letters of cicero-第1部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！




Letters　of　Cicero

by　Marcus　Tullius　Cicero

Translated　by　E。　S。　Shuckburgh




THE　letters　of　Cicero　are　of　a　very　varied　character。　They　range　from　the　most　informal　communications　with　members　of　his　family　to　serious　and　elaborate　compositions　which　are　practically　treatises　in　epistolary　form。　A　very　large　proportion　of　them　were　obviously　written　out　of　the　mood　of　the　moment；　with　no　thought　of　the　possibility　of　publication；　and　in　these　the　style　is　comparatively　relaxed　and　colloquial。　Others；　addressed　to　public　characters；　are　practically　of　the　same　nature　as　his　speeches；　discussions　of　political　questions　intended　to　influence　public　opinion；　and　performing　a　function　in　the　Roman　life　of　the　time　closely　analogous　to　that　fulfilled　at　the　present　day　by　articles　is　the　great　reviews；　or　editorials　in　prominent　journals。

In　the　case　of　both　of　these　two　main　groups　the　interest　is　twofold：　personal　and　historical；　though　it　is　naturally　in　the　private　letters　that　we　find　most　light　thrown　on　the　character　of　the　writer。　In　spite　of　the　spontaneity　of　these　epistles　there　exists　a　great　difference　of　opinion　among　scholars　as　to　the　personality　revealed　by　them；　and　both　in　the　extent　of　the　divergence　of　view　and　in　the　heat　of　the　controversy　we　are　reminded　of　modern　discussions　of　the　characters　of　men　such　as　Gladstone　or　Roosevelt。　It　has　been　fairly　said　that　there　is　on　the　whole　more　chance　of　justice　to　Cicero　from　the　man　of　the　world　who　understands　how　the　stress　and　change　of　politics　lead　a　statesman　into　apparently　inconsistent　utterances　than　from　the　professional　scholar　who　subjects　these　utterances　to　the　severest　logica1　scrutiny；　without　the　illumination　of　practical　experience。

Many　sides　of　Cicero's　life　other　than　the　political　are　reflected　in　the　letters。　From　them　we　can　gather　a　picture　of　how　an　ambitious　Roman　gentleman　of　some　inherited　wealth　took　to　the　legal　profession　as　the　regular　means　of　becoming　a　public　figure；　of　how　his　fortune　might　be　increased　by　fees；　by　legacies　from　friends；　clients；　and　even　complete　strangers　who　thus　sought　to　confer　distinction　on　themselves；　of　how　the　governor　of　a　province　could　become　rich　in　a　year；　of　how　the　sons　of　Roman　men　of　wealth　gave　trouble　to　their　tutors；　were　sent　to　Athens；　as　to　a　university　in　our　day；　and　found　an　allowance　of　over　4；000　a　year　insufficient　for　their　extravagances。　Again；　we　see　the　greatest　orator　of　Rome　divorce　his　wife　after　thirty　years；　apparently　because　she　had　been　indiscreet　or　unscrupulous　in　money　matters；　and　marry　at　the　age　of　sixty…three　his　own　ward；　a　young　girl　whose　fortune　he　admitted　was　the　main　attraction。　The　coldness　of　temper　suggested　by　these　transactions　is　contradicted　in　turn　by　Cicero's　romantic　affection　for　his　daughter　Tullia；　whom　he　is　never　tired　of　praising　for　her　cleverness　and　charm；　and　whose　death　almost　broke　his　heart。

Most　of　Cicero's　letters　were　written　in　ink　on　paper　or　parchment　with　a　reed　pen；　a　few　on　tablets　of　wood　or　ivory　covered　with　wax；　the　marks　being　cut　with　a　stylus。　The　earlier　letters　he　wrote　with　his　own　hand；　the　later　were；　except　in　rare　cases；　dictated　to　a　secretary。　There　was；　of　course；　no　postal　service；　so　the　epistles　were　carried　by　private　messengers　or　by　the　couriers　who　were　constantly　traveling　between　the　provincial　officials　and　the　capital。

