letters of cicero-第6部分

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evements　as　quickly　as　possible　put　on　record　in　your　history。　For　it　is　not　only　the　thought　of　being　spoken　of　by　future　ages　that　makes　me　snatch　at　what　seems　a　hope　of　immortality；　but　it　is　also　the　desre　of　fully　enjoying　in　my　lifetime　an　authoritative　expression　of　your　judgment；　or　a　token　of　your　kindness　for　me；　or　the　charm　of　your　genius。　Not；　however；　that　while　thus　writing　I　am　unaware　under　what　heavy　burdens　you　are　labouring　in　the　portion　of　history　you　have　undertaken；　and　by　this　time　have　begun　to　write。　But　because　I　saw　that　your　history　of　the　Italian　and　Civil　Wars　was　now　all　but　finished；　and　because　also　you　told　me　that　you　were　already　embarking　upon　the　remaining　portions　of　your　work；　I　determined　not　to　lose　my　chance　for　the　want　of　suggesting　to　you　to　consider　whether　you　preferred　to　weave　your　account　of　me　into　the　main　context　of　your　history；　or　whether；　as　many　Greek　writers　have　doneCallisthenes；　the　Phocian　War；　Timeus；　the　war　of　Pyrrhus；　Polybius；　that　of　Numantia；　all　of　whom　separated　the　wars　I　have　named　from　their　main　narrativesyou　would；　like　them；　separate　the　civil　conspiracy　from　public　and　external　wars。　For　my　part；　I　do　not　see　that　it　matters　much　to　my　reputation；　but　it　does　somewhat　concern　my　impatience；　that　you　should　not　wait　till　you　come　to　the　proper　place；　but　should　at　once　anticipate　the　discussion　of　that　question　as　a　whole　and　the　history　of　that　epoch。　And　at　the　same　time；　if　your　whole　thoughts　are　engaged　on　one　incident　and　one　person；　I　can　see　in　imagination　how　much　fuller　your　material　will　be；　and　how　much　more　elaborately　worked　out。　I　am　quite　aware；　however；　what　little　modesty　I　display；　first；　in　imposing　on　you　so　heavy　a　burden　（for　your　engagements　may　well　prevent　your　compliance　with　my　request）；　and　in　the　second　place；　in　asking　you　to　shew　me　off　to　advantage。　What　if　those　transactions　are　not　in　your　judgment　so　very　deserving　of　commendation？　Yet；　after　all；　a　man　who　has　once　passed　the　border…line　of　modesty　had　better　put　a　bold　face　on　it　and　be　frankly　impudent。　And　so　I　again　and　again　ask　you　outright；　both　to　praise　those　actions　of　mine　in　warmer　terms　than　you　perhaps　feel；　and　in　that　respect　to　neglect　the　laws　of　history。　I　ask　you；　too；　in　regard　to　the　personal　predilection；　on　which　you　wrote　in　a　certain　introductory　chapter　in　the　most　gratifying　and　explicit　termsand　by　which　you　shew　that　you　were　as　incapable　of　being　diverted　as　Xenophon's　Hercules　by　Pleasurenot　to　go　against　it；　but　to　yield　to　your　affection　for　me　a　little　more　than　truth　shall　justify。　But　if　I　can　induce　you　to　undertake　this；　you　will　have；　I　am　persuaded；　matter　worthy　of　your　genius　and　your　wealth　of　language。　For　from　the　beginning　of　the　conspiracy　to　my　return　from　exile　it　appears　to　me　that　a　moderate…sized　monograph　might　be　composed；　in　which　you　will；　on　the　one　hand；　be　able　to　utilize　your　special　knowledge　of　civil　disturbances；　either　in　unravelling　the　causes　of　the　revolution　or　in　proposing　remedies　for　evils；　blaming　meanwhile　what　you　think　deserves　denunciation；　and　establishing　the　righteousness　of　what　you　approve　by　explaining　the　principles　on　which　they　rest：　and　on　the　other　hand；　if　you　think　it　right　to　be　more　outspoken　（as　you　generally　do）；　you　will　bring　out　the　perfidy；　intrigues；　and　treachery　of　many　people　towards　me。　