommendation he saw that other men also would haue done him this pleasure For the iudgement I made of him I haue willingly passed my word both because he esteem'd much thereof and in that I knew my testimonie would be of some credit with you I say therefore that I haue found him a learned man and studious of all â—xcellent sciences and that euen from his tender yeares For when he was but a childe he remain'd a good while
your cause that no man could with greater eloquence grauitie endeuour or earnestnesse haue pleaded it acknowledging your fauour to him and his loue to you in the best fashion he was able You know you haue displeased Marcellinus Yet this cause of the Kings excepted hâ— makes plaine demonstration that in any other occasion hee will fauour you to the vtmost of his abilitie And we are contented with his pleasure Therâ— hath beene no meanes to make him alâ—ter his course about the religion Thiâ— is the state of the businessâ— till the thirâ—teenth of Ianuarie in the morning of which day I wrote these Hortentiuâ— and I and Lucullus touching the Armie let the religion carrie it for otherwise we should doe nothing yet remitting our selues to the order made when you propounded the matter we stand for you that the Senate may commit vnto you the charge of restoring the King without the Armie as the Religion requireth so that you may doe it without indangering the Common wealth Crassus chooseth three Ambassadours not excluding Pompeius for my meaning is of such as haue publicke authoritie Bibulus also three Ambassadours priuate Cittizens and with him agree the other Consulars except Seruilius who holdeth that in no case he should be restored And Volcatius who consenting with Lupus chooseth Pompeius and Afranius who assenteth to Vâ—lcatius which thing augmenteth the suspition of the intention of Pompeius For it is found that Pompeius friends agree vnto the opinion of Volcatius The difficulties are manie and the businesse beginnes to grow doubtfull The manifest and earnest practises of Libon and Hipsaeus and the great desire of all Pompeius friends bewray the hidden fire of his ambition to haue the managing of this businesse And they that contradict him are not friends to you who haue so much extolled him My authoritie herein is the lesse by reason of my obligation to you And the impression which men haue made touching Pompeius intention drowneth my fauours they surmising that they shall gratifie him by this occasion Things are now in the same estate with vs as they were long before your departure being as wâ—ll by the King himselfe as by the intimate and domesticke acquaintance of Pompeius priuily corrupted afterwards by the Consulars openly sifted and madâ— exceeding hainous and reproaâ—hfull Euery man shall in your absence perceiue my integritie but your friends shall know the loue I beare you Had there beene trust where there should haue beene most these troubles had not fallen vpon vs. Farewell Cicero to Puâ—lius Lentulus Vice-consull Ep. 2. THE xiij of Ianuary the Senate determined nothing because the greatest part of that day was spent in Controuersies betweene the Consull Lentulus and Caninius Tribune of the people At which time I also spak much on your behalfe and by manifest tokens I perceiued that the Senate tooke wondrous wâ—ll the remembrance of your respect vnto that order Whereupon the day following they were pleased that I should make a briefe recapitulatioÌ„ of euery mans opinion For they seemed to be reconciled vnto vs which I perceiued aswell by the pleading of your cause as by their calling euery man and requesting their fauour for vs. When therefore the first sentence was pronounced which was of Bibuluâ— that the King should be by three Ambassadours restored The second that you should restore him without the Armie as Hortentius desired or as Volcatius who gaue the third that Pompâ—ius should restore him It was demanded that the particulars of that opinion of Bibulus might be considered No man opposed that part wherein he touched the Religion as being a thing not to be contradicted Touching the three Ambassadors â—he greatâ—st part flue from him Then followed the opinion of Hortenâ—ius vpon which Lupuâ— Tribune of the people because he had made the motion for Pompeius began to contend that it belonged vnto him rather than to the CoÌ„suls to command that euery one should goe to that side to which they were most addicted But his speech was interrupted by the out-cryes of all men because it was a thing new found out and without sence or reason The Consuls neither assented vnto him nor were they greatly repugnant They were contented the day should be thus driuen ouer and so it was For they well perceiued that the greatest part would follow Hortentius though they outwardly seemed to allow of the opinion of Volcatius Manie were requested to giue their opinion and that with great vexation of the Consuls whose desire was that the opinion of Bibuluâ— might be preferred This controuersie endured till night and then the Senate rose and I as it fell out supt that night with Pompeius lighting thereby vpon this occasion more fit than heretofore hath beene offered as being the first Senate day that hath since your departure prooued fortunate vnto vs. I so reasoned the matter with him that he seemed to giue credite wholly to my discourse and to deliberate how he might fauour you Hearing his own tale I must needs free him from the least touch of Ambition but when I consider the carriage or passages of his familiar acquaintance of what degree soeuer I finde that assuredly true that at length is manifested to all the world that all this cause hath beene before this time by some corrupted and not without the knowledg or priuitie of the King himselfe and of his Counsellers These I wrote the 14. of Ianuarie before day in which the Senate was to sit We shall as I hope maintaine our reputation in the Senate so far as is possible in this so persidious an age and full of iniustice As for the popular respects I thinke we haue so carried things that nothing can be done with the people without the violating of diuine authoritie or breach of lawes no nor without compulsion Yesterday the Senate ratified the things aforesaid by interposing of their graue authoritie to which though Cato and Caninius opposed themselues yet it was registred and I thinke it shall be sent vnto you I will not faile to giue you good accompt hereafter of euery thing that passeth and I will engage all my thoughts endeuours diligence and friends in the effecting this businesse to our owne contentment Farewell Cicero to Lentulus Ep. 3. AVlus Trebonius my auncient and â—amiliar friend who hath affayres of great impoâ—tance in diuerse places of your Prouince and such as may be soone dispatched hath beene heretofore very well-come thither as well for his owne worth as for being by my selfe and other friends recommended and at this present in respect of your loue towards me and for our neere alliance he is very confident that he shall be able by meanes of these my letters to purchase your gracious fauour I beseech you therefore let not his hope deceiue him and I recommend vnto you all his affayres his Freemen his agents his familie and especially that what Titus Ampius shall decree about his businesse you would be pleased to ratifie and so vse him
to the Lacedaemonians Wherefore I onely request you that when you shew the Lacedaemonians those fauours which stand with your credit dignitie and equitie if you thinke good cause them to vnderstand that you are desirous to heare that the pleasures which you doe them may by me also be approued For it concernes me that they should beleeue that I haue a care of their Interests This I request you with the greatest zeale that I am able Farewell Cicero to Lucius Plancus Epist. 29. I Make no question but you conceiue how amongst all those friends your Father left you I am nearest vnto you not onely for those reasons which carrie a great apparence of alliance but also for those that consist in familiaritie and conuersation The which you know betweene your father and mee were the greatest and most delightsome in the world From these beginnings spring the loue which I beare you Which loue made our amitie greater then that wee held with your Father And so much the more because I perceiued that so soone as you attain'd to the yeares to be able to iudge in what proportion euery one deseru'd to be esteemed of you that you began to honor obserue and loue me aboue all others Besides all this we were knit together with a farre firmer knot as by the knot of studies which of it selfe greatly imports especially being of those studies and those vertues which of themselues procure that the parties which are of one minde are also conioyn'd in familiaritie I suppose you expect what this far-fetcht discourse will tend vnto First therefore you shall vnderstand that I haue not ript vp this commemoration without great and worthie respects I frequent most familiarly with Caâ—us Atteius Capito You know both the prosperous and contrary euents of my affairs Both in the one and th' other I haue made proofe oâ— Capito'â— good will and affection And I did not onâ—ly mâ—ke vse of his endeuour authoritie and fauour but also of his goods according as the necessitie of my good or bad Fortunes required Titus Antisâ—ius was a kinsman to this man Who by accident being Quaestor of Macedâ—nia and hauing no successor therein Pompeâ—us went thither with his Armie Anâ—istius could not doe as he would For if hee might his greatest contentment had beene to haue return'd to Capito whom he loued as a Father especially conceiuing what an esteeme he â—uer had and did make of Caesar. But being vnder anothers power and in that hee could doe no lesse he tooke vpon him some commaund When the moneys were coin'd in Apoâ—â—â—nia I cannot say that he had the ouer-seeing thereof nor denie that he was present But certainly not aboue two or three moneths From that time forward he neuer was in the Campe he shunned all command Beleeue thâ—s from me as a most true testimonie For he obseru'd my discontentment in that warre he imparted all his secrets to me Whereupon he retir'd to hide himselfe in Macedonia flying from the Campe as far as he could and not onâ—ly from taking vpon him any charge but from being so much as present From thence after the battaile fought he went into Bithynia to Aâ—lus Plancius his verie good friend There Caesâ—r seeing him he gaue him not one bitter nor sharpe wordâ— he enioyned him to come to Rome A few dâ—ies after he fell sicke and recouer'd not that sicknesse Hee câ—me sicke to Corcyra and there dyed Of his goods by force of a will that he made in Rome when Paulus and Marcellus were Consulls Capito of twelue parts is to enioy ten the other two parts fall to them whose portion without any iust complaâ—nâ— of any man falls to the Publicke and amounts to the value of nine hundred Crownes My Plancus for the inward amâ—tie that passed sometimes betwixt me and your Father and for the loue we beare one another For our studies sake and conformable manner of life we haue alwaies obserued I request and entreat you as effectually and perswasiuely as I am able that you will repute it as mine owne suâ—e and employ therein your whole power and so procure that Capito by this recommendation and by meanes of your fauour and Caesars benefit may obtaine his kinsmans enheritance All the fauours which in this high renowne and esteeme you are in with Caesar I could haue had graunted from you vpon request I will thinke conferred vpon me out of your owne voluntarie free will if you doe but graunt me this petition And because you may the more readily encline to comfort him herein behold one reason well knowne to Caesar himselfe that Capito euer bare wonderfull loue and great respect to Caesar. But Caesar himselfe can testifie thus much I know he hath a verie good memorie and therefore I 'le mention it no further I require nothing else but that you will moue Caesar in the cause of Capito with equall zeale to the memoriall you shall perceiue that he retaineth of Capito I 'le deliuer vnto you what experience I haue made of him of what validitie it is your selfe shall iudge You vnderstand what part I tooke what cause was by me defended You are priuie what men and what societie of men I followed Of thus much be assured that if in this warre I perform'd any thing against Caesars mind I was aduis'd â—xhorted and euen driuen vnto it by others and I am not ignorant how Caesar himselfe knowes that I was violently haâ—â—d thereunto but if in the same warre I bare my selfe more temperately and moderately then anie other Capito was the man that councelled and perswaded me so to doe like to whom if my other friends had bin peraduenture it might haue beene profitable to the Common-wealth and my selfe I know I should haue infinitely benefitted Now my Planâ—us if you satisfie me in this my desire I shall bee confirmed in my hopes that I am of you beloued and you shall gaine the same Capito a most thankefull officious and very honest friend in requitall of a fauour so important Farewell Cicero to Acilius Vice-Consull Ep. 30. LVcius Manlius Sosis was sometimes of Catina but he is now become a Romaine Cittizen together with th' other Neapolitanes and was created Decurio of Naples For before it was granted to the conâ—ederates of the people of Rome to be free denizens and to those of Latium he was chosen cittizen of the Towne of Naples His brother not long since died in Catinâ— Wee doe not thinke he will any waies be crost about the inheritances descended to him for he is now in possession of them but in that besides these goods he hath other old negotiations in Sicilia I recommend vnto you both this inheritance left him by his brother and all other his affaires but aboue all I commend himselfe vnto you as a man of great integritie my very familiar friend and one that is adorned with those studies of doctrine and that learning wherein I especially am delighted I request you therefore that
and opposition must be vaine and friuolous And whatsoeuer I haue hitherto written hath beene almost wholly vpon this occasion That you may at leâ—gth looke to your selfe The courses of the Senate of all Courts of iustice and the whole state are altered nothing remaineth for vs to doe but to wish for quietnesse and those that gouerne make show that they wil content vs so that men will be quieâ— and not so much â—rouoke their greaâ—nesse to displeasure â—ut we must not thinke to liue with that repuâ—ation vvhich beâ—itteth noble Senators thankes be to them that haue allienated Pompeius from the Senate and broken the peace which was betvveene him the Nobilitie But to turne to our purpose about your mattâ—rs I haue found that Pompeiuâ— is a good friend vnto you and when he becomes Consull you shall â—â—nde if I be not decâ—iued whatsoeuer true partiâ—â—lar and important fauours your heart caâ— imâ—gine or be desired And I hauing an especiall care of all your businesse vvill spurre him alvvaies forward And I am not onely sure that I shall neuer seeme vnto him importunate but I rather hope that he perceiuing me so graâ—efull will herein assuredly find great contentment Leâ—tulus liue secure for euery little occasion of yours sticks neerer me then all mine owne And I being of that mind can satisfie my selfe for matter of my diligence but for the effects it is impossible as not being able with my vâ—ry thoughts to serch out the way to shew you my thankefulnesse much lesse in act to equalize the least part of your fauours It is here reported that you haue gotten a great victorie And vve expect the nevves thereof from you And we haue alreadie spoken to Pompeius and so soone as your letâ—ers shall arriue vve vvill speake vvith the Magistrates and Senators And in all your businesse although it should so fall out that we should vvorke more then vve thinke our selues able yet it seemes much lesse vnto vs then is befitting Fare you well Cicero to Publius Lentulus Vice-consull Ep. 9. YOur letters vvere very acceptable vnto me because I vnderstood by them that you apparently perceiue how much I respect you vvhich had not beene so well expressed if I said I had loued you because in my conceit that name of respect although it be exceeding graue and holy is notwithstanding of lesse vveight and of much lesse price then are the courtesies you haue done me As for the thankes you render me nothing hath thereunto more mooued you then a certaine aboundance of affection which giues occasioÌ„ that you esteeme those things vvhich vvithout my vtter shame and soule imputation cannot be pretermitted But if all this time we haue beene separated we had liued togither and in Rome I had made more manifest demonstration of my mind vnto you For vvith equall commendation in defence of the Common-wealth vve should haue proceeded in euery action to one and the selfe same end and purpose And I hope it may yet come to passe asvvell for that vvhich you giue notice of as because you can easily performe the same Of the which I vvill here after giue satisfaction according to your dâ—sire and vvill declare vnâ—o you hovv I am affected and the state in vvhich I now find my selfe But to turne vnto my purpose if you had beene at Rome I would haue beene gouerned by your pleasure and haue remitted my selfe wholly vnto your loue and infinite vvisedome and you should haue vsed me as a Counceller peraduenture not altogether ignorant but I am sure faithfull and affectionate Although I am verie glad as I ought to be to heaâ—e you are full of glorie in your Prouince for your late obteined victorie Yet here you would haue reaped a better crop of your seede and more abouÌ„dant Because I would wonderously haue helped you to haue bin reuenged on them of whom you know there are some that greatly maligne you for hauing restored me into my Countrie other some that enuâ—e you for the reputation and renovvn which is fallen vnto you by so noble a fact and honourable enterprise Although that wretched villaine naturall enemie of his friends vvho vvithout fauour and depriued of any man to vphold him in recompence of your especiall fauours done him bestirred him vvith that feeble force he had to doe you iniurie Yet hee himselfe in our reuenge hath giuen condigne punishment to his owne offences For such plots of his haue beene discouered â—hat haue not onely vtterly dishonored him but during life depriued him of libertie And although I should hauâ— lik't it better that you had learned by my example then by your owne experience yet I reioyce in my sorrow that you haue knowne that faith in men vvith small cost which I to my great losse haue beene acquainted vvith and I am disposed to discourse a while vpon this point to giue ansvvâ—re to that you haue demanded You write that you vnderstand that I am reconciled vvith Câ—sar and with Appius and further you adde that for being so you doe not reprehend me but that you would know what reason hath moued me to defend praise Vatinius which that it may the better be explained iâ— is necessarie that I declare my minde vnto you taking my discourse from far-fetch'd passages When I returned good Lâ—ntulus into my Countrie it was my meaning to helpe not onely my friends but also the Common-wealth and because I found my selfe infinitely oblieged vnto you as being by your meanes returned I thought I was likewise oblieged vnto it as hauing fauoured you in my restauration And whereas formerly I had wearied my selfe in the seruice thereof because I would not bâ— wanting vnto it in the office of a good Cittizen I now thinke that it behooueth me much more to doe the same that I might not be vngratefull And this disposition of mine I made knowne vnto the Senate when you were Consull and reasoned with your selfe often about it Though from the beginning when you sought that the Senate should restore my former losses many things offended me finding my â—elfe of the one part secretly hated and of the other slowly fauoured For neither when there was reasoning about my house or of that wicked violence by which I and my brother were cast out of doores did they ioyne with you which should haue assisted nor yet made they demonstration of that minde towards me which I expected not only in matters that were of moment no nor yet in such as although they were for the great losâ—e of all my moueables necesâ—arie howsoeuer they were of mee but as base things little esteemed And though I perceiued tâ—ings passe in this manner for they were not very secret yet did I not esteeme the present â—â—iurie equall vnto their merit past Wherefore although I knew my selfe much obliged to Pompeius especially because you more then any man tolde mee that you saw him very earnest in my cause And although I loued him not so much for