Apart　from　the　letters　to　Atticus；　the　collection；　arrangement；　and　publication　of　Cicero's　correspondence　seems　to　have　been　due　to　Tiro；　the　learned　freedman　who　served　him　as　secretary；　and　to　whom　some　of　the　letters　are　addressed。　Titus　Pormponius　Atticus；　who　edited　the　large　collection　of　the　letters　written　to　himself；　was　a　cultivated　Roman　who　lived　more　than　twenty　years　in　Athens　for　purposes　of　study。　His　zeal　for　cultivation　was　combined　with　the　successful　pursuit　of　wealth；　and　though　Cicero　relied　on　him　for　aid　and　advice　in　public　as　well　as　private　matters；　their　friendship　did　not　prevent　Atticus　from　being　on　good　terms　with　men　of　the　opposite　party。

Generous；　amiable；　and　cultured；　Atticus　was　not　remarkable　for　the　intensity　of　his　devotion　either　to　principles　or　persons。　〃That　he　was　the　lifelong　friend　of　Cicero；〃　says　Professor　Tyrrell；　〃is　the　best　title　which　Atticus　has　to　remembrance。　As　a　man　he　was　kindly；　careful；　and　shrewd；　but　nothing　more：　there　was　never　anything　grand　or　noble　in　his　character。　He　was　the　quintessence　of　prudent　mediocrity。〃

The　period　covered　by　the　letters　of　Cicero　is　one　of　the　most　interesting　and　momentous　in　the　history　of　the　world；　and　these　letters　afford　a　picture　of　the　chief　personages　and　most　important　events　of　that　age　from　the　pen　of　a　man　who　was　not　only　himself　in　the　midst　of　the　conflict；　but　who　was　a　consummate　literary　artist。