For　my　vicissitudes　will　supply　you　in　your　composition　with　much　variety；　which　has　in　itself　a　kind　of　charm；　capable　of　taking　a　strong　hold　on　the　imagination　of　readers；　when　you　are　the　writer。　For　nothing　is　better　fitted　to　interest　a　reader　than　variety　of　circumstance　and　vicissitudes　of　fortune；　which；　though　the　reverse　of　welcome　to　us　in　actual　experience；　will　make　very　pleasant　reading：　for　the　untroubled　recollection　of　a　past　sorrow　has　a　charm　of　its　own。　To　the　rest　of　the　world；　indeed；　who　have　had　no　trouble　themselves；　and　who　look　upon　the　misfortunes　of　others　without　any　suffering　of　their　own；　the　feeling　of　pity　is　itself　a　source　of　pleasure。　For　what　man　of　us　is　not　delighted；　though　feeling　a　certain　compassion　too；　with　the　death…scene　of　Epaminondas　at　Mantinea？　He；　you　know；　did　not　allow　the　dart　to　be　drawn　from　his　body　until　he　had　been　told；　in　answer　to　his　question；　that　his　shield　was　safe；　so　that　in　spite　of　the　agony　of　his　wound　he　died　calmly　and　with　glory。　Whose　interest　is　not　roused　and　sustained　by　the　banishment　and　return　of　Themistocles？　Truly　the　mere　chronological　record　of　the　annals　has　very　little　charm　for　uslittle　more　than　the　entries　in　the　fasti：　but　the　doubtful　and　varied　fortunes　of　a　man；　frequently　of　eminent　character；　involve　feelings　of　wonder；　suspense；　joy；　sorrow；　hope；　fear：　if　these　fortunes　are　crowned　with　a　glorious　death；　the　imagination　is　satisfied　with　the　most　fascinating　delight　which　reading　can　give。　Therefore　it　will　be　more　in　accordance　with　my　wishes　if　you　come　to　the　resolution　to　separate　from　the　main　body　of　your　narrative；　in　which　you　embrace　a　continuance　history　of　events；　what　I　may　call　the　drama　of　my　actions　and　fortunes：　for　it　includes　varied　acts；　and　shifting　scenes　both　of　policy　and　circumstance。　Nor　am　I　afraid　of　appearing　to　lay　snares　for　your　favour　by　flattering　suggestions；　when　I　declare　that　I　desire　to　be　complimented　and　mentioned　with　praise　by　you　above　all　other　writers。　For　you　are　not　the　man　to　be　ignorant　of　your　own　powers；　or　not　to　be　sure　that　those　who　withhold　their　admiration　of　you　are　more　to　be　accounted　jealous；　than　those　who　praise　you　flatterers。　Nor；　again；　am　I　so　senseless　as　to　wish　to　be　consecrated　to　an　eternity　of　fame　by　one　who；　in　so　consecrating　me；　does　not　also　gain　for　himself　the　glory　which　rightfully　belongs　to　genius。　For　the　famous　Alexander　himself　did　not　wish　to　be　painted　by　Apelles；　and　to　have　his　statue　made　by　Lysippus　above　all　others；　merely　from　personal　favour　to　them；　but　because　he　thought　that　their　art　would　be　a　glory　at　once　to　them　and　to　himself。　And；　indeed；　those　artists　used　to　make　images　of　the　person　known　to　strangers：　but　if　such　had　never　existed；　illustrious　men　would　yet　be　no　less　illustrious。　The　Spartan　Agesilaus；　who　would　not　allow　a　portrait　of　himself　to　be　painted　or　a　statue　made；　deserves　to　be　quoted　as　an　example　quite　as　much　as　those　who　have　taken　trouble　about　such　representations：　for　a　single　pamphlet　of　Xenophon's　in　praise　of　that　king　has　proved　much　more　effective　than　all　the　portraits　and　statues　of　them　all；　And；　moreover；　it　will　more　redound　to　my　present　exultation　and　the　honour　of　my　memory　to　have　found　my　way　into　your　history；　than　if　I　had　done　so　into　that　of　others；　in　this；　that　I　shall　profit　not　only　by　the　genius　of　the　writeras　Timoleon　did　by　that　of　Timaeus；　Themistocles　by　that　of　Herodotusbut　also　by　the　authority　of　a　man　of　a　most　illustrious　and　well…established　character；　and　one　well　known　and　of　the　first　repute　for　his　conduct　in　the　most　important　and　weighty　matters　of　state；　so　that　I　shall　seem　to　have　gained　not　only　the　fame　which　Alexander　on　his　visit　to　Sigeum　said　had　been　bestowed　on　Achilles　by　Homer；　but　also　the　weighty　testimony　of　a　great　and　illustrious　man。　