Diogenes a very discreet and well gouâ—rn'd man went from me with Philo in his company from Pessinus to go seeke King Deiotarus though they know well enough that he is neither rich nor bountifull Liue in Rome ô Rufus that is in the eie of the world Men in other places become base and obscure who in Rome through industrie might quickly grow famous Hauing euâ—r knowne thus much and from my tendâ—r youth beleeued so I would I had beene constant in this opinion To tell you true I esteeme more of a â—riendly walke and familiar discourse betweene our selues then of whatsoeuer honor or profit may accrew from my Prouince 'T is questionlesse that this gouernment will conferre vpon me the respect and commendation of inâ—egritie and my gaines therein had beene as much had I remained at Rome Oh but you will tell mee of a Triumph What more glorious Triumph is there then to enioy the presence of those things that are most deere vnto me from which I haue so long beene absent But I verily hope to see you â—hortly On my way let me meet with letters worthie your selfe Farewell Cicero to Marcus Coelius Aedile Curule Ep. 13. THough your letters bee rare and those peraduenture sometimes not faithfully deliuered me yet doe they yeeld mee great contentment What wisdome might I perceiue in your last how louingly and prudently you aduise me and though I was resolued to take the same course that you prescribe me yet when the opinions of wise men and faithfull friends concur with our owne wee like our former determination the better I loue Appius deerely as I haue many times told you and hee seem'd no lesse to loue me presenâ—ly after wee were reconciled For both being Consull he gaue mee great respect and honour and he conuersed with me most louingly and appeared also to â—ffect those studies to which I was addicted And I for my part haue omitted no occasion whâ—rein I might doe him any pleasure of which I desire no other witnesse then your selfe for Phania's testimonie I thinke is of no great authoritie And I loue him the better because hee professeth so much loue towards youâ— Besides this you know how deere Pompeius is vnto mee and that I loue Bâ—utus with all my heart Why should I not â—â—raine my selfe to fauour him Is hee not of a flourishing age rich and powerfull Is hâ—e not gotten to a high degree of honour Hath he not a rare wit Doth hee not abound in progeny kindred friends And which is more is he not my Colleague Hath he not dedicated his inuentionâ— vnto mee I am transported thus far to remoue from you that suspition which our letters imply of my affection towards him You must needes haue heard something But be assured they are deceiued And though in my Prouinciall managings I take some different courses from his whereupon some may suppose that I doe this rather out of a secret hatred then through diuersity of opinion yet did I neuer either say or doe any thing with a preiudiciall intention to his honour And this case excepted which Dolobella's temerity hath exposed mee vnto I am ready to become an humble Sutor for him in any dâ—nger One part of your letter where you write that the Ciâ—y sleepes reioyced me much conceiuing thereby that that same friend of ours was growne cold But the last words of your hand-writing peirced my very heart What doth Curio defend Caesar Who but my selfe would beleeue it for as I liue I thought so Oh how I desire to laugh with you Because I had visited all parts of my Prouince and made you a relation thereof and that I had enriched he Cities and pâ—rswaded the people to pay the customers not only the impositions of these present fiue yeeres but the remainder also of those fiue that are past and had â—ound no condition of men but did thinke well therof I determined the seuâ—nth of May to passe into Cilicia and after I had beene at the Campe and hâ—d taken speedy order for whatsoeuer concerned the Army to take my iourney towards Rome according as the Senate decreed I would faine see you in your Aedile-ship And I thinke euery day a yeere till I bee in Rome and amongst my friends but especially with your selfe Faâ—ewell Cicero Imperator to Marcus Coelius Aedile Curâ—le Epist. 14. THere is great familiarity between me and Marcus Fabius a very honest a learned man And I loue him heartâ—ly not so much for his wit and learning which is great as for rare modesty I â—ee in him I recommend vnto you his cause with the same care and loue as if it were mine owne I know the custome of you great Lawyers you receiue no Client vnder an Homicide But in this mans case no excuse can seâ—ue you If you wish me well lay all other businesse apart when Fabius shall need your helpe I am very desirous to vnderstand how matters goe at Rome and aboue the rest I would know how you dispose of your selfe it being long since I heard any newes at all but this hard winter is the cause thereof Farewell Cicero Imperator to Marcus Coelius Aedile Curule Epist. 15. I Could haue wished no greater prudence or expedition then you and Curio vsed in obtaining my suitesâ— which giues mee speciall satisfaction both for their speedy prosecution and also in that our Competitor who was angrie with vs hath approued in the Senate of those high praises wherewith Câ—to honoured me in relating my actions Now prouide your selfe to procure me the Triâ—mph also for I hope to obtain it I am glad â—ou haue a good opinion of Dolobella and withall that you loue him Whereas you say my Tullia's discretion must bee the best meanes to correct some of his defects I know you speake this for that which you once wroâ—e vnto mee about him what â—ould you say now if you saw what I then wrote to Appius But what should we doe Thus goes the world God send mee good of this affinity and that Dolobâ—lla may proue as good a â—oâ— in law as we desire and as I hope he will proue the rather for the good instructions you may giue him out of your accustomed good conditions and nature Nâ—w I am wonderfully perplexed about the Common-wealth I am a friend to Curio I affect Caesars honour I could spend my life for Pompeius yet I loue the Common-wealth aboue all otherâ— Labour not you much in this behalfe for me thinks I perceiue you are taking care in that you would bee both a good Citizen and a good friend I haâ—e resign'd ouer the gouernment of my Prouince to Coelius my Quaestor To a childe youl'le say And I answer To a Quaestor and a braue noble youth And all haue almost don the like there was no man that for his honor and worth was more worthie of it Pontinius departed long before My brother Quintus had refused the charge And say I had also left it him euill
hold Cneius Pompeius your daugâ—ters Father in law For if deserts be of any worth I make account that he hath restored to mee my Countrie my Children my safetie my Dignitie and briefelâ—e euen mine own selfe If sweetnesse of conuersation who can remâ—mber in our Cittie any friendship more inward then ours and if signes of loue and courtesie deserue any thing what proiect would hee not coâ—mit â—o me what secret would hee noâ— communicate when hee was remote from Rome whom did hee vse but my selâ—e what tâ—arms of honour hatâ— hâ— not grac'd mee with and in conclusion with what patience with what humanitie did hee once endure me to touch him to the quicke in the defence which I made for Milo with what a singular care prouided hee that I might not runne into any popular disgrace protecting me with his Councell Authoritie and in a word with armes at which time hee shewed that magnanimitie and grauitie as hee would neuer beleeue the words I will not say of a Phrygian or a Lycaonian as you did in the matter of Embassies but of many great men who spake ill vnto him of me Now his sonne being your sonne in law and besides the respect of affinitie I vnderstanding how deere and acceptable you are to Pompeius how ought I thinke you to bee affected towards you especially hee hauing written vnto mee such letters that if I were as great an enemie to you as I am a friend yet would I bee pacified and suffer my selfe wholly to be directed not onely by the will but by the leaft winke or becke of so great a benefactor But of these matters let this suffice and I feare I haue beene longer then peraduenture was requisite You shall see what I haue partly performed and partly set on foote in your behalfe the which I doe and will vndertake rather for your honour then for any great danger or doubt therein For I hope ere long to heare that you are created Censor which being an office for a man of great valour and high vndâ—rstanding let me tell you it requâ—res other consideration and care then this present imploymâ—nt Farewell Cicero Imperator to Appius Pulcher as I hope Censor Ep. 11. LYing with the Campe neere to the riuer Pyramus I â—eceiued at one time two of your letters which Quinâ—us Seruilius sent me from Taâ—sus one was written the v. of Aprill the other which seemed the lattâ—r bare no date I will first therefore answer to the former Whereas you write vnto me that you are cleâ—red of the imputed crime of Maiestie of which successe though I vnderstood by leâ—ters by messengers and finally by fame it selfe for nothing could be more divulg'd not that any man thought otherwise but because all the occasions of renowned men are euer spred with a common voyce yet your owne letters multiplied my ioy not onely in that they reuealed what was past more abundantly then others did but also by reaâ—on that vndâ—rstanding of it by your selfe I had the greater cause as I thought to reioyce with you I haue therefore enterâ—ain'd you a far off in thought and kissed your letters and with my selfe I reioyc't as if the businesse had beene mine owne For when the people the Senate and the Iudges doe fauor wit endeauour or vertue me thinkâ—s they fauour me also Which peraduenâ—ure proceedâ— from that sweet deceit by which I am nuzzel'd in a beliefe that my selfe also am possest of those parts to which al fauour or grace belongeth Neither did I wonder that your cause should haue so glorious an issue but that your enemies could carry â—o wicked a minde And though you are yet to purge your selfe de ambitu this need not much to trouble you For as you euer encreased Maiestatem of the people of Rome So you euer shunned ambitum Aud what is Maiestas Nothing else vndoubtedly according to Sylla's meaning but That no man should be defam'd by any other without rigorus chastisement Ambitus was wont for the most part to be so apparaÌ„t that as well â—e that seeks â—o defend himselfe being culpable offendeth as he that accusâ—th one that is innocent For whether one giues or not contrarie to the lawes how can it possibly be concealed of all the honors you euer emoyed who euer had the least suspition thereof O what hard fortune had I that I could not then be present I know well enough what sport I should haue made But touching the triall de Maiâ—state you write two things which giue me singular contentment one is that you were defended by the Common-wealth her selfe who though she were better stor'd with good and valiant cittizens should support men of your qualitie but now more especially because there is such a penurie in euery age and degree that shee being left as a poore forsaken and desolate widdow hath great reason to imbrace such tutors the other is because you so highly extoll the fidelitie and loue of Pompeius and Brutus both my very deare friends I am glad you haue two kinsmen so louing and noble the one neither hath or euer had in all the world his like and the other hath now a long time enioy'd the chiefest place among the yong men of this Cittie and shortly also as I hope shall carrie it from them that in yeares farre exceed and goe before him Concerning the corrupted witnesses if Flaccus cause not their infamie to be publickely proclaim'd in their seuerall Citties when I passe through Asia it shall be done Now I come to your other Epistles I haue perusâ—de the forme and draft you sent me of the present times and the whole state of the Common-wealth and I am much comforted in the prudent discourâ—e you make there of Because I see the daungâ—r is not so great as I feared and there is better defence then I in any wise hoped If it be true you write vnto me that all the citty referres it selfe to Pompeies direction and gouernment And also I concâ—iue how prone your mind is and enflâ—med to the defence of common libertie And I was singularly well pleas'd in your louing care and vigilancie that in the depth of your waightiest occasions you faile not to makâ— knowne vnto me the state of the Common-wealth If I had thought you had beene in these distractions I would not haue written so earnestly to you about the bookes of the Auguries Now I sollicite you not to the performance of your promise herein reserue them till another time when both the one and the other of vs may be at better leisure And in their stead send me at this present all your Orations compleat as you promised Tullius who should haue spoken with me in your name is not yet come to me And here are now no more of your friends but that all mine are likewise yours I know not what those letters be which you say I wrote vnto you in so great choller I haue written twice vnto you in iustificâ—tion of my
selâ—e about the false reports that were dâ—liuer'd you of me and in iustifying my selfe I complaine of you for giuing them credite and me thought one friend might lawfully vsâ— such expostulaâ—ions with another Buâ— if you relish them noâ— I le vse them no more And if the letters I wrote to you vpon such a subiect were as you write destitute of eloquence I tell you they were not mine For as Aristâ—rchus accounted no verse to be Homers which he approu'd not of so giue me leaue a little to be pleasant suppose you nothing to be mine which is not smooth and elegant Fâ—rewell And if you be Censor be mindfull to looke backe into the Censorship of your great Grand-â—ather Cicero Imperator to Appius Pulcher. Epist. 12. I Will first congratulate with you for so the order of things requires afterwards I 'le returne to my selfe I am glad therefore of your being cleared of the action de Ambitu not so much for your acquitall whereof no man doubted as in that the better cittizen you are the more valiant man the more constant friend and the greater aboundance there is in you of â—hose parts that deriue from vertue and endeuour so much the more was it to be admired that in the Articles oâ— so mâ—nâ—e iudges who are of power to accuse without producing the accuser there was no secret mâ—lice found ouâ— which durst oppose youâ— This was not a proceâ—ding answerable to these times to men of thesâ— daiâ—s nor to present customes For my part I haue not obâ—erued any thing this many yeares that strooke me inâ—o a greater wonder Now to come to â—hat part which concernes me Imagine your sâ—lfe â—or a while in my plâ—ce and accounâ— you are my sâ—lfe If you can easiâ—y deuâ—se what to obiâ—ct vnâ—o me shew me no faâ—our if I knâ—w not how to replie I â—ray God this aâ—finitie which my â—riends hauâ— made without my priuâ—tie procure to me and my daughter Tulliâ— that contentment which out of your loue I know you wish her Which thouâ—h I hope it will come to pasâ—â— yet should I grieue much that â—his should â—all out in time of your molestations but that your prudence and humanitie affords me comfort Wherefore I know not how to get cleare of this buâ—inesse For of the one side I ought not to disapproue a thing which you desire to be succesfull and â—â—t on the other I cannot tell what still vexeth my minde although I am perswaded I may be secure that you vnderstand very well that all this matter was brought about by my friends meanes to whom aâ— my departuâ—e I gaue commission that I hauing to liue so far of they should not attend my will and pleasure but of themselues sâ—ould doe what they thought â—iâ— and conuenient And what if you had bin personally here you may say surely I should haue entertain'd the match but concerning the time of consummation I would haue done nothing without your aduise and counsell You see how I sweat with the paines I daily take while I striue to defend a matter which I am bound to defend and noâ— to offend you Ease me therefore of this so waightie a burden For to my remembrance I neuer handled so intricate a matter And be assured that when I heard the newes of this affinity though heretofore I had beene slacke in performing any thing that appertain'd to your honor I should suddainly haue beâ—aken my selfe to the defence thereof by making you discerne not any bâ—tter affection then before â—or better I could not yet a more feruent zeale and readie will to prosequute your occasions In departing out of the Prouince the whole yeare of my gouernement being expir'd on the third of August when we drew neare to Sida by Sea I heard of this thing by my friends letters I said presently to Quintus Seruilius who was with me and sâ—emâ—d not verie glad of these newâ—s that I would affect you more then euer I did What should I â—ay more I will not protâ—st that my loue is growne greater but I 'le boldly affirme that my desire to manifest it vnto you is much augmented For as the regard of our precedent enmitie bâ—fore vrg'd me to be verâ—e warie how I gaue the least mistrust of my fained reconciliation vnto you so this new affinitie excites me to vse all my best endeuours that it may not be thought that vpon thâ—s consideâ—ation the tender affection I euer bare you should in any part be dâ—mâ—nisâ—ed Farewell Cicero Imperator to Appius Pulcher. Ep. 13. PResaging as it were to my selfe that in such alike office I should one dâ—y haue need of your fâ—uour when your goueâ—nment and proceedings in the Prouince were dâ—bâ—â—ed in â—he Senate I maintainâ—d your honour with my whole power Yeâ— I must needs say and that truely that you haue rendred me more then euer you receiu'd How many haue written to me thaâ— not onely with the authoritie oâ— youâ— words and opinion for which things of themselues from so great a man I ought to haue beene contented but â—urther with your endeuour and counâ—sell and with your repairing home to my house and solliciting al my friends you omitted no office of kindnesse to any particular in my behalfe I esteeme more of these things then oâ— those for which these endeuours are vndertaken For the ornaments of vertue haue beene obtained by many without vertue but such high fauoâ—rs from men oâ— that rariâ—iâ— none certâ—inely but a vertuous man could at any time obtaine So that I propound vnto my selfe no other reward of our amitie but meere friendship which in her selfe comprehends aboundant felicitie especially in those studies wherein we muâ—ually take lâ—king Because I offer my selfe vnto yoâ— as an associate in the cause of the Common-wealâ—h of which our oâ—inions are not different and I will daily conuerse with you in the exercise of those vertues that both the one and other of vs loueth I would to God fortune had so disposâ—d that your kindnes might haue bin as great to my friends as mine to yours and yet I despairâ— not therâ—of for a secret forâ— knowledge that my mind giues me but you need not care for this the burden is to lie on my shoulders And I entreat you to beleeue that by this new affinitie my affection towards you is not onely not diminished but it is encreased though before it seem'd to be perfect When I wrote this present letter I hop't you were Censor and for this cause I contriu'd the letter briefe and modest as letters ought to be that are directed to a master of behauiour Farewell THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF THE FAMILIAR EPISTLES OF M. T. CICERO Cicero to Seruius Sulpitius Epist. 1. CAinâ— Trebaâ—ius my famâ—liar fâ—iend writes vnto me â—hat you demanded of him where I was and that you were sorrie that sicknes was â—he câ—uâ—e you could not come â—o see mâ—â—fter my returne out of my Prouince and that now if I came neere Rome you