LETTERS

MARCUS　TULLIUS　CICERO

I

To　ATTICUS　（AT　ATHENS）

ROME；　JULY

THE　state　of　things　in　regard　to　my　candidature；　in　which　I　know　that　you　are　supremely　interested；　is　this；　as　far　as　can　be　as　yet　conjectured。　The　only　person　actually　canvassing　is　P。　Sulpicius　Galba。　He　meets　with　a　good　old…fashioned　refusal　without　reserve　or　disguise。　In　the　general　opinion　this　premature　canvass　of　his　is　not　unfavourable　to　my　interests；　for　the　voters　generally　give　as　a　reason　for　their　refusal　that　they　are　under　obligations　to　me。　So　I　hope　my　prospects　are　to　a　certain　degree　improved　by　the　report　getting　about　that　my　friends　are　found　to　be　numerous。　My　intention　was　to　begin　my　own　canvass　just　at　the　very　time　that　Cincius　tells　me　that　your　servant　starts　with　this　letter；　namely；　in　the　campus　at　the　time　of　the　tribunician　elections　on　the　17th　of　July。　My　fellow　candidates；　to　mention　only　those　who　seem　certain；　are　Galba　and　Antonius　and　Q。　Cornificius。　At　this　I　imagine　you　smiling　or　sighing。　Well；　to　make　you　positively　smite　your　forehead；　there　are　people　who　actually　think　that　Caesonius　will　stand。　I　don't　think　Aquilius　will；　for　he　openly　disclaims　it　and　has　alleged　as　an　excuse　his　health　and　his　leading　position　at　the　bar。　Catiline　will　certainly　be　a　candidate；　if　you　can　imagine　a　jury　finding　that　the　sun　does　not　shine　at　noon。　As　for　Aufidius　and　Palicanus；　I　don't　think　you　will　expect　to　hear　from　me　about　them。　Of　the　candidates　for　this　year's　election　Caesar　is　considered　certain。　Thermus　is　looked　upon　as　the　rival　of　Silanus。　These　latter　are　so　weak　both　in　friends　and　reputation　that　it　seems　pas　impossible　to　bring　in　Curius　over　their　heads。　But　no　one　else　thinks　so。　What　seems　most　to　my　interests　is　that　Thermus　should　get　in　with　Caesar。　For　there　is　none　of　those　at　present　canvassing　who；　if　left　over　to　my　year；　seems　likely　to　be　a　stronger　candidate；　from　the　fact　that　he　is　commissioner　of　the　via　Flaininia；　and　when　that　has　been　finished；　I　shall　be　greatly　relieved　to　have　seen　him　elected　consul　this　election。　Such　in　outline　is　the　position　of　affairs　in　regard　to　candidates　up　to　date。　For　myself　I　shall　take　the　greatest　pains　to　carry　out　all　the　duties　of　a　candidate；　and　perhaps；　as　Gaul　seems　to　have　a　considerable　voting　power；　as　soon　as　business　at　Rome　has　come　to　a　standstill　I　shall　obtain　a　libera　legatio　and　make　an　excursion　in　the　course　of　September　to　visit　Piso；　but　so　as　not　to　be　back　later　than　January。　When　I　have　ascertained　the　feelings　of　the　nobility　I　will　write　you　word。　Everything　else　I　hope　will　go　smoothly；　at　any　rate　while　my　competitors　are　such　as　are　now　in　town。　You　must　undertake　to　secure　for　me　the　entourage　of　our　friend　Pompey；　since　you　are　nearer　than　I。　Tell　him　I　shall　not　be　annoyed　if　he　doesn't　come　to　my　election。　So　much　for　that　business。　But　there　is　a　matter　for　which　I　am　very　anxious　that　you　should　forgive　me。　Your　uncle　Caecilius　having　been　defrauded　of　a　large　sum　of　money　by　P。　Varius；　began　an　action　against　his　cousin　A。　Caninius　Satyrus　for　the　property　which　（as　he　alleged）　the　latter　had　received　from　Varius　by　a　collusive　sale。　He　was　joined　in　this　action　by　the　other　creditors；　among　whom　were　Lucullus　and　P。　Scipio；　and　the　man　whom　they　thought　would　be　official　receiver　if　the　property　was　put　up　for　sale；　Lucius　Pontius；　though　it　is　ridiculous　to　be　talking　about　a　receiver　at　this　stage　in　the　proceedings。　Caecilius　asked　me　to　appear　for　him　against　Satyrus。　Now；　scarcely　a　day　passes　that　Satyrus　does　not　call　at　my　house。　The　chief　object　of　his　attentions　is　L。　Domitius；　but　I　am　next　in　his　regard。　He　has　been　of　great　service　both　to　myself　and　to　my　brother　Quintus　in　our　elections。　I　was　very　much　embarrassed　by　my　intimacy　with　Satyrus　as　well　as　that　with　Domitius；　on　whom　the　success　of　my　election　depends　more　than　on　anyone　else。　I　pointed　out　these　facts　to　Caecilius；　at　the　same　time　I　assured　him　that　if　the　case　had　been　one　exclusively　between　himself　and　Satyrus；　I　would　have　done　what　he　wished。　As　the　matter　actually　stood；　all　the　creditors　being　concernedand　that　two　men　of　the　highest　rank；　who；　without　the　aid　of　anyone　specially　retained　by　Caecilius；　would　have　no　difficulty　in　maintaining　their　common　causeit　was　only　fair　that　he　should　have　consideration　both　for　my　private　friendship　and　my　present　situation。　He　seemed　to　take　this　somewhat　less　courteously　than　I　could　have　wished；　or　than　is　usual　among　gentlemen；　and　from　that　time　forth　he　has　entirely　withdrawn　from　the　intimacy　with　me　which　was　only　of　a　few　days　　standing。　Pray　forgive　me；　and　believe　that　I　was　prevented　by　nothing　but　natural　kindness　from　assailing　the　reputation　of　a　friend　in　so　vital　a　point　at　a　time　of　such　very　great　distress；　considering　that　he　had　shewn　me　every　sort　of　kindness　and　attention；　But　if　you　incline　to　the　harsher　view　of　my　conduct；　take　it　that　the　interests　of　my　canvass　prevented　me。　Yet；　even　granting　that　to　be　so；　I　think　you　should　pardon　me；　〃since　not　for　sacred　beast　or　oxhide　shield。〃　You　see　in　fact　the　position　I　am　in；　and　how　necessary　I　regard　it；　not　only　to　retain　but　even　to　acquire　all　possible　sources　of　popularity。　I　hope　I　have　justified　myself　in　your　eyes；　I　am　at　any　rate　anxious　to　have　done　so。　The　Hermathena　you　sent　I　am　delighted　with：　it　has　been　placed