may know how to defend me For there are some who though my death would no waies aduantage the Common-wealth yet they thinke it a great sinne that I doe liue And these men I am certaine thinke the number of them that were slaine in this warre to be very small who if they had followed my aduise though with vniust peace yet with honour they might haue liued For they should haue beene inferior in armes onely but not in equitie Heere is a longer Epistle then peraduenture you dâ—sired and I â—â—all beleeue you take it so except you write me another longer If I can dispatch some businesses of mine owne I hope shortly I shall see you Farewell Cicero to Marcus Marius Epist. 4. THE xiiii of this present I came into Gumanum with our Libo I thinke presently â—o goe to Pompeianum But I 'le first let you know of it I desire that you should be alwaies healthfull but more questionlâ—sse while wee are â—ogether For you see we shall shortly meet Wherefore if you determined to applie any remedie to the gowte deferre it while another time Be carefull thereâ—ore of your health and expect me within two or three daies Farewell Cicero to Caius Caesar Imperator Epist. 5. BEhold how secure I am that your minde is no waâ—es different from mine not onely in my owne occasions but also in those of my frends I thought to haue brought Caius Trâ—batius in my companie whither soeuer I went with an intent to do him all the honour and fauours that possiblie I could But seeing Pompeius iourney growes much longer then I supposed and in that I may easily for a ceâ—taine suspition that you are priuie to either stay or at least prolong my deparâ—ure see what securitie I repose in you I haue begun to resolue that Trebaâ—ius shall attend for that from you which hee hoped for from me and I haue promised him no lesse in your good affection then I was wont to assure him of mine owne But there hath happened a wonderfull accident as it were to assure mee that my conceite was not vaine and to secure me of your fauour For our â—riend Bâ—lbus being in my house and I speaking affectionately to him of the foresaid Trebatius a letter of yourâ— was brought me in the end of whiâ—h you wrote thus I will make Marcus Furius whom you commend vnto mee either kâ—ng of Gall or Lâ—pta's Ambassabour If you please send mee another that may for your sake be honoured I and Balbus blisse ourselues that this should happen at such a time as it seemed not fallen out by chance â—ut euen sent from heauen Behold therefore I send vnto you Trebatius and so much the more willinglie because besides mine owne desire you inuite me to send him also I entreat you my Caesar to embrace him with that humanitie which is so incident to your owne naturâ— and to conferre those benefits vpon him alone which for my sake you would procure any friend of mine And this I assure you in his behalfe not with my old manner of speech whereat writing to you of Milo you worthily laughed but after the Roman manner as discreet man speake that there is no man that in bountie valour or modestie goes beyond him whereunto may bee added for the greater ornament of his other qualities a singular memorie and perfect knowledge of that which appeâ—taines to the gouernment of Ciâ—ies I doe not require you to make him a Praefect or a Tribune or to giue him any othâ—r dignitie onely I desire that you would loue him and vouchsafe him your accustomed courtesie And yâ—t I shall not take it â—ll if you please to aduance him with such like titles of glory And finâ—lly ridding him as they say out of mine owne haâ—ds I put him into yours so famous for victorie and promise obserued But it may be I vse more ceremonies in this then your courteous disposition comporteth But for those I doubt not but wee shall finde a fitter opportunitie hereafter Be carefull of your health and continue the loue you beare me Farewell Cicero to Trebatius Epist. 6. I Neuer write to Caesar nor Balbus but I recommend you and that not with cold but with such feruent words as they giue great notice of the loue which I professe vnto you But I pray you shake off these fantasies and that same humour of returning to a Citie life and with care and resolution striue to obtaine that you hoped for vpon your departure And wee your friends will as readily pardon this as those noble and rich Matrones pardoned Medea that inhabited in the high Castle of Corinthus whom with her white hand she made beleeue that they ought not to reprehend her because she liu'd remote from her Countrey For in the lands of strangers Haue risen many rangers And haue their Countries publique good procured Many in their owne cottage Possest with drowzie dotage Haue their whole life without renâ—wne endured Among which questionlesse you had beene one if we by violence had not driuen you from hence But another time I 'le write more at large Now you that haue studied to open other mens eyes open so your owne that you be not deceiued by the Charretiers of Britannia Andâ— seeing I haue begun to enter into that passage of Medea reserâ—e this alwaies in your minde That hee 's not wise that 's not wise for his owne profit Looke to your health Cicero to Trebatius Epist. 7. I Forget not to recommend you but I would faine heare from you something about the effects thereof I haue great hope in Balbus to whom I often write effectually of you I wonder much that when I receiue letters from my brother you write not to mee I vnderstand that in Britannia there 's neither gold nor â—iluer if it bee so I would wish you out of hand to take a charriot and retuâ—ne presently to vs but in case that without Britannia we may compasse our intention seeke to thrust in amongst Caesars Familiars Wherein my brother and Balbus will greatly assist you but assuredly more your owne modestie and deserts You serue one who besides many meanes that he hath to prefer you is by nature most liberall You are of an age verie apt to serue him And by mee most assuredly you are recommended with all efficacie so that you neede to feare but one thing which is that you neglect not your selfe Farewell Cicero to Trebatius Epist. 8. CAESAR hath written very friendly vnto me how you haue yet no great familiariâ—ie with him in regard of his great employments but that without faile you shal haue hereafter And I returned answâ—r vnto him how acceptable euerie fauour and courtesie that he did for youâ— would be vnto me But in your letters I obserue too great haste and I cannot concâ—iue why you refused the benefit of the Tribuneship â—specially in that you should haue beene freâ— from the trouble of executing it I will expostulate thereof with Vacerra and
I assure you ther 's none but commends that which I affected for the saâ—etie of my countrie And when you come you shall vnderstand that I bare my selfe therein with so much iudgement and greatnesse of minde that you will not esteeme my amitie contemptible perceiuing by the effects that as you are far greater then euer was Scipio Africanus so I am not inferior much to Lelius Farewell Cicero to Marcus Licinius Crassus sonne to Marcus Ep. 8. I Know that all your friends haue written to you with what endeuour and affection I haue defended and augmented your dignitie For I haue trauail'd in such sort that they mâ—y very well perceiue the desire I hâ—uâ— to pleasure you I haue so bandied with the Consuls and many Consular personages as I neuer was so feruent in pleading any thing and I haue vndertaken to defend your honour in all occasions that hence-forward shall presâ—nt themselues to pay what I owe to our auncient amitie as now I doe and would haue done before if a certaine qualitie of the times being opposite to my desire had not hindred me And truely I was euer readie in heart to honour and pleasure you but it fâ—ls out that some men â—nemies and enuious of others praise like a pestilence infecting and corrupting our friendship haue procured that for a time there passed not betwixt vs any great effects of loue and to recouer in part that time I might well desire but nâ—uer hope â—or so fit an occasion as at this present is Fortune affording me a meanes not onely to shâ—w vnto you my true and constant loue but to shew it you in the grâ—atest height of your felicitie Wherin my hâ—p hath beene so fauourable that not onely your familie but all Rome discernes me to be your verie friend And now your wife amongst other matrones the chiefest and your obedient and valorous sonnes are gouern'd according to my precepts and instructions making vse of me in their opâ—ortunities And the Senate and people of Rome see manifestly that in this your absence you haue not a friend that more zealouslie procureth your honour then my selfe I care not to giue you adueâ—tisement of such things as haue ensued and daily fall out for youâ— friends will write to you thereof For my selfe be assâ—red that when I vndertooke to honour and obserue you I was mooued thereto out of no suddaine desire nor accidentallie but so soone as I entred into businesses I alwayes had this end to anneere my selfe as much as I could to your friendship Since which time I cannot remember that I haue not daily more and more obseru'd and esteem'd you and that you neither loued nor accepted of me And if at some times no bad effects but some dislike hath growne betweene vs this occurring through â—alse suggestions and of no moment I would haue the memoriall of that time so to be rooted out of our memorie thaâ— it may neueâ— grow againe For you are and I desiâ—e to be such a man as I hope our inward friendship shall be praise-worthie in either of vs both of vs lighting on the selfe same times of the Common-wealth You may make that acâ—ompt of me which best pleaseth you but yet I thinke you 'le value me no lesse then belongs to my place Howsoeuer I promise and make offer of my selfe in so much as I shall be able to effect any thing for your benefit And though in this I should haue many competitors neuerthelesse I 'le giue that triall of my selfe as they shall all remaine vanquished offering to stand to any mans iudgement especially of Marcus and Publius your sonnes the which though they be both deare to me yet I am somewhat more affected to Publius because not onâ—ly at this present but â—uen from his childhood he hath alwayes lou'd and reuerenced me as a Father Suppose these lâ—tters to be in stead of a league not of an Epistle and be secure that I will most religiously obserue and performe whatsoeuer now I promise you And I will euer discharge the same office that I perform'd in your absence in defence of your dignitiâ— first because I am your friend and then because I would not appeare variable or inconstant I will not therefore be longer Onely I affirme vnto you that whensoeuer of my selâ—e I finde I haue abilitie to doe any thing which may procure you satisfaction benâ—fit or reputation I will of mine owne accord doe it And in what I cannot findâ— out if I but vndeâ—stand it from you or yours I will so worke that â—ou sâ—all rest contented in hauing moâ—ed me I beseech you therefore imploy me in any occasion of yours how little or great or indifferent soâ—uer it 〈…〉 write to your friâ—nds that they 〈◊〉 my eâ—deuour aduise authoriâ—ie and â—â—uour iâ— publique or pâ—â—uate occâ—sâ—onâ— eithâ—r iudiciall or domesticall â—f your owne or of your friâ—nds to the end that my careâ— may diminish as faire as is posâ—ible their dâ—sire of your owne presence Farewâ—ll Publius Vatiâ—ius Imperator to his friend Cicero Ep. 9. IF you be in health I am pleasâ—d my selfe am in health If you tâ—â—e vpon you mâ—ns defence as your custome was Pubâ—ius Vâ—â—inius hauing nâ—ed oâ— defence haâ—h recourse to your protection I hope that you will nâ—t refuse me in matters wherin my honor is touch't hauing accepted of me in those which lesse imported And whom should I rather choose or call vnto in my deâ—â—nce then him vnder whose protectioÌ„ I haue beene accustomed to â—uercome should I peraduenture feâ—re that you who for my safâ—ty expos'd your selfe agaiâ—st â—he violence of mightie persons are not now able to ressiâ—t the bad and wicked practises of some who are as voâ—dâ— of force as fraught wiâ—◠〈◊〉 wherefore if you loue me as yâ—u were wont embraâ—e me and prepare your selfe to defend my reputation against such as these You know that my fortune â— cannot tell â—ell 〈…〉 manner easily findes adueâ—saries not vpon my demâ—rit but what auailes that if iâ— happen by my vnluckie fortune I pray you if any man would wrong my reputation forget not your old custome and make manifest vnto me your courtâ—ous disposition as euer you haue done since first I came into this gouernment I send vnto you a coppie of the letter which I sent vnto the Senate by way of aduertisement of things by me atchieued 'T is told me that a seruant of yours is run from you and that now he is amongst the Vardaei whereof you wrote nothing to me notwithstanding I haue commaunded him to be searcht for by sea and land and I 'le finde him you out howsoeuer except he be fled into Dalmatia from whence I 'le fetch him too at last Loue me and Farewell In the Campe at Narona this xiij of Iulie Publius Vatinius Impâ—rator to his friend Cicero Ep. 10. FOr â—our Dionisius though I haue sought much yet hitheâ—to can I not finde the trace of him and the lesse because the cold
sollicite but to challenge you of performance And I could not choose but send you foure bookes which shall admonish you to pay the debt without any great respect This new Academie hauing as I suppose you know rather a presumptuous forme then otherwise And therefore I doubt that these foure bookes which I send vnto you comming out of the center of the same Academie will challenge your promise with too much importunitie which I haue enioyned them that they sâ—ould but onely put you in minde that I liued in expectation that you would haue honoured me with the dedication of some worke of yours and for this cause I forbare to write vnto you to the end that hauing first seene your present I might haue deuised the like to recompence you But obseruing your slackenesâ—e though I will rather terme it diligence then slacknesse I could not forbeare to write the said bookes vnto you to manifest vnto the world in the best manner I could the firme knot both of our studies and mutuall loue by which we are conâ—oyned And so I haue digested in forme of a Dialogue that discourse we had together in Cumâ—num Pomponius Atâ—iâ—â—s being present And because I concâ—iued that Antiochus opinion pleased you I haue brought you in to defâ—nd it and I maintaine that of Philo. You will in reading wonder at some things vttered by vs which neuâ—r were spoken But you know the custome in Diâ—loguâ—s Hereafter we will betweene vs endite many things and vpon the subiect of our selues Which we should haue done before now but for the time past the Common-wealth excuseth vs for the time to come the blame should be laid vpon vs. And would to God that in a retired life and in a state of our coâ—ntrie though not â—rosperous â—et secure we might exercise our studies together Alâ—hough occasions would not be then wanting to meditate and practise somthing else But now without studies what a life would ours be In sooth I know not certainly whither with them I may likewise liue but without I shall neuer be able But we will discusse this together hereafter and verie often Whereas you write vnto me about the house you haue bought and how you are gone to dwell there I wish you all happinesse therein and I thinke you haue done very wisely Haue a care of your health Farewell Dolabella to Cicero Ep. 9. IF you be well I am glad of it I am in health and our Tullia is exceeding well Terentia felt her selfe very ill but I know certainely shee is recouered All your other matters stand in very good stateâ— you know that before now I perswaded you to follow Caesars part or else to retire you into some secure and quiet place neither am I perswaded that you imagine that I aduised you more for the interest of our faction then for your owne good And therefore now that we are euen vpon the point of victorie I should thinke I committed a greater fault if I did not exhort you a new And I beseech you my Câ—câ—ro to take in good part what I write and if you like not to follow my counsell at least beleeue that I haue stirred in your actions and done the offices which now I performe for no other end but for the great loue I beare you You see now that Cneius Pompeius is nothing the better for the glory of his name nor for his so great prowesse or being so much followed by Kings and Nations wherein being loftie and proud he continually vaunted He is driuen out of Italiâ— he hath lost Spaineâ— And his armie of old souldiâ—rs it taken from him finallie he is now besieged and that which neuer fell out to any one how base soeuer he was hapneth to him that he cannot flie without disâ—onor Neither doe I thinke that any of our Captaines were euer in such diâ—grace Whereâ—ore being wise as you are consider well what hopes now remaine either to him or you And in so doing you may dispose of your selfe to take that course for your businesses which shall be most profitable One fauour I demand of you that if he escape this beleaguering and flie away by Sea that you looke well to your own estate and resolue at length to be better to your selfe then to any other whatâ—oeuer You haue diâ—charged your dutie you haue satisfied the inward amitie you had with Pompeius you haue satisfied also each part and that CoÌ„mon-wealth which you iudge to be good Now it remaines that you must be contented with that we haue seeing you cannot be in that which so much pleased you Therefore I desire my sweete Cicero if peraduenture Pompeius be driuen out of the place where he is and be constrained to retire himselfe anew into other countries that you withdraw your selfe either to Athens or else into some other quiet Cittie And when you doe so be pleased to aduertise me for if it may be Iâ—le come speâ—dily to find you And besids that I am certaine your selfe shall obtaine of Caesar whatsoeuer you will about your honor because he is verie courteous I am also furthâ—r of opinion that he will be much moued at my entreaties I know your fidelitie and loue the one makes me beleeue that the carrier of this present may returne hither againe securely and the other that he will bring me your letters Farewell Cicero to Dolabella Ep. 10. I Thought it an error not to write vnto you our friend Salâ—ius hauing occasioÌ„â—o come where you are although to say truth I know not what to write more then that I loue you tenderly which though I should not write yet I am certaine you would hold it infallible I should rather looke for letters from you then you from me nothing passing in Rome which you care to vnderstand except peraduenture you would know this that our Nicias and Vâ—dius haue made choice of me for their Iudge One produceth as he seemes to informe me a loane made to Nicias written in two verses the other like a second Aristarcus saith it is false I as an auncient Iudge must determine whither it be false or true I suppose thâ—t you reasoning now within your selfe may say vnto me Haue you then â—orgotten those mushromes which you eate in Nicias houâ—e and those gâ—eat banquets of Sophia daughter to Septimia But whâ—t's your meaning by this doe you thâ—nke I haue forgotten my selfe so farre that whereas before I was verie seuere now that I haue the authoritie of a Iudge should I make no account of Iustice I 'le carrie the matter so that our Nicias shall not be wronged neither will I in any case condemn him to the end that you may haue no occasion to restore him least he goe to Plancus Bursâ— to instruct him in letters Buâ— what doe I I range too farre not well conceiuing whither you haue a reposed minde or as it falls out often in the warres whither you finde your selfe plunged in some care or businesse of importance When
reposed all my hope in you â—ow that you are in the fiâ—ld with a vâ—ctorious Armie may I not repose a farre greater I desire now at length my Brâ—â—us to râ—signe ouer my vigilancie to you but so that I may not be hâ—ld inconstant Whereas you write you wiâ—l râ—side in Italie till my letters come vnto your hand if you câ—n doe it without any hindrance to thâ— waâ—re I thereuâ—to aduise you For many matters are debated of in Râ—me but iâ— the warre may be finished by your departureâ— attend this rather then the other The monâ—yâ—s which were readie or consigned â—uer vnto you Seruilius is yours most affâ—ctioâ—ate I doe what so euer I am able Farewell The vj. of Iune Cicero to Decimus Brutus Imperator Epist. 25. I Expecting euery day your letters our Lupus on a suddaine gaue me to vnderstand that if I would write any thing to you I might but I though I had not wherof to write knowing that you are aduâ—rtised of what is done in Rome and concâ—â—uing that letters without matter are displeasing to you I meant to vse all breuitie according to your custome Vnderstand therefore that all hopes are in you and your Colleague And as for Marcus Brutus there is yet no certainetie knowne I as you enioyne me doe not cease with my particular letters to inuite him vnto a common warre And I would to God he were now in these parts we should the lesse feare that euill which within the cittie is not little but what doe I I forget your Laconisme I haue already written one whole page Vanquish and Farewell The xviij of Iune Decimus Brutus Imperator to Cicero Ep. 26. IN my extreamest griefe I haue this consolation thâ—t men know that I fâ—ared not the euill which hath hapned without iust cause Let them now dâ—liberate whether the Legions shall be transported out of Africa and out of Sardinia or no whether Brutus shall be sent for or no whether they will assigne a stipend to me or no. I haue written to the Senate and I tell you for a most vndoubted truth that except the prouisions I write for be made we shall all runne an infinite danger I pray you be carefull to whom you commit the charge of conducting me the Legions There is required therein both fidâ—lity and expedition Farewell The iij. of Iune from the Campe. Cicero to Caiuâ— Matius Epist. 27. I Hâ—ue not yet fully determined whether our Trebatius a very officious man and well affected to vs both bring me more trouble or contentment For comming in the euening to Tusculanum he the day following not yet well recouered came in the morning to find me And I chiding him because he had so sleâ—der care of his health he anâ—swered he was come out of a desire to speake with mâ— And I asking what 's the newes He intimated vnto me your complaint to which before I make answere I 'le deliuer some few things For as muâ—h as I remember of the times past I haue not an auncienter friend then your selfe but touching the time there are mâ—ny that in some circumstances are equall to you touching the loue none I â—esolu'd to loue you the fiâ—st day I knew you and the selfe same day I was also of opinion that you loued me Afâ—erwards your departure from Râ—me which was for a long time the course of my life vnlike to yours I hauing liu'd in pursute of honours permitted not that our mindes might with stronger knot be vnited through conuersation Neuerthelesse I knew well your good affection towards mee many yeares before the ciuill warre when Caesar was in Gallia For you procured that he wisht me well honored me and held me for his owne the which you thought could not but turne to my great benefit and to Caesar himselfe rather profitable then otherwise I omit many things which in those times we were wont most familiarly to talke of write of and communicate Because there are other poynts of farre greater consideration I remember also that in the beginning of the ciuill war when you went towards Brundusium to finde out Caesar you came to me in Formianum First what esteeme ought to be made of this onely demonstration especially in those times Then doe you imagine I can forget your discourse councell and affection At which I remember Trebatius was present Neither are your letters out of my mind which you sent vnto me at that time when I came to meete Caesar if I be not deceiued in the territory of Trebula Then ensued that time when I was constrained either by the zeale of mine honour my dutie or fortune to goe to Pompeius What office or fauour left you vnperformed eyther towards me absent or my friends present Whom did all my friends finde more kind to me and them then your selfe I came to Brundusium Now thinke you that I haue forgotten with what celeritie you came flying to me so soone as you knew it from Tarentum How great loue shewed you me in your societie discourse and rectification of my minde which was ouerlayed with extreame affliction for the miseries of my countrey Finally we began againe to be resident together in Rome where in matters of great consequence about the manner how I should proceed with Caesar according to your aduise I demeaned my selfe And in other offices you did afford this fauour to Caesar and my selfe onely to come daily to our houses and often to spend many houres in acceptable discourse At which time if you remember you vrged me to write these Treatises of Philosophie And after Caesars returne you intended nothing more effectually then to make me domesticall with him Which you obtained Now to what end haue I made this discourse larger then I thought to haue done For this respect because I much wondred that you who cannot but remember these things could beleeue that I had wronged our friendship For besides these which I haue related which are cleare and euident I haue many secret passages which with words I can scarcely explicate Your whole carriage giues me satisfaction but aboue all I am best pleased partly with your singular fidelitie in friendship your councell grauitie and constancie and partly with your mirth humanitie and learning Wherefore now I returne to your complaint First I did not thinke you had giuen your consent to that Law Thâ—n had I so thought yet I should neuer haue thought you had done it without some iust occasion Your dignitie is so eminent that all mens eyes are fixed on you and mens malignitie is the cause that there is more liberall speech of you then were befitting And if you doe not heare of these mutterings I know not what to say I for my part when it is my chance to heare them defend you so farre as I am sure you are wont to defend me against my aduersaries And I defend you two wayes Some things there are which I am accustomed absolutely to denie as particularly for this