for the loue which still you manifest vnto me But if I shall not wrong your curtesie I would intreate you that you would preserue your friends and me also rather then by their arrogancie and crueltie to oppose mee you haue ouercome your selfe in pardoning the Common-wealth your priuate enmities and will you foster other mens rancors against her I giue you my faithfull promise that if out of your clemencie you lend me your aide in all occasions I will rest at your command but if you permit the Senate people and Magistraâ—es to be crosse in reuoking me out of this vnworthie banishment wherein I was driuen by wicked violence not onelie to my owne but to the ruine of the Commonwealth remember that you may heereafter desire to sucâ—our vs both at such a time when no means is left eitheâ— for her escape or my safetie Farewell Cicero to Caius Antonius sonne to Marcus Imperator Ep. 5. THough I resolu'd not to write any thing vnto you but by way of recommending some Friend not because I knew my commendations would take any great place with you but that they who entreated me might perceiue that our â—riendship was no whit impaired yet when Titus Pomponius was comming towards you who better knowes then any other what I haue desired and effected in your behalfe and doth besides long to gratifie you and bearâ—s me singular affection I thought good to write vnto you especially not being able to satisfie Pomponius in any other wise If I should say that you were much bound vnto mee I should not lie hauing euer procured your benefit honor and reputation whereas your selfe can tâ—uely testifie that you neuer did mee any fauour rather you haue sometimes sought to hurt mee for as much as I haue vnderstood from many For Iâ—le not affiâ—me that my selfe euer found it not to vse the very same word accidentallie with which they say you were wont to picke quâ—rrels wiâ—h mee But I meane not to wâ—ite that vnto you which hath beâ—ne reported to me I 'le leaue it â—or Pomponius to deliuer vnto you who apprehended the same discontentment which I did The Senate and people of Rome are witnesses of the notable offices which I haue perâ—ormed for your honour whither you euer recompenst mee in any part none knowes better then your selfe How farre you may command me lâ—t others giue their censure whatsoeuer I did for your sake I did it first out of mine owne disposiâ—ion and then to be reputed constant But now I giue you to vnderstand that such an occasion prepares it selfe that I must needes with greater zeale doe my endeauour And I will bend my selfe throughly thereunto so I finde not my paines and trauell lost for in this case you your selfe would hold me for a foole Pomâ—ponius will informe you wherein my helpe is so importing the which Pomponius though I am confident you will doe any thing for his sake neuerthelesse I commâ—nd him to you And if any of the loue remaine with you that heeretofore you bare me I pray you demonstrate it to me wholly in his person You cannot doe mee a more acceptable office then this Farewell Cicero to Publius Sextius sonne to Lucius Quaestor Epist. 6. DEcius the Notarie came and entreated me that at this present I would preuent that any man should be allotted to succeed you I â—lthough I had the best opinion of him that could bee had of one of his condition and tooke him â—or your â—riend yeâ— calling to minde what you wrote vnto me not mâ—ny daies before I thought it hard to beleeue that you should haue changed resolution neither would I â—tand to his meere word although I tooke him for a discreâ—te and modest person But after Cornelia your wife spake with Terentia and Quintus Corneâ—ius certified me thereof I was carefull to bee present in the Senate as oft as it sate And concerning your desire to remaine still in the Prouince I had much a doe to make Quintus Fusius Tribune of â—he people and the rest to beleeue it to whom a little beforâ— as also to mee you had written the contrarie The affaires of the Prouinces were dâ—fâ—rred till Ianuarie but notwithstanding at that time wee hoped â—o obtaine our purpose â—he kinde office you did me in wriâ—ing that you desire my buying of Crassus house might proue fortunate vnto me was an occasion that not long aâ—ter I bought it for an hundred and fiue thousand crownes so that I feele such a burden of debt vpon my shoulders that I could wish to enter into some conspiracie so they would accept of mee But the hatred they beare me is so great as they offer mee repulse and malice me openly as the cause of their ruine besides they are not confident and are afraid that I lay some snares for them not beleeuing that I can want money who freed the vsurers from their violence In truth I am reputed for that cause a sufficient man and there are somâ— that lend freely for sixe in the huâ—dâ—ed I went to see your house and buâ—lding which I thought in euery part verie faire I haue defended Antonius in the Senate house with the greatest seruencie and care I could and by my speech and authoritie I haue much drawne the Senate to fauour him I would not faile him though for some offices past 't is well knowne how ill hee hath requited me I pray you write oâ—ten to me Farewell Cicero to Cneius Pompeius magnus sonne to Cneius Ep. 7. I And all men else tooke great dâ—light in the letters which you wâ—ote to the Senate For you giue so much hope of a secure state as putting my trust wholly in you I haue alwaies promised to euery one But on the contrarie those your old enemies who were become your new friends hearing the newes of your victorie remain'd amazed and astonished seeing themsâ—lues frustrated of â—he hope they had â—o come to the glorie of so noble an entâ—rprize The letters you wrote vnto me though they containe but little demonstration of your loue towards me were neuerthelesse very deare vnto me For I neuer reioyce more at any thing then I doe when I vnderstand tâ—at I â—aue discharg'd my dutieâ— and if aftâ—rwards any man in â—ffects bee not answerable I am glad that I rest superior in courtesie I make no doubt but the Common-wealth will reconcile ioyne and binde vs together â—hough my affâ—ction towards you which in many respâ—cts you mâ—y haue deseru'd were not sufficient to make mee enioy your loue â—nd fauour And becâ—uâ—e you may know what I wouâ—d haue hâ—d yâ—u written to me I will tell iâ— you plainely both as my nature and our Amitie requireth I haue compassed matters of such qualitie as I firmely belâ—eued that you would reioyce with me being bound thereunto first in râ—spect of your countrie and then in consideration of our friendship But I imagine you forbare the doing of such an office for feare of offending some man Though
sonne to Quintus Epist. 13. THough the comfort which your letters bring me is most acceptable because it demonstrates sincere loue ioyned with singular prudence neuerthelesse I reaped thereby a farre greater benefit hauing discern'd with what fortitude you contemne humane things how well you are arm'd and furnished against the cruell assaults of Fortune And questionlesse hee may bee reputed wiser then all others who is not gouerned but gouernes Fortune trusting onlie in himselfe and of himselfe onely depending This opinion I was euer of and though it were well setled and engrauen in my minde notwithstanding the violence of vnhappie times and the perpetuall shakings of aduersitie haue somewhat displa'ct it made it almost to be forgotten But now by your last letters I see you haue replanted it and likewise more by those which to such a purpose you did write vnto mee not long before And therefore it is needfull that I speake not once alone but often and muchâ— and that I assure you that there is no iewell so precious which I hold not base in respect of your letters And though those reasons which with an artificiall forme and in great abundance you haue collected are of a wonderfull power to comfort yet nothing hath more comforted me then the constancie and grauitie of your minde the which in these your letters I haue perceiued as in a looking glasse and so much I prize it as I am asham'd I doe not imitate the same I tell you more that I hold my selfe more resolute then you who talkes so much to me of fortiâ—ude For you seeme to haue some hope of better fortune in that by diuers reasons you seeke to intimate vnto mee that wee should not esteeme the Common-wealth so weakned but that shee may rise againe as we see that one Fencer ouerthrowne by another oftentimes recouers therâ—ore no maruaile though you bee resolute relying vpon some hopes but yet I wonder how you should haue any hope remaining Tell me What doe you see which is not altogether wasted and consumed Consider all the members of the Commonwealth which are well knowne vnto you Surely you cannot finde one which is not batter'd and broken which things I would reherse yet further if I knew them better then you or if I could relate them withouâ— griefe although according to the precepts you set downe wee should whollie driue away and banish all griefe Whereupon I will support priuate discommodities as you iudge them and common with greater â—ortitude then your selfe who exhorts mee to suffer them For you are eased by some hope as you write buâ— mine is the greater constancie being supported by no hope at all And as you friendly aduise and put mee in minde I will comfort my selfe with thinking how much I euer loued the Common-wealth and by reducing those times to memorie In which I together with your selfe so greatly assisted her I hauing done foâ— my countriâ— no lesse questionles then what I ought to doe certainelie more then was expected from any mans counsell or courage whatsoeuer Pardon me if a little I commend my selfe For speaking of those things on which for the ease of my minde you wish me to meditate my griefe is made much lesser And to obserue you so faâ—re as I am able I will winde my selfe from cares and passions and I will returne to the studie of the Sciences which in flourishing Fortune are an ornament and in miserie a comfort and I will remaine with you so long as either of our ages or health shall permit mee and if we cannot bee together as wee would yet the similitude of our studies will make vs such a connexion of minde that we shall neuer seeme to be wholly separated Farewell Lucius Lucceius son of Quintus to Cicero Epist. 14. IF you bee in health I am glad I remaine as I was wont and also somewhat worse then vsually I haue many times enquired of you desirous to see you and I wondred as still I doe how you can be so long out of Rome I know not vndoubtedlie the cause that detaines you so farre from vs. If you loue solitarinesse for the better commoditie of writing as you were wont to do I am glad and reprehend not your course knowing that there can bee no greater delight not onely in these miserable and vnhappie but also in peaceable and quiet times and especiallie to your minde which being now wearie affects repose after so manie agitations and being replenished with Science sends abroad dailie some goodlie fruite which pleaseth others and augments your owne glorie But if you haue giuen ouer your selfe in praie as when you were heere to sorrow and teares I am sorrie for your griefe and for your affliction And if you 'le giue me leaue to tell you my opinion I cannot but reprehend you Alas what meanes this will you alone not discerne manifest and apparant things who with the pregnancie of your wit can discouer the most hidden will not you vnderstand that continuall lamentaâ—ion helpes nothing will not you remember that calamities are rather redoubled which your wisdom would haue you to expell out of your minde But if by waie of exhortation I can worke nothing with you I request you by the loue you beare me to free your selfe from these molestations and returne to liue with vs and to our common studies or else to your owne for you studie more then others I am distracted with two contrarie things I would not be burdensome to you wiâ—h these my admonishments and I would perswade you to giue ouer the resolution you haue vndertaken I beseech you either in the one to follow my directions or in the other not to trouble your selfe Farewell Cicero to Lucius Lucceius sonne to Quintus Epist. 15. THE absolute loue you beare mee appeares in euerie part of the letters which I last receiued from you Of which loue though I was most assured before now yet this demonstration was beyond measure acceptable to me I would saie pleasing but that I thinke I haue lost this word for euer and not for the occasion you imagine and in which vsing most sweet and friendlie words in effect you grieuouslie reprehend me but because for that deepe wound I cannot finde that cure which may heale it Alas I praie tell mee can I runne vnto my Friends Where are they you know of whom I speake for wee haue found them common to vs both Others you know are dead and others obdurate in their wil neuer to come to Rome liue in a remote countrie I could willingly liue with you and exceedinglie desire it and 't is long since we knew and lou'd one another Our familiaritie is great our studies alike what band or obligation is wanting to vnite vs may wee then liue together for my part I know no impediment but hitherto wee haue not so done though we be neighbours about Tusculanum and Puteoli what should I say in Rome Where the Forum being common
before warre which on our behalfe was most iâ—st Pompeius knew I spake truth but there were some so blinde that to enrich themselues and effect their desires holding victorie secure in that Pompeius was their Captaine they saw not the benefit of my Councell They came to armes I stirred not they went out of Italy I staid as long as I could In briefe the care of my honor wrought more in me then the feare of life I would not leaue Pompeius because he had not forsaken mee in my necessities therefore to shunne infamie like that Amphiarâ—us in the Fables I expos'd my selfe to manifest ruine In which warre no aduersitie fell out which I had not formerly denounced Seeing therefore you may perceiue the truth of my reasons you are bound to beleeue mee as men vse to beleeue Augures and Astrologers when they haue once spoken truth Neither doe I now goe after dreames as the Augures are wont to doe nor doe I marke how the birds flie nor hearken I how they sing nor minde how they eate but I obserue other signes which if they be not more certaine then those yet they are more easie to comprehend and consequently not so fallible And my Prognostication is grounded vpon two reasons On the one side I consider Caesars nature on the other that of the ciuill warres Caesar is benigne and clement iust as he is disciphered in that booke where you complaine of him Besides he loues noble spirits such as yours is and finally â—e will be ouercome with many mens entreaties seeing that they are not mou'd out of vaine ambition but out of office and charitie The which all Tuscanie doing 't is to be thought shee will be heard Now what 's the reason that hitherto these things haue done little good For he thinkes that granting your returne with whom it seemes he hath some cause to be angry he could not afterwards deny it many others Oh you 'le say what may I hope for then if he be angry with me he conceiues that he may extract his praises from the same fountaine by whose drops hee was formerly made wet or dashed Finally he is a man of great wit and prudent discourse He see'th plainely that he cannot long keepe you out of your Countrie you being in Tuscanie which is no base part of Iâ—alie but amongst others the most noble and equall to any in Rome of the more honourable sort of cittizens of your age for wit fauour and iudgement He will not that hereafter you should acknowledge this benefit rather from the time then now from him I haue spoken of Caesar Now I 'le speake of the nature of the ciuill warres There is no man such an enemy to that enterprise which Pompâ—ius with great courage but small preparations vndertooke that can say that we haue eyther beene bad cittizens or bad men Wherein I am wont to admire the grauitie iustice and wisedome of Caesar He neuer speakes but honorably of Pompeius Oh but he hath perform'd against him many terribly actions The blame is not Caesars but of armes and of the victory Doe but marke vs how hath he embraced vs He made Cassius his Legate He hath giuen the gouernment of Fraunâ—e to Brutus and to Sulpicius that of Gracia he restor'd Marcellus against whom he was wonderfully incenst with as great honor as could be wisht What can I therefore inferre Take the world what forme it will the nature of things and of ciuill warres will neuer permit but that in one and the selfe same cause all may haue the same condition and that good men and good cittizens that are innocent may returne into that Cittie whereinto so many guiltie banished men are returned This is my prognostication of which if I made any doubt I would rather vse that consolation with which you being a valiant man as you are I might easily suppose to comfort you That if you had taken vp armes for the Common-wealth for so you then thought with certaine hope of victorie you should not haue beene much to be commended but had you imagined it might so come to passe that we should be vanquish't the end of warre being vncertaine it would haue beene a thing most vnbeseeming you not to haue beene constant in aduerse fortune as you would haue beene discreet and moderate in prosperous I would discourse yet farther how much it would refresh you to call to mind that your deeds tended to a good end And how delightâ—ull your studies would be vnto you in aduersities I could rip vp vnto you the fearefull accidents not onely of auncient but also of moderne Captaines that haue beene in this war with you For other mens examples reducing that law to memorie whereunto all men are constrained to obey extenuate our griefe Besides this I would aduertise you in how great an hauak and confussion of things we liue in that we should lesse grieue to be depriu'd of our countrie when it is in ill state then when it is well but I would not haue you thinke of this reason For out of hand as I hope nay rather as I plainely discerne we shall see you in honor and safetie In the meane while although I haue at many other times performed this office neuerthelesse because Caesar and his friends do shew me euery day better countenance I more confidently promise you my paines my endeuour my loue and my labour And be assured that what authoritie or fauour soeuer I doe obtaine I 'le employ it all for your benefit as formerly I offer'd to your sonne the true image no lâ—sse of your minde then of your body a very well demean'd young man and exceeding constant in your aduersitie Looke to maintaine your selfe not onely with fortitude of minde but also with hope which you may haue aboundantly Farewell Aulus Caecina to Cicero Ep. 7. I Vnderstand that my sonne hath not let my booke be seene doubting and not without cause lest he might foolishly erre to our preiudice considering that the same which was written with a sincere meaning may bee wrested to a contrary sense And therefore if you haue not had it ascribe the blame to feare and to the qualitie of our state worthie doubtlesse of compassion This my misfortune which stâ—ll continues grew by writing and in this I know my selfe more vnfortunate then others For when a writing is vncorrected by cancelling the error there is remedie and when on is a foole fame giues him due chastisement But my error is amended by banishment the sum of which offence is that being armed I spake â—ll of my aduersary According to my opinion there is none of vs which prayed not for victorie and which desired not also when he sacrificed vpon any other cause that Caesar might be suddenly discomforted If himselfe thinke noâ— so he is truely happie if he know and conceiue as much why is he angry with me for hauing written somewhat that he would not haue to be written he hauing pardoned others
