A panoplie of epistles, or, a looking glasse for the vnlearned Conteyning a perfecte plattforme of inditing letters of all sorts, to persons of al estates and degrees, as well our superiours, as also our equalls and inferiours: vsed of the best and the eloquentest rhetoricians that haue liued in all ages, and haue beene famous in that facultie. Gathered and translated out of Latine into English, by Abraham Flemming.

Cicero to Marcello.

THE ARGVMENT.

He persuadeth Marcellus to abandon al counsel of exile and banish∣ment, and to returne into his countrie: that Caesar is not against it: that his brother desireth it: that the common wealth looketh for it: that the state of his owne houshold and familie standeth in great neede of it.

ALthough I vnderstand, such to be the coūsel & aduisement whiche you haue vsed, that I dare not be so presumptu∣•…•…us, as to pronoūce it worthy reprehēsion: but I must néedes séeme to varrie and differ from the same, bycause such is my iudgement touching your wisdome, that I count not my coū∣sel in respect of yours, deseruing prefermêt: yet notwithstan∣ding, the auncientnesse of our friendship, and your great good∣will towardes me, whereof I haue knowledge and experi∣ence from your childhoode, admonisheth me to write those things vnto you, which (in mine opinion) for your safetie were profitable, and to your worthynesse in no point disagréeable. I remember very well, that you are the man, which beha∣ued your selfe in the office of your Consulship, no lesse honou∣rably, then vertuously, long before you sawe the sparckles of these enormities and maine mischiefes kindling: and this per∣ceiued I also, that as well the counsel taken for making ci∣uil warres, and the hoast of Pomp•…•…ius, and that kynde of martiall preparation, was of you dissolued, and besides that in so litle hope, that it was excéedingly doubted: in whiche mynd, I thinke, you remember I was in like maner. Wher∣fore you tooke occasion not to be much present at the making

of such matches: and I did what I might to be alwaies ab∣sent. For we did not fight with those weapons, where whi•…•…h we might haue preuailed, namely, with counsel, authoritie, countenance, and the goodnesse of our cause, which in vs were of greater force: but with armes and sides, wherin we were not the stronger: we were therefore ouercome, or, if dignitie can not be conquered, yet notwithstanding muche empaired, weakened, and wounded. In whiche, your counsell and in∣tent can not but be vniuersally commended, because that, to∣gether with the hope and expectation of ouercomming, you did also bridle all desire of fighting, and did declare your selfe to be both a wise man, and also a good Citizen: a wiseman in that you were vnwilling to intermedle when Ciuil con∣tentions were a springing: and a good Citizen, in that you were as lothe to prosecute suche perilous matters to the vt∣termost. As for those men, to whom this your counsel séemed vnsauourie, and therefore vnworthie the folowing, I sée they are diuided into two kindes: for either they begin to renewe battell, and these men haue taken their way into Africa: or els (as wée) haue cōmitted themselues to him, whose luck•…•… it is to be conquerour. Your counsell is to neither of thes•…•… twaine inclined, but as a meane seperated by it selfe, suppo∣sing the one to be a signification, peraduenture of a cowardly minde, and the other an argument of a malapert companion. I confesse, that your counsell and determination, is iudged of most men, (and if I said of all men, I should not speake a∣misse) to proceede from singular wisdome, and from a minde established vpon the foundation of magnanimitie, and y^• sure groūd worke of valiantnes: but this your consideration & pur pose, (except I leane beside my cushing,) hath in it a certaine measure & meaning, sithence I suppose, y^• to the obteining, & repossessing of all your renoune and substance, nothing, be∣side will, in you was wanting. For so I vnderstoode, that no∣thing else offered doubtes to the minde of him, whose power and preeminence is vniuersall, but that he suspected suche to be your securitie, that you would thinke your restitution to be no benefite: wherof what I iudge, it booteth not to declare,

sithence it is apparant, what I my self haue done, whom you may at this present, vse for an example. But if you are fully resolued, to liue rather in perpetuall absence, then to sée that which in no wise you would: yet this ought to be fixed and setled in your cogitation, that in what plotte of land so euer your body abide, you are not exempted from his dominion, but subiect to the power of him, to whome by flight you deny subiection and allegiance: who of his singular clemencie and goodnes, though he should suffer you, now destitute of coūtry, & frustrate of possessions, to liue as you list in peace & quiet∣nes: yet ought you of dutie, to make this your cōtinual me∣ditation, what a godly thing it is for you to lead your life ra∣ther at Rome in your owne house, then to be abroade in Mi∣tylene, or in Rhodes. But for so muche as the power of him, to whom we exhibit dutie and reuerence, is so farre dilated & stretched, that it conteineth the compasse of the whole world: were not you better allow of this election, to liue at home w^t∣in the limits of your owne lande, voide of perill and daunger, then in forreigne and straunge places, to sustaine vile annoi∣ance? As for mine owne selfe, Though I should suffer ter∣rible death, yet had I rather abide the smarte thereof, within the walles of my natiue soile, then in places of great distance, where I am not known. And of this opiniō are al they which loue you & tender your worship, of whō there is a multitude innumerable, whose good harts & wel wishing you haue wun by your excellent vertues, & purchased by the glistering mir∣rour of your Noblenes. We also your friends, haue a regard to y^• condition of your familie, & domesticall affairs, which we will in no case should so run to ruine & docay, as to grow past remodie. For, althogh it can take no such iniurie, as may al∣wai•…•… last, & neuer be cut off from cōtinuāce: (because neither he who hath supremacie in the cōmon wealth, nor the cōmon wealth it self, wold sée suche a villanie cōmitted▪) yet I wold not y^• your good•…•… & possessions sho•…•…ld lie open to the clawes of the gréedie spoilers: & who they be that I terme by y^• name, I am not so timorous and white liuerd, but I dare sende you woord in writing, how•…•…it, I thinke it néedless•…•…▪ For in that

matter, I am assured, you canne not be ignorant. And in this behalfe, the manifolde cares of one peculiar person, and his continual teares, (Caius Marcellus, I meane, your very good Brother) make intercession, next vnto whome are wée im∣mediatly, in thought and in sorowe, but in the partes of sup∣pliantes somewhat more slacke then •…•…e, because we can not haue accesse vnto you, sithens wee our selues are destitute of an aduocate. So muche fauour can we finde, as men van∣quished may: and as for counsell, aduice, and labour other∣wise, to dooe Marcellus pleasure, we will not be w•…•…nting. The rest of yours admitte vs not into their companie: as for vs we are prouided at all assaies, in all cases whatsoeuer.

Fare you well.

Notes

• The begin∣ning of his persuasion is deriued from the proofe of Marcellus his vsage in the office of a good Citizen, wherein wan∣ted no per∣fourmance. &c.
• He vseth the same wor∣des in Epi. 1. lib. 6.
• To Iuba the King.
• In that thou wilt neither renue warre, nor returne to Rome: but re∣maine in ex∣ile.
• For the de∣speration of the whiche he did choose to be in banish∣ment.
• Alluding to Caesar.
• From that which is ne∣cessarie.
• So that his exile is nei∣ther honest nor safe.
• The wordes of a most cou∣ragious harted man: and bet∣ter to bee fol∣lowed then to be spoken.
• From com∣mon: consent.
• From that which is pro∣fitable and commodious.
• That set light by Mar∣cellus his re∣tu•…•…ne.