recommendation was with you to his gâ—eat fuâ—therance Which I shall repute as a singular fauourâ— and I assure you that in him you shall find infinite goodneâ—â—e and a thankefull memorie for benefits receiued so that you will euer remaine saâ—isfied in his friendship Besides this I would earnestly entreat you for our frienships sake and for that loue you haue â—uer shew'd me that you will tâ—ke vpon you some trouble in the matter I shall acquaint you with Dionysius my seruant who had vnder his custodie a Library of mine of great value hauing filcht away many bookes and fearing to be punisht for it is fled away and he is within your Prouince Marcus â—ollanus my familiar friend and diuers others haue seene him in Naronâ— but he telling them that I had made him free they belefâ— him I cannot expreâ—se how thankâ—ull â— should be if you could sâ—nd me him backe againe The matter is of no great importance but the discontentment of my minde is muchâ— Bollanus will informe you where he is and what course is to be taken If by your meanes I can recouer him I â—hall thinke you haue confeâ—'d vppon me a great benefit Farewell Cicero to Caius Allienus Vice-Consull Epist. 78. DEmocritus Sicynius hath not onely kindly entertained me but is alâ—o my very familiar friend which happens not to many especially Graecians For in him there is naked integritie worthie valour noble courtesie and due obseruance towardes his ghests and mee he honors obserues aâ—d louâ—s aboue all others You shall perceiue that he is not onely the best amongst his owne Cittizens but also of all Achaia I onely open vnto him and make reâ—dâ—e his way to your knowledge Whâ—n you once know hâ—m of your sâ—lfe such is your dispositionâ— you will repute him worthâ—e of your â—riâ—ndâ—hiâ— and entertainement my desire therefore is thâ—t hauing read these letters you will tâ—ke him inâ—o your protectâ—on offer him the gâ—eaâ—est kiâ—dnesse you can for my sake Last oâ— all if as I hope you shall find him worthie of youâ— hospitalitie and fâ—iâ—ndshipâ— Lâ—t me request you to embrâ—ce and loue him and esteeme him in the number of your acquaintance Wherein you shall doe me a singular pleasure Farewell Cicero to Caiuâ— Allienus Vice-Consull Epist. 79. I Sâ—ppose you conceiue what accompt I made of Caius Auianus Flaccus and by him I vnderstood who is a man of tried sinceritie and mindfull of benefits what great fauour you haue shewed him His sonnes most wâ—rthie of such a Father and my good friends whom I singularly loue I recommend vnto you with that zeale as with greater I could not recommend any Caius Auianuâ— is in Sicilia Marcuâ— is here with vs. I pray vouchsafe to respect Caius who is present and haue a care of both their substances You cannot in this Prouince shew me a greater courtesie This is my petition which I beseech you graunt mee Farewell THE FOVRTEENTH BOOKE OF THE FAMILIAR EPISTLES OF M. T. CICERO Cicero to his wife Terentia and children Tulliola and Cicero Epist. 1. MAny write but euery man reports vnto me that you are vertuous and valerous beyond imagination that no labors either of minde or body are so great as they can weary you How wretched a man am I that you who are endued with so much vertue trust Integritie and courtesie should for my sake be brought into so great misery And that our daughter Tulliola should take such thought for a fathâ—r that was wont to be vnto her so delightfull But what shall I saie of my sonneâ— Cicero who no sooner began to tast of vnderstanding but was implunged in vnsufferable griefes and misfortunes Had I thought as you write that destinie had layd these crosses on me I could haue suffered them with greater patience but all proceeds from mine owne defect thinking I had been loued where I was enuied and neglecting those that sought my acquaintance But if I had trusted vnto my selfe and had not so much relyed on the words of foolish or dishonest friends wee had liued most happily yet at this present seeing our friends comfort vs with good hopes I will striue to free my selfe of passion least I for want of health bee not able to second your endeauours in recalling me I consider well how much power wee haue need of and how much more easie it had beene to haue staid at home when I was there thâ—n to râ—turne thither bâ—ing absent yetâ— if all the Tribunes of the people before vs aâ—d Lentuâ—us stiâ—ke as close as he makes show vnto vs and especially if Pompeius and Caesar doe ioyne wiâ—h vs we will be hopefull As for oâ—◠〈◊〉 shold we will doe as you enforme me and our friends counsell vs. Touching this place of my abode the plague is now at length certainely gone from it and while it was heere I hâ—d it not Plaâ—â—us a very kinde man desires me to stay with him and as yet will not let me goe I was desirous to haue beene in a place further out of the way in Epirus whereunto neither Hyspo could come nor the Souldiers But Plancus hitherto retaineth me hoping it may so fall out that we may returne togither into Italie If euer I liue to see that daie and that it bee lawfull for vs to embrace one another and mutually regaine our selues I shall thinke I haue receiued fruite sufficient of our interchanged affection Piso shewes so much humanitie vertue and louâ— towards all of vs that greater cannot bee shewed vs I wish he may take as much pleasure in it as I see he will haue honour by it What I haue written vnâ—o you concerning my brother Quintus was not done to reprehend you â—or any thing but my desire was and especially because you were so few that you should liue togither in as friendly manner as was possiblâ— I hâ—ue thanked whom you bid me and haue written that I had notice giuen mee by you of their fauours Touching that you write vnto me about the sale of our streete my deere Terenâ—ia tell me I pray you alas what will become of vs But if this aduersitie shall continue with vs what shall become of our miserable boy I must not write all tears do so abound least I should set thee also a weeping Yet thus much I will write if our friends be as they should be wee shall haue no want of money if not all the money thou canst make will bee too little If thou hast any care of our miserable fortunes looke that woes do not vtterly cast away our wretched son Let him not want while there is any thing left hee needes but some good qualitie and a moderate estate to raise himselfe to the rest of his fortunes Looke to your health and let me heare from you that I may know whâ—t is done and what you are now about I looke hourely for newes from you that cannot be long a comming Commend me to Tulliola and Cicero Fare ye all well From
expect all courtesie from him and bee not yoâ— too hastie to follow me for I had much rather see you come late cured then presently infirmed Labour therefore onely to recouer and leaue the rest to my prouidence Many times farewell Vpon my departure from Leucas the vij of Nouember Cicero to his Tiro Epist. 2. WEE haue beene seuen daies at Corcyra But my brother Quintus and his son are at Buthrotum Wee were maruellous carefull about your health neither doe I wonder that wee receiue no letters from you For with those windes that should serue you hither we should saile from hence which if they had serued we would not haue lien waiting at Corcyra Looke therfore vnto your selfe and get strength and when coâ—ueniently both for your health and season of the yeare you can haue passage come vnto vs that loue you dearely None loues vs that likes not you Euery man wisheth you well and lookes for your comming Good Tiro haue a singular care of your health Farewell This xviij of October From Corcyra Cicero to his friend Tiro Epist. 3. I Thought I should more easily haue endured your absence but I finde I cannot And though it greatly concernes miâ—e honour to be with all possible speed at Rome Yâ—t mee thinkâ—s I sin in leauing you But in thaâ— I thought you were firmely resolu'd not to put your selfe vpon the voyage before you were well recouered I approued your determination as now I doe if you be also of the same opinion But after you haue recouered your appetite if you finde your selfe in state to follow mee doe your pleasure I haue sent Mario to you that if you thinke good to come he may beare you companie If not I would haue him presenâ—ly turne backe againe Bee assured I desire nothing else but that you should come with your owne ease if it be possible but if you perceiue it requisite to remaine some daies in Patrae for your better recouerie Know that I desire nothing more then to haue you cured If you presently commit your selfe to sea follow vs by Lâ—ucas But if you meane to attend till you are absolutely well bee carefull of youâ— companie of the weather and of getting good shipping But as you loue mee Tiro take heede that you let not Mario's comming or these letters anie way moue you for in doing that which shall bee most auailable for your health you shall doe mee the greatest pâ—easure Therefore looke you vnto it for I so desire you as you may finde I loue you My loue would see you here sound my desire preâ—ently but the first especially Therefore aboue all bee careâ—ull to bee well for amongst the infinite courtesies which you haue done me this will proue the greatest Farewell The third of Nouember Cicero â—o his Tiro Epist. 4. I Neither can nor am willing to write vnto you how it troubles me to be without you I onely write it will be an exceeding greaâ— content vnto vs both if we could presently come so together that I might see you recouered The third day after wee departed from you we arriued at Alyzia a place on this side Leucas some foureteene miles In Leucas I hope you will ouertake mee or at least Mario with your letters As you loue me or thinke I loue you so looke to â—our health From Alyzia This v. of Nouember Cicero to his friend Tiro Epist. 5. WE staied all yesterdaie at Alyzia from whence I wrote before vnto you Quintus not being yet arriued To day which is the fifth of Nouember I write these before daie being in a readinesse to deparâ— I entreat you for the loue you beare to all of vs but especially to my selfe your Master endeuour to recouer With a verie vnquiet minde I expect especially your selfe and then Mario with your letters Wee long all but I aboue the rest to see you presently but in no case without your health good Tiro And therefore make no haste I shall thinke I haue euerie daie seen you so you come lustie and strong vnto vs. I can doe what is to bee done without your helpe and therefore suppose not that mine owne benefit driues mee to desire your health so much as the loue I beare you Farewell Cicero to his Tirâ— Epist. 6. I Haue read your leâ—ter with diuers agiâ—ations of minde the first side much disturbed me but the other gaue me some relaxation Wherefore now know seriously that you must not take anie iourney either by land or sea till you are perfectly â—uâ—ed You write vnto me how you haue a good opinion of the Physician and I heare no lâ—sse But yet I commend not in anie sort his course of dieting sicke persons for I tooke it not to be well done that hee made you drinke broth hauing a distempered stomacke Notwithstanding by a letter of mine I entreat him efâ—ectually that he would cure you with all diligence and in another I likewise recommend you to Lyso To Curius being of so sweet a dâ—sposition full of integritie and couâ—tesie I haue written at large about your occasions and among other things if you so thinke good that hee should conueigh you to his owne house because I put no confidence in Lyso's diligence first because the Greâ—kes ordinarily are verie negligent and then in that hee return'd mee no answer to my letters which he receiued but you commend him and therefore take what course shall best please your selfe One fauor I require at your hands my Tiro that you will spare no charge in things â—equisite for your health I write to Curius that hee should giue the Physician what you appoint because it were good to giue him some thing to the end he may attend you with the greater diligence When in what or wheresoeuer it hath beene may hap to employ you I haue receiued good satisfaction euer was highly contented with your endeuour But you shall exceed whatsoeuer you haue formerly done for me if as I hope I may but see you lustie If you finde your selfe strong in bodie you may imbarque your selfe with Messinius the Quaestor for I suppose you shall haue pleasing and louing companie of him Hee is verie affâ—ble and so far as I can perceiue beares an affection to you But as I said take counsell of your abilitie of bodie and then bee carefull to saile commodiously and in seasonable weather I desire no other but that you may returne in health and safetie And bee assured my Tiro that there 's none who loues mâ—e but beare you singular affection And though it more imports vs then anie other that you were in health yet manie besides also are desirous of the same Hitherto because you would not leaue me in anie place you could not recouer your maladie Now there 's nothing hinders you Laie aside all cares and attend wholly to your recouerie for if you bee carefull thereof I shall thinke you make great esteeme of mine affection Farewell my Tiro Be healthfull and merrie
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
Though you cannot imagine how great peruersitie not to giue it a worse terme raignes in some kind of men who if they had fauoured me I had neuer changed mine intention in the managing of the Common-wealth but their ill carriages towards me haue constrained me to runne a course for mine owne safetie of which I haue beene hitherto something carelesse esteeming honour more than mine owne life Both might hauâ— beene done very well if these Consulaâ—s were to be trusted or had any constancie but they are for the most part so malicious and so depriued of iudgement that whereas they should long affect me as one that am a most affectionate cittizen to mine own Countrey they enuie me for defending it Which I haue written thus freely vnto you because I acknowledge not onely my present â—state from you but the beginning of my honour also And moreouer because I begin now to beleeue that my obscure parenâ—age was not the cause I was so ill beloued considering that you that are boâ—ne of a most noble house could not auoid the rage of these malicious people Who though they haue suâ—fered you to arise to one of â—he chiefest places they haue afterwardes alwayes â—aid waite to clip your wings for feare you should flie higher I reioyce that your Fortune hath not beene like mine for there is great difference betweene beiâ—g a little crossed and being vtterly ruined Notwithstandâ—ng out of your worth you haue laboured so that I am not greatly to complaine of mine you hauing prouided â—hat I hâ—uâ— made a greater gaine in honour than I haue receiâ—ed damage in my estate Therefore at this present I entreâ—t you vrged hereâ—nto not oâ—ely by the fauours you haue done me buâ— by the affection that I euer bare you that you striue-with all your power to arise vnto the height of glory to which euer since you were a boy you haue had a strong inclination and let noâ— euery occuâ—rent iniurie deiect the lofâ—ines oâ— your spirit which I haue alwayes loued and admired The hope that is of you is great and great is the commâ—ndation of your liberalâ—tie as also the memorie of your Conâ—ulship is great to which you know well how great an ornament and honor will bee added if some noble argumeÌ„t or token of your valour can in the gouernment which you now haue of that Prouince be produced Though I am vnwilling you should enterprise any thing without diligent consideration examination and preparation And because I know that all your thoughts haue euâ—r beene enclined to ascend to the highest step of honour when you are arriued I assure you 't is an easie matter to maintaine you there And to the end that this my exhortation appeare not friuolâ—us and from the purpose know that I haue to this effect beene desirous to put you in minde of the accidenâ—s which haue occurred to both of vs that hereafter you may know whom you may trust and of whom you should be warie Whereas you write that you would know what the state of the Common-wealth is there is great discord but â—he strife is vnequal â—or they that are stâ—ongest in riches armes and power seeme to haue gone so farre through the folly and inâ—onstancie of their aduersaries that they are also at length before them in authoritie So that hauing few or none against them they haue fully obtained that of the Senate which was neuer thought should haue beene granted by the people without great commotion And thus a stipend with ten Ambassadors hath beene assigned and graunted vnto Caesar and the time of his gouernment in France prolonged contrarie to the Law Sempronia which I write briefly vnto you because the present state of the Common-wealth displeaseth me yet I write it to aduertise you that you may in time resolue your selfe to beleeue that of which I by the studie of so many yeares and much more by experience am resolued that a man ought not to loue prosperitie without authoritie nor it without prosperitie Whereas you congratulate with me about my daughter and Crassipes I acknowledge your courtesie and hope that of such a marriage wee shall haue that content which is desired It resteth onely that I remember you that you bring vp our Lentulus in all those sciences to which you haue euer beene enclined but aboue all things that you put him vpon that course which you haue holden by which if he goe there is no doubt buâ— he shall become most vertuous and very valorous hauing in these his greene yeares made himselfe of so great an expectation We do most entirely loue him aswell because he is your sonne and worthie to be so as because I know he loues me and hath euer done so Fare you well Cicero to Publius Leâ—tulus Vice-consull Ep. 8. OF all things which concerne you what is done determined and promised by Pompeius Emplatâ—rius shall to the full enforme you who hath not onely seene but sollicited them and that with so much loue iudgement and care that greater of any friend could no wayes be expected Of the same man you may vnderstand the state of the weale publique whose shape by pen can hardly be portraied But let it suâ—fice you that the gouernment is in the managing of our acquaintance and the common opinion is that in our time it will not be changed Wherefore I as well for the obligation that I haue to Pompeius as to obey your comfortable and safe Councels and to maintaine my regained honour together with my prosperitie I fauour his pretences as he vpon your request hath fauoured me in my occasions You know how full of trouble it is vnto a cittizen to change the habite of his miâ—de especially when it is good and such as hath beene by him long time continued Notwithstanding I applie my selfe to this mans pleasure not being able with honestie to gainesay him neither doe I this as is peraduenture by some enformed with dissimulation because a naturall inclination and loue which I beare him can doe so much with me that I hold all things to be honest and â—rue which are to his profit and good likiâ—g And in my iudgement his aduersaries also should doe well if not being able to withstand him they should cease to contend longer with him Verily this also giues me comfort that euery man freely graunteth vnto me as it were by a speciall priuiledge either to fauour the disignes of Pompeius or to be silent or to retire me to our common studies in which I take the greatest pleasure And if his friendship forbid me not I will by all meanes doe so not being able to councell the common-wealth with that freedome I desire nor with that authority which I after so manie troubles susteined in managing the grâ—atest plâ—ces of dignitie haue expected Although this is not my losse alone but vniuersall For of necessitie either place must be giuen though with losse oâ— reputation to the wils of some few or difference of opinion
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
wisedome it maâ— with facilitie be effected Farewell Cicero to Lucius Valerius Doctor of Law Ep. 10. FOR I haue no reason but to giuâ— you this â—â—â—le especially seeing arâ—â—dacitie may bee now a daies vsed iâ— place of wisdome I haue written tâ— our Lenâ—ulus thanking him very dilâ—gently on your behalfe but now would no longer haue you vse our Letters but that your selfe should come at length to visit vs with an intention to liue in such places where other Doctors and your equalls are rather then to abide there where you only may seeme wise amongst the ignorant Though such as come now from thence tell vs that you are sometimes so proud that you disdaine to answer sometimes so outragâ—ous thâ—t you answer iniuriously But now at last I desire your selfe to be mery with Come speedilie therefore and goe not into your Apulia that wee may reioyce at your comming home in health for if you goe thither I am in great doubt that like Vlisses you will not be able to call to minde any of your poore allyance Faâ—ewell THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE FAMILIAR EPISTLES OF M. T. CICERO Cicero to Caius Curio Epist. 1. THough I am sorrie you sâ—ould supâ—ose me to be negligent in writing yet it grieues mee not so much to bee accused of negligence as it is pleasing vnto me that you inuite me to put pen to paper for in the one I am altogether blamelesse and in the other you shew me that affection which though I haue formerly perceiued yet in the acknowledgement thereof I receiue much contentment I haue euer written when I had oportunitie of sending and who in this kinde is more officious then my selfe But from you I can sweare that I haue not receiued aboue two or three letters at the most and very short ones Wherefore if you as a strict Iudge looke too narrowly to the matter I will bee euen with you in the same errour if you bee vnwilling that I should vse you thus you were best to iudge discreetly But let this much suffice about letters for I shall finde out meanes enough to giue you satisfaction herein If I shall know how to please you concerning them Your absence troubles and contents me It troubles mee because it hâ—th depriued me of the fruits of your most pleasing conuersation It contents me because all things are fallen out to your glorie and commeâ—dation And seeing your â—ortune in all things comforts mee I cannot choose but giue you out oâ— mine affection towards you one brieâ—e remembrance There is so great an expectation of your valour and vnderstanding that I haue the boldnesse to intreate you as much as may bee to returne so disposed that you may be able to gouerne and maintaine it And because it is impossible that I should euer â—orget your deserts I would that you also should call to minde that if when you were little you had not obeyed my most â—aithfull and louing aduertisements it had beene impossible â—or you to haue obtâ—ined those profits and honours which our country will bestow vpon you In reward whereof you ought to be content that I now at length wearie with age by resting my selfe vpon your loue and youth may giue some repose vnto my latter daies Farewell Cicero to Caius Curio Ep. 2. THE death of your renowned Father hath depriu'd me of a testimonie of great authoritie informed sufficiently of my great loue vnto yoâ—â— And had the heauens so â—auoured him that before hee dyed hee might haue seenâ— you hee had beene the happiest man in the world aswell for the memory of his owne vertue which will liue for euer as because he hath left behinde him a sonne of such condition But I will not beleeue that our friendship shall haue need of testimonies God keepe you and increase your patrimonie And be assured I will hold you as deare and beare you the same affection that was borne you by your owne Father Farewell Cicero to Caius Curio Ep. 3. IT is not Rupa's fault that the sports are not published which you would celebrate in honour of your father but we haue councelled him that it is better to expect your returne to the end that the bâ—siâ—esse may rest in your arbitriment And about this matter either I will write hereafter at large what my opinion is or els least you should thinke thereon I will take you at vnawares and face to face against that reason which moueth you I will dispute that I may either draw you to that which I thinke fitting or at least I may leaue a memory of mine opinion to your consideration that if at any time which I would not you shall repeâ—t you of your owne counsell you may call mine to your remembrance But I can tell you that your returne meeâ—es with such times as by those benefits which nature industrie and Fortune haue giuen you you may more â—asilie obtaine the highest dignities of the Common-wealth then by pleasing the pâ—ople with the vanitie of such like spectacles which are not esteemed because they are signes of riches and not valour and there is no man that nowadayes is not therewith glutted till his eyes are wearie againe But I doe otherwise then I did at first make shew of I said I would not write you mine opinion yet I am entred vpon the particulars thereof Wherefore I 'le put off all this discourse till your returne I giue you to vnderstaâ—d that great matters are expected from you and such as should proceede from one that is exceeding rare for valour and vnderstanding For which you being as you ought to be and as I hope prepared We that are your friends and all the Cittizens and the Common-wealth shall be more bound vnto you for this then for all the sports or shewes you can giue vs. Assure your selfe that to mee no man is more deare then you or more acceptable Farewell Cicero to Caius Curio Ep. 4. YOu know there are diuers sorts of letters in vseâ— but the chiefest is that by which the coÌ„ueniencie was brought vs of writing to giue notice vnto our friends far off about nâ—edfull matters to vs or them appertaining Letters of this kinde I assure me that you expect not from me For of your priuate occasions you haue them that giâ—es you notice and those that brings you newes thereof and in my affaires there is no new thing happened There are yet found two oâ—her kinds of letters which much please me one familiar and conceited the other sâ—uere and weightie Of â—hese I kâ—ow not which is least to my purpose Should I be mâ—râ—y with you truely I doe not thinke there is a Cittizen that hath in these times any â—ill to laugh And in graue matters Cicero cannoâ— write to Curiâ— except hee dâ—scourse of the Common-wealth of which it is not safe at this time to speake what he thinkes Wherefore not hauing other occasion to write I will end after my wonted manner and I will onâ—ouâ—age