where euen strangers are wont to rest themselues Notwithstanding if you cut it you will haue a goodly prospect But it may bee verie commodious for you especially in these times first to haue their Citie for a receptacle to whom you are deere then your owne house and your farmes also especially in a remote healâ—hfull and pleasant place And I thinke my Trebatius it will also be fit for me But regard your health and haue a care of my matters expecting me by the Gods helpe before Autumne I haue caused Sexâ—us Fabius to giue me his Master Nicoâ—s booke wherein hee treateth of eating well O sweet Physician how willingly I learne these precepts I maruell our Bassus neuer spake word to me of this book It seems he spake to you The winde riseth haue a care of your health From Velia the xxth of Iulie Cicero to Trebatius Epist. 21. AFter I had informed you of the cause of Silius hee came to mee and I telling him that you were of opinion that promise wiâ—hout preiudice to his right might bee made in this forme If Quintus Caepio the Praetor hath giuen me possession of the goods of Turpilicâ— He answered me that hee vndeâ—stood from Seruius Sulpitius that a will is nothing worth if it be made by him that hath no power to testate Adding that Offilius aâ—firmâ—d the same but that of this he could not talke with you and hee prayed mee to commend his cause vnto you Be assured that besides you I haue not a greater friend then he neither know I a better man Therefore it would please me verie well and I much entreat you â—hat you would â—inde him out But doe it if you loue me out of haâ—d Farewell Cicero to Trebatius Epist. 22. YEster-night at the Table you laught aâ— me because I said it was a doubtful case whâ—ther an heiâ—e might in right challenge a thâ—â—â— which was committed before his time Whâ—reupon though I return'd late home â—nd full of wiâ—e neuerthelesse I noted â—he place where the said case is written and I senâ— it you because you might know that Sextus Aelius Marcuâ— Manâ—lius and Marcus Brutus are of a contrarie opinion and yet I agree to Sâ—euola's opinion and yours Farewell Cicero to Marcus Fabius Gallus Epist. 23. I Had not beene long come from â—rpiâ—as when your letters were deliuered me and by the same messenger I receiu'd one from Anianus wherin â—e courteously promisâ—d mee that at his comming I should become his debtor for what time I would Imagine a little that you are my selfe Doâ— you thiâ—ke it stands eiâ—her with your modestie or mine first that I demand a day of paimenâ— and â—â—at afterwards I should requâ—re it for aboue a yeereâ— but all had beâ—ne â—ell if you had brought those things which I desir'd and â—or such a sum as I would And neuerthelâ—sâ—e with that you write you hâ—ue bought I shall not only be content but take also great pleasure therin knowing euidently that you haue vs'd not only diligence about it but also loue and that you haue not bought a thing which you thought not fit for me But haue first satisfied your owne iudgement the which in euerie thing I haue alwaies reputed excellâ—nt Yet I would not haue Dâ—masippus change his minde Beâ—ause you haue not bought a thing â—o my liking You haue not knowing my mannâ—r bought these foure or fiue statues at so great a price as I would not giue it for all the staâ—ues that can be found Besides you paralell these statues with the Musâ—s of Mâ—tellus What comparison is there First I would neuer haue so high priz'd the Muses themselues and all the Musâ—s would haue beene contented with this my iudgement Neuerthelesse they would haue well beseem'd my Librarie as a conuenient ornament for our studies But the statua's of Bacchus how they like me Oh they are faire I know it too well and I haue seâ—ne them often but if they had pleas'd me I would haue giuen you speciall commission to buy them For I vse to buy those statues the which after the manner as is accustomed in schooles may adorne my roome in the Palaestra But the statua of Mars how can that fit me who euer procur'd and perswaded peace I am glad there was neuer a statua of Saturnus For it and that of Mars I should haue thought would haue indebted me I raâ—her would that there had been one of Mercurius bâ—cause I thinke Auianus would haue come to a more reasonable price Whereas you write that you would haue that Trâ—pesophorus or Statua which supports the table if you like it I 'le giue it you but if you be chang'd I 'le keepe it my selfe With the money certainely which you haue spent vpon these statues I could farre more willingly haue bought a lodging at Tarracina not to bee alwaies troubling my friends by lying in their houses But I see the fault is in my free-man to whom I specified the things I would haue and likewiâ—e in Iunius who as I suppose you know is absolutely for Amanuâ— I haue begun in a gallerie of my Tusculanâ—m certaine â—â—â—ting rooms the which I would adorne wiâ—h faire pictures For if any sâ—ch like things delight me picture pleaseth me But yet if these statues must lye vpon my hands certefie mee where they are when I muâ—t send for them and how to conuey them along For if Damasippus will not haue them wee shâ—ll finde some other Damasippus though I should lose somewhat therein As for the house when I receiued your other letters I was vpon my departure and therfore I left the care to my daughter and spake also thereof to your Nicia who as you know is a friend to Cassius But when I was returned beâ—ore I could read these your last I demanded of my daughter if she had done nothing in itâ— shee answered me that she had spoken therof to Licinia Cassius sister with whom I suppose he conueâ—seth not much And shee saidâ— that shee durst not part with that house without Decius her husbands knowledge who is gone into Spaine It lâ—kes me well to see that you make so gâ—eat account of conuersing liuing with me first that you would take that house wherein you shâ—ll not onely dwell neere me but as it were with me besides because you haue so great a desire to come to it vvhich notwithstanding let me not liue iâ— it be greater then mine Wherefore I will vse all â—he meanâ—s I can therein perceiuing how much it imports both thâ— one and other of vs. If I can do any thing you shall vnderstand of it Write backe to â—e of euery thing and certifie me if you please when you will come Farewell Cicero to Marcus Fabius Galiâ—â— Ep. 24. VVHether soeuer I turne my selfe I see manifâ—st signes of the loue you beare me vvhich was the occasion that you were displeâ—â—â—d abouâ— Tigellius I thanke you therâ—fore foâ— your good will but I 'le deliuâ—r you the case briefly
Whereupon though he be â—ree'd by the Law Licinia he seemes to be fallen into a greater danger Withall the day after the said absolution Hortensius presented himselfe in Curio's Theater as I thinke to be seene and because we should reioyce with him in his ioyes But as many as were there began to â—rample rore to make a thundring to cry out and keepe a buzzing which was the more obserued because Hortensius was come to old age without euer hauing beene whistled atâ— But on that day he was so soundly handled as it might suffice any man for all the daies of his life Of the Common-wealth I can write nothing to you Marcellus irruptions are pacified not out of neglect but in my opinion for some secret respects Of the creation of Consuls not knowing the time I can giue you no certaine aduertisement Marcus Octauius sonne to Cneius and Caius Hirrus are competitâ—rs with me in the petition for the Aedileship the one is really noble the other pretends to be noble but is not I was desirous to write this to put you into greater expectation of the issue hearing that Hirrus is my concurrent Neuerthelesse as soone as you are aduertised of my creation I pray remember the Panâ—hers and to procure Sitius to pay me I gaue to Lucius Castrinius Paeto the first volume of the matters of Rome the second to him that brings you these Farewell Marcus Caelius to Cicero Epist. 3. VVHat will you say now doe I not write vnto you doe I not quite contrarie to that you said Yes certainely so that my letters come to your hands And in this my diligence is the greater because when I haue time to spare I cannot haue a better recreation When you were in Rome and I had no businesse I vsed to come with great contentment to your house and to passe the houres with you in sundrie discourses I would I could now doe so for in truth since your departure me thinkes I am not onely left alone but that Rome remaines voyd And wheras before many times such was my negligence I let slip many daies without comming to see you Now in conclusion I am readie to teare my selfe with my â—eeth because I cannot be euery day with you But Hirrus my competitor is the greatest cause that I desire you day and night Oh! if you knew how this your concurrent in the Augurship is vexed and faynes not to see that my plots take better effect then his of which I desire you may be aduertised for in truth you would wish it more for your owne respect then mine For if I remaine Aâ—dile it may so be that I shall be created with some rich associate But if Hirrus get it not we shall haue such sport at his repulse that for all the time of our life we shal neuer want matter to laugh at May this be so 't is certainely Neither can Marcus Octauius in any sort pacifie their hatreds that are opposite to Hirrus who are many As for Milo's goods I haue so wrought that Philotimus your wiues free-man hath restored them to his kindred 〈◊〉 haue acknowledged herein his fidelitiâ— and loue giuing him in reward of his seruice as much as you set downe Now it remaines that I entreat you that if you haue spare time as I hope you shall to direct vnto me some worke that by this I may know you are mindfull of me Questionlesse you 'le say your request is not foolish but how came this into your minde I would that among so many compositions of yours some one might come to light which might also be a testimonie to posteritie of our friendship For the qualitie of the worke I referre it to you for you hauing all knowledge can best determine of the subiect In generall I tell you thâ—t I desire a thing which may be fit me and that it may be replenish't with documents to giue men occasion more willingly to read it Farewell Marcus Caelius to Cicero Epist. 4. I Enuie you because you haue euerie day so great newes as makes you wonder first that Marcus Messalla was absoluâ—d and afterwards condemned that Caius Marceâ—lus remaines Consull that Marius Calidiuâ— after his repulse was accused by Marcus Gallius and Quintus Gallius brethren that Publius Dolabella is one of the fifteene But I enuie you not because you did not see how many colours came into Lentulus Cruscâ—llus countenance when he had the repulse For certainely there was neuer a more delight some thing to behold and peraduenture he thought it would not so haue past with him and Dolabella himselfe had little hope thereof But if our Gentlemen had not had their eyes open vndoubtedly he had ouercome his sute and his opposite would almost voluntarily haue giuen ouer the enterprise I doe not thinke you wonder that Seruius chosen Tribune of the people should be condemned Whose place Curio hath demanded and in their hearts who know not his gentle disposition he hath imprinted a strange feare But as I hope and desire and as he makes shew he will not start an inch from the Senate nor from the partie of good men he is now wholly for this And that he tooke vpon him such a resolution Caesar was the occasion who not vsing to respect money for the obliging of euery man to him how base soeuer he were seemed to make little reckoning of him Wherin I thinke as also by others he hath beene aduertised that a matter of pleasant admiration ensued Curio who euer before had carried himselfe inconsiderately hauing vsed all his wit and cunning to frustrate their designes which made opposition to him in his Tribunship I speake of the Laelij Antonij and other bragadoshi's I deferred to write vnto you because the creation of Magistrates hanging in suspence I was enforced continually to attend vnto negotiations and partly I was desirous to tarry the end that so I might aduertise you of euery thing and supposing they would presently be dispatcht I expected till the first of August The creation of the Praetors was prolonged through certaine impediments I know not how fauourable fortune will be to me in the creation of the Aediles Curules It is true that in that of the Aediles of the people manifest signes appeared more in fauour of me then Hirrus Of Marcus Caelius Vicinianus I haue no feare You know how we made a scoffe of him when he said that he would put on for the creation of a Dictator The foole propounded it and remain'd vilified and many cries were heard against him The same people afterwards seemed to haue an extreame desire of Hirrus I say to pleasure him ouer the shoulders I hope 't will not be long ere you vnderstand that from me vvhich you expect and that of him which I durst scarcely hope for As for the state of the Common-wealth we did not hitherto looke for any new matter But the one and twentith of Iuly the Senate being assembled in the temple of Apollo
in vices neither wants hee wit to discerne what is best Further a great occasion of this ioy is the loue I â—eare him Doe you see Cicero how Câ—â—io hath compassed his intents For his resistance being scann'd in the Senate as it was determined and Marcus Marcellus perswading that the Tribunes should bee moued in it the Senate would not consent thereunto Pompeius hath now such a weake stomacke that almost nothing can bee â—ound to please him The Senate had decree'd that hee who would not dismisse his armie the prouinces could not stand for the Consulship which how it will please Pompeius when hee perceiues what will become of the Common-wealth if he either cannot or care not I leaue for you old rich men to consider Quintus Hortensius when I wrote these dyed Farewell Marcus Coelius to Cicero Epist. 14. IF you had taken the King of the Parthians and vanquished the Citie of Seleucia it were nothing in respect of the being present at these things Your eyes would neuer haue pained you more if you had but seene Domitius countenance when hee had the repulse for the Augureship The contestation was great each party hauing many fauours Few respected merit euery one assisted his kinsman or friend So that Domitius is my great enemy insomuch as hee hates not that acquaintance of his whom you wot of as he doth me and the rather because he thinkes he had wrong done him and that I was the principall occasion of the iniurie Now he is starke mad that men so reioyce at his crosse and that I was so fauourable to Antonius Afterwards he accuâ—ed Cneius Saturninus the younger one questionlesse for his life past infamous And now the issue of this triall is expected And he conceiues good hopes because Sixtus Peducius was absolued Concerning the staâ—e of the Common-wealth I haue written many times to you that I can yet discerne no peace And the more this controuersie encreaseth further then is conuenient so much more imminent the danger appeares Pompeius is resolued not to suffer Caius Caesar to bee made Consull by any meanes before hee leaues the armie and the Prouinces vpon which the cheefe of the Citie will contest that Caesar except he first giue ouer his armie and the one and other Gâ—llia shall not bee created Consull On the contrarie Caesar is of a constant opinion that he leauing the armie his ruine will ensue Yet he offers this condition that both of them should leaue off their armie And so that loue and discommendable vnion turnes not into secret hatred but to a manifest war I know not what side to take and I thinke for the same cause also you will be much perplexed For one part I loue and am beloued in the other I hate the opinions not the men and I think you know that euerie one followes the more honest part while they proceede without armes But when they come to a war the strongest supposing that to be most honest which is most secure in this discord I see that Cneius Pompeius will haue the Senate and Iudges of his party and to Caesar all those will apply themselues that liue in feare or with cold hopes The armies will not be equall but there will bee time enough to consider the forces of either part and to choose the best I had almost forgot to write one thing to you which was not to bee omitted Know you that Appius the Censor does miracles Know you that hee abates the pompe of statues and pictures that hee allots the measure of land that hee constraines debtors to pay hee thinkes the Censorship is either paste of beane-floure or niter but in my opinion he is deceiued for minding to purge himselfe of filthinesse he opens all his veines and all his bowels Run I beseech you for Gods and mens sake and come quickly to laugh at these nouelties that Drusus is constituted Iudge of the accused by the Scantinean Law and Appius is about statues and pictures I 'le promise yee you haue cause to come in haste 'T is thought Curio hath done very wisely in permitting a stipend to be giuen to Pompeius To conclude will you know what I iudge must fall out If one of them go not against the Parthians I see cruell discords will arise which must bee ended with the sword Either of them hath a great minde and great forces If infinite danger had not therin concurred Fortune had prepared for you a great and pleasant spectacle Farewell Marcus Caelius to Cicero Epist. 15. When did you euer see a more foolish man then Cneius Pompeius who vsing to promise so many things hath raised so many disorders But when did you either read or heare of one more prompt and couragious in an enterprize then our Caesar and more temperate after victorie But what will you say to this other thing If you did but see our souldiers now who haue done nothing all the winter but march in the raine and winde thorow difficult and cold places you would thinke they had eaten of the most delicate apples that could be gotten Oh! will you say you begin to glory in good time But if you knew in what turmoyles I am you would scoffe at this my glorie which nothing concernes me I cannot write my grâ—efe vnto you but I hope shortly to open it by word of mouth For Caesar determines to call me to Rome when hee hath driuen Pompeiuâ— out of Itaâ—y which I â—hinke is already performed Excâ—pt he had rather beâ—eaguer him in Brundusium I would I were dead if the infinite desire I haue to see you and communicate vnto you all my secrets bee not the greatest occasion of my comming thither so suddenly I haue a thousand things to tel you I am afraid lest as many times it fals out I shall haue forgotten them all when I see you But what offence haue I committed that I must now goe towards the Alpes And to goe thither about the Intimelij who for a matter of nothing are vp in armes Bellienus seruant somtime to Demetrius borne of a mayd seruant who was there with some strength tooke one Domitius a Gentle-man of that towne and a friend to Caesar and hauing receiued money of the contrarie party caused him to be strangled The City rose vp in armes whereupon I must now goe thither thorow the snow with two thousand Foot Certainely will you say the Domiâ—ij haue ill fortune euerie where And I would that Caesar who is descended from Venus had beene so resolute against your Domitius as Bellienus who was borne of an hand-mayd was against this other Salute your son in my name Farewell Marcus Caelius to Cicero Epist. 16. I Felt my life leaue mee in reading your letters by which I vnderstood that none but melancholly thoughts possest your minde And though you haue not cleerely layd open your meaning neuerthelesse you haue made manifest what your disposition was I presently wrote these letters vnto you I pray you
