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 o 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.
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 concerned—and
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 cause—it 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 with such charming effect that the whole gymnasium
seems arranged specially for it. I am exceedingly obliged to
you.
III
To CN. POMPESUS MAGNUS
ROME
M. Tullius Cicero, son of Marcus, greets Ca. Pompeius, son
of
Cneius, Imperator.
IF you and the army are well I shall be glad. From your
official despatch I have, in common with everyone else, received
the liveliest satisfaction; for you have given us that strong hope
of peace, of which, in sole reliance on you, I was assuring
everyone. But I must inform you that your old enemies—now posing as
your friends—have received a stunning blow by this despatch, and,
being disappointed in the high hopes they were entertaining, are
thoroughly depressed. Though your private letter to me contained a
somewhat slight expression of your affection, yet I can assure you
it gave me pleasure: for there is nothing in which I habitually
find greater satisfaction than in the consciousness of serving my
friend; and if on any occasion I do not meet with an adequate
return, I am not at all sorry to have the balance of kindness in my
favour. Of this I feel no doubt—even if my extraordinary zeal in
your behalf has failed to unite you to me—that the interests of the
state will certainly effect a mutual attachment and coalition
between us. To let you know, however, what I missed in your letter
I will write with the candour which my own disposition and our
common friendship demand. I did expect some congratulation in your
letter on my achievements, for the sake at once of the ties between
us and of the Republic. This I presume to have been omitted by you
from a fear of hurting anyone's feelings. But let me tell you that
what I did for the salvation of the country is approved by the
judgment and testimony of the whole world. You are a much greater
man that Africanus, but I am not much inferior to Laelius either;
and when you come home you will recognize that I have acted with
such prudence and spirit, that you will not now be ashamed of being
coupled with me in politics as well as in private friendship.