you to pretend â—he height of glory Because it is necessary you should encounter that expectation which hath so much oblieged you to people and against this potent enemy to fight manfully Wâ—â—ch you shall easily ouerâ—ome bâ—ing of opinion that if you will arriue vnto that height which you desire it is necessarie you should employ your selfe about those vertues by which men get immortall honour I would to this purpose write more at large if I did not faithfully beleeue that without my words you were sufficienâ—ly inflamed neither touched I this point to enflame you but to manifest the affection that I beare vnto you Farewell Cicero to Caius Curio Ep. 5. COnsider how the case stands with vs when I dare not so much as write vnto you thereof And although you are wheresoeuer as I haue heretofore written in the selfe same danger yet I am glad that you are not at Rome Be it either because you perceiue not that which we see or because your commendation is in a most eminent and noble situation in the view of many of our friends Cittizens brought hither not by any obscure or various relation but notable and immutable Now know I not whâ—ther I ought to â—eioyce or feâ—re thaâ— there is an admirable expectatioÌ„ raised of your râ—tuâ—ne not because I doubt that your vertue is not answerable vnto mens opinions but indeed because I feare you will find no employment for it when you are returned all laudable customes of our Countrey are now at length so impayred and almost extinguished But because I know not whether this also which I write be written with securitie I will leaue the remainder to be signified vnto you by others Yet you eithâ—r hauing or not hauing any hope of the Common-wealth doe for your part whatsoeuer befitteth a valorous Ciâ—tizen and such an one as may hereafter restore the auncient libertie and accustomed dignitie to your countrey afflicted and oppressed with tâ—e miseries of the times and wicked behauiour Farewell Cicero to Curio Ep. 6. THere is yet no newes of your approching Italy Neuerthelesse because it 's thought it will not bee long ere you come And being knowne for certaine that you are already parted froÌ„ Asia are on your way to Rome the great importance of the businesse hath forced mee without any delay to send this present messenger which is Sexâ—us Villius a familiar friend of my Milâ— I being exceeding deâ—irous that this my letter may come vnto your hands with all expedition If it were true Curio that you had such obligations to me as you publikely speake of which I hold nothing I would with more respect seeke after you when I should haue occasion to aske any thing of you Because a modest man shunneth as much as is possible to entreat a fauour from him to whom he thinkes hee hath done any kindnesse lest that in place of a request hee should seeme to receiue as a dutie that which hee demandeth and to take it rather for payment then a benefit But being more manifest then the light that I am exceedingly obliged vnto you through the nouelty of my miseries and calamities and consideâ—ing that it becommeth a gentle spirit to accept willingly of a good turne from one of whom other benefits haue been formerly receiued I haue beene bold to request that of you by this letter which aboue all othâ—r things doth most import me Because I neuer doubted that I should not be able to sway the waight of your good â—urnes though they were infinite especially considering that I am not of so weake or poore a spirit that I cannot assure my selfe abilitie to bee capable of euery fauour how great soeuer and to remunerate the same and â—o exceed it I haue deliberated with my selfe to recollect what fauours I am able to vnite all my forces and all my thoughts to draw Milâ— vnto the dignitie of Consull not so much to be esteemed courteous and louing in the occasion of such a friend as to shew my selfe gratâ—full and ready to make acknowledgement to one that hath beene so much my Benefactour For I beleeue not that euer any man liuing had so great care of his owne health and substance as I haue of his honour which I esteeme equall with my life And I am most assured that if you will fauour him â—urther meanes will not be requisite For we haue already all these things the stay of those that are honest which are affectionated to him by reason thâ—t he being Tribune laboured on my behalfe the fauour of the people â—or the magnificence of the shewes and because they know him of a fâ—ee disposition the attendance of the young men and those â—hâ—t are beloued of the people because they see him alâ—o beloued and know how diligent hee is in the like occasions And there is lâ—st of all the fauour which I afford him which though of it selfe it bee not of that quality that it can doe much yet because it is knowne to be iust and due and full of gratefull affection peraduenture for this cause if not â—or any thing else it will produce some fruit We want stâ—ll a head and one thâ—t mâ—y as it were moderate these windes and gouâ—rne thâ—m whom if wee should choose out of many we should not find a bâ—â—tâ—r â—hâ—n your selfe Wherefore if you haue an opinion that I am a thankfull and honest man as you may beleeue seeing me take thâ—t paines thâ—t I doe â—or Milo and to bee sâ—ort if you hold mee worhty of your fauours let me entreat you to grant this my desire of your bestowing your fauour vpon this my commendation or to speake better vpon my welfare And of the aforesaid Milo I promise you that if it shall please you to embrace him you shall not finde a friend more couragious graue constant and beneuolous towards you besides my obligation for the honour which will redound vnto me by this action shall bee no whit inferiour to that which I haue already vnto you â—or hauing assisted mee in my returne from banishment I know you are not ignorant how much I am obliged to Milo and consequently how much I ought to helpe him in this his demand I meane not onely when it were needâ—ull to contend ciuilly but to â—ight with weapons Therefore I will say no more I recommend to you this cause and remit my selfe vnto your loue And assure you that for such a courtesie I shall hold my selfe in a manner more bound vnto you then I am to Milo himselfe for hauing restored mee into my Countrey Because the content was not so great that I â—ound of my freedom which he principally procured as the sweetnesse shall be which I shall taste in shewing him that thankâ—ulnesse which his receiued good turns merited and so much I esteem of your fauour that I doubt not but by it alone our suits may fully bee accomplished Farewell Cicero Vice-Consull to Caius Curio Tribune of the people Ep.
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
vpon somâ— ground Foâ— I see that they are all three like to be Tribunes of the people one after an other and who knowes the condâ—â—ion of times which shall succeed in the Common-wealth I for my part am of opinion that there will be troubles Why therefore would you expose your selfe to â—he displeasure of thâ— Tribunes especially whâ—n withoâ—t any checke you may preferre the Quaestor before the Legates who if he follow the steps of his predecessors â—s I hope and desire your selfe shall parâ—icipaâ—â— of his commendation if otherwisâ— the whole infamie will redowne to himselfe onely Going into Cilicia I thought good to write my opinion vnto you I pray God that whatsoeuer you doe may turne to your owne contentment But if you 'le follow my aduise you shall auoid these oppositions and bee carefull of the quietnesse of your posteritie Farewell Cicero Imperator to Caius Coelius sonne to Lucius elected Quaestor Epist. 19. WHEN I heard the wished newes of your being elected my Quaestor I was in hope that from thence so much the greater contentment should redound vnto me by how much the longer you were like to continue with me in the Prouince and it was very necessarie that to the neare tye of amitie by which fortune hath linked vs familiar conuersation should also be annexed Afterwards because neither your selfe nor any other wrote vnto me of your comming I doubted as still I doe least I should depart from the Prouince before you ariued there I since receiued your letters written with singular humanitie which were deliuer'd me the xxii of Iune in Cilicia where I was with the Armie And in those I discouer'd your courteous and ingeâ—uous nature buâ— they doe not expresse neither from whence nor when they were dated or at what time I should expect you neitâ—er could I know it from the bearer because you told him not Which circumstances being vncertaine I determined notwithstanding to send my Sâ—ators and Lictors with these prâ—sent letters the which if you receiue timelie enough I should be very glad that you would out of hand come vnto mee into Cilicia your cosâ—n Curio and as you know my deare friend and Caiuâ— Virginius your kinsman and our familiar acquaintance haue written effectually to me in your recommendation and questionles they haue wrought the same effect thâ—y worthilie did merit but yet your letters were of greater â—ffect especially being written of your new dignitie which vnto both of vs will giue occasion of a more inward amitie Fortune could not allot mee a Quaestor more pleasing vnto mee then your selfe and therefore I will doe any thing to aduance your honour â—hat all men may clearely discerne that I haue had a duâ— respect both to youâ— owne and the dignitie oâ— your Ancestoâ—s But this I may thâ— better effâ—ct if you come vnto mee in Cilicia the which in my opinion greatly importeth both mee the Common-wealth and your selfe especially Farewell THE THIRD BOOKE OF THE FAMILIAR EPISTLES OF M. T. CICERO Cicero to Appius Pulcher Imperator Epist. 1. I Know your Freeman Phania to be so discreet and haue noted him so vigilant in obseruing what is done in the Common-wealth thâ—t if her selfe could possiblie informe you of her owne state I cannot thinke shee could giue you theâ—in better satisfaction then he can giue you wherefoâ—e he can sufficiently enforme you of all things And it is a good excuse for my breuitie besides for some otheâ— respects it is also more secure But for my loue to you though the said Phania can say enough yet I thinke it not altogether impertinent that my selfe likewise assure you thereof Be therefore most secure that you are very deare vnto me both for the estimable parts of your wit nobilitie and courtesie as further because you write and because I haue heard it from others that all the good offices I haue imployed in your behalfe are acceptable to you And seeing Fortune by loosing the knot of our neere familiaritie hath dâ—priu'd vs for so long a time of familiar conuersation I will labour to restore that which I did loose by now fauouring and assisting you as farre as I am any waies ableâ— wherein I shall esteeme my selfe happie if I may perceiue that this my affectionate desire bee as acceptable to your kindred as I know it is to your selfe I neuer knew your Free-man Cilix before he broughâ— me your letters which were full of loue and courtesie And he also haâ—h done me heerein a wonderfull kindenâ—sse by relating dailie to me with singular contentmentâ— the great loue that you beaâ—â— me and which in all your discourses you demonstrate vnto me â—hat need I say more In two daies hee is growne domesticall with me but for all that it cannot be that I should not be very desirous of Phania's returne whom when you send backe to Rome which I suppose will be shortly I pray enioyâ—e him to vse me in any thing wherein I am able to do you seruice I friendly recommend vnto you Lucius Valerius a Doctor of the Laws and I recommend him thoâ—gh hee were not in effect a Doctor For I will bee more warie in writing to you of him then hee vseth to be in aduiâ—ing others I wish him marueilous well hee is one of the most inward and trustie friends that I haue Hee acknowledgeth himselfe greatly bound vnto you but yet he writes that I shall doe him a wonderfuâ—l fauour by recommending him vnto you wherein I beseech you that you will not frustrate his expectation Farewell Câ—cero Vice-Consull to Appius Pulâ—her Imperator Epist. 2. SEeing it hath so fortuned both against my will â—nd beyond expectation that I must neceâ—sarily repaire to the gouernment of this Prouince Amongst the multitude of my molestations and in my sundry cares and cogitations I haue found this onely comfort that none could haue succeeded you which stands beâ—ter afâ—ected to you then my selfe neither could I wish to haue receiued my Prouince from any man more desirous to resigne it me disincombred and free from all disturbance And if you hope also that I beaâ—e the same affection towards you vndoubtedly you shall neuer herein be deceiued Out of our inward loue and by yâ—ur gâ—eat humanity I earnestly entreat you that wherein soeuer you may as in many things it will be in yâ—ur power you would beâ— very careâ—ull of my affaires The Senate as â—ou perceiue commits this Prouâ—nce to my charge If you leaue it me as little encombred as you canâ— I shall proceed in the course of my office You know how farre in this yoâ— may assist me I earnestly intreate you that you will bethinke your selfe of euery thing wherein you may pleasurâ— me I woâ—ld vse more words abouâ— this matter but that I feare I should wrong your courtesie and offend oâ— anâ—ient friendship which betweene vs suffers no superfluous ceremonies beâ—ides there needs not many words in a matter that speakes sufficiently for iâ— selfe I promise you
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
What fruit reape I by this amidst such darkenesse and so great â—uines of the Common-wealth Such is my griefe I confâ—sse that it 's scarcely capable of consolatâ—on so grâ—aâ— is the lâ—sâ—e of all things and the despâ—ire of their recouerie yet you sâ—ould mâ—tigate your soâ—row â—iâ—h this comfort that Caesar himselfe and with hâ—m al other Cittizens are possest that there remaines no other light of sanctitie prudence and repuâ—ation but your person These reasons may afford you wonderfull relaxaâ—ion Concerning your being farre off from your friends you ought the easelier to support these troubles being at one instant likewise far remou'd from many and grieuous molestations of which I would write somewhat to you but that I will not in writing certifie you of things which in that you see them not I iudge you lesse vnhappie then our selues that daily behold them Hitherto me thinkes I haue vsed all the arguments of consâ—lation that the loue I beare you could put into my minde to ease the burden of your aggreeuances other comforts remaine within your owne breast the which I know to be great yea greater then any that can be â—ound and I haue euery day a feeling therâ—of in my selfe with so great benefit of minde that methinkes I enioy a safetie thâ—reby But I well remember that you from your infancie were studioushe addictted to all leaâ—ning and especiallie to Philosophie which in prosperitie yeeldes vs profit and contentment and now being in aduersitie wee haue no other comfâ—rt but it I will not bee arrogant nor prescribe vnto you who are endued with so great learning and so noble a soule the studie of these Arts which you euer affectâ—d from your youngest yeares Thus much only I wiâ—l say vnto you and I hope you will commend me for it that I seeing how the estimation of my Art is declin'd I meane of eloquence I haue applâ—ed all my endeauours to thâ— studie of Philosophie And because you see that your Art also though it bee excellent and singular is notwithstanding almost as lightly valued as ours I need not labour to put you in minde that in so boisterouse a storm you retire your selfe also inâ—o the same Port being perswaded that alreadâ—e you are thither withdrawne for it is such refuge that though â—t cannot restore our publike losâ—e yet will it be veâ—ie available in razing out the memoriall thereof Your â—onne Sâ—ruius is a wonderfull proficient in all the lâ—bâ—râ—ll Artes and principallie in thiâ— wherein as I write my repose consisâ—eth I wish him so well that besides your owne no mans loue can exceed mâ—ne towards him Wherein he returnes me iust exchange For he louâ—s and honors me with an opinion as may easily be discerned thaâ— heerein hee performeâ—h what your owne heart desireth â—arewell Cicero to Seruius Sulpitius Epist. 4. I Accept of your excuse in hauing written vnto mee sundrie leâ—â—ers of the same tenor and in the selfe-same words but I accept it only in that you write you did so by reason through negligence and vntrustines of messengers letters oftentimes miscarried Touching that part where you excuse your selâ—e by saying that through penurie of words for so you terme it yoâ— vse to write many letters in one and the selâ—esame forme I cannot in any wise admit of it And wheras you saie by waie of a iest for so I take it that I possesse the treasures of the tongue certainely I am not ignorant that of words I am not very barren for why should I dâ—ssemble but notwithstanding all this and in this I halt as little I easilie or readilie giue place to the pregnancie and elâ—gancie of your writings Touching the gouernment of Achaia I euer liked of your course in not refusing such a charge but after the reading of your lâ—st letters I farre more highly approued it For all the reasons which you alledge are most iust and beseemâ—ng both your authoritie and prudence 〈◊〉 as you are greeued because therâ— ensued not that contentment of minde you look't for you supposing that we liue not so ill here at Rome Vndoubtedly you are deceiued But because the commotion and conâ—usion of things is such and the ruine so great which this most wicked warre hath wrought that euery man deemes himselfe vnhappie wheresoeuer therefore you repent you of your owne opinion and we at home seeme happie men vnto you But cleane contrarie wee heere iudge you not altogether to bee free from molestations but in respect of our selues fortunate or blessed And were it but in this your condition is farre better then ours for you may securely write the occasions of your griefe which wee cannot doe without danger not through any vice of the Conqueror who cannot possiblie be more clement but in respect of the victorie it selfe which in ciuill wars is alwaies insolent In one thing wee haue exceeded you because a little before your selfe we saw the grace which Caesar did to Marcellus your Colleague and withall in that I beheld how the matter was carried For I may truely affirme vnto you that since these miseries that is since that time that men began to striue for the Empire of Rome by armes there hath passed nothing in the Senate with the dignitie of the common-wealth For Eucius Piso making mention of Marcus Marcellus and Caius Marcâ—â—â—us prostrating himâ—sâ—lfe at Caesars feâ—te humblie entreating him that he would bee pleased that his Brother might returne to Rome the Senaâ—ors rising â—p altogether at the same instant submissely requested the like of him Then Caesar accusing thâ—â—usterâ—tie of Marcus Marcellus â—or so hee cal'd iâ— and in honourable tearmes exalâ—â—ng your worth and wiâ—edome on a suâ—daine bâ—yoâ—d all expectation he said that for all this hee would not forbeare to comfort the Senate Be no further inquisiâ—iue This seem'd vnto me â—o glorious a day that me thought I saw a forme and Image of the Commonwealth raised vp againe from death whereupon all they who were demanded before my selfe hauing giuen thankes to Caesar besides Volâ—â—tiuâ— who said if hee were in Marcellus case hee would neuer returne to Rome when I was sought vnto I changed my miâ—de For I resolued not oâ—t oâ— slothfulnesse but for meâ—re griefe of lost digniâ—ie neuer to speake more in the Senate But this generous part in Caesar â—nd so â—riendly an oâ—fice of the Senate broke off my resolution and in many words I gaue thaâ—kes â—o Caeâ—ar which peraduenture may bee a câ—use that I shall no more enioy that honest repose that was the only mitigation of our euills But yet I hauing begun to speake that I might not offâ—nd Caesar who if I had beene altogether silent might peraduenture haue thought that I held this Common-wealth no CoÌ„monwealth I wil heâ—eafâ—er speak so seldome as it shall rather bee too litâ—le then too much and this I 'le doe to satisfie in one both his will and mine owne studies For although from my tender yeares I was well affected to all liberall
in disasters without taking greater greefe then is conuenient to the end that of all other vertues this may not onely seeme wanting in you As for the occurrents of these parâ—s when I heare of the pacification of your minde I will presently giue you aduertisement Farewell Cicero to Seruius Sulpitius Epist. 6. I Wish my deere Seruius as you write that you had beene at Rome when this grieuous accident befell me For if your letters haue somewhat â—asde my mind so much the more doe I suppose that with your presence you might haue assisted me both in comforting me and mutually mourning for the cause of my griefe For fiâ—st you set me downe reasons that are of force to stay my teares and then your selfe also as it were for a kinde of comfort haue associated your griefe with mine But yet your Sâ—ruiuâ— in all the louing offices that at such time could be shewed did manifest both in what esteeme himselfe held me and how he thought that you alâ—o â—ooke well at his haâ—d this his affection towards me Whose loue did so comfort me that I know not what greater contentment I could haue desired for ioy I cannot tearme it Neither do your words onely cheare me vp and your fellow feeling as it were of my heart griefe but your authoritie also turnes to my especiall consolation For me thinks I am ashamed I should not tollerate my mis-fortunes with that fortitude of minde as you being a man of singular wisedome thinke fit I should doe And yet sometimes I am so ouerwhelmed with sorrow that I can scarcely support it wanting those comforts which others in the like Fortunes fail'd not of whose example I propound vnto my selfe For both Quintus Maximus who lost a son that had beene Consull and after the same dignitie performed many famous enterprisâ—s and Lucius Paulus who in seauen dayes was depriu'd of two with our Gallus and Marcus Cato who had â—ne died that was replenished with prudence and valour these liued in those times that the honours which the Common-wealth afforded them were to them a comfort But no other comfort was left me then that which death bereau'd me of I had lost those ornamâ—â—â—s â—hiâ—h you recount and which I with painefull endeauours had purchased my minde was not busied neither with my friends occasions nor the managings of the Common-wealth I could not plead any cause nor could I counsell the Senate it appeared vnto mee euen as in effect it was that I had lost all the fruits of my labours and fortunes But on the other side considering â—hat this misfortune happened not to mee alone but extended it selfe further to you and some others also I arm'd my minde with patience and so much the more readily because I knew whither to flye where to repose mee and where with sweet and pleasant discourse to expell out of my minde all clouds of duskie and heaâ—uie meditations But now this greeuous wound makes me feele those olde scars which I tooke to bee healed Heretofore though I were depriued of the Common-wealth yet I found them at home which yeâ—lded me comfort But now of that societie which I so deerly loued finding my selfe left alone mee â—hinkes I haue lost all those delights that should haue eased my afflictions about the Common-wealâ—h And thus I haue lost all both publique and priuate comâ—ort which makes me the rather desire that you would speedily returne all the consolations of letters are nothing in respect of those which our conuersation and conference will afford me and herâ—of I shortly looke to receiue comfort For I heare your returne is expected I desire for many causes to see you out of hand and amongst the rest that we may before it be too late consult how to passe ouer this time wherein the forme of our life must bee fram'd according to the will and pleasure of one man who though he be replenished with wisdom and courtesie and so far as I can perceiue beares towards mee rather a good minde then otherwise and a singular affection to you yet herein we must be circumspect how wee resolue and that we stir in nothing but quietly repose our selues vnder the shadow of his gracious fauour Farewell Cicero to Marcus Marcellus Epist. 7. THough I will not presume to reprehend the courses which hitherto you haue taken not because I am likewise of the same opinion but in that I repute you so wise that I will not take vpon me to prefer mine own iudgment before yours yet for our ancient loues sake and for the infinite good will you haue borne me from your child-hood I could not but impart that vnto you which I iudge most profitable for your life without any preiudice to your honour or reputation I remember full well you are the man which in your Consulship performed wonderfull matters I likewise call to minde that you neuer approu'd that a ciuill war should bee made in such forme and manner as it hath beene Neither did you euer like of Pompeyes Armie And you alwayes fear'd the perils which since haue hapned as also you cannot forget that my selfe was euen of the same opinion And therefore as you would be present in the war but a small time so I vsed all the meanes I could to keepe from thence because there was no fighting with counsell authoritie or cause which were things wherein we excelled but the buckling was by force and hand-blowes wherein we were not equall and therefore wee were vanquished and if not vanquish't for it seemes that a iust and honest cause can neuer be ouercome at least wee were disturbed discomfited Wherin not only your counsel is by euery man to be commended in that together with the hope of victory you gaue ouer your desire of fighting giuing in this to vnderstand that euery wise good Citizen as he enters into a ciuill war against his will so doth he as vnwillingly perseuere in the same till it bee ended I see that those who followed not your aduise are diuided into two sorts For some of them did what they could to renew the war in Africa And othersome haue cast themsâ—lues at the feet of the Conquerour as also I my selfe haue done You haue kept a â—iddle way râ—puting peraduenture of the other two waies the â—ormer very imprudent the second to be scarse honourâ—ble Questionlesse most men yea all in general both censure that you did wisely and many likewise extoll therin your magnanimity and fortitude But it may suffice you that you haue made your selfe known for such a man especially â—eeing you want nothing else for the â—ecouery of your former estate but a will in your selfe For I vndestand there is nothing troubles his mind that 's Lord of all but onely the doubt he is in â—hat you will not accept of your restitution at his hands In which it boots not for me to deliuer my opinion considering what I haue done my selfe Notwithstanding if you were formerly