condemned Marcus fled out of Sicilia Caius being accused by Lucius Crassus as 't was said poysoned himselfe Thiâ— man was a seditious Tribune of the people and was reported to haue murdred Publius Scipio Africanus but in my iudgement there neuer liued a verier villaine then this fellow that was slaine by our Pompeius at Lilibaeum And also his father accused by Marcus Antonius it is not well knowne after what manner hee came to bee absolued wherefore my opinion is that you should cleaue to the Patricians for you see what bad members the plebeians haue proued Farewell Cicero to Papirius Paeto Epist. 22. I Loue the modestie but rather the libertie of speech And Zeno was of this opinion a very ingenious man questionlesse but greatly opposite to our Academians But as I say the Stoicks are of opinion that euery thing should bee called by it owne name affirming that in it is neither obscenitie nor inciuilitie and they proue it by this argument If there be any obscenitie in speech it must needs be either in the thing signified or the word signifying it can be no where else In the thing signified it is not And therefore we see that not onely in Comedies the act is plainely expressed as it is whereupon Lucilius in his Demiurgus brings in one vttering these words which peraduenture you haue heard vpon the stage you may call to mind Roscius when he recited them He left me lately naked in such fasâ—ion where the speech in respect of the words is altogether modest as for the matter a little inmodest But in Tragedies also what thinke you of that verse What woman 's that that I seelie with him And of that other Who with another did desire to lie And of this How could this man be so presumptuous As to enioy great King Phereus wife Or of these other Though I vnwilling once in maids estate Witâ—stood him yet he did me violate In stead of violate he might haue vsed anoâ—her word signifying the same thing but it would haue sounded too immodest You see therefore that a thing is not dishonest that is vttered with honest words and yet the words alter not the signification which is a signe that euery thing is honest by nature And therefore if there be no dishonesty in things much lesse in words So that if the â—hing signified be not dishonest the word that signifies cannot be dishonest You doe not say anus but you â—erme it by the namâ— of some other thing Why if the thing signified bee dishonest expresse it wiâ—h what words you will the matter shall euer be dishonest if it be not Why doe you not terme it by it owne proper name Auncienâ—ly cauda was called penis from whence the word peniculus proceedeth because it hath some similitude of â—hat Cauda or taile but at this day the word Penis is accouÌ„ted among strude words or dishonest Piso Frugi in the bookâ—s of his Histories complaines that young men are dedicated to that Penis That which in your Epistle you terme by it proper name hee couertly cals penis Which word being growne common to so many is now accounted as dishonest as that you vsed Now what shall we thinke Whereas vulgarly men say Cuâ— noste volumus conuenire Appeares it not obscene to say Cum nos I remember that a wise Consular speaking in the Senate vttered these words Hanc culpam maiorem an illam dicam Could he haue fallen into greater obscenitie You will say it was no obscenitie bâ—bâ—cause hee vttered it not in that sense words therefore are not they which make obscenitiâ— and that things make it not it is manifest by that which I haue before deliuered We must therefore conclude that the same not being in words nor in things is no where To endeuour to get children is so honestly spoken that Fathers themselues are wont to put their children in minde thereof but the proper â—erme of such endeuour they dare not vtter Socrateâ— learn'd the Art of playing vpon an Instrument of an excellent Musitian whose name was Connus take you this to be an obscene word When we say Terni we speake not vnmannerly but when Bini it is immodest To the Graecians you 'le say There 's therefore no dishonestie in the word For I vnderstand Greeke also and yet I say vnto you bini and you performe it as if I had spoken it in Greeke and not in Lâ—tineâ— Ruta and Menta be honest words but if I would terme the little Menta after the same manner as we say Rutula it would not doe well You say bellâ— tectoriola giue me therefore the diminutiue of pauimenta 't will sound ill Now you see al these are but fooleries that there is no obscenitie in words much lesse in things from whence it followes that it 's no where Therefore let vs couch dishonest things vnder modest words For I would know is not Diuisio a modest word but some immodest sence is included in it and Diuisio belongs to the agenâ— intercapedo to the patieÌ„t Are such words vpoÌ„ this occasion dishonest And we cockscombs if we say This man strangled his Father we put not in before Sir reuerence but if we would nominaâ—e Aurelia or Lollia being Harlots before we name them we must say with reuerence And certainely words modest are vsed sometimes for immodest Tâ— say Batuit it seemes vnciuilly spoken Depsit more vnciuillie and yet nor the one nor the other is dishonest The world is full of fooles Testâ—s in place of iudgement is a very honest word in another place it is not so you may also honestly say Colei Lanuvini but Cliâ—eâ—ini cannot bee so modestly spoken And not onely words but things also are sometimes honest sometimes dishonest To say suppedit is an obscene speech but let a man speake it of one that is naked in a Bathe and 't is not obscene You haue heard the Stoickes reasons If you bee wise you 'le speake ciuillie I haue made a long tale vpon one word onely of your Epistle I am glad that you take leaue to speake with me without respect I like and euer will like to follow the modestie of speech as Plato accustometh Whereupon I haue treated of this argument with shrouded words which the Stoickes handle very openly but these men affirme also that farting should be as free as belching I haue therefore vsed â—his respect in reuerence of the time present Vouchsafe to loue me and be carefull of your health The first of March Farewell Cicero to Papirius Paeto Epist. 23. YEsterday I came to Cumaenum to morrow peraduenture I 'le be with you and if I come you shall know of it a little before Though when Marcus Ceparius met me in the wood Gallinaria and I demanded of him what you did and he told me you kepâ— your bâ—d by reason you had the gowt in your feete I was questionlesse sorrie as reason required But notwithstanding I am resolu'd to come see
I suppose hearing this newes of Caesar will collect greater force Wee shall come to them â—ime enough if we once know what they can performe If you will haue me promise any thing for eyther of you two I will passe my word for Hirtius requires me to doe it I pray write â—acke vnto me without delaie For I make no quâ—stion but Hiâ—tius will aduertise me of the forâ—said matteâ—s within the compasse of â—oure houres Returne me answere in wâ—iting where we sâ—all meete and whither I must come Aâ—ter Hirtius last discourse I â—hought good to demand that we might haue leaue to remaine in Rome with publicke guard the which I thinke they will not graunt vs. For all Râ—â—e would become their enemie if it saw that we could not remaine secure without a guard I haue notwithstanding prefeâ—red all those râ—quests which I iudged reasonable Fare ye well Marcus Brutus and Caius Cassius Praetors to Marcus Antonius Consull Epist. 2. IF we made any question of your loue and fidelitie towards vs we would not haue written these things vnto you the which we are assured you will take in very good part being as you are our friend and a man of sincerest loyaltie We are informed by writing that a great multitude of old souldiers are now come to Rome and that the first of Iune there wiâ—l be a farre greater number If we either doubted or suspected you we should doe contrarie to our iudgement and vsuall custome But certainly we hauing been in your power and by your aduise dismissing our municipall friends and performed this not only by edict but also by letters we are worthie to be made partakers of your intention especially in a matter wherein we are interresâ—ed Wherupon we request you to let vs vnderstand how you stand affected towards vs and whither you thinke we may liue secure in so great a recourse of old souldiers who as we heare are determined to set the pillar vp againe Whereunto if you consent it seemes not that any man can thinke it well done that hath any respect of our honour and safetie The successe hath shewed that from the beginning wee aimed at quietnesse and sought no other thing but common libertie None can deceiue vs heerein but your selfe which were farre from your worth and fidelitie Neither hath any man else any meanes to deceiue vs. For in you onely we haue and must put our confidence Our friends though they well know your constancie yet they are much perplexed for vs considering that the multitude of old souldiers may more easilie by any other be excited then by you curbed I pray be pleased to answer vs particularly to euery thing It were a great follie to beleeue that these old souldiers are called to Rome because in the moneth of Iune you were to take order in the Senate about their aduancement For what can you thinke should hinder you herein being assured that in this we no waies meane to oppose you Wee ought not to seeme ouer desirous of life to any man in that no mischiefe can fall on vs without the ruine and confusion of all things Farewell Brutus and Cassius Praetors to Antonius Consull Ep. 3. WE haue read your letters very conâ—ormable to your edict outragious threatning and altogether vnworthie both of your selfe and vs. Antonius wee haue no waies iniur'd you neither did we thiâ—ke that you would haue wondred that being Praetors and men of that qualitie we had by edict demanded any thing of the Consull Wherfore though you take it in disdaine that we were so bold as to do it yet giue vs leaue to grieue that you should not vouchsaâ—e this fauour to Brâ—tus and to Cassius For whereas you say you complained not concerning the leuying of souldiers and imposing of tributes mustering of armiâ—s and sending of messengers beyond sea we easily beleeue yoâ— that you did it out of a good intenâ—ion neuerthelesse we confesse not that euer wee did any of these thingsâ— and wee wonder at you that hauing concealed these matters you could not suppresse your choller which hath so farre transported you as to cast in our teeeth the death of Caesar. But how this may be supported Imagine you that the Praetors resoluing for concords sake and libertie by way of Edict may not leaue their own right in the gouernment they haue but the Consull should threaten them with armes It importeth not that you through confidence you haue in them should goe about to terrifie vs. For it is not well done nor is it fitting that we vpon any danger whatsoeuer should be frighted Neither should Antonius seeke to command them by whose action he himselfe hath freedome If we were induced by others occasions to raise a ciuill war your letters could be of no effect they bearing little respect to threats who preferre libertie before all things But you know well that we cannot be prouoked to any noueltie And peraduenture you threaten vs by reason that what we doe out of iudgement you suppose proceedes fâ—om feare Our minde is this that we desire so long as the Common-wealth may be also Free that you should therein be both great and honourable our desire is not to haue any enmitie with you but yet we make more account of our owne libertie then of your amiâ—ie Consider well what enterprise you vndertake and what forces you haue to support it and thinke not how long Caesar liued but how little he raigned Wee dâ—sire the gods that your desâ—eignes may be beneficiall to the Common-wealth and your selfe If otherwise we wish that with the safetie and honour of the Common-wealth they mâ—y be little preiudiciall to your selfe The fourth of August Decimus Brutus Imperator to Cicero Epist. 4. IF I made any question of your affection towards me I would intreat you in many words to defend mine honour But doubtlesse that is true which I perswade my selfe which is that I haue a great place in your heart I went against the Transalpini with mine Armie not so much to obtaine the title of Imperator as to satisfie the souldiers and confirme them in defence of our cause the which in my opinion I haue obtained For they haue had a triall both of our liberalitie and affection I haue encountred with people warlike aboue all others I haue there taken many Castles and sacked many I wrote not to the Senate without iust cause that they would affoord me the honour of that I sue for by supplications Helpe me to obtaine it for you shall performe a matter profitable also to the Common-wealth Farewell Cicero to Decimus Brutus Imperator Epist. 5. LVpus our familiar friend being come from your parts and remaining at Rome some pretie time I was retired in a place where I thought my selfe secure For which cause Lupus returned to you without my letters hauing neuerthelesse procured me to haue yours Now I am come to Rome the ninth of December and I desired nothing more then to go presently and
haue warre with Antonius our swaggering Colleague a man beyond all other â—ost outragious but not vpon â—quall conditions For we vse words he armes He speakes ill also of you to the people but he shall not goe so away with it for he shall be made to know whom he hath iniuried I suppose others haue written the newes past vnto you But expect from me what comes hereafter which may easily be presaged Euery thing bends to ruine Good men haue no Head And they who slâ—w the Tyrant are in remote Countries Pâ—nsa is well enclined and speakes couragiously Our Hirtius is slacke in the recouery of himselfe What will ensue I certainly know not one hope remaines that the people of Rome will once be like their predecâ—ssors I will not surely be wanting vnto the Common-wealth and I whaâ—soeuer haâ—pens wherein I am innocent will wâ—th a constant mind support it and aboue all I will defend your fame and reputation The xx of September in a fuâ—l Sâ—nate I passed a decree as well about other important matters as also of this that the Prouinces should remaine to those that were in gouernment and be assignâ—d ouer to none but to such as shoâ—ld bee sent thither by the Senates oâ—der It is true that I pâ—opounded this coursâ— for the respects of the Common-wealth buâ— questionlesse more foâ— the preseruation of your dignitie Whâ—refore I entreat you out of our amâ—â—iâ— and exhort you for the Common wealthes cause tâ—at you will not suffer any man to take vpon him any authority in your Prouince and that you will euer make honour your obiect before which nothing should be preferred I speake to you freely as our inward friendship requireth Touching Sempronius if you had carried your selfe according to my letters you would haue purchased great esteeme with euery man But this is past neither is it of any great momeÌ„â— What I will now tell you much more importeth Be sure to retaine the Prouince vnder the power of the Common-wealth I would haue written more copiously but that your men were in hast therefore excuse me to our Cherippus Farewell Cicero to Coâ—â—ificius Epist. 23. STraetorius gaue me ample information both of the state of your Prouince and of the forme you obserue in gouerning it Oh what a number of intolerable things are coÌ„mitted euery where But by hoâ— much the moâ—e eminent your place is by so much the lesse should you haue digested those matters which happened to you For though the indigâ—ities which you support out of the greatnesse of your mind and vnderstanding are not such as you should take them deepely to heart â—et should you not omit to reuenge them Bâ—t of these things another time I know vndoubtedly that you are informed of the daily occurrents of the Citie and if I did not imagine it I would write thereof my selâ—e vnto you and I would also write of all the attempts of Caesar Octaâ—ianus and how the Vulgar beleeues that Antonius hath charg'd him wrongfully that hee might with violence take the young mans treasure from him But wise men and of good disposition hold the matter for truth and allow thereof What should I say more There is great hope in him 'T is thought hee will enter into any enterprise that may procure him praise and glory But Antonius our familiar friend obserues himselfe to be so generally hated as hauing â—urprized them in his house who meant to kill him he dâ—res not discouer them The ix of October hee went to Brundusium to meet with the foure Legions that return'd out of Macedonia being perswadâ—d that with money hee could haue won them to his direction and so conduct them to Rome to bridle vs here and hold vs in seruitude This is as it were a modell of the Common-wealth if it be any CoÌ„monwealth at all where all matters are carried by Armes and Soldiers And I am much vexed to think that you could not for yeeres relish the Common-wealth in a time when it was entire and out of danger and yet in former times there was some hope but now euen hope it selfe is taken away And what hope can there be seeing Antonius durst tell the people that Canutius sought to obtaine their fauor who could not with his safetie be permitted to remaine within the Citie For mine owne part I patiently endure thankes to Philosophie these and all things else which are incident to man For she doth not onely free mee from griefe but also armes me against all the assaults of Fortune And I aduise you to doe the like and to make nothing in the number of euills wherein your selfe haue had no hand In which point I will no further extend my selfe because I wil not speake of those things which you know better then my selfe Our Strâ—torius euer gaue me content but now I am vrged to loue him more then hitherto perceiuing that in your occasions no man could haue vsed greater diligence or haue beene more circumspect Haue a care of your health for heerein you shall do me an vnspeakable pleasure Cicero to Cornificius Epist. 24. IN euery occasion which presents it selfe of honouring or assisting you I discharge those offices I owe vnto you as you shall vnderstand by your friends letters to which I referre my selfe But yet I cannot forâ—eare to exhoâ—t you to be verie carefull of the Commonwealth This is an action worthy of yâ—ur courage of your vnderstanding aâ—d of â—hat hope which you oughâ— to nourish of augmenting your owâ—e dignities Buâ— to this purpose another time I will discourse with you more at lâ—rge for at thâ— writing of this there was noâ—hing certaine The Ambassadouâ—s weâ—e not yet returned which the Senate sent not to entreat Antonius for peace but to put him in minde of war if hee yeelded not to the Ambassadours woâ—ds I neuerthelâ—sse so soone as I had anie opportunitie according to my woâ—ted custoâ—e defended the Common-wealth and offâ—â—ed my selfâ— as head vnto thâ— Sâ—nate and people of Rome And after I embraced the cause I euer defended safetie and common libertie But my desire is you should also vnderstand this by other mens letters I recommend vnto you Titus Pinarius my speciall friend and I recommend him with all efficacie I loue him exceedingly both because he is adoâ—ned with all vertues and in that he is delighted in our studies He is Agent for our Dionysius who by you is much but by my selfe infinitely beloued And therefore â—hough I know it superfluous yet I commend his affaires vnto you entreaâ—ing you to haue such a care thereof as by the letters of Pinariuâ— who will bâ—e verie gratefuâ—l wee may euidently vndeâ—stand that you haue beene fauourable both to him and Dionysius Farewell Cicero to Cornificius Epist. 25. ON the feasts of Baâ—â—â—us I receiued your lâ—tters whiâ—â— Cornificius told mee hee deliuered two and twenty daies afâ—er the receipt Therâ— was no Senate that day â—or the day following The day of Mâ—nâ—rua in full Senate I
