treatises on friendship and old age-第2部分

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You　have　often　urged　me　to　write　something　on　Friendship；　and　I
quite　acknowledged　that　the　subject　seemed　one　worth　everybody's
investigation；　and　specially　suited　to　the　close　intimacy　that　has
existed　between　you　and　me。　Accordingly　I　was　quite　ready　to
benefit　the　public　at　your　request。

As　to　the　_dramatis　personae_。　In　the　treatise　on　Old　Age；　which　I
dedicated　to　you；　I　introduced　Cato　as　chief　speaker。　No　one；　I
thought；　could　with　greater　propriety　speak　on　old　age　than　one
who　had　been　an　old　man　longer　than　any　one　else；　and　had　been
exceptionally　vigorous　in　his　old　age。　Similarly；　having　learnt　from
tradition　that　of　all　friendships　that　between　Gaius　Laelius　and
Publius　Scipio　was　the　most　remarkable；　I　thought　Laelius　was　just
the　person　to　support　the　chief　part　in　a　discussion　on　friendship
which　Scaevola　remembered　him　to　have　actually　taken。
Moreover；　a　discussion　of　this　sort　gains　somehow　in　weight　from
the　authority　of　men　of　ancient　days；　especially　if　they　happen　to
have　been　distinguished。　　So　it　comes　about　that　in　reading　over
what　I　have　myself　written　I　have　a　feeling　at　times　that　it　is
actually　Cato　that　is　speaking；　not　I。

Finally；　as　I　sent　the　former　essay　to　you　as　a　gift　from　one　old
man　to　another；　so　I　have　dedicated　this　_On　Friendship_　as　a　most
affectionate　friend　to　his　friend。　In　the　former　Cato　spoke；　who
was　the　oldest　and　wisest　man　of　his　day；　in　this　Laelius　speaks　on
friendship…Laelius；　who　was　at　once　a　wise　man　（that　was　the　title
given　him）　and　eminent　for　his　famous　friendship。　　Please　forget
me　for　a　while；　imagine　Laelius　to　be　speaking。

Gaius　Fannius　and　Quintus　Mucius　come　to　call　on　their
father…in…law　after　the　death　of　Africanus。　They　start　the　subject；
Laelius　answers　them。　　And　the　whole　essay　on　friendship　is　his。　In
reading　it　you　will　recognise　a　picture　of　yourself。

2。　_Fannius_。　You　are　quite　right；　Laelius！　there　never　was　a　better
or　more　illustrious　character　than　Africanus。　But　you　should
consider　that　at　the　present　moment　all　eyes　are　on　you。　Everybody
calls　you　〃the　wise〃　_par　excellence_；　and　thinks　you　so。　The　same
mark　of　respect　was　lately　paid　Cato；　and　we　know　that　in　the　last
generation　Lucius　Atilius　was　called　〃the　wise。〃　　But　in　both　cases
the　word　was　applied　with　a　certain　difference。　Atilius　was　so
called　from　his　reputation　as　a　jurist；　Cato　got　the　name　as　a　kind
of　honorary　title　and　in　extreme　old　age　because　of　his　varied
experience　of　affairs；　and　his　reputation　for　foresight　and　firmness；
and　the　sagacity　of　the　opinions　which　he　delivered　in　senate　and
forum。　　You；　however；　are　regarded　as　　wise　　in　a　somewhat
different　sense　not　alone　on　account　of　natural　ability　and
character；　but　also　from　your　industry　and　learning；　and　not　in　the
sense　in　which　the　vulgar；　but　that　in　which　scholars；　give　that
title。　　In　this　sense　we　do　not　read　of　any　one　being　called　wise　in
Greece　except　one　man　at　Athens；　and　he；　to　be　sure；　had　been
declared　by　the　oracle　of　Apollo　also　to　be　〃the　supremely　wise
man。〃　For　those　who　commonly　go　by　the　name　of　the　Seven
Sages　are　not　admitted　into　the　category　of　the　wise　by　fastidious
critics。　　Your　wisdom　people　believe　to　consist　in　this；　that　you
look　upon　yourself　as　self…sufficing　and　regard　the　changes　and
chances　of　mortal　life　as　powerless　to　affect　your　virtue。　
Accordingly　they　are　always　asking　me；　and　doubtless　also　our
Scaevola　here；　how　you　bear　the　death　of　Africanus。　　This　curiosity
has　been　the　more　excited　from　the　fact　that　on　the　Nones　of　this
month；　when　we　augurs　met　as　usual　in　the　suburban　villa　of
Decimus　Brutus　for　consultation；　you　were　not　present；　though　it
had　always　been　your　habit　to　keep　that　appointment　and　perform
that　duty　with　the　utmost　punctuality。