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
wanting to your sonne Publius neither in endeuour counsell labour or in fauour or testimonie Whereâ—ore hauing diligently and religiously obserued all the offices of friendship I would not likewise omit to exhort and entreat you that you will remember that you are a man and a man of valour which is that you will prudently support this common and doubtfull accident common because none of vs can auoid it doubtfull because no man knowes whether it will be of little or long continuance Defend your selfe brauely from griefe and oppose Fortune reuoluing in your minde that both in our Cittie and in other Common-wealths many valiant and innocent men haue beene vniustly sent into banishment Let me also tell you this and would to God I might not speake true That you are depriued of such a Countrie which can procure no contentmeÌ„t to a wise man Concerning your sonne if I should write nothing I feare that I might seeme ingratefull towards his vertue but if I should tell you all that I iudge of him I feare I shall renue in you that desire and griefe which you were wont to feele for the priuation of so worthie a sonne But neuerthelesse you shall doe exceeding wisely to thinke that his loue his valour and his industrie remaine alwaies with your selfe those things being no lesse our owne that we embrace with our mind then the same that we behold with our eyes His high valour therefore and the inexplicable loue he beares you ought to giue you great consolation And you ought to receiue no smal comfort considering that we and many others so much esteeme you for the rare qualities of your minde that this aduerse Fortune abates no whit of our loue to you or of our iudgement concerning you Whereunto you may adde another reason that as you haue not deserued this exile so you should not much grieue therefore For wise men when they are priuie to their innocentie are neuer disturbed for any accident that can happen to them I for the memorie I retaine of our auncient friendship and for the vertue which shineth in your sonne and for the obseruance he shewes me will be most readie to yeeld you helpe and comfort If it happen that you write to me of any thing I will so handle the matter that you shall perceiue your writing was not friuolous Farewell Cicero to Titus Fabius Ep. 18. THough I my sâ—lfe who desire to comfort you want another mans comfort nothing for manie yeares hauing so much pierced my hâ—art as now your trouble doth notwithstanding I doe not onely exhort but for our amitie intreat you that you will strengthen your selfe against disastersâ— carrying in minde with what conditions all men are borne and in what times we were brought forth Your owne valour hath giuen you more then Fortune tooke from you hauing obtained that which seldome strange or ignoble cittizens are wont and lost that which Fortune hath taken away from many of greatest nobilitie Besides I see that Tribunals of iudgement and commendable customes of our countrie will be so altred that happie is he that with least grieuous paine is from such a Common-wealth departed But you hauing both goods and children and vs together with others conioyned vnto you in the nearest of loue being to make â—lection to liue with vs and with all your friends and of so many iudgements there being onely one which is reprehended as that which by one onely and doubtfull sentence may be thought to be yeelded to the power of one for all these reasons alledged this hard fortune should not seeme grieuous to you My affection towards you and your children euen as you desire and as it ought to be so shall it euer continue Farewell Cicero to Ruffus Ep. 19. I Did euer beleeue that you loued me from your heart But I am euery day more confirmed in this beliefe and I know that euidently which sometimes you wrote vnto me that your affection would appeare so much greater to me then it did in the Prouinceâ— by how much the better it may be discerned that it proceeded from iudgement and not from obligation Although my opinion is that you cannot doe more then that which you did in the Prouince to demonstrate your loue towards me I receiued a few daies since your letters which were most acceptable to me for you writ that although you expected my comming with great desire notwithstanding because matters went forward otherwise then you supposed you reioyced at the course I tooke Now I haue receiued these other which gaue me exceeding contentment because I vnderstand you are of the same opinion that all good and valiant men ought to be of that nothing is profitable but that which is honest and iust And besides thâ—s In that you promise to follow me whâ—ther so euer I goe which is the most acceptable thing you can doe for me and if I be not deceiu'd most honourable for your selfe Till now I neuer acquainted you with my intention by writing not because I would conceale my selfe from you but in that communicating my aduise vnto you it was but a putting you in mind of the office of that good Cittizen whereof you make profession and an inuiting you to run both my perill and fortune But considering that I see with how much loue and courtesie you offer your selfe vnto me I willingly accept of your good minde but without any binding you to keepe promise with me If you doe what you make shew of I shall remaine greatly bound to you therefore If you doe not I will excuse you And of these two elections I suppose that the first hath pleased you for my sake and th' other for feare For now we truely debate of a most important matter That which is honest is plainely discerned That that is profitable is hidden from vs. Yet if we be the men we should be that is worthie of our studies and of our profession we need not doubt but 't is better to choose that which is honest then that that is profitable And if you be of this opinion come to me presently But if you thinke you cannot presently come thither whither honestie cals vs I will aduertise you in what soeuer is requisite and in conclusion I say vnto you that what course soeuer you take I will be your friend but if you be the man I desire your best â—riend Faâ—ewell Cicero to Rufus Ep. 20. HOwsoeuer it had stood with me I would haue met you if you had come whither you appointed Wherefore though you remain'd behind because you would not put me to any inconuenience notwithstanding I assure you that had you sent for me I would not haue respected mine owne commoditie to giue you satisfaction To the other parts of your letters I could more absolutely answere if Marâ—us Tullius my Notarie were hereâ— who I am sure about casting vp the accompts for the rest I know not what to say hath done nothing with anie end to doe
who sent vp their prayers to the gods for his ruine But to returne to the purpose the reason you had not the booke was this because I haue written of you but yet sparingly and with respect desire spurring me forward but feare keeping me backe whereas it were requisite that he that wrote of such an argument should not onely be free from all respects but be of wit also and of a valiant and resoluâ—e minde 'T is thought there is a freedome to reprehend other mens vices and yet it must be done with modesty A man cannot commend himselfe too much least he seeme arrogant It is therefore onely lawfull to commend anothâ—r man And â—f you praise not a man as much as he deserues of necessitie you are to be reprehended eyther of ignorance or enuie But I thinke I did you a pleasure in not commending you so much as you deserued For when one cannot doe a thing sufficiently 't is good to gâ—ue it ouer or at least to touch it but slâ—ghtly Neuerthelesse I haue vsed moderation â—or many things I haue extenuated many I haue cleane taken away and many also I haue not set downe Euen as therefore of a Ladder if you take away some steps cut off other some and leaue others in ill case you would make it that no man could ascend thereon So he that writes any thing with restraint what contentment can he giue the reader And when I but name Caesar I feele my selfe tremble not for feare of punishment but of his iudgement because I doe not entirely know his nature How thinke you that my minde may stand when it reuolues with it selfe reasoning almost after this manner This word will please hâ—m of this oâ—her I am doubtfull and if I change it who knows whether it may not be worse Besides this if I commend one what know I whether I â—hall offend him and if I offend him will he not take it in anger I wrote against him during the warre and then he was angry with meâ— What will he do now that I am vanquished and banished You also augment my feare who in your booke of the perfect Orator minding to defend your selfe from detractors you make Brutus your shield and you seeke a companion to excuse your selfe the better If you doe this who were wont to assist euery one with your high eloquence What opinion should I conceiue of my selfe who for so many years vsâ—d to haue recourse to you for my defence and now finde my selfe in case to bee defended of all men If therefore it happen that the mind in this imagination be peraduenture transported with any vaine feare and that this blind suspition torments it in that a man must not write to satisfie his owne iudgement but in such a sort as he esteemes may please others how difficult it is to doe anie good thing if you haue not found it by reason Nature hauing giuen you a singular wit apt for euery great enterprise we now find it Neuerthelesse I enioyn'd my sonne that he should read the booke to you without leauing it in your hands except you would promise to correct it that is wholly to change it Touching the going into Asia though great necessitie vrged me yet I haue followed your aduise About my returne 't is superfluous to entreat you you see the time is come wherein it must be dilated of It is needles my Cicero for you to haue any regard to my sonne herein his age too much affection and feare take from him those aduertisements which in that respect are requisite 'T is fit that you take vpon you all this enterprise I haue placed all my hope in you You absolutely know out of your wisedome what things wil delight him and with what one may reconcile his fauour It is requisite that from you all things should haue their beginning and all bâ— finished by your hand You are of great power about him and in great respect amongst all his followers If you 'le dispose your selfe to beleeue that you must not onely take vpon you the charge imposed though this were indeed too much but that the whole burden is yours you may easily obtaine whatsoeuer is desired And if this securitie which I intrude vpon you make me seeme either too â—oolish in my miserie or presumptuous in my friendship let your vsuall loue and kindnesse excuse me both in the one and other which ordinarily is so great that now at length your friends in thâ—ir occasions doe not hope but command you I pray let not the booke my sonne giues you be seene except you first so correct it that it may not preiudice me Farewell Cicero to Aulus Caecina Epist. 8. HAuing vnderstood by Largus who is your kinde Affectionate how on the Calends of Ianuary your safe conduct was expired I spake with Balbus and Oppius knowing that euerie thing was well done which was acted by them in Caesars absence and I earnestly entreated both the one and the other that they would grant mee that you might remaine in Sicilia at your pleasure who being wont either to promise mee willingly whensoeuer I demanded any thing of them that stood not against their mindes or else to denie me and tell mee the reasons why they did so at that instant they gaue me no absolute answer but yâ—t the selfe same day they returned to me and granted me that you should continue in Sicilia as long as you would for they would so vse the matter that Caesar should bee content Now you haue vnderstood what they permit you I thinke good to make knowne to you my opinion This being done I receiued your letters wherein you consult with mee whether you should stay in Sicilia or goe into Asia to set in order some busineâ—ses of yours I took not this your intention to confront with Largus words He spake to mee in such a sort as it seemed you might no longer abide in Sicilia and you write as if you might continue there But whether the one or the other bee true my opinion is that you should not stir from thence You shall bee neere to Rome and hauing opportunitie of often writing and â—enâ—ing messengers you may the better solicite your returne The which if it may be obtained after the samâ— manner you desire and hope or else vpon any conditions whaâ—soeuer you may â—orthwith come Therfore I would not wish you to depart from thence in anie wise I will commend you to my friends Titus Furfanus Posthumius and his Legates when they come for they were al at Mutina They are men of great bountie and much affected to those of your qualitie and my verie inward acquaintance Wherin soeuer I see that I may do you good I will doe my endeuour without being required thereunto And what I of my selfe vnderstand not if it be told me I 'le exceed anie mans labour or diligence therin whatsoeuer And though I meane to speak so effectually with Furfanus that letters shall
not be very needfull yet some friends of yours thinking good that I should write a word vnto him for you to deliuer I desired herein to content them The copie you shall see here vnder written Farewell Cicero to Titus Furfanus Vice-Consull Epist. 9. BEtween me and Aâ—lus Caecina there hath euer been so great familiaritie and friendship that none can possibly bee greater For his father a valorous Gentle-man was my especiall friend and himselfe I alwaies loued from his infancie because hee gaue wonderfull hopes of singular bountie and eloquence And not only through amitie but â—hrough a similitude of studies we conuersed so domestically together that no man was more familiar with me then he It is not requisite that I write further you see how many occasions lead me to assist him in whatsoeuer my power extends vnto And because I haue seene it manifestly by diuers signes that you greeue much to see good men in these hard fortunes and the Common-wealth in so miserable an estate Onely I request you that the same desire you formerly had to helpe Caeâ—ina may so encrease as that it may equall the loue you beare â—â—y selfe You cannot doe mee a greater pleasure Farewell Cicero to Trebatius Epist. 10. AS there is no man better knowes then my selfe how much you loue me so am I a testimonie to my selfe of the loue which I beare to you For I euer greatly grecu'd for the counsell you followed if it were counsell and not rather destinie to perseuer in a ciuill war and now not seeing you so readily restored into your foâ—mer estate as is conuenient I am therewith no lesse troubled then you with my disgraces were heretofore tormented Postumulenus and Sextius know it our Atticus knowes it with whom I haue many times discoursed thereof at large and Theudas your Free-man to whom not long since I imparted the inward affection of my minde and to eueâ—ie one of these I haue said many times that wherein soeuer I could I should bee glad to bee emploied by you and your children to whom I would haue you write that they make vse of my endeauours counsell goods or person for all these things being in my power â—hall neuer be wanting to them If in authoâ—ity and fauour I could preuaile so far as I should preuaile in that Commonwealth of whom I haue so well deserued you should also be the man you were wont to be that is worthy of the highâ—st place of honor whatsoeuer and in your owne order vndoâ—btedly reputed aboue all others But because in â—he â—elfe same time and for the uery same occasion euery one of vs is fallen from high to low estate I promise you those things which before I told you beeing as yet mine and moreouer those which me thinks I do yet â—eserue as reliques of my former dignitie Because Caesar himsâ—lfe as in many things I discerne rather-loueth me then otherwise and almost all his familiar friends whom I haue heeretofore pleasured in matters of imporâ—aÌ„ce obseâ—ue and honor me with all respect Therefore if I may in any wise pleasure you in your substance that is for your return on which euerie thing depends euerie daie by reason of their â—ords I am in more hope I wâ—ll labour and vse therein all diligence without being requested It boots not to descend vnto particulars What may bee done with singular affection and great loue that I promise you But it imports mee much that al your friends should know thus much to the end they may bee assured that Cicero will neuer faile Trebatius in whatsoeuer hee is able and that they may thinke there is nothing so difficult but that in the effecting it for you I shall hold my selfe fortunate Farewell Cicero to Trebatius Epist. 11. I Would many times haue written to you if I had had matter to write For when friends are in such a state as you now are one should not write vnto them but to comfort them and â—o promise ayde and benefit To offer you comfort seem'd not necessarie vnderstanding by many how resolutely and wisely you support the iniutie of the times and how much the sinceritie of your owne operations and counsels doe comfort you And if you doe this you reape great fruite from vertuous â—tudies wherewith I know you were euer delighted and I earnestly exhort you so to do Besides this though you are aboundant in examples as hauing turn'd ouer all ancient and moderne histories yet I hauing more experience in the affaires of the world then I would as I haue lesse in studies then I desire vpon my credit I promise you that the hard state wherin you now stand the wrongs done you will quickely haue an end For first hee who can doe what hee will becomes in my iudgement euery day more reasonable and discends further into the nature of all things besides the cause is so iust that it necessarilie together with the Common-wealth which cannot alwaies languish will rise vp againe and resume vigor and euery daie wee finde more benignitie and fauour then wee hop't for Which things because they many times depend vpon a very little occasion of the times wee will obserue all moments and by as many meanes as is offered seeke to helpe and further you Whereupon I hope it will be more easie euery day about the matter I formerly mentioned to write vnto you and promise you helpe and I will doe it more vvillingly with effects then words Be secure that you will finde more-friends then any banished man hath or euer had so far as I discerne and yet you 'le bee beloued of none more then of my selfe Carrie an inuincible and resolued minde which lies onely in your owne power Things that remaine in the gouernment of Fortune shall bee swayed by the times and ruled by our directions Farewell Cicero to Trebatius Epist. 12. BEfore this time I onely lou'd Dolaeâ—bella but was no waies bound vnto him because I neuer had any occasion to vse him and he stood obliged to me because in his dangers I neuer failed him Now hauing procur'd you the restitution euen as I desired first of your substance and then also of your countrie he hath so interrested himselfe in me that there is no man to whom I hold my selfe more tied then to him Wherein I reioyce with you after such a manner as I would not haue you thanke me but rather to bee ioyfull with me your thanking of me being superfluous and your reioycing most iust Now that your vertue and dignitie haue opened vnto you the waie to returne among your friends like that wise and magnanimious Gentleman you are you must forget what you haue lost and remember what you haue recoâ—ered You shall liue with your allies you shall liue with your Friends There is no comparison betwixt the losse of goods and the purchase of honour you haue made Neither should your goods bee deâ—re vnto yoâ— the Common-wealth being in so miserable an estaâ—e Our
I thinke may stand with your safetie and dignitie as you vvith singular industrie and loue euer proseqâ—uted my occasions And this my good will I haue manifested to your most louing mother a woman of great bountie and goodnesse If you commit any thing to â—e I will doe whatsoeuer I may imagine stands to your liking And also if you write not vnto me I vvill notwithstanding with all care and diligence doe what-soeuâ—r I see may redound to your benefit Farewell THE SEVENTH BOOKE OF THE FAMILIAR EPISTLES OF M. T. CICERO Cicero to Marcus Marius Epist. 1. IF any bodily griefe or your vsuall indisposition hath detain'd you from comming to the publike sports I ascribe it rather to Fortune then to your wisedome But if you reputed these things vaine vvhich by others haue beene admired and being â—ble yet vvould not come the one and other please me well both that you are healthfull of bodie and that you had so prudent a minde in contemning those things which others admire vvithout cause so that you haue reaped the fruit of your vacancie vvhich you might wonderfully enioâ— remaining as it were alone in that Paradise Neither doe I therefore doubt but you spend all the morning in reading and studying in that roome of yours from whence you may disceâ—â—e Stabiâ—num Seiâ—num At which time they that left you there being drovvsâ—e beheld amongst the multitude those vvhich represented Comedies The other houres of the day you after spent in those pleasures that for your recreation you made choice of vvheras vve vvere vr'gd to heare the Comedies vvhich Publius Maecius forsooâ—h approued of In truth if you desire I should tell you I must needs say the sports vvere as honourablâ—e set forth as might be but not to your likingâ— vvhereof I iudge according to mine ovvne inclination First for greater honour to the Festiuitie they return'd to the Stage who I thought for their reputations sake had left it Then our Aesope who so much delights you bare him selfe so ill as he should haue done euery man a fauour not to haue gone forward in his part for hauing begunne to sweare his voyce fail'd him in that very place If I commit any decâ—it wittingly I need not describe the rest vnto you you knowing how the other playes are Neither need I to tell you that they had not the pleasing or gratefull speâ—ches of ordinary playes For the pomp tooke away the pleasure and I am most sure you wil be very glad you saw it not For to see 600. Mules in the Tragedie of Clytemneâ—â—ra or three thousand standing cups in a Troiâ—ne horse or sundrie armed showes of horse and foot in a battaile what delight yeelds it the vulgar admire these things but they would no vvaies haue contented you If in those dâ—ies you made your Protogeâ—es read vnto you so he read not my Orations vndoubtedly you found â—aâ—re sweeter recreation then any of vs. Fâ—r as for the Graecian or Oscian sports I thinke you neuer desir'd to see them in that you may see the Oscian in our Senate and the Graeâ—ian you so detest that you accustome not to goe to your countrie Farme by the Greeke way And why should I imagine that you desire to see the Champions when you would neuer see the Fencers wherein Pompeius himselfe confesseth that he hath meerely lost his time and charge in exercising them Besides this For â—iue whole dayes I denie not but there weâ—e euery day two magnificent baytings but what pleasure can an vnderstanding man take when by a forcible and strong beast a weake man is torne in peeces or when a goodlie beast is with a speare goared through from one side to the other These things if they were worthie of sight thou hast seene them more then once and we that haue beâ—ne there befoâ—e saw nothing new or strange The last day was of the Elephants who stroke the people into great wonder but gaue no delight rather a compassion and men in some sort thought that that kinde beast did participate of humane nature But because you may not imagine but that in those dayes I was not onely happie but free I will not forget to aduertise you how at the same â—ime when the Comedies were represented I was like to breake with the paines I tooke in deâ—ending the cause of Gallus Caninius your familiar friend And if the people fauour'd me as highly as they did Aesope before God I vvould leaue the art willingly and liue with you and our equals For if this kind of life did not please me then vvhen both my yeares and ambition excited mâ— to follow it and when I was not bound to defend any but such as I thought well of neither was I bound to defend whom I would not now I am so weary of it that I can follow it no more For I expect no fruit of my labours and sometimes I am enforced to defend such an one as hath done me an iniurie at their entreatiâ—s that haue benefitted me Wherefore I daily cast about how I may one day liue after mine owne humour and I cannot expresse vnto you how praise vvorthie I hold your resolution and how I am satisfied to see you liue so retired And I grieue the lesse for your comming so seldome to see vs for if you vvere at Rome neither could I enioy your sweete conuersatioÌ„ nor you make vse of mine be it what it will be by reason of my troublesome negotiations from which if I can but ease my selfe for I seeke not to be altogether free'd I haue a mind not onely to teach others but your selfe also vvho for so many years haue studied nothing else what that life is which may truely be call'd a life Attend you as you doe to maintaine and preserue your selfe in this your weake constitution to the end that we may visite our countrie houses together and at ease range vp and downe here and there in our Litters I haue beene longer then I vse to be not through the aboundance of my time but out of loue you hauing halfe inuited me in a certaine Epistle to write somewhat which might make you not repent that you were not at the sports Wherein if I haue giuen you satisfaction I am glad if not I will be of good hope that an other time you will come to see thâ—m and visite vs not expecting that my letters should herein giue you full contentment Farewell Cicero to Marcus Marius Epist. 2. I Will diligently performe what you enioyne me but certainely you were verie circumspect to commit the enterprise to one who for his owne interâ—st desires that the thiâ—g may be sold very deare but you shew'd wit in limitting me the price for which I was to buy it For if you had referr'd your selfe to me as my loue is towaâ—ds you I would haue enioyn'd my coheires to haue giuen you satisfaction therein But now I know what you will spend I will vndeâ—hand send a person