in his sales But how much this point imports let your wisedome consider I request you and request you after such a manner that with greater affection iuster cause and hartier desire I cannot request you that you would haue respect vnto Albinus and not meddle with those Farmes once in possession of Laberius For it will not bee onely a ioy vnto mee but after a sort a glorie also if Publius Sextius to whom I am so deepely engaged can by my meanes giue to so neere a â—riend and kinsman satisfaction This therefore I double intreate you to effect for you cannot doe me a greater pleasure and you shall finde it to be vnto me most acceptable Farewell Cicero to Craâ—sipes Epist. 9. THough with the greatest care I could and by word of mouth I commended vnto you the Taxeâ—â—asters of Bithynia and knew that both in respect of my commendation and also of your owne freewill you were desirous in all things that lay within the limits of your power to shew them fauor Neuertheles I was willing to write these vnto you because they whose interests are treaâ—ed of supposed that if I did also by letters declare vnto you how I stood addicted to them it would greatly further their occaâ—ions For I would haue you to conceiue that hauing euer willingly made demonstration that I generally bare no small affection to the Publicans and customers as I stood bound to doe by the great deserts of that Order I am in particular a friend to that company which receiues the customes of Bithynia Which companie both for the place they haue and for the qualitie of the persons therein employed comprehendeth the greater part of the Citie consisting of all the other companies and in it there are by chance many with whom I retaine great friendship and cheâ—fly with Publius Rupilius sonnâ— to Publius of the Tribe Aniensis head of that companie Whose honor is now especially treated of For which reasons I earnestly intreate you that all the courtesie and liberalitie you may aâ—ford you would shew it to Cneius Pupius who is employed by the said Companie And so procure as easilie you may that his companions may remaine very well satisfied in his endeuours and wherein the interests or benefit of those his associates shall occurre for I know what you may performe heerein being Quaestor vouchsafe to assist and defend them which doing besides the effecting a matter that will giue me singular contentment I promise you and because I haue heeretofore made experience I dare assure you that you shall perceiue that you haue beene beneficiall to men that are both mindefull and thankfull Farewell Cicero to Brutus Epist. 10. I Supposed that Marâ—us Vaerro your Quaestor comming to you should not stand in need of any recommendation beleeuing that he had beene sufficiently commended out of the very custome of our predecessors Who as you know esteemed of the Quaestors as of their owne children But he being perswaded that a letter of mine written effectually in his behalfe might greatly preuaile with you I thought good to doe that which a friend supposed might bee a â—urtherance vnto him But to the end you may conceiue that I am bound to do it I thinke good to tell you that Marcus Tâ—rentius Varro when hee first began to plead entred into friendshippe with mee afterwards when hee grew to riper yeares two respects occurred of encreasing my loue towards him one was because he followed those studies wherewith we are at this day much delighted he followed it as you know with vnderstanding and diligence And withall because he entred betimes into the societie of the Tole-masters which notwithstanding I liked not in that he suffered great losses Neuerthelesse he being one of that order whom I euer receiued to speciall protection our amity grew more coÌ„firmed Besides this he hauing beene an aduocate and Iudge with apparant fidelitie and good esteeme before this mutation of the Commonwealth hee applied himselfe to demand a Quaestorship supposing that this honorable degree would be a recompence of his trauailes And not long since I sent him from Brundusium to Caesar with letters of truâ—t wherein I euidently perceiued how much he loued me in taking willingly this charge vpon him and how faithfull a friend hee was in bringing the matter to effect I was determined hauing layd open the occasion of my loue towards him to informe you particularly of his honestie good conditions but hauing declar'd the reason thereof I thinke I haue sufficiently intimaâ—ed his vprightnesse Neuerthelesse I will not forbeare to promise and secure you that you will bee much satisfied in his friendship for the benefit which will accrew vnto you therby For you shall discerne him to be a man both prudent and farre from all auarice or ambition and besides of singular endeuour and industrie Neither should I intimate vnto you these thinges which you will obserue when you haue â—ad experience of them Notwithâ—tanding in all beginnings of friendship it greatly imports what the foundation is with what good fame we enter into an amitie To which effect I meant to write these present letters though it was needlesse the obligation of Quaestorshipâ— being a sufficient induction the which neuerthelesse may the more moue you annexing thereunto my letters Wherefore if you make that esteeme of mee which Varro beleeueâ— and I am verily perswadedâ— procure that I may vnderstand that hee receiued from this my commendation that furtherance which hee hoped and I doubted not Farewell Cicero to Brutus Ep. 11. IN that I alwayes knew you very desirous to be ignorant of nothing that concerned me I make no doubt but you conceiue not onely of what towne I am but also how zealously I was wont to assist the Arpinates my countreymen who are not able by any other reuenewes then those that they haue in Gallia to maintaine the charge which they are at about the worsâ—ip of the gods and reparation of Churches and publicke places Now to view the said reuenewes to recouer the money owing by the countrie-people and to receâ—ue full information of the matter and to follow it we haue sent as Commissioners Quintus Fuâ—idius sonne â—o Quintus Marcus Fâ—ucius sonne to Marcus and Quintus Mamurâ—us sonne to Quintus all Romaine knights I earnestly entreat you for our inward amities sake that you will be mindfull of that businesse and procure effectuallie that the câ—use of the said Towne may bee heard without any impediment and wâ—thall expedition be dispatched and that towardes the fore-mentioned knights you would vse all those ceremonies of honor and courtesie which your gentle disposition shall encline you to You shall herein purchase the friendship of honest men and oblige a very gratâ—fuâ—l Towne vnto your â—elfe by meanes of such a benâ—fit And to me also you shall hereby doe a gâ—â—atâ—r pleasure for besides that I â—m alwayes accustomed to helpe my couâ—try-men there is now somewhat moâ—e to bee considered for this yeare
in my house with Diodoâ—â—s the Stoick a person in my iudgement very learned Now set on fire with the affection which he beares to your worthie acts he desires to write them in Greeke and I think he can performe it He hath wit and experience in humainâ— actions hee hath beene long time exercis'd in these manner of studies and learning and he desires to giue life and perpetuitie to your prayses This is the testiâ—onie of my opinion But you that are most wise may giue a sounder iudgement hereof And though I said I would not yet I recommend him and whatsoeuer fauour you shew him it shall vnto my selfe be aboue measure acceptable Farewell Cicero to Sâ—ruius Sulpitius Epist. 17. I Loue Manius Curius who negotiates at Patrae vpon many and worthie occasions For I haue both had auncient friendship with him enâ—ertein'd at his first calling to the barre and being sometime to goe to Patrae as well before that miserable war as in the time thereof he freely alwayes offred mee his house Which if I had beene anie wayes vrged thereunto I would haue vs'd as mine owne And there is further a more religious tye as it were betwixt vs in that he is most familiar with our Atticus and loues and honours him aboue all others If peraduenture you haue knowne him heretofore I thinke the office I do him will come too late for he is so noble and worthie that I iudge he hath alreadie beene commended vnto you by his owne demeanour Which though it be so yet I earnestly sollicite you that if before the receipt of these you had any enclination to do him goodâ— now in respect of this my further recommendation you wiâ—l heape vpon him your most enâ—ire affection But bâ—ing of a very modest naâ—ure if he came not to doâ— you â—euerence or if yet you hâ—ue no gâ—eat knowledge oâ— him or that for some occasion he hath need of further recommendation I commend him after suâ—h a manner as I am not able with greater affâ—ction or vppon more iust respects to commend any liuing man vnto you And I will do that which they ought to performe who religiously without ostentation recoÌ„mend I will promise nay I doe promise you and vpon my reputation secure you that the customes of Manius Curius are such his bountie and gentilitie of that qualitie as when you know him you will acknowledg him worthy of your friendship and this my earnest commendation Questionlesse you shall doe me a singular fauour if I vnderstand that these letters tooke such effect with you as to my selfe in writing them I promised Farewell Cicero to Seruius Sulpitius Epist. 18. I saw our friend Atticâ—â— become proud with ioy vpon the receipt of courteous and delightful letters which you wrote vnto him Which notwithstanding I will not yeeld to haue bin more acceptable to him then to my selfe For though they were equally welcome to vs both yet I wondred that you wrote and made such vnexpected offers to him as if he had intreated and sought vnto you you could not more coâ—rteously haue answer'd him which notwithstanding we are assured in such a case you would not haue omitted About which I ought not onely not to entreat you that you would performe it also more carefully for my respect for more cannot â—ee done then of your selfe you haue promised but not so much as to giue you thankes becaâ—se you haue done it for his owne sake and out of your owne free disposition I must confesse notwithstanding that what you haue done hath giuen me singular satisfaction in that I cannot but take full contentment that you should haue such an opinion of him whom I so highly estimate And being so it cannot but bee acceptable of necessitie But for all this seeing by our domesticall amitie it is permitted me that I may also commit a sinne in writing both those offices which I haue hitherto denyed shall bee now performed I desire therefore that to the sâ—me demonstration of courtesie whicâ— you made for the sake of Aâ—ticus you will adde as much more as by our loue towardes him may be procured And whereas before I durst not be so bold as to giue you thankes now I render them heartily and desire that you would assure your selfe that for what câ—urtesie soeuer in the businesses of Epirâ—â— or in any other respect you oblige Atticâ—â—â— for the same in like manner will I esteeme my selfe to be oblieged Farewell Cicero to Seruius Sulpitius Epist. 19. LYso at Patrae and I here haue long time lodged one another which domesticall friendship in my opinion ought to be respected as a sacred matâ—er But though I bee tied with many â—thers in this bond of hospitalitie â—here is none that hath in me so famiâ—iar an interest Which for many pleasures he hath done me and by continuall conuersation is so augmenâ—ed that there is nothing more intrinsicall then our familiaritie This man remaining about a yeere in Rome and leading his life so as he liued with me though wee were in great hope that by my letters written in recommendation of his goods and substance you would himselfe not being there take them as you did to your protection yet all things remaining in one mans power and Lyso taking part with vs and arming himselfe in our assistance we daily feared his occasions Neuertheleâ—se in that he is a man of quality because I fauored him together with some other of his friends we obtain'd of Caesar what he desired which you shall haue notice of by Caesars letters Now though wee had our purpose yet we doe not onely not forbeare to commend him to youâ— as if wee had obtained all that was requisite but further with great efficacy wee importune you to take Lyso into your loue and protection This mans doubtfull fortunes we did the more respectiuely commend vnto you fearing lest some such accident might fall ouâ— that neither you could haue preuented But now that we are secure of his safetie with speciall care I entreat you to doe him all the fauours you are able Amongst which not to recount them onâ— by one I recommend vnto you in generall his whole Familie And because Caius Meâ—mius Gâ—mellus my Clyent being made a Citizen of Patrae did in the calamitie of his banishment adopt the son of Lyso according to the Lawes of Patrae I request you to vndertake the protection of this young man also and to defend his cause and the right of his inheritance The maine is this that you affect Lyso whom I haue found to bee an honest man and very thankfull for good turnes receiued In doing this I am assured that in louing and recommending him hereafter to any other your selfe will bee of my iudgement and disposition I now vse this feruencie in his recommendation not only because I desire beyond measure that the matter may bee effected but because I doubt that if you doe not entirely fauour him therein he may suppose I
none more deare vnto me then himselfe You know how he is in sutes with the Sardiani In Ephesus I inâ—orm'd you of the cause which notwithstanding you shall face to face better and more easily vnderstand For the rest I haue quâ—stionlâ—sse beene long doubtfull how I should wâ—ite vnto you it being plaine to youâ— great commendation made manifest after what manner you administer Iustice and we hauing neede of nothing else but that you will proceed according to your vsuall fashion Notwithstaâ—ding beâ—ng not conceal'd from me of what authoritie a Praetor is especialâ—y if he be of that integritie grauitie and clemencie wherewith it is openly knowne you are endowed I request you for our friendly league and for our equall and mutuall offices that with authoritie endeuour and fauour you will so procure that Marcus Annâ—ius may vnderstand both that you lou'd him heretofore as he supposeth and hath often told me and that my letters haue made you loue him more effâ—ctuallie During your gouernment and auâ—horitie in that Prouince no occasion can occur vnto me wherein you can shew me greater fauour Withall I am assured that you vnderstand how well your fauour and courtesie will be placed vpon a man that is so thankefull and so honest Farewell Cicero to Thermus Vice-Praetor Epist. 56. CAius Cluuius a Puteolan obserues me greatly and is my familiar acquaintance He hath certaine affayres in your Prouince which if he cannot compâ—sse while you are there Gouernour by meanes of my recommendations he will hould them for lost and desperate Now seeing so great an iniunction is laid vpon me by a friend more officious to me then any other I will impose so it be not troublesome vnto you the like charge vppon your selfe as being encouraged by your former exceeding fauours Cluuius should haue money of the Mylasij and the Alabandenses Euthydâ—mus told me once in Ephesus that he would cause the Mylasij to send their Proctours to Rome And there 's nothing yet performed I vnderstand they haue sent thither Ambassadors but I should be more glad that their Proctours were come that I might deale with them and conclude somewhat Wherefore I require at your hands as a fauour that you would enioyne them and the Alabandâ—nses to send their Proctours to Rome Besides Philotes the Alabandensian hath bound and made ouer vnto Cluuius certaine lands I desire that you would vrge Philotes either to put the agents of Cluuius in possâ—ssion of the said morgages or else to paie the moneys And moreouer that you would take order that Hâ—racleotae and Bargyletae satisfie the debt they owe to Cluuius either with readie coyne or out of their reâ—enues The Caunij are also his debtors but they say the money was committed vnto them vpon â—â—ust whereof I would desire you to be informed And if you finde that theâ—e be no decree nor â—dict passed that free 's them from paying interest for the money so dâ—poseâ— procure that it may be pay'd him according to the cusâ—ome in your Prouince Oâ— the matters aboue menâ—ioned I take the greater care because it conceâ—nes the particular inâ—erest of my deare frâ—nd Cneius Pompeius and in that I see that he is more carefull thereof then Cluuius himselfe and because I much desire that he may remaine satisfied in my best offices I beseech you therefore in all loue that you will be pleased to graunt what I haue requested Farewell Cicero to Thermus Vice-Praetor Ep. 57. THe more I heare by letters and messengers that there is great war in Syria the more I entrâ—at and enioyne you by the great friendsâ—ip that is betwixt vs to send me presently Marcus Annelus my Legate backe againe because I know I may make vse of the endeuour counsell and experience he hath in Militarie discipline to the infinite benefit of the Common-wealth And if necessitie had not vrged him to come vnto you neyther would he vpon any tearmes haue lâ—ft me or I haue graunted that he should I make account to set forward towards Cilicia about the first of May and Anneius must needs before that â—ime be râ—turned I formerly spake and wrote vnto you about a matter he hath in hand with the Sardian people And I now againe most earnestly request and entreat you to procure that he may according to the merit of his cause and dignitie be dispatched I conceiu'd by your words when I talked with you about it in â—phesuâ— that you were enclin'd to shew all fauour to Marcus Anneius for his owne sake neuerthelesse be assured if I vnderstand that he hath by your meanes a good end of the forâ—â—â—d businesse according to his expectation I shall thinke I haue receiu'd from you a singular kindnesse And I most â—arnâ—stly entreat you to vse therin all expâ—dition Farewell Cicero to Caius Titius Rufus sonne to Lucius Praetor in Rome Ep. 58. LVcius Custidius is my kinsman country-man and familiar friend Hâ— hath a certaine suâ—e which is likelie to come into your Court. I should bee as much asham'd to demand any thing dishonest in his behalfe as you out oâ— your respect to your office and honor would be to grant it I therefore onely entrâ—at you that he may haue fauourable accesse vnto you And that hauing right you will graunt it him That he may vnderstand that my friendship euen when I was furthest off was of force with you to further him Farewell Cicero to Curtius Poeduceanus Praetor Epist. 59. I Beare a singular affectâ—on to Marcus Fabius and we haue conuersed together of long time wâ—th great familiaritie In his sutes I request you not to iudge one way or other for you will obserue that which vpon edict and your ordâ—r belongs to your credit and your dignitie but that he may onely haue the benefit to be heard and that you will but willingly graunt him what is iust to the end he may know that my friendship though I were farre absent was beneficiall to him and especiallie with your selfe Which I make my earnest request Farewell Cicero to Caius Munatius sonne to Caius Ep. 60. LVcius Liuineius Trypho is free-man to Lucius Regulus my verie familiar acquaintance whose mis-fortune is a cause that I am more officious to him then vsuall For I cannot be more affectionate to him then I haue beene But I loue Trypho for his owne deserts For hee did me great pleasuâ—â— in the time of my mis forâ—unes â—â—erâ—in â— might euidently perceiue each mans good will and coâ—stâ—ncie I recommend him therefore to you with the same vehemencie with which those that would be accompted grateâ—ull are bound to recommend them fâ—om whom they haue receiu'd a benefit I shall be highly pleas'd thaâ— he might perceiue that you out of your loue vnto me tooke in good part also the kindnesse he did me in exposing himselfe to many daungers for my safetie and his often going to Sea for me in the midd'st of Winter Farewell Cicero to Publius Silius Vice-Praetor Epist. 61. I Suppose