_Scaevola_。　Yes；　indeed；　Laelius；　I　am　often　asked　the　question
mentioned　by　Fannius。　　But　I　answer　in　accordance　with　what　I
have　observed：　I　say　that　you　bear　in　a　reasonable　manner　the　grief
which　you　have　sustained　in　the　death　of　one　who　was　at　once　a
man　of　the　most　illustrious　character　and　a　very　dear　friend。　　That
of　course　you　could　not　but　be　affected…anything　else　would　have
been　wholly　unnatural　in　a　man　of　your　gentle　nature…but　that　the
cause　of　your　non…attendance　at　our　college　meeting　was　illness；
not　melancholy。

_Laelius_。　　Thanks；　Scaevola！　　You　are　quite　right；　you　spoke　the
exact　truth。　For　in　fact　I　had　no　right　to　allow　myself　to　be
withdrawn　from　a　duty　which　I　had　regularly　performed；　as　long　as
I　was　well；　by　any　personal　misfortune；　nor　do　I　think　that　anything
that　can　happen　will　cause　a　man　of　principle　to　intermit　a　duty。
As　for　your　telling　me；　Fannius；　of　the　honourable　appellation
given　me　（an　appellation　to　which　I　do　not　recognise　my　title；　and
to　which　I　make　no　claim）；　you　doubtless　act　from　feelings　of
affection；　but　I　must　say　that　you　seem　to　me　to　do　less　than　justice
to　Cato。　If　any　one　was　ever　〃wise；〃…of　which　I　have　my　doubts；…he
was。　　Putting　aside　everything　else；　consider　how　he　bore　his　son's
death！　I　had　not　forgotten　Paulus；　I　had　seen　with　my　own　eyes
Gallus。　　But　they　lost　their　sons　when　mere　children；　Cato　his
when　he　was　a　full…grown　man　with　an　assured　reputation。　　Do　not
therefore　be　in　a　hurry　to　reckon　as　Cato's　superior　even　that　same
famous　personage　whom　Apollo；　as　you　say；　declared　to　be　〃the
wisest。〃　　Remember　the　former's　reputation　rests　on　deeds；　the
latter's　on　words。

3。　Now；　as　far　as　I　am　concerned　（I　speak　to　both　of　you　now）；
believe　me　the　case　stands　thus。　If　I　were　to　say　that　I　am　not
affected　by　regret　for　Scipio；　I　must　leave　the　philosophers　to
justify　my　conduct；　but　in　point　of　fact　I　should　be　telling　a　lie。
Affected　of　course　I　am　by　the　loss　of　a　friend　as　I　think　there　will
never　be　again；　such　as　I　can　fearlessly　say　there　never　was　before。　
But　I　stand　in　no　need　of　medicine。　I　can　find　my　own　consolation；
and　it　consists　chiefly　in　my　being　free　from　the　mistaken　notion
which　generally　causes　pain　at　the　departure　of　friends。　To　Scipio　I
am　convinced　no　evil　has　befallen　　mine　is　the　disaster；　if　disaster
there　be；　and　to　be　severely　distressed　at　one's　own　misfortunes
does　not　show　that　you　love　your　friend；　but　that　you　love　yourself。