endeauours were verie beneficiall But knowing the trust you reposed in me and the affection you bare me euen from your younger yeares I had euer a minde not onlie to preserue your estate but to encrease both your honor and profit Wherefore when I had an opinion to goe into my Prouince you may remember what place I offered you without being entreated But after I changed my resolution perceiuing how Caesar held mâ— in good esteeme and loued me affectâ—onatelie and knowing his wonderâ—ull courtesie and rare constancie I sent you to him and recommended you with the greatest efficacie possible And he hath often written to me that for my sake he will shew you all fauors Euen as to your selfe also both in words and effects he hath manifested Hauing thereâ—oâ—e light vpon such a man if you thinke I either know any thing or wish you well neglect him not and if any thing peraduenture oâ—â—end you supposing that either through his great occupations or that he is not able he doth not so sodainely remunerate your seruice beare a while and expect the end which will yeeld you honor and contentment And take my securitie for the same It hoots not â—hat I spend more words in perswâ—dâ—ng you onlie I giue you this aduise that neither to purchase absolutely the loue of so honourable a man and so liberall nor to settle you in a Prouince of worthie emploâ—ments shall you euerlight vpon the like occasion Besides your bodilie vigor caâ— neuer be better And as you vse to write in your bookes So thought Quintus Cornelius I am verie glad you went not into Britannia both because you suffered not the discommodities of such a iourney and in that you haue not to relate vnto me those euents I praie write vnto mee where you meane to keepe your winter and with what hope and condition Farewell Cicero to Trebatius Ep. 18. I Receiued at one instant some letters of yours that were written at diuerse times Euery thing pleased me that you prepare your selfe for this warre and that you are a worthie fellow And though at the first you seemed to me somewhat vnconstant yet I thought not that this proceeded from a wauering minde but from an ardent desire to be with me Giue not ouer therefore so promising a beginning passe thorough this warlike employment with an inuincible minde Assure you you 'le gaine much thereby I 'le renue your commendation but vvhen the time shall be fitting Build vpon this that you cannot desiâ—e more thâ—n my selfe that your present absence may be very beneficiall And in testimonie thereof conceiuing that your lawes doe not helpe you much I sent you some few daies since a letter in Greeke by vvhich you might be ayded I pray write vnto me of the successe of the warres of Gallia For I giue credit to euery foolish and idle fellowes reports But as I said all that you wrote pleased me onely I maruailed that you wrote against all common vse many letters with your owne hand of one and the same tenor For as for writing to me vpon râ—zed paper I see your frugalitie and I commend you for it But I am a considering what it might be that was first vvritten there vvhich you vvould rather cancell then vvrite out vnlesse peraduenture they were your law cases For I cannot be perswaded that you would raze out my letters to insert your owne Was it happily your meaning to let me know that your employments were vnfruitfull and that you get not so much as may buy you paper This is your owne fault who carryed with you shamefastnesse and would not leaue it behind you here with vs. I 'le commend you to Balbus when he comes thither after the Romaine manner that is with all efficacie and if you receiue not my letters so suddainely doe not wonder For I will be abroad all the moneth of Aprill I write this in Pâ—ntinum staying a while in the Farme of Marcus Aemilius Philemon From whence I was wont to heare the noise of my Clients who by your meanes committed themselues to my care For 't was confidently told me that a multitude of frogs were assembled together in Vlâ—bra to come and visite me Farewell They viij of Aprill from Pontinuâ— THough your letter vvhich Lâ—câ—us Aruntiuâ— deliuer'd me vvas very innocent because it contein'd nothing that might not securely haue beene read in the hearing of the people yet I rent it as vvell because of Lucius Aruntius words vvho said that he receiu'd from you the like commission as because in the end of the selfe saâ—e letter you put me in minde to doe so but no more of this I maruaile that you neuer since wrote vnto me especially so great newes hauing occurred Fâ—â—evvell Cicero to Trebatius Epist. 19. SEE whether I loue you though certainely vpon iust occasionâ— for I doe not goe beyond you in loue for being now farre oâ—f I could not withhold that from you which in Râ—me I would not grant nor so much as promise you wherefore so soone as I depâ—rted from Vâ—liâ— I began a ship-bord to compose the Topicks of Aristotle and the sight of that Citie because it was so affâ—cted to you made mee haue a desire vnto it I sent you the booke from Regium in which you shall see that I haue entreated of that matter as plainely as possible I could but if some things seeme obscure vnto you you must imagine that no science can bee learn'd out of writing without an Interpretor and without some exercise and not to go â—aâ— from the matter your Lawes thinke you they can bee leâ—rn'd out of bookes onely which though they be many neuerthelesse they requiâ—e a teacher and exposition Though if you read my booke attentiuely and often I will not say you shall reape aâ—l the fruâ—â— that you desire but at least you shalâ— vnderstand the mattâ—r of your selfe And iâ— you will haue also the places from whence you draw your arguments when any question is propounded to come readily to minde exercise is necessarie wherin I will helpe you if I returne safe and finde things safe at Rome Farewell the xxviij of Iuly from Râ—gium Cicero to Trebatius Epist. 20. SInce I knew the affection that the Citie of Velia beares you I thought her more worthie of my loue though she loues not you onely who is belou'd of euerie one but also your Ruâ—io who is as much desired as if hee were one of vs. But I thinke you verie wise in causing him to come to your building For â—hough Velia is of no lesâ—e estâ—eme then Lupercal neuerthelesse I had rather you would make a building in Rome then anie where else But for all this if you 'l follow my councell as you were wont you shâ—ll not sell your fathers possessions which you haue here I speake this because the Velienses something doubted thereof Neither shall you leaue Heleâ—es an excellâ—nt riuer nor forsake the house sometimes of Papiâ—ius though it haue a groue
Counâ—ellor and to mee it brings great renowne that you being a young man and Consull should increase in vertuous operations as nourished and brought vp vnder my discipline Luciuâ— Caesar certainely whom I went to meet at Naples alâ—hough terrible bodâ—lie torments aâ—flicted him neuerthelesse before hee saluted me said I reioyce with you my Cicero in that you are of such power with Dolabellâ— that if I had as much with the son of my sister we might secure from all danger now lead a life reposed But with your Dolabella I reioyce and gâ—ue him thankesâ— to whom in truth since your time of being Consull wee may only ascribe the title of true Consull Hee afterwards vsâ—d many words about your actions and prowesse concluding that there was neuer more honourable and illustrious enterprise pâ—rformâ—d nor from which greater benefit accrewed to the Common-wealth And euerie one genâ—rallie concurreth with him in this opinion Now I â—equest you that you will permit me to assume this as it were a false inheritance of anothers glorie and suffer me in some part to enter into a participation of your praises Although my Dolabella for what I said hiâ—herto I spake out of merriment I would more willingly poure vpon you all my commendations if any praise be due vnto me then diminish any of yours For I hauing alwaies so loued you as easilie you may conceiue now especially these your atchieuements haue enflamed me with so ardent an affection that no man was euer more set on fire with loue then my selfe For there is nothing beleeue me that is more louelie beautifull or amiable then vertue I euer loued as you know Marcus Brutus for the excellencie of his wiâ— for the sweetnesse of his customes and for that bountie and constancie wherein none is comparable to him and neuerthelesse on the xiii of March my loue towardâ— him was so augmenâ—ed that I wondred how a thing could growe greater the which long time since I thought had attained to it â—ull growth And who would euer haue thought that the loue I beare you could in any soâ—t haue beene enlarged and yet it is so encreased that paralleâ—ling the loue I now beare you with that whâ—ch hitherto I professed â—owards you me thinkes that seemes vuâ—gar and this singular To what end theâ—efore should I exhort you to haue â—he obiect of your thoughts to be euer reputation and glorie Shall I set before your eyes the example of mâ—n famous for their vertue which they vsually doe that exhort men to praise I cannot finde a more famous man then your selfe You must trace your owne footesteps and seeke to goe beyond your selfe And me thinkes hauing aâ—readie wrouâ—ht such wonderfull things you can doe no lesse then resemble your own actions And being so exhortations are not necessary it is rather needfull that I should reioyce wiâ—h you a matter hauing fallen out to you which I cannot say euer happened to any other which is that the hauing with rigorous seueritie punished an offence did not displease but pleased the people and did as well to all good men as to the meanest people bring singular contentment If this had happened through the â—â—uour of Fortune I would haue reioyced with you in your hâ—ppie successe but this fell out vnto you first through the magnanimitie of your minde and then by your owne wisedome and councell For I haue read the Oration that you made vnto the people I neuer saw any thing fuller of vnderstanding For point by point you doâ— so cloâ—ely come vp to demonstrate the occasion of the fact and then afterwards you retire your selfe with that dexteritie that by an vniuersall consent of euery man It seemed the matter it selfe solicited you to chastise the malefactors You haue therefore free'd the towne from danger and the Cittizens from feare Neither onely at this instant but for euer while the memorie of so notable an act shall continue you haue exceedingly benefitted the Common-wealth Therefore you must conceiue that the whole Common-wealth relieth onlie vpon you and that to you it belongs not only to preserue but also to exalt them to honorable estate â—â—om whom the beginning of libertie is deriued But of these things so farre as I hope it will not be long â—re we discourse presentially In the meane while seeing you preserue the Common-wealth and vs attend with singular care to preserue your selfe Farewell Cicero to Papirius Paeto Epist. 15. I will answer two of your Epistles one that I receiued three daies since from Zethus another which Philerus the Poaste brought me By the first I vnderstood that you were well pleased to heare me so inquisitiue of your sicknes And I am glad that you conceiue my affection towards you though I assure you that you could not so well apprehend it by my letters as it is in effect For perceiuing my selfe to be honoured and beloued of many for I cannot say otherwise amongst all those there 's not any one more deare vnto me then you are not onely because you louâ— me and haue loued moe of long time and with perseuerance which though it be a great and peraduenture a verie extraordinarie matter yet is it common to you with many others but also because your selfe is so amiable sweet and euery waies courteous which is a part proper to you alone to which we may adde a manner of â—easting not according to the Atticke but conformable to the ancient Râ—mane vse more ingenious thâ—n that of the Aâ—ticks And I make what reckoning of me you please am wonderfullie delighted with wittie câ—nceipts especiallie with ours of Rome which heretofore lost a great deale of their lustre when our Citie came to be ouer-thronged with forraine nations in that the tittle of Cittizens which then was belonging only to the Latinâ— people now conferred vpon nations which come from beyond the mountaines is the occasion that it daily looseth that ancient facetious manner of speaking so that almost no footsteps thereof remaineth Wherefore when I see you me thinkes I see all the Graniâ— all the Lucilij and also to speake as it is all the Crassi and Laelij I would I were dead if besides your selfe I see any left me in whom I can discerne any similitude of those ancient pleasant straines of wit Whereunto adding so great loue as that is which you beare mee doe you wonder that I was so tâ—oubled for your grieuous and dangerous maladie And whereas in the other Epistle you excuse your selfe by saying that you neuer diswaded me from the purchase that I would haue made at Naples but that you aduised mee to continue at Rome neither did I euer vnderstand it otherwise In deed I conceiued that which by these letters I apprehend that you â—hought it was not good for me as I also thought to depart from hence not altogether but yet with a determination to returne hither seldome You speake to me of Catulus and of those times What conformitie is there Then it
that that Cicero should neuer haue gone to such an inuitement Whose presence when the Grecians did behold They daunted fled How fast cannot be told I must confesse I knew not of her being there But neither did the Soâ—raticke Aristippus so much as blush when it was cast in his teeth that hee kept Laida I keepe Laida said he but Laida keepes not mee This sounds better in Greeke Doe you if you please expound it But none of these things euer moued me in my youth much lesse in old age I am delighted in meetings there I freely speake what I will and I turne my bitter teares into laughter Now see if you can lead a better life then this You once brake a iest vpon a Philosopher who exposing himselfe to resolue any doubt should bee propounded to him you demanded of him where you might get a supper that might dure as long as from morning to night The silly man thought that you would haue demanded of him whether there were but one or innumerable heauens What good was that to you But tell me truely did the supper doe you good especially from a Philosopher Now this life passe wee euery day we read or write somewhat then to entertaine time also with our friends we meale together yet not so that our inuâ—tements exceed the limits of the Law if now there bee any Law But rather 't is lesse then the Lawes tolerate Therefore you need not stand in feare of my comming you shall lodge a man that eats not much but will be very iocund Farewell THE TENTH BOOKE OF THE FAMILIAR EPISTLES OF M. T. CICERO Cicero to Lucius Plancus Imperator elected Consull Epist. 1. I Was departed from Rome to goe into Greece when in the mid-way imagining I was recalled as by some voyce of my Countrey I â—ooke a courâ—e to returne Since which returne Marcus Antonius hath held mee in contâ—nuall turmoyles who is I will not say so insolent for many haue this defect but so wicked and cruell as hee would not that any man not onely in words but not so much as in shew should enioy a freedome Whereupon I remaine in great perplexity not about my life to which by yeeres and endeuours and if it ought auailed I may tell you that euen with glorie also I haue giuen satisfaction but I greeue for my Countrey and principally for the expectation of your Consulship which is so prolonged as wee may desire but to liue till that time And what hope remaines if all matters bee bee ouerswayed by the armes of â—he most insolent and most vnbridled man that liues If the Senate and people be of no force If the authority of the Lawes and Tribunals is fallen If there bee no more either forme or foot-step of a Common-wealth But because it imports not that I should write vnto you all particulars they hauing been specified vnto you by others I will acquaint you with that which loue moues mee to tell you of which I haue borne you from your child-hood and haue euer not onely preserued but augmented it remembring and exhorting you to embrace with all study and care the Common-wealth which if it continue till the time of your Consulship it will be no great trouble to gouerne it but to procure that it may so long continue there is required not onely speciall diligence but also no little fauour of Fortune Yâ—t I hope wee shal enioy you soÌ„what â—ooner And besides that I am bound to giue assistance to the Common-wealth your honor doth so neerely touch mee that I will therein employ all my councell endeuour offices labour paines and diligence to augment your reputation By which meanes I know I shall easily discharge my selfe both to my Country which to me is most deere and to our amitie which in my esteeme ought by vs most sacredly to be obserued I wonder not but reioyce that you carrie your selfe towards our friend Furnius as his courtesie and place requireth And be assured that I will hold that esteeme of whatsoeuer you doe in honouring or benefitting him as if you had honoured and benefitted mine owne person Farewell Cicero to Plancus Epist. 2. I Would not haue failed to employ my selfe in your behalfe in respect of our inward amitie if I could haue come into the Senate either securely or with honour But no man that thinks freely of the Common-wealth can without danger conuerse in the middest of armes and such extreme licenciousnesâ— neither doe I iudge it befitting my quality to speake in the occasions of the Common-wealth in a place where armed men may better neerer at hand heare me then Senators Therefore in priuate occasions I wil nâ—uer faile you either in offices or fauour nor yet in publike will I euer be wanting though with perill if there be any businesse in hand that requires my presenceâ— to maintaine your dignity But in such matters as without my being there may be brought to effect I will request you to be content that I may hâ—ue reference to mine owne safety and reputation Farewell Cicero to Plancus Epist. 3. I Met with Furnius to my great contentment for his owne sake but much greater in that hearing him me thought I heard you speake He declared vnto mee how valiantly you beare your selfe in the warre how vprightly you gouerne the Prouince and finally what prudence you manifest in all your actions yeelding withall a teâ—timony both of your humanity well knowne to me before in our familiar conuersation and of your singular courtesie vsed towards him All which things haue afforded me great delight but the last together with delight contentment I retained neere amitie my Plâ—ncus with your Familie somewhat before you were boâ—ne I loued you from the tender yeeres of youâ— infancie and in confirmed age we held familiar conuersation proceeding from the loue I bare you and from the good opinion you conceiued of me And for these considerations I wonderfully affect your aduancement the which I esteeme to be common betwixt vs. Fortune but rather your owne vertue hath exâ—ltâ—d you to high degrees of honour you being yeâ— but a young man From whence the enuie of many which you haue outstripped by wit and industrie proceedeth Now if you 'l follow my rule who loue yâ—u equally to anie other olde friend of yours whatsoeuer From this time forward seeke to purchase all honour from a well reformed Common-wealth You know for being wise what know you not how there was a certaine time when men supposed that you too much followed the qualitie of the times Which I should also surmize if I thought you approued the things you tolerated But I conceiuing what you thought suppos'd you prudâ—ntly obseru'd that which you could Now all things are carried after another fashion Iudgement is your owne and free you haue beene elected Consull in your ripâ—r yeeres with notable eloquence when the Common-wealth stood in greatest need of such like persons Bend your selfe I beseech you to that