For　I　like　that　saying　of　Hector　in　Naevius；　who　not　only　rejoices　that　he　is　〃praised；〃　but　adds；　〃and　by　one　who　has　himself　been　praised。〃　But　if　I　fail　to　obtain　my　request　from　you；　which　is　equivalent　to　saying；　if　you　are　by　some　means　preventedfor　I　hold　it　to　be　out　of　the　question　that　you　would　refuse　a　request　of　mineI　shall　perhaps　be　forced　to　do　what　certain　persons　have　often　found　fault　with；　write　my　own　panegyric；　a　thing；　after　all；　which　has　a　precedent　of　many　illustrious　men。　But　it　will　not　escape　your　notice　that　there　are　the　following　drawbacks　in　a　composition　of　that　sort：　men　are　bound；　when　writing　of　themselves；　both　to　speak　with　greater　reserve　of　what　is　praiseworthy；　and　to　omit　what　calls　for　blame。　Added　to　which　such　writing　carries　less　conviction；　less　weight；　many　people；　in　fine；　carp　at　it；　and　say　that　the　heralds　at　the　public　games　are　more　modest；　far　after　having　placed　garlands　on　the　other　recipients　and　proclaimed　their　names　in　a　loud　voice；　when　their　own　turn　comes　to　be　presented　with　a　garland　before　the　games　break　up；　they　call　in　the　services　of　another　herald；　that　they　may　not　declare　themselves　victors　with　their　own　voice。　I　wish　to　avoid　all　this；　and；　if　you　undertake　my　cause；　I　shall　avoid　it：　and；　accordingly；　I　ask　you　this　favour。　But　why；　you　may　well　ask；　when　you　have　already　often　assured　me　that　yOu　intended　to　record　in　your　book　with　the　utmost　minuteness　the　policy　and　events　of　my　consulship；　do　I　now　make　this　request　to　you　with　such　earnestness　and　in　so　many　words？　The　reason　is　to　be　found　in　that　burning　desire；　of　which　I　spoke　at　the　beginning　of　my　letter；　for　something　prompt：　because　I　am　in　a　flutter　of　impatience；　both　that　men　should　learn　what　I　am　from　your　book；　while　I　am　still　alive；　and　that　I　may　myself　in　my　lifetime　have　the　full　enjoyment　of　my　little　bit　of　glory。　What　you　intend　doing　on　this　subject　I　should　like　you　to　write　me　word；　if　not　troublesome　to　you。　For　if　you　do　undertake　the　subject；　I　will　put　together　sonic　notes　of　all　occurrences：　but　if　you　put　me　off　to　some　future　time；　I　will　talk　the　matter　over　with　you。　Meanwhile；　do　not　relax　your　efforts；　and　thoroughly　polish　what　you　have　already　on　the　stocks；　andcontinue　to　love　me。

XI。

To　M。　FADIUS　GALLU5

ROME　（MAY）

I　HAD　only　just　arrived　from　Arpinum　when　your　letter　was　delivered　to　me；　and　from　the　same　bearer　I　received　a　letter　from　Avianius；　in　which　there　was　this　most　liberal　offer；　that　when　he　came　to　Rome　he　would　enter　my　debt　to　him　on　whatever　day　I　chose。　Pray　put　yourself　in　my　place：　is　it　consistent　with　your　modesty　or　mine；　first　to　prefer　a　request　as　to　the　day；　and　then　to　ask　more　than　a　year's　credit？　But；　my　dear　Gallus；　everything　would　have　been　easy；　if　you　had　bought　the　things　I　wanted；　and　only　up　to　the　price　that　I　wished。　However；　the　purchases　which；　according　to　your　letter；　you　have　made　shall　not　only　be　ratified　by　me；　but　with　gratitude　besides：　for　I　fully