As　for　him；　who　can　say　that　all　is　not　more　than　well？　For；　unless
he　had　taken　the　fancy　to　wish　for　immortality；　the　last　thing　of
which　he　ever　thought；　what　is　there　for　which　mortal　man　may
wish　that　he　did　not　attain？　In　his　early　manhood　he　more　than
justified　by　extraordinary　personal　courage　the　hopes　which　his
fellow…citizens　had　conceived　of　him　as　a　child。　He　never　was　a
candidate　for　the　consulship；　yet　was　elected　consul　twice：　the　first
time　before　the　legal　age；　the　second　at　a　time　which；　as　far　as　he
was　concerned；　was　soon　enough；　but　was　near　being　too　late　for
the　interests　of　the　State。　By　the　overthrow　of　two　cities　which
were　the　most　bitter　enemies　of　our　Empire；　he　put　an　end　not　only
to　the　wars　then　raging；　but　also　to　the　possibility　of　others　in　the
future。　　What　need　to　mention　the　exquisite　grace　of　his　manners；
his　dutiful　devotion　to　his　mother；　his　generosity　to　his　sisters；　his
liberality　to　his　relations；　the　integrity　of　his　conduct　to　every　one？　
You　know　all　this　already。　　Finally；　the　estimation　in　which　his
fellow…citizens　held　him　has　been　shown　by　the　signs　of　mourning
which　accompanied　his　obsequies。　　What　could　such　a　man　have
gained　by　the　addition　of　a　few　years？　Though　age　need　not　be　a
burden；…as　I　remember　Cato　arguing　in　the　presence　of　myself　and
Scipio　two　years　before　he　died；…yet　it　cannot　but　take　away　the
vigour　and　freshness　which　Scipio　was　still　enjoying。　We　may
conclude　therefore　that　his　life；　from　the　good　fortune　which　had
attended　him　and　the　glory　he　had　obtained；　was　so　circumstanced
that　it　could　not　be　bettered；　while　the　suddenness　of　his　death
saved　him　the　sensation　of　dying。　　As　to　the　manner　of　his　death　it
is　difficult　to　speak；　you　see　what　people　suspect。　　Thus　much；
however；　I　may　say：　Scipio　in　his　lifetime　saw　many　days　of
supreme　triumph　and　exultation；　but　none　more　magnificent　than
his　last；　on　which；　upon　the　rising　of　the　Senate；　he　was　escorted
by　the　senators　and　the　people　of　Rome；　by　the　allies；　and　by　the
Latins；　to　his　own　door。　From　such　an　elevation　of　popular　esteem
the　next　step　seems　naturally　to　be　an　ascent　to　the　gods　above；
rather　than　a　descent　to　Hades。

4。　For　I　am　not　one　of　these　modern　philosophers　who　maintain
that　our　souls　perish　with　our　bodies；　and　that　death　ends　all。　With
me　ancient　opinion　has　more　weight：　whether　it　be　that　of　our　own
ancestors；　who　attributed　such　solemn　observances　to　the　dead；　as
they　plainly　would　not　have　done　if　they　had　believed　them　to　be
wholly　annihilated；　or　that　of　the　philosophers　who　once　visited
this　country；　and　who　by　their　maxims　and　doctrines　educated
Magna　Graecia；　which　at　that　time　was　in　a　flourishing　condition；
though　it　has　now　been　ruined；　or　that　of　the　man　who　was
declared　by　Apollo's　oracle　to　be　〃most　wise；〃　and　who　used　to
teach　without　the　variation　which　is　to　be　found　in　most
philosophers　that　〃the　souls　of　men　are　divine；　and　that　when　they
have　quitted　the　body　a　return　to　heaven　is　open　to　them；　least
difficult　to　those　who　have　been　most　virtuous　and　just。〃　This
opinion　was　shared　by　Scipio。　　Only　a　few　days　before　his　death…as
though　he　had　a　presentiment　of　what　was　coming…he　discoursed
for　three　days　on　the　state　of　the　republic。　The　company　consisted
of　Philus　and　Manlius　and　several　others；　and　I　had　brought　you；
Scaevola；　along　with　me。　　The　last　part　of　his　discourse　referred
principally　to　the　immortality　of　the　soul；　for　he　told　us　what　he
had　heard　from　the　elder　Africanus　in　a　dream。　　Now　if　it　be　true
that　in　proportion　to　a　man's　goodness　the　escape　from　what　may
be　called　the　prison　and　bonds　of　the　flesh　is　easiest；　whom　can　we
imagine　to　have　had　an　easier　voyage　to　the　gods　than　Scipio？　I　am
disposed　to　think；　therefore；　that　in　his　case　mourning　would　be　a
sign　of　envy　rather　than　of　friendship。　If；　however；　the　truth　rather
is　that　the　body　and　soul　perish