care and cogitation which may bring you the highest of esteeme and glorie And to ascend soone to renowne especially in these times when our Countrey hath beene now for manie yeeres so incumbrâ—d there is onely one way to bee a good Citizen in publike inâ—erests I thought good to write these things vnto you rather instigated out of loue then that I supposed you to haue need of my admonitions and documents For I knew that you had them from the same fountaine from whence my selfe formerly drew them Therefore I 'le end Thus much I thought good to deliuer vnto you rather to signifie my affection then to manifest anie wisdome In the meane while with all affection and diligence I will that waies bend mine endeauours wherein I suppose I may adde anie thing to yout reputation Farewell Plancus to Cicero Epist. 4. YOur letters were verie acceptable to me which as Furnius words did intimate I conceiue were written with your owne hand I had written to you before now but that I understood you were departed from Rome and I was aduâ—rtised of your returne not long before the receit of yours Mee thinkes I cannoâ— omit anie office that concernes you how small soâ—uâ—r it bee without grâ—aâ— blame Whereunto I am bound for manie reasoâ—s for fâ—iendship paternall for my ancient obseruance and for the loue you beare me equall to that which I beare you Whâ—refore perswade your selfe my Cicero that onely you as a Father I must deuoutly honour in that for your yeeres also you may be a father to me I a son to you Whereupon it comes to pasâ—e that all your counsels seeme vnto me full not onely of singular prudence which exceedeth but of fidelitie which I measure by mine owne conscience And if I were of a contrary opinion to yours your instructions doubtles might change my mind if I were doubâ—full of anie thing I would vpon your exhortations dispose my selfe to follow what course gaue you best satisfaction But now my opinion is wholly conformable to yours What fortune hath allotted me and what by mine owne endeuouâ— I haue obtained though you blinded with loue iudge it to be more then in effect it is yet it is so much in any mans iudgement though he were my verie enemie that besides a good name I see not what is wanting And therefore hold this for certaine that what I am able with my power to effect with my counsell to prouide or with my authoritie to moue it shall euer bee wholly applied to the benefit of the Common-wealth your minde lies not concealed from me and if I could bee neere you as questionleâ—sâ— I would desire In euerie thing I would follow your couÌ„sell And now I will endeuour so to order the matter as you shall not bee able in reason to reprehend anie action of mine I looke for aduertisements from all parts by which I may vnderstand what is done in the hither Gallia and what passeth in Rome in the moneth of Ianuarie In the meane while I am here in great perplexitie for fâ—are lest these people among others defects may take some euill opportunities from our countrie men But if Fortune fauour me according to my desert you shall see that I will giue good satisfaction both to your selfe which I exceedingly desire and to all men of honest meaning Haue a care of your health and loue me as I doe you Cicero to Plancus Imperator elected Consull Ep. 5. I Receiued two letters from you of one tenour which was vnto me a manifest signe of your diligence For I perceiued how much you desire that your letters more then any other thing by me expâ—cted might be deliuer'd me I say therefore they were most wellcome to me and they haue made mee doubtful whether I should hold dearer your loue towards me or the affâ—ction you did manifest towards the Commonwealth Certainely as I iudge affection borne towaâ—ds our counâ—rie is a matter of great moment but the loue and conuinction of two mindes comprehends a greater delectation That part therefore where you commemorate the friendshippe I had with your father and the lâ—uâ— which frâ—m your childehood you bare towards me and somewhat more which you haue written to that purpose afforded me infinite contentment On the other side it was pleasing to me to behold how well you were disposed both now and euer to assist the Commonwealth And this my contentment was the greater because it was annexed to the masters aboue mentioned Wherfore I doe not onely exhort you my deare Planâ—us but effectuallie I entreat you as I did in those letters to which you so courteouslie made answer that with all your vnderstanding and the whole force of your minde you will studie to procure the good of the Commonwealth There is nothing that can redound to your greater benefit and glorie And of all worldly things there is not any one more excellent and honourable then to be beneficiall to our countrie I speake freely to you because I thinke that you like an affable and wise man will accept of it as hitherto you haue done By the helpe of Fortune it seemes you haue obtained great honors The which though without vertue you could neuer haue atchieued yet in all mens opinion Fortune and the qualitie of the times haue had the greatest hand thereinâ— But now that the commonwealth stands so afflicted euery helpe which you shall administer will only be attributed to your selfe It is an incredible thing how odious Marcus Antonius is to all Cittizens except to those who together with himselfe haue betrayed their countrie We hope much in you and your armie and promise much to our selues vnderstand I beseech you how to apprehend the opporâ—unitie of such a Fortune and so great glorie I admonish you as a sonne I wish the same to you that I doe to my selfe If I incite you to Action my countrie and the great loue I beare you moues mee thereunto Farewell Cicero to Plancus Imperator elected Consull Ep. 6. THe matters which our Furnius hath deliuered touching your affection towards the Commonwealth were verie acceptable to the Senate and highly pleasing to the people of Rome But the letters openly read in the Senate seemed not to confront with Furnius speeches For in them you exhorted to peace now when Decimus Brutus your colleague a â—enowned person is beleaguered by wicked Cittizens who armes being laid apart either ought to seeke peace or if they demand it with armes in hand this peace must be obtained with victorie and not by way of accord But Lepidus letters and yours concerning the perswasion of peace how farre they were accepted of you shall vnderstand from your brother an excellent man and from Caius Furnius I for the affection I beare you although you neither want counsell neither is the loue and prudent fidelitie of your brother and Furnius euer like to faile you neuerthelesse infinite reasons of â—ur Friendship leading me thereunto am also mooued out of the
the nations but euen the very slaues I vnderstand also that Parmâ— hath beene sacked that Lucius Antonius possesseth the Alps. Which things if they be true it is not fit that any of vs should stand at the gaze or expect what the Senate will determine For euery one that affects the safetie of the Empire or finally the Romaine name is enforced to giue present succour seeing Brutus as I heare hath no more but seuenteene cohorts and two imperfect Legions of new souldiers which Antonius had entertained And yet I make no doubt but all the remainder of Hirtius Armie will make head with him For of leuying of new forces I thinke there is no great hope especially there being nothing more dangerous then to giue Antonius time to be refortified and the season of the yeare the rather inuites me thereunto because the corne is either in the fields or in the villages Therefore in my first letters I will set downe what I meane to doe For I will neither be wanting to the Common-wealth nor suruiue her But yet I grieue without measure that my iourney will be so long and dangerous for all aduertisements come to me aboue fortie dayes after the execution Farewell Marcus Lâ—pidus Imperator the second time Pontifex Maximus to the Senate and people of Rome Epist. 34. IF you with your children be in health I am glad my selfe also am so I call to witnesse both gods and men O conscript Fathers of what intention and affection I haue euer beene towards the Common-wealth and how light I haue set by all other things in respect of common libertie and safâ—tie The which I had very shortly made manifest vnto you if Fortune had not by force diuerâ—ed me from the dissigne I had intended For all the Armie comming to a mutinie would maintaine their auncient custome in preseâ—uing Cittizens and embracing peace with all men and to say truth it hath enforced me to vndertake the protection of the safetie and preseruation of so great a multitude of Romane Cittizens Wherefore I beseech you and entreat the gods O conscript Fathers that laying apart all particular hatred you will prouide for the State of the Common-wealth and not repute our clemencie and the mercie of our Armie in a ciuill discord for disloyaltie And if you haue respect to the honour and safetie of all men greater benefit will redound both to you and the Common-wealth The xxix of May from Pons Argenteus Farewell Marcus Lepidus Imperator the second time Pontifex Maximus to Cicero Ep. 35. IF you be in health I am glad for so am I also Hauing heard that Antonius with his forces sending Lucius Antonius before with a part of the Cauallerie came into my Prouince I departed with my companies from that place where Rhodanus meetes with other streames and tooke my way towardes them And so by a continuall march I came to Forum Vecontij and a little beyond along the riuer Argentea I encamped against the two Antonies Publius Ventidius ioyned with him his three Legions and pitched his Tents aboue me He had before that the second Legion and out of other Legions a great multitude but disarmed He hath a strong Cauallerie for he lost but few of them in the battaile in so much as they are aboue thirtie thousand horse So that diuers of his souldiers both foote and horse departing from him are come to my campe And day by day his men diminishâ— Siâ—â—nus and Culeo haue left him We although mightily offended with them because they went to Antonius against our wiâ—l neuerthelesse out of our humanitie and loue we haue thought good to saue them And yet we employ them not nor doe we keepe them in our Campe nor haue we giuen vnto them any command As touching this warre wee will neither be wanting to the Senate nor Common-wealth Of what wee haue since that time done we will aduertise youâ— Although at all times betweene vs for the familiaritie we haue had together there haue passed great demonstrations and effects of loue â—yther of â—s striuing to exceed the other Yet I make no doubt but that in so great and suddaine a commotion of the Common-wealth by malignant mindes some things haue bin reported to you of me altogether â—alse and vnbeseemâ—ng me which haue much mooued your minde out of the affect on you beare to the Common-wealth And â—o such relatioâ—s I am certified by my Agents that you gaue no great credit nor thought you good so lightly to beleeue them Which things as they desâ—rue are most acceptable vnto mee as also I remember â—hose fauours which in times past mooued out of loue you performed to encrease my honour and reputation Whereof I will neuer be forgetfull I request you my Cicero of all fauour if in my life and care which I haue alwayes in times past most diligently employed in the gouernment of the Common-wealth you haue knowne me for such an one as is fit I should be that you would expect the same and also better peâ—foâ—mance hereafter and the more I am bound vnto you for benefits receiued the more studious be you with your authoritie to defend me Farewell THE ELEVENTH BOOKE OF THE FAMILIAR EPISTLES OF M. T. CICERO Decimus Brutus to Marcus Brutus and Caius Cassius Epist. 1. THis shall serue to informe you in what state we stand Yesterday in the euening Hirtiuâ— was with me and declared vnto me what Antonius meaning was as bad as might be and most trecherous For he said that he could not giue ouer the Prouince to me neither thought he that any of vs could remaine securâ—ly in Rome because the mindes oâ— the souldiers and plebeians were terriblie prouoked Both which things that thâ—y are false I thinke you very well conceiue and on the contrarie that that is true which Hirtius relaâ—ed that Antonius feares if our dignitie get neuer so little assistance no place would remaine for him in the Common-wealth Finding my selfe in these perplexities I thought good to demand a free Embassie for my selfe and for our oâ—her friends to finde some honest meanes for our deparâ—uâ—e Which hee hath promised me to obtaine And yet I am not confident that he can procure it so great is mens insolencie their persecution of vs. And yet if they should grant this Embassie neuerthelesse I suâ—pose that not long after wee should be eâ—â—eemed rebells and they will publish some proclamâ—tion to interdict vs â—ire and water What is therefore your aduise We must yeâ—ld to Foâ—tune leaue Italie and goe to Rhodes or into some other paâ—t of the world If better fortune present it selfe wee will returne to Rome iâ— indifferent we will liue in exile iâ— the worst of all we will haue recourse to the lâ—st refugesâ— Here peraduenture some of you will say wherefore will you attend while the last cast rather then presently attempt some thing Because wee know not whither we should goe but to Sixtus Pompeius and Bassus Ceciâ—ius who
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
finde out Pansa from whom I heard those things of you which I desired greatly Whereupon though I know that I neede vse no prouocation of words to incite you hauing of your selfe effected such a matter as in the memorie of man there was neuer any more famous yet I thought good to certifie you briefely how the people of Rome expect all things from you and that in you it reposeth all hope that once it shall recouer it lost libertie Now I make no doubt that although day and night you should call to minde which I am sure you doe how great a matter you haue accomplish'd yet you cannot be forgetfull how great those things are which you must yet compasse For if it should so come to passe that Antonius should depriue you of Gallia to whom doubtlesse I was euer a friend till I perceiued that he not onely openly but also wilfully makes warre against the Common-wealth there would remaine no refuge for our safety Whereâ—ore I request you as also the Senate and people of Rome intreat you that you will for euer redeeme the Commonâ—wealth â—rom tyranny that the end may be answerable to your beginning This is your oâ—fice this is required and this I will not say is expected fâ—om you but euen challenged not only by our Citie but by all the world Alâ—hough you needing no exhortatioâ—s aâ— I haue before written I will vrge this point no further I will doe whâ—tsoeuer belongs to me and to promise you all offices fauours endeauours and counsells wherein soeuer iâ— occurres that by them your praise and glory may bee aduanced And therefore I would haue you fiâ—mely beleeue that I as well in respect of the Common-wealth which is more deare vnto me then my life as also because I affect your honour and the augmentation of your dignitie will neuer faile in your honest designes and in your greatnesse and renowne to further you Farewell Cicere to Decimus Brutus Imperator Ep. 6. OVr frieÌ„d Lupus arriuing at Rome the sixth day after his departure from Mutina came the morrâ—w after betimes to finde me and carefully deliuered vnto me what you had committed to him and gaue me your letters Whereas you commend vnto me your honor I esteeme that at the same instant you recommend vnto me mine owne which ceâ—tainâ—ly is not dearer to me then yours And therefore you shall performe a thing acceptable to me if you assure your selfe that neither my counsell nor fauour sâ—all bee any where wantiâ—g to your commendations The Tribunes of the people intimating that the Senate should be assembled the xx of December and I determining to consult about a guard for the dâ—signed Conâ—ulls though I resolâ—â—d not to come into the Senate before the first of Ianuarie notwithstanding becauâ—e your edâ—ct was published the selfe-same day I thought it verâ— vnfiâ—â—â—ng that there â—â—ould either be a Senate wherin your diuine merits towards the Common-wealth should be forgotten which would haue been look't vnto though I had not beene present or that any thing should bee spoken in aduancement of your honor in which I had not beene there assistant And therefore in the morning I went to the Senate house Which being obserued a great number of Senators repaired thither and what I effected for you in the Senate and deliuered afterwards in speech vnto the people in the presence of an infinite audience I had rathâ—r you should vndeâ—stand by others letters This I desire you would bee perswaded that all those things which shall appertaine to the increase of your dignitie which of it selfe is very great I will alwaies with especiall care embrace and defend Wherein though I perceiue I shall haue many associates yet will I endeuour after such a manner that the first place shall remaine to my selfe Farewell Cicero to Decimus Brutus Imperator Epist. 7. LVpus hauing call'd together mee Libo and Seruius your cozen at my house what my opinion was I think you haue vnderstood from Câ—eius Seius who was present at that consuâ—tation The rest though Graeceius came a while after Seius nâ—uerthelesse from Graeâ—eius you may vnderstand it But the sum is this which I would haue you well to note and keepe in minde That in preseruing the freedome and safetie of the people of Rome you should not attend vpon the authoritie of the Senate not yet at liberty For this were a controlling and reuocation of what you haue done for if you â—hould reduce the Common-wealth to liberty this you had done by no publique counsell but of your selfe and therfore 't was your greater praise and you should inferre that young or rather the childe Caesar did foolishly to embrace so publique a businesse vpon his priuate counsell Finally you should make shew that first you held all the olde souldiers your war-associates for fooles rusâ—icall men but valiant persons and excellent Citizens as also the Martian and fourth Legion who denounced their Consull Rebell and reuolted to deâ—end the safety of the Common-wealth The will of the Senate must bee held for authority when authority is by feare hindered Last of all you haue now twice taken the enterprise vpon your selfe Wherefore you must sticke to what you haue done First the thirteenth of March and then againe lately because you assembled a new Armie and new forces And therfore you must be so prepared and prouided for euerie thing that you stand not vpon commission in performance of euerie seruice but that you effect those matters that may with wonderfull admiration of euerie man haue allowance Farewell Cicero to Decimus Brutus Imperator Epist. 8. WHen Paula your wife gaue me to vnderstand that if I would write any thing to you I might doe it I then had nothing to write For all things hung in suspence by reason of the expectation of the Ambassadours from whom as yet there was no newes what they had effected Yet I thought good to write this unto you First that the Senate and people of Rome doe thinke of you not onely in respect of their owne safetie but also for your dignitie For all Rome is wonderfully affected to your name and beares you singular loue hâ—ping constantly that as before you freed the Common-wealth from a Tyrant so at this present you will deliuâ—r it from Tyrannie There is a presse of souldiers in Rome and thorowout all Iâ—aly if it may bee termed a presse when all men willingly offer themselues so great a feruencie is entred inâ—o the minds of men through the desire of libertie and out of the hatred of so long a seruitude For the rest wee must now depend vpon your letters and bee aduertized what you doe and our Hirtius and my Caesar who I hope ere long will in you companie be victorious It remaines that I noufie vnto you in writing that of my selfe which I hope and desire you may vnderstand from your friends that I neither am or euer will bee wanting in anie thing that concernes your honor Farewell
haue you Then for the remunerations if you thinke good procure that I and Caesar maâ— consigne vnto them the lands of those veâ—eranes which followed Antonius partie As touching moneyes be not too hastie and after you haue seene what quantity there is you may tell them the Senate will take some order therein To the foure Legions to whom you minde to allow partitions of land or grounds I see you may well allot them those of Silla and the Territorie Campanum I am of opinion 't were good to distribute vnto the Legions their lands equally or by lot And thinke not that I am mooued to write these things vnto you to shew my wisedome I am moued because I affect you and desâ—re a generall peace which without you cannot endure I if there be no extraordinary need will not leaue Italie I am about the arming of the Legions and putting them in a readinesse I hope to haue a braue armie for all accidents whatsoeuer and to resist any violence that shall occurre Caesar sends me not backe that Legion of the armie which Pansa had Answere me presently to these letters and if there be any secret of importance which you thinke fitting for me to know Send to me of purpose one of your people Farewell The xxiiij of May from Eporâ—dia Cicero to Decimus Brutus Imperator Epist. 21. THe curse of the gods light vpon this Seguglio the veriest knaue that euer was is or shall be You thinke peraduenture that he onely spake with you or with Caesar. There 's none with whom he could conueniently talke to whom he hath not spoken the selfe same things But neuerthelesse my Brutus I thinke my selfe as I ought much bound vnto you in that you would haue mee know of these fables be they whatsoeuer For this was a speciall note of loue And touching that where he sayes that the old souldiers compâ—aineâ— because you Caesar are not in the number of the Decem-viri I would to God that neither I had beene of that number for what could haue beene vndertaken of greater vexation notwithstanding I hauing propounded that it was necessary to nominate them that had Armies Those very men that were wont crying out made oppositionâ— so that though I made great resistance both you were excepted And therefore let vs giue no care to Segulius who aâ—fects new things not because he hath swallowed the old for he had nothing to â—haw but these which lately come to his hand he hath deuoured and digested with a witnesse Then whereas you write that being no wayes affraid for your selfe yet you feare for my sake I my Brutus whom I esteeme the best man and dearest friend that can be found will not haue you feare any thing at all for me For in those things which may be foreseene I shall not be deceiued and for those which cannot come to notice I care little For I were a foole if I should require more then the very nature of things hath imparted to man In that you aduertise me to auoyd that in fearing I be not constrained to a greater feare you admonish me wisely and like a true friend But be assured that you being to â—uery mans knowledge endowed paâ—ticularly with this vertue neuer tâ—â—eaâ—â— or be disturbed I in this vertue almost equall you And therefoâ—e I wâ—ll â—ot be afraid of any thing and I will lâ—oke aboâ—t me in all things But take you heede my Brutus that at length my feare proceed not through your default For though we were fearefull neuerthelesse the hope that we repose in your forces and Consullship would expell all fearefulnesse especially euery one but chiefely my selfe being assured that you beare vs a singular affection Your aduertisements about the foure Legions and about the referring of the disposing of their lands to Caesar and your selfe seeme to me very good And therefore there being some of our Colleagues who weâ—e as glad of this charge of distribution of the grounds as if they had alreadie obtained it I crost the matter and reserued it wholly for you If there be any secret occurreÌ„t or as you write any secret of importance I will send purposely one of my men that letâ—ers may the more faithfully be deliuered vnto you Farewell The iiijâ— of â—une Ciâ—ero to Decimus Brutus Imperator Epist. 22. I Entertaine an inward amitie with Appius Clodius sonne to Caius ratified by many kind offices which we haue done one â—or another I request you as effectually as I may that either out of your humanitie or for my sake by the authoritie you haue which is veâ—ie great you will be pleased to take order that he may be secure I desire that you being reputed for a man most valiant may be also esteemed most mercifull The preseruation of thâ—s youth will redound to your great honour who in truth the rather deserues compassion because being induced by tender loue to â—educe his Father from banishmâ—nt hee followed the partie of Antonius Whereâ—ore though you should not haue so iust an occasion yet you may well finde some probable reason to effect it with a becke onely you may procure that such a person being of a noble familie of an excellent wit very valorous besides most officious and exceeding mindfull of benefits may be permitted to liue in his countrey with securitie of his estate and substance Which I entreat you to performe with all the possible desire and affection I am able Farewell Decimus Brutus to Cicero Epist. 23. VVE proceed well enough heâ—e and wee 'le endeuour to doe it better Lepiduâ— seemes well enclined to vsâ— We must boldly prosecute the benefit of the Common-wealâ—h And though â—ll other things were contrary vnto vs yet considering we haue three Armies on foot so great and mightie for the particular seruice of the Common-wâ—alth you ought to haue that great courage which you both euâ—r hâ—d and now Fortune fauouring vs you ought to increâ—se it The multitude disperseth that which I wrote last vnto you with mine owne hand to affright you but if you get but the bridle betwixt your teâ—th let me not liue if all of them how many soeuer haue power to quack if you but speake I as before I wrote till I receiue your letters will make my residence in Italie Farewell The xxv of May from Eporoedia Cicero to Decimuâ— Brutuâ— Epist. 24. I Tell you I was at the first halfe angry with you for the breuitie of your letters now me thinkes that I am too long I will therefore follow your stile In how few words how many things haue you intimated that you doe reasonable well and will endâ—uour to doe beâ—ter that Lepidus stands well affâ—cted that hauing three Armies on foot we ought to haue a constant hope in all things Though I had beene timorous yet with this letter you would haue made me couragious But as you put me in minde I haue got the bâ—idle betwixt my teeth For if I when you were beleagured