you know well the great familiaritie which I haue had with Titus Pinnius which he made maniâ—est in his last will and testament he leauing me both Guardian his second heire His sonne a verie studious learned and modest childe is to receiue a round summe of money of the Nicaeenses of about an hundred and sixtie thousand Crownes and for as much as I heare they are willing to giue him satisfaction seeing thereâ—ore not onelyâ— the other Guardians who know how much I am able to preuâ—ile with you but the youth himselfe is also perswaded that you will doe any thing for my sake you shall doe me a great pleasure to vse the meanes so farre as may stand with your honour and place that by order of the Nicaeenses the foresaid mâ—neyes may be presently pay'd to Pinnius Farewell Cicero to Publius Silius Vice-Praetor Epist. 62. I Remain'd both much engaged vnto you in the cause of Aâ—ilius for though I came late yet through your nobilitie and courtesie I preseru'd an honourable Romane knight And certainly I euer carried this minde that by reason of the coniunction and inward amitie which is betweene me and our Lamia you were whollie mine Wherefore first I thanke you because you free'd me from all trouble and then I must presumptuously requiâ—e another kindnesse but I 'le be a good pay master for all for both at all times and with all vigilancie I will obserue you and will euer haue that care of your selfe and affaires that ought to be had of one to whom I beare a singular affection I therefore request you if you wish mee well that you will make as great an esteeme of my brother Qâ—inâ—us as oâ— my selfe And so you shall greatly augment the greatnesse of your benefit Farewell Cicero to Publius Silus Vice-Praetor Ep. 63. I Thought it a thing vnpossible that words should haue fail'd me and yet I want them to recommend Marcus Leâ—ius Whereupon I will in few words relate the matter yet so that you may manifestlie obserue my desire therein It is incredible what accompt I and my most deer brother made of Marcus Lenius Which proceedes aswell from his manie offices done for vs as froÌ„ his singular sinceritie and modestie I vnwillingly gaue him leaue to come into your parts by reason of the familiarity and delight I took in his conuersation and because I was desirous to vse his faithâ—ull and good counsell but I feare lest you thinke I ouerflow in words wherein I said I should bee defectiue I commend him vnto you with that affection with which you iudge it conuenient to commend one of whom I haue deliuered what I formerly haue written And I request you in the best manner I can that you will end the busines for him which hee hath in your Prouince giuing him therein the best directions you are able You shall finde him verie affable courteous And therfore I entreat you to send him forthwith backe againe vnto mee absolued and freed from all molestation with your absolute dispatch of his businesse For thus you shall haue both my selfe and brother yours oblieged Farewell Cicero to Publius Silius Vice-Praetor Ep. 64. I Shall neuer bee able to relate vnto you how much my Nero commendeth you Questionlesse he exalts you maruellously telling me that he could deuise no respects wherwith you haue not graced him You shall thereby reape from him great benefit for he is the gratefullest young man the world affordeth and certainly I also take iâ— verie kindlie For of all the Nobility there is no man dearer vnâ—o mee You shall therefore doe mee a singular pleasure to performe what I require at your hands vpon his request First touching Paâ—sania the Alabandensian that you will put off the matter so long till Nero come whom I perceiue to be verie studious of his good and therefoâ—â— I entreat you herein Then that you would esteem the Nicaeâ— who are Nero's greatest friends and whom he defends with all his abilitie and power as zealously recommended that the same Citie may vnderstand that Nero's Patrocime is vnto them a prâ—ualent protection I many times commended vnâ—o you Strabo Seruilius but now I doe it more effectually in that Nero hath vndertâ—ken to defend his cause We require nothing at your hands but â—hat you will procure an end of the cause and not suffer Seruilius an harmelesse person to bee tired out in a tedious suite depending in the Court of such a man as taking contrarie courses to you onely affects gaine that is vnlawfull Wherein besides the doing me a pleasure you shall also giue mâ— occasion to obserue the vse you make of your noble disposition The sum of this Epistle is that you will giue Nero satisfactâ—â—n in all points of fauour as you haue determined and effected Your â—rouincâ— hath a large Theâ—ter which mâ—ne haâ—â— not Wherein the glorie and commendation of so noble so ingâ—nuousâ— and so honest a young man may bee admired Wherefore if you be fauourable to him as vndoubtedlie you will and haue alreadie beene the multitude of Clients left him by his predecessors may bee oblieged and confiâ—med by his owne benefits Wherein if you aide him with the assistance that you pretend vpon occasion hee will returne your fauor with great aduantage and you shall besides doe me a singular pleasure Farewell Cicero to Publius Silius Vice-Praetâ—r Epist. 65. I Haue great familiaritie and daily conuersation with Publius Terentius Hyspo who in the publique customes hath the place of Toll-masterâ— and we are tied one to another by infinite and mâ—â—uâ—ll fauours It much concernes his honour to haue an accord with the other Cities Which as I remember wee attempted in Ephesus and could by no meanes from the Ephesians obtaine it but seeing as â—uerie mâ—n beleeues and I my selâ—e perceiue that out of your great bountie singular humanitie and clemencie you may confidently impose anie thing vpon the Graecians at your pleasure let me with all efficacie request you to do me th' honour that Hyspo may haue this commendation Besides this I haue inward friendship with the Receiuers not onlie in that all the same companie are vnder my protection but because I familiarlie frequent with diuers of them so that you shall first â—atisfie Hyspo for my sake and further you shall encrease the affection of the Toll-gatherers towards mee and besides your selfe shall reape great benefit by pleasuring one that is a most thankfull man haue the loue of the Toll-gatherers who are men of verie good worth and on me you shall bestow a fauour of importance For I would haue you imagine that in all the Prouince and Gouernment vnder your command there is nothing wherein you may doe mee a greater pleasure Farewell Cicero to Publius Seruilius Isauricus Vice-Consull Epist. 66. COnsidering how readie you are in your accustomed assistance of your friends and how full of feeling commiseration towards the afflicted I would not recommend vnto you Aulus Caecina a most
diuote and affectionate Clyent to your Familie but that the memoriall of his Father with whom I held an especiall familiarity his owne miserable fortunes binde me to discharge those offices which I am tied in dutie to performe for one that is most neere vnto me in all respects of friendship And the office is this that I entreat you with the deepest passion I am able that vnto those aides which of your owne voluntarie election without anie mans inâ—ercession you can afford a man of so great worth in such extreme miserie you would be pleased vpon my letâ—ers to adde some new desire and zeale oâ— assisting him in all possible occasions And had you beâ—n at Rome mee thinkes I assure my selfe that by your meanes wee might haue procur'd the safety of Caecina of whom neuerthelesse we liue in great hopâ— being confident in the clemencie of your Colleague Now in that hee meanes being drawen by the fame of your Iustice to repaire to your Prouince as to the hauen of greatest securitie In the most earnest manner I can I request beseech you to ayde him to collect the remainder of his old accompts and in al other respects to receiue him vnder your defence protection 'T will be the greatest tye that you can lay vpon me Farewell Cicero to Publius Seruilius Epist. 67. WHile I had the gouernment of Cilicia to which Prouince you know that three Diocesses of Asia were assigned I frequented with no man more familiarly then with Andron son to Arthemon of Laodicea And besides that he was the man who gaue mee entertainment in the same Citie his customes also were very conformable to my condition and he gaue mee much satisfaction both in his life and conuersation And as I lou'd him heretofore so now since I departed from mine office my loue 's redoubled because I had found him in manie occasions thankefull and mindefull of mee Insomuch that I cheerfully entertain'd and respected him here in Rome in acknowledgement of the honour which I receiued from him in Laodicea This I I haue written vnto you both to intimate that I recommend him not without a cause and that you may thinke him worthie of your hospitalitie You shall therefore doe mee a singular pleasure if you make him conceiue how much you loue mee that is if you receiue him to your protection and assist him wherein soeuer honestly you may and without your own inconuenience I shall take it in wondrous good part and I double entreat you for performance Farewell Cicero to Publius Seruilius Isauricus Vice-Consull his Colleague Epist. 68. REading your letters wherein you gaue me partiâ—ular notice of your nauigation I took great contentment in that I found you mindefull of our friendship which so exceedingly pleased me that nothing could befall mee more acceptable â—o me But yet I must tell you it would turn to my far greater contentment if you would write familiarly to me of the Common-wealth that is of the state of your Prouince and of your ordinances Which though by manie I shall vnderstand For the report of your nâ—me will procure that they cannot bee concealed neuerthelesse I should be glad to vnderstand of it by your letters I touching my opinion of the Common-wealth will not write often to you for the danger which accompanies letters of that importance but of the daily occurrâ—nts I will write often to you And yet mee thinkes I conceiue some hope that Caesar our Colleague would and now intends we should haue some forme of a Common-wealth At whose counsels it much imports that you were present but if it turne to your greater benefit that is to your greater glorie to gouerne Asia and to cure that weake and ill-conditioned part of the Common-wealth there 's no reason but I should abate my desire vpon the hope of your benefit If any thing fall out wherin your dignitie shall be interessed I will labour therein with such affection and vigilancie as greater cannot be required And aboue all I wil obserue with due respect your renowned Father Whereunto I am bound by ancient amitie and your benefits and dignitie Farewell Cicero to Publius Seruilius his Colleague Ep. 69. CAius Curtius Mithres is Free-man to Posthumius my familiar acquaintance but he honours and obseruâ—s me as much as his owne Master Whensoeuer I was in Ephesus I was no lesse bold with his house then with mine owne and in diuers occasions I haue found him to mee both a good and faithfull friend Wherefore if it occurre that either I or anie of my friends haue need of anie thing in Asia I vsuallie write to him I make vse therin not onely of his fidelitie and endeuour but I command his house and goods as freely as if they were proper to my selfe Thus much I thought good to write vnto you somwhat difâ—usedly to giue you to vnderstand that I recommend not vnto you anie vulgar person or that I discharge this office out of anie ambition but by reason that by the intimate familiaritie and viscerall amitie I haue with him I am thereunto excited I beseech you therfore in a suite which he hath about certaine lands with one Colophonius fauour me to backe him so far as conueniently you may without your owne disparagement or preiudice Though I know his modestie so well that he will in nothing bee buâ—thensome vnto you If by meanes of this my recommendation and the merit of his owne integritie he may obtaine that you will be his friend and repute him for an honest man he will thinke he hath made the greatest purchase that the world affordeth And therefore I entreat you the most effectually I can to take him into your protection and to reckon him in the number of your fâ—iends In all your occasions I will not faile both with my counsell and endeuours to doe you anie acceptable pleasuâ—e Farewell Cicero to Publius Seruilius his Colleague Ep. 70. BEcause euerie man takes notice that you loue mee diuers affect that I should recommend them to you I somtimes herein satisfie the vulgar but most an end my friends as at this present For I haue singular friendship and familiaritie with Tituâ— Ampius Menander a thriâ—tie diligent and modest person Whose fidelitie is well knowne both to his Patron and my selfe I shall take it exceeding well that you would in anie thing wherein you may without your owne preiudice fauour him And this is my especiall request vnto you Farewell Cicero to Publius Seruilius his Colleague Ep. 71. I Recommend vnto you diuers vpon necessiâ—ie because our great friendship and your good will towards mee is knowne to euerie man And though I desire you should bee free of your fauors to all those whom I recommend yet doe I not requâ—st it equally to all men Titus Agusius in the time of my disgraces neuer left mee either in trauailes nauigations and turmoiles nay in my verie dangers hee was alwaies with me neither at this time would he
haue departed from me had I not permitted him Wherefore I recommend him to you as one of my house and as my verie vsefull friend You shall doe me a great pleasure if you so entrâ—at him that hee may take notice of the profit and assistance that did accrue vnto him through my recommendation Farewell Cicero to Publius Seruilius his Colleague Ep. 72. BEfore you departed from Rome I recommended vnto you in your garden as effectuallie as I could the goods moueables reckonings and possessions that my necessarie friend Caerellia hath in Asia and you according to your custome and continuall waightie courtesies freely tooke vpon you to doe any thing Now I hope you are as mindfull of the said businesse as you were wont to be of other matters Notwithstanding Caerellia's Solicitors haue written to me that it were good to giue you often remembrance thereof being for the greatnesse of your Prouince and the multitude of affaires much employed I desire therefore that you would be mindfull how freely you promised me all those fauours which your dignitie might affoord I am fully of opinion that you haue ample authoritie of satisfying Caerellia out of that decre of the Senate which was enacted in that cause of the heires to Caius Vennonius Wherein notwithstanding I referre my selfe to your councell and iudgement as being to eâ—terpret it in such sort as shall appeare best vnto your wisedome For I know that you haue euer highly esteem'd the authoritie of that order It onelie remaines for me to tell you that wherein so euer you fauour Caerellia you shall doe me a singular pleasure Farewell Cicero to Quintus Philippus Vice-consull Ep. 73. YOur gouernment being expired I congratulate your healthfull and safe returne with the preseruation of your owne honour and great satisfaction to the Common-wealth And if I had seene you in Rome I would presentially haue giuen you thanks for the loue and fauour you shewed to my familiar friend Lucius Egnatius in his absence and Lucius Oppius that was present Antipater Derbetes vseth to entertaine me and I him and besides there passeth great familiaritie betwixt vs. I heard that you are very much displeased with him and it grieâ—'d me I know not whither he deserued it but sure I am that such a person as you are would doe nothing without iust occasion Howsoeuer it be I entreat you as effectually as possible I can for our auncient and true friendship that you would be pleased to pardon his sonnes who are vnder your power especially at my intercession If you thinke it not preiudiciall to your owne reputation Iâ— which case I would not request it for I should haue a respect of greater antiquitie to your honour then to Antipaters acquaintance But I verily beleeue yet I may be deceiu'd that by such an act you shall rather get prayse then infamie About this matter what may be done and what you may doe for my sake for I make no doubt of what you would doe I desire so it be not troublesome vnto you to be further certified Farewell Cicero to Quintus Philippus Vice-consull Ep. 74. THough I am assured that out of the loue you beare me and for the familiar friendship that is betwixt vs you are mindfull of my recommendation yet will I not omit most effectually to recommend againe vnto you my kinde friend Lucius Oppius presâ—nt and the affaires of my domesticall acquaintance Lucius Egnatius absent The frieÌ„dship familiaritie I haue with him is so great as I could not be more carefull if it were mine owne cause Therefore I shall take it as an extraordinarie kindnâ—sse if you giue him cause to concâ—iue how I am no lesse beloued of you then I giue my selfe to vnderstand You cannot doe me a greater fauour then this and I earnestly request you to performe it Farewell Cicero to Titus Titius sonne to Titus Legate Ep. 75. THough I am of constant beleefe that my first recommendation preuailed much with you yet I am desirous to giue contentment to Caius Auianus Flaccus my familiar friend whom I am not onely desirous but bound â—o fauour wherein possible I am able of whom in presence I spake effectuallie to you when you kindly made me answere and with great efficacie I wrote vnto you afterwardes thereof I request you to pardon me if to giue him satisfaction I may seeme vnmindfull of your constancie I desire therfore the same fauour at your hands which is that you will permit Auianus that at all times of the yeare he may conueie his come whâ—ther soeuer stands best with his commoditie Which courtesie in like manner by my meanes he obtained for three yeares while Pompeius had this charge To conclude that wherein you may doe me greatest pleasure is to let Auianus know your loue towardes me seeing he is assured of mine to himselfe This will be very acceptable to mee Farewell Cicero to the Quatuor-viri and Decuriones Epist. 76. THe friendship I enterteine with Quintus Hippius growes from so many occasions as there cannot be found a more absolute then our coniunction And were it not for this I would follow my accustomed manner which is to be troublesome to you in nothing For you can beare me sufficient testimonie that though I were certaine to obtaine whatsoeuer I desired yet would I neuer be burdensome vnto you I request you therefore as earnestly as I can or am able that you will so farre fauour me as to vse Caius Valgius Hippianus with all courtesie and make an end with him by exempting and making free that possession which somtimes he bought of you in the Fregellan territorie If you satisâ—ie me in this my request I shall thinke I haue receiu'd a speciall benefit Farewell Cicero to Publius Sulpitius Imperator Ep. 77. I Went not often into the Senate by reason of the conditions of the times but hauing receiu'd your letters and vnderstood how your honor was herein touched I obseru'd that it was my dutie to goe thither and that doing otherwise I should haue wrong'd our auncient amitie and haue perform'd a matter vnworthie of our benefits one to th' other Wherefore I went thither and willingly aduis'd that all the Temples of the gods â—hould publiquely bee visited and thankes rendred to them for what you had effected in the behalfe of the Common-wealth And vpon euery occasion when either your profit honor or dignitie comes in question I will neuer faile you in those endâ—uours and offices wherein I am engaged And you shall doe me a pleasure to write thereof vnto your friends notifying vnto them my affection and the desire I haue to write vnto you that so they may securely build vppon me whensoeuer it occurres that I may giue you any assistance Marcus Bollanuâ— is a friend to me of manie yeares standing an honest man valiant and adorned with as many good parts as can be desired I recommend him to you wiâ—h all zeale and entreat you to let him vnderstand how this my