Caesar would rather â—ish to meete with friends like me then like themselues For my part if things fall out conformable to my desire I meane to passe so much of my life as remaines quietly at Rhodes but if it so happen that any accident disturbe me I will remaine in Rome and remaine there alwaies wishing that they may doe well I giue great thankes to our Trebatius because he plainely declared vnto me how your minde stood towards me which I discerne to be full of sinceritie and affection and because he was the occasion that I hauing euer willingly loued you should now also be further tyed both to honour and respect you Farewell Cicero to Marcus Oppius Epist. 29. I being as our Atâ—icus knowes very doubtâ—ull about this iourney In that my minde on eiâ—her side suggested many râ—asons your iudgement and counâ—â—ll greatly induced mee to deliberate and make my resolution For you both plainely wrote vnto mee what your opinion therein was and Aâ—ticus related that vnto mee which you had spoken vnto him thâ—reof I euer tooke you to bee wise in deliberating and very faithfull in aduising and I haue had good expâ—rience thereof when in the beginning of the ciuill warre I requiring you by letters that you would aduise mee what I should doe either in going to Pompeius or remaining in Italie you perswaded mee to doe that that stood best with mine honour By which I perceiued what your opinion was therein and I admired that you were of so great fideliâ—ie and in aduiâ—ing mee â—o honâ—st a man â—or you thinking that the contrarie was desired by him that was your best friend you had greater râ—spect to my office then his will or pleasure Certainely before this fell out I loued you and euer knew that my selfe was by you beloued And when I was absent and stood in great danger I remember that in my absence yoâ— defended mee with great care vsing the like humanitie to all mine that were in Rome and after my returne how domesticallie you liued with mee and what opinion I retained of you and what things I diuulged all those that usuallie looke into such actions can truelie testifie But how faithfull in louing you and how constant you reputed mee you then euidently shewed when after Caesars death you betooke you whollie vnto mine acquaintance Which opinion of yours iâ— I by my dearest loue and best offices doe not acknowledge I shall not repute my selfe a man Perseuer you my Oppius in louing me although doubtlesse I write this vnto you not that I thinke you stand in neede of any such remembrance but because it is vsuall to write thus and take all my affaires into your protection Whereof that you may be fully informed I haue giuen commission to Atticus And when I shall be at better leisure I will write vnto you more at large Be carefull of your health For you cannot doe me a greater pleasure THE TWELFTH BOOKE OF THE FAMILIAR EPISTLES OF M. T. CICERO Cicero to Caius Cassius Epist. 1. BE assured Cassius that I neuer cease to think vpon you and our Brutus that is of the whole CoÌ„monwealth which hath reposed all her hope in you and Decimus Brutus And certainly from this time forward I begin to conceiue better hopes seeing may Dolabella hath performed such materiall seruice to the Common-wealth For that euill which sprung vp in the Citie continually dispersed it sâ—lfe and euerie day so encreased that for my part I held both the Citie and the peace of Citizens vtterly lost But it is so stop't that as for that reprochfull danger I suppose wee may liue for euer secure Other thâ—ngs that yet remaine to bee acted are important and many but you must be the man that must effect them al Though we are intentiue to dispatch those which are of greatest moment For touching that which hath hitherto beene done wee haue freed our selues of the King but not of the Kingdom For though the King be slaine yet we put all that in execution which the King appointed to be performed And not onely this but some things also which hee himselfe if hee had liued would not haue acted wee approue because hee designed them And of this I know not when wee shall see an end New Lawes are propounded exemptions are granted great taxes imposed banished men are restored and false decrees of the Senate are produced so as it seemes that the hatred onely of that wicked man and the greefe of seruitude is remoued but the Common-wealth is still tormentâ—d with those troubles whereinto hee brought her Of all these things you must make an end of necessitie and not suppose that the Common-wealth hath had alreadie from you what was sufficient Shee hath indeed so much as I would neuer haue hoped for but shee is not content with this and the greatnesse of your benefit and courage considered shee expects and desires froÌ„ you greater matters Hitherto with the death of the Tyrant and by your meanes she is reuenged of her iniuries but which of her ornaments hath shee recouered Take you peraduenture these for ornamenâ—s that shee obeyes him dead whom liuing shee could â—ot support or that wee defend his writings whose Lawes we ought to abrogate you 'l tell me we so determined It is true But wee did it to giue way vnto the times which in a Common-wealth are of great â—orâ—â— But some bearing themselues indiscreetly and vngratfully assume too much securitie vpon our courtesie Of which and manie other things wee will shortly discouâ—se at our meeting In the meane while perswade your selfe that I both in respect of the Common-wealth which was euer most dâ—aâ—e vnâ—o me as also for the loue we beare one another haue an especiall care of your dignity Looke vnto your heath Farewell Cicero to Caius Cassius Epist. 2. I Am verie glad that my sentence and Oration giues you content The which if I could often vse it would be no great labour to vs to re-establish the Common-wealâ—h in lâ—bertie But this foolish and debauched companion and a wickedâ—â— wretch then hee was of whom you weâ—e wonâ— to say that there was slâ—ine an impious man seâ—kes all meanes to procure a murder and hee doth for no other end charge me thâ—t I ploâ—ted Caesars death but because the old souldiers might rise vp against mee Which danger no wayes daunts me so that I may also purchase praise for that which you most gloriously haue â—ffected Aâ—d thus neither Piso who was â—he first that spake against him without anie man to second him nor I who a â—onth after did the like nor Publius Serâ—â—lius who spake after me can securâ—ly goe into the Senate For that bâ—oudie fellow vseth all meanâ—s to pâ—ocuâ—e some slaughter and the xx of Seâ—tember he thought to begin with mee And I can tell you he camâ— prouided iâ—to the Senate hauing for manie dâ—ies in Metellus villâ—ge wâ—ll consideâ—ed that which hee meant to vtter against me But what sound
rather discharge their Consulship at Romeâ— wherefore if you request them that I in the meane while may haue the managing of Asia I hope you may obtaine it Besides Pansa and Hirtius promis'd mee by word of mouth and afterwards wrote vnto me thereof and Pansa affirmed as much to ouâ— Verrius that he would procure that during his Consulship I should haue no successor Yet I protest that I affect not this prorogation out of any desire I haue vnto the Prouince For vnto me it hath euer beene very troublesome dangerous and expensiue But because I would not haue suffered in vaine so many discommodities and be vrged to depart from hence before I reape the last fruites of my laborious industrie For if I could send home those somms which I had gathered I would require a successor but to get in that which I disboursed to Cassius and that which we lost by the death of Trebonius and by Dolabella's crueltie or by their perâ—idious proceedings who failed both me and the Common-wealth against the dutie of their allegeance Which cannot bee done without time I am vâ—ged to desire that you as your custoâ—e is would be a meanes that I may haue this opportunitie I hope I haue so borne my selfe towards the Common-wealth that in reason I may expect not the benefit oâ— this Prouince but as much as Cassius and Brutus not onely in that I was an associate with them in that same action and daunger but also because now I am not wanting in any valour or industrie For I was the first that brake the lawes of Antonius the first that drew Dolabella's Cauallerie to take part with the Common-wealth and that surrendred it to Cassius the first to presse souldiers for generall safetie against that most wicked conspiracie and that onely vnited Syria and the Armies that were there with Cassius and the Common-wealth For if I had not giuen so much treasure to Cassius so many men and with that expedition I did he would neuer haue attempted to goe into Syria Which if it had not beene the Common-wealth should by this time haue had no lesse cause to feare Dolabella then Antonius And all these things I did notwithstanding I was a familiar friend and companion to Dolabella and by neare affinitie allied to the Antonij and had also by their meanes gotten my Prouince But because I bare greater loue to my countrie I was the first that rais'd war against mine owne familiars And though I finde that for these things I haue not hitherto had any great recompence Yet am I not altogether out of hope nor will I hold it troublesome resoluedly to perseuer in the desire of libertie only but in labour also and in dangers Nâ—uerthelesse if for the benefit of the Senate and of all good men I be also put forward by some prouocation of iust and lawfull glorie wee shall bee in the greater authoritie with others and consequently be able the more to assist the Commonwealth When I was with Brutuâ— I could not see your son because he was then gon with the troups of horse to their assigned winter guaâ—isonâ— But thâ—t he is so disposed I â—weare vnto you I reioyce both for yours and â—or his but especially for mine owne sake For I hold him in the estâ—eme of a Brâ—thâ—r because he is your sonne and worthie of you Farewell From Pâ—â—ga the 29. of May. Publius Lentulus sonne to Publius Vice-quaestor and Vice-praetor to the Consulls Praetors Tribunes Senate people and Communaltie of Rome Epist. 15. DOlabella hauing by wicked means oppressed Asia I went into Macedonia a neighbour Prouince and to the Guarisons of the Commonwealth which Marcus Brutus a renowned person had vnder his gouernment and I sought to bring to passe that the prouince of Asia and the impositions might by the meanes of persons which could easily perâ—orme it bee reduced within your authoritie Whereof Dolabellâ— being very fearefull and after his sacking of the Prouince fingring the customes but aboue all most cruelly pillaging and selling all the Romaine cittizens hee being so sodainely departed that we could not in time come vp with our â—orcâ—s it was not fit for me to soâ—ourne there any longer or to expect supplies of souldiers And I both thought it good ouâ— of hand to returne vnto my office and to recouer the remainder of the â—axations and to get in that money which I had collected and besides this presentlie to examine whâ—t summes had beene seazed on and by whose negligence that I might absolutely inâ—forme you of â—he successe thereof In the meane while sayling amongst the Islands which lay in my way to Asia I being informâ—d that Dâ—labâ—ll's Nauâ—â— was in Lycia and that the Rhodij had diuers ships furnished vndâ—r saile and in a readines with that shipping which partlie I brought with me and in part was gathered by Patiscusâ—he â—he vice Quaestor a person very inward with mee both for the familâ—aritie we haue had togâ—ther and for the affection we both ioyntlie beare to â—he common-wealth I reâ—urned to Rhodes being confident iâ— your auâ—horitie and the Senates decree by which you had proclaymed Dâ—labella for an enemie and building vpon the League which Marcus Marcellus and Seruius Sulpitius being Consulls was renewed with the â—hodij wherein they had taken oath that they would esteeme those enemies which by the Senate and people of Rome were so reputedâ— But we were much deceiued For they were so farre from furnishing vs with men for the securitie of our Nauie that euen at the entrie into thâ—â—owne at the Port those habitations that were withâ—ut the Citie denyed our souldiersâ— not onely sustenance but very water and wee our selues with one smalâ— Barke were scarcely enâ—ertained Which indignitie and disparagement of Maiestie not only to my place but also to the Empire and people of Rome I for this cause digested in that by intercepted letters wee vnderstood that Dolabella being out of all hopes of Syria and Aegypt resolued as necessarily must â—nsue to embarque himselfe with all his theeâ—â—sh followers and with all the money and so to comâ—â—or Italie And that for this effect the great Merchants ships also of which there was none that were of a lesser burthen then two thousand Amphorae that were vnited in Lyciâ— were layd for by his Armada â—oued O conscript Fathers wiâ—h the feare heere of I the rather made choyce to support these iniuries and though with our disgrace first to attempt all other meanes Wherefore being admittâ—d into the Cittâ—e and Senate by their consent I propounded the cause of the Commonwealth with as great vehemencie as I could and set before them all the danger which would ensue if that Rebell should with his associat's bee â—mbarqued But I 〈◊〉 the Rhodij so peruerse that they thought euery one more loyall then those thâ—t really were so Neither did they beleeue that there was such a concord aâ—d vnion of all degrees couragiously to defend Libertie and were conâ—ident that
the Senate and euery honest man would as yet bee patient and that it was not possible that any man should dare to denounce Dolabellaâ—or â—or a rebell Finally whatsoeuer was â—alsely auer'd by these knaues they held more true then in eâ—fect it was or then that which wee could beate into themâ— Out of the same peruersitie also before our comming and after Trebâ—nius was so vnworthily murdred and so many other wicked actions two Embassies of theirs went to Dolabella and certainely without any presidenâ— contrary to their lawes yea and though they were prohibited by their Magistrates Whether they did these things for feare as they affirme of certaine territories which they hold within the continenâ— or out of a bad intention or through the ouerswaying power of some few which had also heeretofore vsed the same vilâ—anie to renowned men and being at this present in highest dignities would not by any example either on your part or ours that were prâ—sent though easily they might neither prâ—uent our present perill nor that which menaced all Italie and our citie if that Traytor together with his thâ—â—uish associates being â—xpelled out of Asia and Syria had there arriued Some also were â—uspicious that the said Magistrates did but entertaine time and delaie vs while Dolabella's Fleet might bee aduertised of our comming Which suspicion was the more confirmed by some particulars which succeeded especially because Seâ—tus Marius and Caius Titius Dolabâ—lla's Legates departed suddainlie out of Lyciâ— from the Nauie and in a Fust fled away Leauing there all the great shippes in preparation and gathering of which they had spent no small time and labour Wherefore we comming from Rhâ—des into Lycia with such shipping as we had we took the great shippes and restord them to their owners and free'd our selues from the great feare which possessed vs that Dolabella with his fellow rebells would haue made for Italie The Nauie which gat away we pursued as farre as Syda which is the vttermost lymit of my Prouince There I vnderstood that one part of Dolabella's shipping was fled and another gone into Syria and Cyprus I knowing that Caius Cassius a famous Captaine and Cittizen was in Syria with a great Fleet in readinesse reâ—urned to my charge wil endeuour O conscript Fathers to vse for you and for the Common wealth all officious care and diligence to recouer those summes of money with the greatest possible expedition and send them you with all the accompts When I haue runne ouer my Prouince and haue notice who haue beene faithfull to vs and the Commonwealth in preseruing the treasure by me layd vp and who those wicked persons haue beene that wilfully carried these publike moneys to Dolabella I will thereof aduertise you Against whom if you finde it fitting rigorouslie to proceede according to their desert affording me that reputation with your authoritie I shall the more easilie be able both to recouer the remainder of the Customs and to preserue it being recouered In the meane while that I may the better hold the customes and defend the Prouince from insultatâ—oâ—s I haue drâ—wen together a necessarie guard of men which offered themselues oâ— their owne good will When these leâ—ters were written there came into Pamphilia about thirtie souldiers that fled into Syria of those that Dolabella had entertained in Asia These men brought newes that Dolabella was gone to Antiochiâ— which is in Syria buâ— that he was not there receiued and striuing diuers times to enter thereinto by force hee was euer repulsed with disaduantage So that loosing about an hundred men and leauing there diuers sicke persons he fled by night from Antiochia towards Laodicea And how in that might all his Asiaticke souldiers left him amongst which some eight hundred returned to Antiochia and yeelded vp themselues to those which held that Citie for Cassius the others by mount Amaâ—us came downe into Cilicia of which number they likwise said they were But that it was reported that Cassius with all his people was about foure daies iourney from Laodiceâ— when Dolabellâ— went thither For which cause I assuredly hope that this most wretched rebell will pay for his disloyaltie sooner then is expected From Perga The 2. of Iune Caius Trebonius to Cicero Epist. 16. I Arriued in Athens the xxij of May where to my infinite contentment I saw your sonne dedicated to the noblest studies and in great â—steeme for his modestie Wherein what pleasure I tooke you may vnderstand without my telling you For you know well how much I value you and how greatlie in respect of our ancient and and sincere loue I reioyce at all your prosperities much more at this so great an happines Doe not suppose my Cicero thaâ— I deliuer this to you to flatter you Your youth and therefore ours for I haue nothing but what is yours hath aboue all others wonne the hearts of eueâ—y man that lyes in Athens and is more then any man studious of those vertues which yoâ— especiallie affect and are most excellent So that in what I can truelie congratulate with you I doe it willingly and no lesse with my selfe then you that wee finde him whom wee must what soâ—uer hee were loue of necessitie to be of such condidition that we may loue him wiâ—lingly Discoursing with me hee cast out a word that he would see Asia whereunto he was noâ— onely by me inuited but entreated that he would doe iâ— especially while I had the gouernment thereof And you may be assured that I will vse him with that deare affection that your selfe would I will also take order that Craâ—ippâ—â— may come with him to the end you may not thinke that in Asia he neglects those studies whereunto you haue exhorted him I see him well dispos'd and farre entred into a good way neuerthelesse I will not cease to encourage him therein to the end that day by day learning and exercising himselfe he may goe forward At the date of these I knew not what was done about the Common wealth I heard certaine rumors the which God graunt may be false that once we may enioy a quiet libertie which hitherto I neuer could Notwithstanding in my Nauigation hauing found a little vacancy I haue compounded a trifle according to my manner to present you with And I haue collected together certaine sayings deliuered by you to my great honour which I haue here vnder written Wherein if I seeme vnto you in some words a little too free excuse me in that he against whom I speake is such an one as deserues worse then I haue spoken Let me request you also to pardon our choller which is but iust against such men and Cittizens And then why should Lucilius rather be permitted to take vpon him this libertie then my selfe Considering that if the hatred he baâ—e to them of whom he spake il were â—quall to mine yet were not they more worthy then this man with so great a liberty of words to be reproued I
it well that you renew our league in the preseruation of the Common-wealth which you enterteined with me as an inheritance from your father Which societie my Cornificius shall alwayes continue amongst vs I am also well pleased that you are of opinion that you need not thanke me in your owne behalfe For betwixt vs this office is supâ—rfluous The Senate should often be solliciâ—ed about your dignitie but that in absence of the Consulls they are neuer assembled except vpon some new occurrents And therefore by â—he Senate ther 's nothing to be done at this present either about those six hundâ—ed Crownes or about those tweÌ„ty one thousand And therfore I am of opinion that you must impose taxations and take vp at interest Concerning the state of the common-wealth I suppose you are aduertised by their letâ—ers who vsually write vnto you of the occurrenâ—s of Rome I am in good hope And I am not wanting to my countrie with my councell care or endeuour To the enemies of the Common-wealth I shew my selfe a capitall enemie Matters appeare to me to be in good state and would be farre better if some men were not culpable Farewell Cicero to Cornificius Ep. 29. I Thinke there is not a man amongst the people of Rome much lesse you who knowes all my occasions thaâ— conceiues not what familiaritie I retain with Lucius Lamia For it was manifested to all Rome at the same time when by Aulus Gabinius the Consull he was confined because valiantly and freely he had defended my safetie Neither did our loue grow onely from this but from an affection which was great and of long continuance Whereupon hee refused not to vndergoe any daunger vpon mine occasion To which offices or rather deserts so pleasing a coÌ„uersation is to be added that there is no man with whom I ought to be more delighted Now the reason of so speciall loue being made manifest vnto you I imagine you looke not with what words I recommend him I would haue you know thus much onely that if you defend Lamia's occasions his agents his Free-men and his very slaues wherein it shall bee requisite it shall more satisfie me then if you had vouchsafed me this courtesie in defence of mine own proper substance and interest 's And I mâ—ke no doubt but without my recommendation your iudgement of men is such that for Lamia's owne sake you will doe any thing very willingly Although 't was said that you were perswaded that he was present at the recording of a decree of the Senate made in preiudice of your honor whereas he was neuer present at the passing of any decree vnder those Consulls And besides this all the decrees that then came from the Senate were false Except you also beleâ—ue that my selfe was pâ—esent at that decree of Sempronius when at the same instant I was not in Rome as I wrote vnto you when the matter was fresh in memorie But of this hitherto I request you my Cornificius with the greatest efficacie I am able that you will verily beleeue that all Lamiaâ—s negotiations are mine owne and take order that he may perceiue that this my recommendation hath beene very vsefull to him You cannot doe me a greater fauour Bee carefull of your health Farewell Cicero to Cornificius Epist. 30. DOe I then write to you for none but such as are contentious And though this be true yet you cannot say but I write often to you For you haue vs'd the matter so that no man thinkes he can obtaine your fauour without my letters But which of your men euer told me that he came from thence as a messenger by whom I haue not written backe againe Or else being denied to talke with you face to face what greater recreation doe I finde then either in writing to you or reading your letters I am rather greeu'd that I am hindred by so many employments that I haue no conueniencie to write vnto you as often as I would For then I would invite you not with Epistles but with whole volumes with which in all reason you sâ—ould prouoke me For though you are employed neuerthelâ—sse you haue more leisure then I. If you haue no time to spare be not so shamelesse and troublesome in importuning me to write often to you considering that you write so seldome to me For if heretofore I haue beene encumbred with many occupations for I was busied in defending the Common-wealth with all care much more am â— at this present For euen as they are more grieuously sicke who seeming to be cuâ—'d of a maladie are relapsed so doe we feele farre greater disturbance being enforced to warre anew when we thought the warre was almost finished But thus much may suffice for these things You my Cornificius labour to perswade your selfe that I am not of so weake an affection not to say inhumaine as that I can be out-gone by you either in loue or courtesie In truth I no wayes doubted of your loue and yet Câ—erippus hath made it me much more manifest Oh what a man is this I alwayes tooke him to be fit for my conuersation but now I apprehend him to be delightsome As I liue he hath not onely reuealed your mind vnto me with your owne words but with your gesture also So as doe not feare that I am offended with you because you wrote vnto me in the selfe same forme as you wrote vnto others True it is I was desirous you should write vnto me in another fashion then you wrote to others but this I did rather excited by loue then choller Touching the charge you say you are and haue bin at in respect of the warre verily I cannot ease you For besides that the Senate by the death of the Consulls remaines as it were without a guide and there is no way to raise any prouâ—sion you would not beleeue into what distrâ—sse of moneyes the publicke treasure is brought which is on all sides exhausted to discharge the payes of â—he best deseruing souldiers which in my opinion can neuer be wholly discharged without some new imposiâ—ions Of Accius Dionysius I thinke there is no newes in that Siratorius told me nothing of him For Publius Lucceius I graunt not that you should better affect then my selfe for he is my bosome friend but vrging the Tole-masters that they should prolong his time they made mee apparantly concâ—iue that they could not doe it by the protestation and oath that they had taken Wherefore I would aduise Luccâ—ius to come home Though if he haue followed the aduise of my letters by that time you read these he should be at Rome Of other things especially of money you not knowing of Paâ—sa's death haue written what you suppos'd you might haue obtain'd by my means Wherein you should not haue fail'd if he had liued for he loued you but being dead I see no meanes how to giue you contentment About Venuleius Latinus and Horaâ—ius in my iudgment you haue done exceeding
secretest cabinets of our Art I will extract an admirable forme of recommendation Which if I doe nor performe endeuor you that by th' effect he may he may beleeâ—e at least that I haue seru'd his turne with letters full of vnusuall Art and motiues This will be done if you shew him all mannâ—r of courtesie that either your nobilitie moues you to or by your authoritie is permitted you not only in action buâ— also in words breefly with your â—â—ry coâ—ntenance Whiâ—h things how much they preuaile in a Prouince I would you had once put in practise Neuerthelesse I hold opinion that the man I commend vnto you is very worthy of your friendship And beleeue it not onely because Cuspius affirmâ—s as much vnto me though this might suffice but in that I know hee can censure of men and hath iudgement in the election of his friends In a word I shall be enform'd of what force these letters were with you and as I hope I shall haue occasion to thanke you And in the meane while in any thing wherein I thinke you would be glad that I should vse mine endeuour I will not faile withall effectuall diligence to employ it Respect your health PVâ—lius Cornelius the bearer heeâ—â—of was commended vnto me by Pâ—blius Cuspiâ—s to whom both onâ— oâ— loue and obligation how much I desire to giue all satisfaction by what is written may be gathered My especiall request is that from this recommendation I may out of hand receiue the greatest and most frequent thankes that poâ—sible can bee giuen mee by Cuspius Cicâ—ro to Caius Cluâ—ius Epist. 7. WHen vpon your departure for Gallia moued by our interchanged affection and the great respect you beare me you came home to visit me I spake with you about the Aâ—ellani who pay tribute for that part of their Countie which lies in Gallia intimating vnto you how neerely I was touched with their interest 's And after your departure the matter being such as it mainly imported a towne of that worth and which I so much esteemed being confident in your good inclination towards me I thought my selfe obliged to write vnto you theroâ— with all possible diligence Though I am not ignorant either of the condition of the times or of your power And I vnderstand but too well that the charge yâ— was giuen you by Caius Caesar was not to iudge but to execute Wherfore I request you to do only so much as I thinke you can and will for my cause willingly And first I would haue you to conceiue it to be true that all the busines of this towne or Incorporation is that there maine interest lies in this County which paies tribute and now through the burdensome impositions it hath endur'd it is â—alne into extreame pouertie Which inconuenience though it appeareth that many other haue equally suffered neuerthelesse I assure you that this towne in particular hath suffered moâ—â— then other Which I forbeare to reâ—â—â—e vnto you least in complaining of my friends miseries I may seeme to distaste those persons whom vnwillingly I would Wherefore were I not confident in my hopes that I can manifest vnto Caesar how that towne vndeseruedly was ouercharg'd with such a burden I would neuer haue sollicited you vpon this occasion But because I am assurâ—d and perswaded that he will haue respect vnto the worth of the Towne to the equiâ—ie and also to the good affection the inhabitants thereof beare towards him I thought good to request and entreat you that you will reserue this cause to him to bee dispatched Which though I would not forbeare to entreat of you though I had not heard that you euer granted so much before yet I entertaine more liuely hopes of obtaining it seeing 't was told me how the Rhegienses had obtained from you the selfsame fauour Who though they be linked in friendship with you yet your loue towards me bids me hope that what courtesies you haue done for your owne you will also performe for mine acquaintance Especially considering that hauing many friends which would sue for the like at your hands by my meanes I request this kindenes only for these men And though I assure my selfe you vnderstand that I discharge not this office without cause and that no vaine ambition hath tickled me on with so great instance to sollicite you yet would I haue you giue credit to my sincere speeches that I am to this towne much obliged it hauing euer aswell in time of my prosperities as disasters made knowne their singular affection to me Wherefore in respect of the viscerall amitie we hold together and for that great loues sake which you haue euer borne me I do in the greatest earnest I am able entreate you that you considering that the estate of â— who le Towne is heere handled which is neere vnto me both in friendshippâ— office and affection will bee pleased to gratifie me And wee shall so value your fauour if wee obtaine from Caesar as our expected grace wee shall repute it granted by your benefit if otherwise wee shall notwithstanding remaine in the same obligation in that you labour'd to procure it vs. And besides the singular pleasure you shall doe me thereby you shall by meanes of such an important fauour further oblige vnto yoursâ—lfe most bountiful noble and most gratefull cittizens and such as shall be worthy of your friendship of whom you may alwaies make any vse either in your owne or friends occasions Farewell Cicero to Marcus Rutilius Epist. 8. BEing a sufficient testimonie to my selfe of the respect that I owe you and hauing by experience made triall of the loue that you beare mee I haâ—e had the boldnesse to requâ—st a fauour as much importing mee as it was necessarie for me to require it of you What esteeme I make of Publius Sextius there 's no man knowes better â—hen my selfe and how much I ought to esteeme him you and all men can imagine Hauing heard from others how well you stand affected to me hee requested me that I would write vnto you with all possible efficacie about the busines of Caâ—us Albinus the Senator by whose daughter the same Publiuâ— Sextius had that vertuous young man Lucius This therefore I haue written vnto you to the end you may apprehend that not only I am bound to haue a care of Publius Sextius but Sextius of Albinus Now the busines is this Caius Albinus receiu'd in payments certaine Farmes of Marcus Laberius at the prises they were valued at which Farmes Laberius bought of Caesâ—r being part of the estate of Plotius If I should say â—hat iâ— would not bee profiâ—able for the Common-wealth that they should be deuided it might seeme that I did not entreat but instruct you But it being Caesars pleasure that the sales and assignements made by Sylla should stand good to the end that his might be thought more durable if the same Farmes be diuyded which Caesar himselfe hath sold what securitie can there bee
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
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
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
power to â—ssist him And therefoâ—e I speciallie recommend him vnto you and request you to worke so that hee may perceiue that he was greatly furâ—hered by my recommendation And I shall receiue it as a great courtesieâ— Farewell Cicero to Quintus Ancharius vice-Consull sonne to Quintus Epist. 40. I Very familiaâ—ly conuerse with Lucius and Caius Aurelius as likewise with Lucius their father a man of rare integritie These young men therefore adoâ—n'd with all commendable vertues my deaâ—e friens and worâ—hie of your amitie I most heartily recommend vnto you If euer any recommendation of mine pâ—â—uailed with you and I know many haue greatly preuaild I pray let this take place And if you entreat them honorablie and courteouslie first you shall oblige vnto you two most gratefull and verâ—uous young men and besides you shall heâ—rein doe me a priâ—cipall pleasure Farewell Cicero to Lucius Culleolus Epist. 41. THe kinde offices you haue performâ—d to the benefit of Luâ—ius Luâ—câ—â—us haue beene assuredly conferrâ—d vpon a very gratefull person and yâ—u haue not onely pleasured him but also Pompeius who whensoeuer he sees me and hee sees me very often hee reâ—urnes such â—hankes as more affectionate cannot be giuen I will also tell you this that I am certaine you shall receiue great contentment for I â—inde an inestimable satisfaction in your loue and kindnes shewed to Lucceius Now though I doubt not but that you hauing heeretofore vsed so great humanitie towards him for our respect will not to be held vnconstant still continue it Neuerthelesse I requâ—st it at your hands as â— speciall fâ—uour that what you promis'd from the beginningâ— and peâ—formed in effect you would be pleas'd to augment from good to better and to bring it to a full perfection I affirme and assure you that you shall heerein doe a greaâ— pleasure to Lucceius and â—â—mpeius and you shall receiue both â—rom th' one and th' other worthie recompence A few daies since I wrot careâ—ully vnto you about the state of the Common-wealth of matters heere and of our resolution and I deliuerd the letters to your seruants Farewell Cicero to Lucius Culleolus vice-Consull Epist. 42. LVcius Lucceius my friend a man beyond all others gratefull talking with me highly commended you declaring to me how freely and liberallie you offered your selfe to his Sollicitors If your courteous words were so acceptable to him what suppose you will effects be when you hold promise with him as I hope you will It is true that thâ— Bylliones haue said they would satisâ—iâ— Lucceius in what manner soeuer should bee pleasing to Pompeius but that this busines may sort to a good end it is verie requisite that yoâ— should intâ—rpose your pleasure authoriâ—ieâ— and command Which I earnâ—stly intreat you And I am wonderfully pleas'd that th'Agents of Lucâ—eius perceiue and that Luccâ—ius himselfe by your letters written to him hath vnderstood that no mans authoritie or fauour can doe more with you then mine owne And that hee may haue tryâ—ll thereof let me once more and often request you Farewell Cicero to Quintus Gallius Epist. 43. ALthough I hope that in many things you will câ—use me to percâ—iue as long siâ—ce I haue seene that I am beloued â—f you â—euerthâ—les an occasioâ— noâ— prâ—â—â—nâ— it sâ—lâ—e thâ—t you may easilie â—â—forme mee of thâ— loue you beare me Oppiusâ—onne â—onne to Marcus neâ—otiatâ—s in â—hiloâ—elâ—â—◠〈◊〉 is my famâ—liar acquaintance And I recommenâ— him â—o you with all â—fficacie and so much the more in that besides the affâ—ction I beare to hâ—mselfe he sollicites the busines of Lucius Egnatius Râ—â—us with whom I conuâ—râ—â— more domestically thâ—n with any other Râ—mane Caualliâ—re and is neere vnto me as well by reason of our continuall conuersation as our mutuâ—ll exchange of many and grâ—at ofâ—ices I entreat you theâ—fore that you will so loue Oppius present and take the affaires of Egnatius absent into your proâ—ection as if they were mine owne occasions I would hâ—ue you â—o make a memoriall and commit it to some one of your followers who when you arriue in your Prouince may redeliuer it you But write it in such sort that in reading it you may readily call to minde how precisely I made you this recommendation This of all loue I request you Farewell Cicero to Quintus Gallius Epist. 44. THough both by your own letters and those of Lucius Oppius my familiar friend I vnderstood that you haue bâ—ene mindeâ—ull of my râ—commendation whereat I wondred not considering your infinite loue towards â—e and the great friendship that passâ—th betwixt vs. Yet once againe with all care I recommend vnto you Lucius Oppius present and the affaires of my most familiar friend Lucius Egnatius being absent The friendship and familiaritie I hold with him is so great that if mine owne Interests were handled I could not bee any waies more careâ—ull You shall therefore doe me a speciall fauour if you so effect that he may perceiue that I am so much beloued of you as I seeme to perswade my selfe to be You can not doe me a greater pleasure and I earnestly request it Farâ—well Cicero to Apulâ—ius vice-Quaestor Epist. 45. I So familiarly conuerse with Lucius Egnatius a Romanâ— Knight as there is none of his qualitie that is so inward with me I commend vnâ—o you Anchialus his seruant and the businesses he hath in Asia as if I commended vnto you any affaires of mine owne And I would haue you vnderstand that wee doe not onely daily and dâ—mestically conuerse togeather but furâ—her great fauours haue passed from one of vs to the other Wherfore I earnestly request you so to procure that he may vndâ—rstand that I wrote vnto you very effectually Of your good disposition towards me he made no question and I heartily intreate you for performance Farewell Cicero to Apâ—leius vice Quaestor Epist. 46. LVcius Nostius Zoilus is â—o-heire as I am to his master To this effect I haue written both to giue you noâ—â—â— that I haue some cause to be his friend and that you might esteeme him for an honest man seeing his master so râ—puted him I recommend him therefore vnto you as one of our familie And I shal be very glad that you would giue him occasion to know that this my recommendation turned to his helpe and furtherance Farewell Cicero to Silius Epist. 47. TO what end should I recommend a man vnâ—o you whom you fauour Neuertheles that you may perceiue that he is not only liked but beloued of me I haue written these vnto you Of all the pleasures you euer did me which to say the truth are many and very important it would bee most acceptable to me if you would so vse Egnatius that he may pâ—rceiue that hee 's of mee and I of you beloued This I request of you with the greatest desire possible There is not now that former estate of the Common-wealth which gaue such contenâ—ment Let them be comforted therefore in saying as the vulgar do
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
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
Deiotarus These put all together cannot peraduenture speake so far that they can with words adde anie thing to the effects But because in all ages there was a lesser number of those that could subdue their owne appetites then of those that knew how to vanquish an enemie certainely you ought to repute my operations the greater and more iust comparing with the excellencie of armes these parts which are more rare and found with greater difficultie I will not proceed to more â—fficacious entreaties But as it were distrusting to be heard I will cal Philosophie to mine ayde which is the dearest thing that I esteeme in the world and the most worthie giâ—t that euer the Gods bestowed vpon humane generation This communion therefore of studies wherby both of vs hauing from our childhood applied all our thoughts and endeuors thereunto we haue almost alone brought that ancient true Philosophie which some hold to taste of sloth idlenesse into the Foruâ— and Common-wealth almost into the armie shal preâ—ch my deserts vnto you which I suppose Cato cannot but vnlawfully denie Wherefore assure your selfe that if it so happen that the Senate through your perswasion grant me this honour I shall repute I haue aâ—tained to my intention by the means I most desired that is by the loue you beare mee and your owne authoritie Farewell Marcus Cato to Cicero Imperator Epist. 5. HAuing vnderstood of the vigilant care you haue taken of the people committed to your charge and the Iustice you haue executed in your gouernment your zeale in procuring their happines I haue found such contentment therein as our friendship and the loue I beare vnto my Countrey requireth Which notwithstanding to me is no new thing nor to anie that haue knowne the diuine forme by you obserued in the Regiments of Rome wherefore not thinking it fit that your praises should bee concealed hauing with innocencie and good counsels defended the Prouince preseru'd the Kingdome of Ariobarzanes with the King himselfe recalled to the obedience of our Empire the Confederates I spake openly in the Senate in testimonie of your vertues which had produced so happie effects The Senate vndâ—rstanding your desire according to the ancient order did delâ—berate that all the Temples of the Citie should bee visited And if for that which you haue effected not by anie fauour of prosperous Fortune but by meanes of your owne moderation and prudence you had rather the people of Rome should giue thankes to the immortall Gods then acknowledge it from your selfe I in like manner reioyce thereat But if you affect this honour esteeming it an earnest of your Triumph And would for this haue vs more bouud to Fortune then to your selfe Know that Triumph doth not alwaies second such honor In my opinion 't is farre greater glorie when the Senate iudges that the Prouince was maintain'd and preseru'd rather by the clemencie and sinceritie of the Captaine then either by the force of Souldiers or the Gods benignitie And about this point I haue been longer then vsuall to make you conceiue the great desire I haue to settle you in this opinion that I haue both procur'd that for you which in my iudgement did accrue most vnto your greatnesse and that I reioyce that you haue obtained what you most desired Farewell Loue vs and as you haue begun prosecute the affaires of the Common-wealth and our Associates with diligence and seueritie Cicero to Marcus Cato Ep. 6. NAEVIUS as I remember by the mouth of Hector saith I finde O Father inestimable contentment in hearing my selfe commended by you a commendable person The like may I say who thinke I haue gained wonderfull glory because you congratulate with mâ—e for my obtained honour and much more in that with the testimonie of your opinion you haue praised my actions For that Fame which springs from the iudgement of some graue man and one of authoritie augmenteâ—h a mans râ—nowne and reputation and euâ—ry man presumes that it proceeeds from truest vertue But what in this I take for a singular fauour and yeelds mee high contentment is that I conceiue how in respect of our friendship you haue been most liberall to me of that which you would willingly haue afforded any for the tâ—uths sake And if our Citie in which it is a miracle to finde one Cato had not onely that one but did abound in many Cato's there is no Pompe nor Triumph so magnificent which I would not esteeme as nothing in comparison of the praises which you haue deliuered of me For according to my opinion and in their iudgement who with discreeâ— and sound vnderstanding respect the end of true glory nothing in the world could haue addâ—d vnto my good name so much as by your speeches hath beene added In which as I haue beene aduertised from home you exalted me to heauen I will not contend in alledging the reasons that made me not ambitious but desirous to purchase vnto my selfe that genâ—rall grace which is so much esteemed hauing written thereof at large in my last letters And though you infer â—hat a mâ—n sâ—ould not bend to such like respects this no waies distasâ—s me for â—'is true that honors should not be so openly hunted afâ—er but when they are oâ—fâ—red by the Seâ—â—te they ought not to be reâ—used And because it pleaseth me to suppose that the Senate in recompence of my labours sustained in the seruice of the commonwealth reputes me not vnworthy of an ordinary fauour In such a case I desire no other from you but after you haue granted me what your owne iudgement implyes that you will also reioyce if I happen to attaine to my desire as you reioyced at the honor which not long since was conferred on me Whereof I know you tooke that contentment which was requisite in that you were present at the recording of the decree thereupon passed considering that such delâ—berations are vsually registred by the dearest Fâ—iends of that part whom the Act concerneth I hope we shall shortly see one another againe and God grant in a better State then I can expect of the Commonwealth Farewell Cicero Vice-consull to Marcus Marcellus Consull Ep. 7. I Am wonderfull glad that you obtained the end of your reaâ—onable desire For your piety towards your friendâ— and loue towards your country deserued the reputation which your singâ—lar and excellent vertues in your Consulship haue procured you wherein you haue set vp a ladder as it were for Caius Marcellus to mount vnto the same degre of dignitie I am assured there is none in Rome that will not shew himselfe therewith as contented as we doe Who being sent by you to the vttermost bounds of our Empire doe highly exalt you with iust and true praises For though I haue specially loued you from your childe-hood and you haue not onely satisfied mee at all times and vpon anie occasion but also reputed me worthie of all honour Neuerthelesse obseruing the kinde part that you
shewed to your brother the singular grace that the people of Rome haue afforded you the loue I formerly bare you is manifoldly redoubled And I will not conceale how I finde ample satisfaction when I heare from prudent persons and those worthie of credit how in all opinions actions in all our endeuours and proceedings we both aime at one marke Now if to the other excellent operations of your Consulship you also adde this that a Successor may forthwith be sâ—nt me or that my time be not prorogu'd which you limited mee by decree and by the Law I shall remaine highly â—atisfied Bee carefull of your health and loue and deâ—end mee as you were accustomed Touching newes of the Parthians not minding yet to aduertise the Senat I thought not good to write to you theâ—of for in writing to the Consull I might seeme as it were to write vnto the Senate Farewel Cicero Vice-Consull to Caius Marcus Consull â—lected Epist. 8. TO my wonderfull content I vnderstand you are created Consull which dignitie the Gods felicitate vnto you and aduance from good to better that you may administer it with your owne and your fathers honor giuing such testimonies of your valor as I desire you should both because I haue found in the great instabilitie of my fortunes how heartily you loued me and also in that the infinite benefits I haue receiued from your â—ather binde me to louâ— you consequently to wish you all happines he neuer failing me of his ayde and fauour either in my miserie or prospeâ—itie Besides your Mother a vertuous Ladie and of great magnanimitie hath manifested by â—uident effects the inexplicable good will she beares vnto me hauing laboured in my safetie and honor with the greatest feruâ—ncie that can be required in a womâ—n Wheâ—fore I entreate you to loue and dâ—fend mâ— while I remaine in this gouernment Farewell Cicero vice-Consull to Marcus Marcellus his Colleague Epist. 9. I Am wondrous glâ—d that Mâ—rcellus is made Consull and that your wishes haue taken efâ—ect And no newes could haue come of greater â—oy vnto me not onely in respect of himselfe but also in iudging that your vertue meriteâ—h al felicity To this may be annexed that not onely when Forâ—une fauoured my affâ—ires but also when she frowned on me I made infallible tryall of the sinceritie oâ— that affection which you bare mee and finally I haue alwaies found your houâ—e ready to procure my honour and safetâ—e at all times when need required Wherefore you shall doe me a fauour to manifest this my contentment to your wife Iunia a most graue and worthie Lady I beseech you loue and defend me according to your accustomed manner Farewell Cicero Imperator to Caius Marcellus Consull son to Caius Epist. 10. BEhold Fortune concurring with our desire in hauâ—ng ministred an occasion whereby the family of the Marcelli and Marcellini who in louing of me were alwaies of one consâ—nt hath found a meanes to certifie mee of the aâ—â—ection which they bare me You are exalted to the Consulship which I greatly desiâ—ed And in truth neither could I haue had greater hap then to haue a Consull to mine owne minde noâ— you meete wiâ—h fitter times to make me câ—pable of your affection For I hauâ—ng performed some seruice in the behalfe of the Common-wealth it lies in you to manifest how farre you loue me by intimating to the Senate how worthie I am of commendation and by perswading them to remunerate my deseâ—uings I would therefore if you finde the Sâ—nate thereunto enclined that when my letters are read you would take the paines as with ease you may to procure that the honorablesâ— decree may bee thereupon made that you are able If the knot which fastens me togeather with your kindred were strongâ—r â—hen the chaine that bindes mee to your friendship I would choose them for my meanes Whom you know to with mee very well but it impoâ—ts not From your father I haue receiued important benefits and I may truely auerre that neuer any man sâ—ewed himselfe a greater friend to my safetie and honor â—hen he did your brother obserâ—es and â—â—â—spects mee as is knowne to â—ll men And to include many woâ—dâ— iâ— onâ— your whole familie wâ—s neuer flâ—cke to attempt any enterpâ—â—se in my fauour And yet for all this your selfe was neuer inferior to any of yours in louing me Whereupon with all feruencie I request you really to fauour me and to take vpon you the protection of mine honor â—â—rst in procuring those honors to be conferâ—ed vpon me which fore-run a Triumph and then iu furthering me in any other respect that shall seeme accrewing to my benefit Farewell Cicero Imperator to Caius Marcellus Consull Epist. 11. THough the effect it selfe relateth how deare my honour was vnto you and how stedfastly you remaine the same in your Consulship that you alwaies weare amongst the rest of your house and kindred yet the letters also of all my friends doe ratifie the same Wherefore I finde my selfe so much bound vnto you as there is no trauaile so great which I would not most readily and cheerefully put my selfe vpon for your benefit For the person to whom a man stands bound is a matter of great moment and I was euer glad to reamaine obliged vnto you to whom both through the same profession of letters and for benefits receiued from your father and your selfe I am much endeared Besides that louing band which ties vs with a stronger knot in that you haue euer discharged your place and dignitie to the benefit of the Common-wealth is a thing that I loue aboue all other things So that I refuse not to stand so farre bound vnto you as all good cittizens are engaged And I pray Fortune to send you that issue of your honor which you deserue and I hope will follow you I am in hope that shortly wee shall see one another so we be not opposed by the southerne windes Whereof I am in great feare because now is their proper season Farewell Cicero Imperator to Lucius Paullus elected Consull Ep. 12. THough I neuer doubted but that the people of Rome in recompence of your infinite deserts and for the nobilitie of your blood would with singular fauour and generall sufâ—rages create you Consull neuertheles being at this present certefied of so acceptable and pleasing newes it possesseth my heaâ—t with an incredible delightfulnes And I pray the Gods to prosper you in such a dignitie and vouchsafe you meanes to discharge it with that honor as belongs to your esteeme and the degree of your progenitors I would I had been preseÌ„t that happy day to haue assisted you as I euer desired and that with my diligence and endeauour I might haue wiped out some paâ—t of that great obligation wherein I stand bound vnto you Which opportunitie being taken from me by this vnexpected and suddaine accident because I was to depart to the gouernment of my Prouince I request at youâ— hands
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