my terrible stormes and safe shield against the trecherie of mine enemies And after your departure I contracted friendship with Brutus your kinsman so as I perswade my selfe that from so noble a wit and absolute learning as yours is in all times great honour and contentment will accrew vnto me And I request you as earnestly as I may to worke so that you confirme me in this beleefe and aduerâ—ise me of all euents that happen but especially when you come to Rome Farewell Cicero to Caius Cassiuâ— Epist. 15. THough each of vs departed from the warre vpon like deliberations with hope of peace and hatred of ciuill bloudshed Yet being the first who retired I am peraduenture the more bound to defend the course that wee had taken though many times I call to minde how being together and consulting of sundrie and great matters betweene our selues to prouide for our safeties we held one opinion and made one conclusion Which was to attend what successe the first battaile would haue after which of necessitie it was expedient that either the whole cause should be determined or at least our iudgemâ—nt resolued Which resolution was neuer reprehended but by those who maintained that it was better for the Common-wealth to be absolutely dissoluedâ— then to remaine weakned and dismembered And I saw that if she once perished al hope of reducing her to her due state went with her But if shee were but languishing there would be yet some comfort But things haue happened so farre beyond all mens opinion as it is a greater miracle that â—uer they could fall out then that we were not able to foresee or being men to presage them Questionlesse I confesse that I supposed that after the fatall battaile fought the victorious would prouide for common safetie and the vanquished for themselues But I likewise iudged that these effects could not grow from any other root then from suddaine victorie and humilitie of the vanquished and had this humilitie beene they who were in Africa had found in him the same clemencie which they that went into Asia and Achaia had experienced And that without any other mediation but his owne But the euill proceeded from this that times were carelesly let run on which greatly imparts in ciuill warres For a yeare and an halfe running on in this manner some conceiu'd hope to ouercome others without hope of victorie choose rather to die fighting then to liue by comming to their enemies for mercie And of all these disasters Fortune beares the blame For who would euer haue thought that the Alexandrian warre would euer haue drawne to such a length the warre ciuill And that one Pharnaces could haue strokeÌ„ such a terror into all Asia We concurred all in one election though with a diuersitie of Fortune you went into a part where you might consult and disâ—erne the end of things a faâ—re off which greatly rids â—he minde of cares And I was desirous to meete with Caesar in Italie supposing he would haue come thither with that troupe of renowned men whom he hath preserued and with an intention to moue him to peace whereunto he seem'd readie and verie willing But I could not doe as I would because he pursued his enemie and went farre from these parts Now in what state I liue coniecture you I heare on euery side of the deepe woes and direfull lamentations of miserable Italie and our distressed Cittie Whereunto both you and I and euery man according to his Forces might peraduenture haue found some remedie if the chiefe Commander had arriued Wherefore I request you by all the loue that you haue euer borne me to write vnto me what successe things haue what foundations you lay what may be hoped for and how we should carrie our selues I will performe whatsoeuer your letters enioyne me And I would to God I had followed the councell which you gaue me in your first vnfortunate letters which you sent me from Luceria for then I had without any molâ—station preseru'd my dignitie Farewell Cicero vice-Consull to Caius Cassius Epist. 16. I Perswade my selfe that you will be halfe ashamed to see your selfe surprised with this third Epistle before I can get so much as a lyne or a letter from you But I write not these to vrge you to so small a matter for I expect nay I challenge longer discourses from you If I had opportunitie I would send you euery houre three letters For in writing to you methinkes I haue a kind of a representation of your owne person euer before me though I allow not of these phantasticke apparitions of Catius who approues of those mentall visions of Idols on whose authoritie your new friends relying affirme that the phantasie is able to frame in it selfe the similitude of any imagined bodie And to the end you may vnderstand that Catius the Insubrian of the sect of Epicurus lately dead calleth those Spectra which Gargesius and before him Dâ—mocritus by another title termeâ— Idols And though it may be that these Spectra may be seene because they represent themsâ—lues vnto the eye Yet I would faine haue any man tell me how they can also penetrate the minde And how is it probable that thought or cogitation should haue this priuiledge that as soone as I thinke of you your Spectrum should present it selfe vnto my minde And not onely of yours who are seated in the most secret cell of my memorie but if a conceipt should rise in my imagination in what forme the Island of Britannia lyeth should I beleeue that the Idoll of it would be presented vnto me But I 'le reserue this present subiect till another time Now I meanâ— to trie you and if I perceiue that you should grow choleriâ—ke or that you take it as an affront I will goe further and I will grieue for the vâ—olence hath beene offered youâ— prâ—ying that you may be restored to that heresie from whence you were by Aâ—mes expelled Neither will it sufâ—ice to alledge that for these two or three years you haue voluntarily exiled your selfe from vertue that you haue beene allured by the sweet bait of pleasures and delights but with whom speake I Marie with a man of grauitie and maturiâ—ie who since you dedicated your selfe to publicke negotiations haue in all times gouerned your selfe with that prudence that you haue replenished Rome with honourable and rare examples So that a doubt growes in me whether this sect sprung not out of a better Trunke then we imagine seeing you affected to insert your selfe thereinto But what new conceit leads thee O Cicero Why I 'le tell you the truth It neither being secure nor I being willing to write what I thinke about the Common-wealth I entred into these phantasies thinking it better to write of them then nothing Farewell Cicero to Caius Cassius Epist. 17. YOu haue a companie of prepoâ—terous Corrier's when they go from hence they demand my letters when â—hey come hither they bring me none Although in truth
or dismembred after conferring these as sufficient and carefull obseruers of our Authour amongst themselues and all with the text I haue followed the most seeming probable interpretation Neither haue I neglected the precept that in this case Horace gaue me Nec verbum verbo curabis reddere fidus Interpres Faithfull Translator thou shalt not afford Exchange of languages made word for word Leâ—t I might erre with that English Gentle-man who being demanded by an Italian what was become of his foot-boy made answer Ha preso i suoi calcagni Which sounded almost as well to the Italian as this other to an English man from the mouth of a great Trâ—ueller who being asked when hee saw his friend replied It maketh a little that hee was here Both these answers as manie oâ— the like though they haue good words yet for the sense being word for word translated the first is but English-Italianâ— and the last Italian-English Which how far they are different from the puritie of speech in either language let their Boccace and our Sr. Philip teach vs. Keeping therefore sense for sense lest I might offend mine owne language or wrong mine Author I haue endeuoured within the compasse of my capacitie to giue thee some though not all manner of satisfaction For not alone the profit of younglings is to bee respected but theirs also that are desirous to read matters of historie negotiations war and secret passages of policie and gouernment of which these little bookes are full as being written by the greatest wit and most industrious and frequented Orator in the weightiest businesses and quickest times of the Romane Commonâ—wealth An Abstract of that part of the Historie of Ptolâ—maeus King of Aegypt which is vsually put before these Epistles for the better vnderstanding of the first booke PTolemaeus king of Aegypt father to Ptolemaeus that slue Pompeius and to that well-knowne Cleopatra abusing his royall dignitie by his leuitie as playing the minstrell while others danced from whence hee was surnam'd Auletes and being otherwise in life lycentious gaue daily new occasions to his subiects to withdraw their loue and loyalty But falling into th'-acquaintance of Pompeius in the warre against Mithridates and ambitious of Societie and amitie with the people of Rome as was vsuall with other Kings and his owne predecessâ—rs hee gaue to Caesar then Consull and Pompeius his sonne in law sixe thousand talents to effect it Hee also sent an ayde vnto Pompeius in his imployments in Iudaea of eight thousand horse without any charge vnto the Commonwealth Hee kept a sumptuous table for a thousand personages and bore the charges of as many seruitors to attend them These and the like profus'd expences daily encreasing and surmounting his annuall reuenue of twelue thousand and fiue hundred Talents being inforced to borrow of Caius Rabirius Posthumius and other friends and Vsurers and after to taxe his subiects for the payment they growing at length to dislike his proceedings not able further to tollerate so heauy burdens expell'd him the kingdome Whereupon about the end of the Consulship of Publius Lentulus and Q. Metellus he repaires to Rome complaines to the Senateâ— vrgeth the Societie and Amitie of himselfe and Ancestors with the Senate and people gets Pompeius to backe him and plead his deserts and so effectually followes his businesse that it was thought not onely iust but for example-sake vsefull and proâ—itable to reuâ—nge the iniuries of that King whom the Senate and people of Rome had not long before graced with those attributes of Friend and Companion A decree of the Senate was forthwith enacted That the Consulls should cast lots which of them should restore him to his Countrie The first lot fell to Lentulus together with the gouernment of Cilicia and Cyprus For Spaine that fell to his Colleague Metellus was too remote from Aegypt and not to be annexed to the reducement of the King of Alexandria Against this decree and ballottation C. Cato Tribune of the people opposed obiecting religion and alleadging an Oracle out of the Sibyline verses That if the King were reduced by a multitude it would prooue dangerous to the Common-wealth Then they deliberated who should reduce him without an armie Some stucke to Lentulus whom they had formerly aswell by decree as lot receiued some thought it fit to send Pompeius some otherwise The varietie of opinions prolonged the businesse but Cato's audacitie ouerthrew it For from the beginning of his Tribuneship hee by dayly detractions prouoked enuie both against the King and Lentulus At length a law being diuulged to abrogate the gouernment of Lentulus in Cilicia his friends withdrew their thoughts from a lesser care to a greater feare And Pompeius waâ— by the same Cato so bitterly accused to the Senat that he gaue ouer al pretence in that reducemeÌ„t The King dispayring of the Senates ayde fled to Gabinius Pro-Consull in Syria By whom through the promise of ten thousand talents and the assistance of Pompeius then Consull hee was restored about twenty fiue yeares before the beginning of our Christian Computation Hee found his kingdome vnder the Dominion of Archelaus friend to Gabinius in the right of his wife Berenice eldest of the three daughters of the said Ptolemaeus but he slue them both in his restoring Gabinius being after call'd in questioÌ„ for violating the prerogatiue of the CoÌ„monwealth in that he had passed the bounds of his Prouince against the Law Cornelia de Maiestate was by corruptioÌ„ of Iudges absolued The detestation whoreof was cause that hee was shortly after accused of extortion condemned and with conâ—iscation of goods banished Our Cicero was in the first accusation Playntife in the last at the request of Pompeius defendant Read Cicero's Oration in defence of Caius Rabirius Posthumius THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE FAMILIar Epistles of M. T. Cicero Cicero to Publius Lentulus Vice-consul Epist. 1. IN all my endeuours on your behalfe and especially in my deuoted affection towards you I satisfie all other men yet neuer satisfie my selâ—e For you haue so well deserued of me because you neuer left my businesse â—ill 't was effected that I not hauing the like successe in yours finde my life diâ—tastfull to me The reasons are these Ammonius the Kings Ambassadour manifestly withstands vs by money And the businesse is carried by those Creditors who had the managing thereof while you were present There are but few if any that are inclining to the Kings suite and they all will haue the businesse referred to Pompeius The Senate giues way to the brute raised of the Religion not for the Religion but for iust disdaine and hatred taken against the Kinges briberie or corruption We cease not to exhort and intreat Pompeius and in conclusion freely to reprehend him and to admonish him that he draw not on him so great an infamie But my entreaties and aduertisements are needlesse for as well in his priuate discourses as openly in the Senate he hath so carried
who knows that this may not proue for the best but wee 'le talke of that at our meeting Hold you on your course that you may loue me and know that I loue you Farewell Cicero to Caius Sextilius Rufus Quaestor Epist. 48. I Recommend vnto you all the Cyprij but more especâ—ally the Paphij Wherin soeuer you assist them I shall greatly be obliged And this office of recommending them I performe so much the more willinglyâ— because I suppose it will also redownd as I desire to your owne commendation comming first Quaestor into that Island to institute those orders according to which others are to bee gouerned Which as I hope you may the more easily effect if you doe but follow the law of your louing friend Publius Lâ—ntulus and the orders by me constituted Which I am conâ—ident will purchase you great estimation Farewell Cicero to Curius vice-Consull Epist. 49. QVintus Pompâ—ius sonne to Sextus is for many and ancient respects of amitie interessed in me If this man heeretofore were accustomed to preserue his goods by my recommendations fauour and dignitie Questionlesse now when you gouerne the Prouince by meanes of my letters hee must needs take comfort in obseruing that he was neuer so highly recommended vnto any as at this present vnto you Wherefore I request you earnestly that whereas for our priuate amities sake you are to obserue all my friends as your owne aboue all others take this man so to your protection that he may perceiue that nothing could haue turned more to his honor and benefit then my recommendation Farewell Cicero to Aristus vice-Consull Epist. 50. YOur obseruance of me which I manifestly discern'd when wee were togeather at Brundusium giues me encouragement to write with familiaritie and as it were with authoritie unto you when any thing falls out that imports me Marcus Curio who negotiâ—ted at Patrae is so domesticall with me as a nearer acquaintance can not bee deuised I haue receiu'd many benefits from him and he as many from mee And which is aboue all we beare one another singular affection Which being so as you haue any hope in my amitie as you would make the fauours and courtesies you shewed me at Brundusium to bee of greater acceptâ—nce though they were most acceptable as you seeme to be beloued of al yours grant and bestow vpon me this kindenes that Manius Curius suffer no preiudice and that by you he may be freely exempted from all exaction detriment and molestâ—tion And I assure you and all your friends in my behalfe shall warrant that from â—y friendship and your humanitie vs'd vnto me great benefit and contentment shall accâ—ew vnto you Farewell Cicero to Publius Câ—sius Ep. 51. PVblius Messiâ—nus a Romane Knight is a man so qâ—alifiâ—d and compleat as he is in nothing defectiue and besides he is my most Familiar friendâ— Wherfore with the greatest care I can I recommend him to you entreating you both for ours and our fathers friendship to take him to your protection and to haue a care of his goods and honour you shall binde vnto you a verie honest man and one that 's worthie of your friendship and for mee you shall heerein doe an acceptable office Farewell Cicero to Rex Epist. 52. AVâ—us Licinâ—us Arisâ—oteles of Mâ—lita hath anciently entertained me and is besides my familiar acquaintance out of the daily conuerâ—ation hath pass'd betwixt vs. For which reasons I assure my selfe you will hold him the more effectually recommended because I vnderstand by many that you make gâ—eat esteeme of my recommendation This man by my meanes obtained pardon of Caesâ—r For he tooke part with mee in the behalfe of Pompeius and perseuered longer in action thâ—n I did The which very respect in my iudgement should make you conceiue the better of him Procure therfore my Rex that he may finde that these letters did highly pleasure him Farewell Cicero to Quintus Thermus vice-Praetor Epist. 53. OF long time I haue had familiar acquaintance with Lucius Genucilius Curuus a very honest and gratefull man I recommend him to you in the best manner I canâ— and cast him wholly into your armes entreating you to be fauourable to him in all his occurrents so farre as your trust and dignitie will suffer you And well it may in all things suffer you for I know he will require nothing but that which shall be correspondent aswâ—ll to yours as to his owne honest disposition But parâ—icularly I commend vnto you his businessâ—s in Hâ—llesponâ—us First that he be permitted to enioy the priuiledge of the exemption of lands granted him by decree and giuen him by the cittie of Parium which he hath euer enioyed without controuersie And further if he haue Suite with any one of Hellespontus thâ—t you will refer it to that Diocesse But seeing in generall I haue commended him â—o you with such efficacie me thinkes I should not so particularly write of his affaires The summe is this all courtesie benefit and honor which you shal place on Genâ—cilius I wil repute it as performeâ— to my selfe and for mine owne interest 's Farewell Cicero to Thermus vice-Praetor Epist. 54. OF many offices which you haue perâ—ormed vpon my recommendation there 's none for which I hold my selfe moâ—e bound vnto you then for the singular couâ—tâ—sie vsed to Marcus Marcilius soâ— vnto my friend and my interpreter Who comming to Laodicea highly extolled you and gaue me infinite thankes because at my request you had confâ—rred vpon him your fauour Wherefore nothing now remaines but to request you that seeing you besâ—ow benefits on gratâ—full persons that you will for this respect be the more fauourable to them and vâ—e all meanes that stand with your reputation that the mother in law of the said young man be not cal'd in question As before I carefully commended Marcilius so now I recommend him much more carefully hauing by long seruice had experience of the singular and as it were incredible fidelitie abstinence and modestie of the father of Marcilius Farewell Cicero to Thermus vice-Praetor Epist. 55. THough me thought I perceiu'd when I talked with you in Ephesus about the businesse of Marcus Anneius my Legate how you were readie vpon all occasions to doe him pleasure neuerthelesse both the same Marcus Anneius is â—o deare vnto me that I am enclin'd to effect any thing that may bee for his benefit and I esteeme my selfe so neare vnto him as I am assured that besides your â—ormer disposition to doe him good you will adde a new desire of fauouring him vpon my commendations For â—hough I haue loued Marcus Anneius of long time and conceiue that opinion of him which th' effects demonstrate hauing voluntarily chosen him Legate which office hath bin sued â—or by many whom I euer refused neuerthelesse seeing he was with mee in the warre and in the managing of military actions I discern'd in him so great valour prudence fidelitie and good will towards me that there are