The familiar epistles of M.T. Cicero Englished and conferred with the: French Italian and other translations

Cicero to Volumnius. Epist. 33.

THough you are not now here, when we exercise our selues in de∣claiming; yet haue you no preiudice thereby. Neither neede you enuie Hir∣tius;

as you write you should doe, if you lou'd him not. Except you would enuie him, rather for his eloquence, then for hearing my disputations. For, my sweet Volumnius, I am of no worth; and if I be worth anie thing, yet I hate my selfe, hauing lost those companions, for whose sake, you held mee happie. And though otherwhiles, I published something worthie my name; now I lament, that these my darts were throwne, not against armed men; but against birds, as Philoctetes saith in At∣••ius, ••aring no more for glorie. But yet I shall be merrie, if you come; though, you shall come in the verie height of occupations. From which, if I can free my selfe, I will leaue these businesses, to liue with you and our common frend••. For your Cassius, and our Dolobella, (though both th'one, and other, may be term'd ours) attend also to the same studies: & I giue eare vnto them willing∣ly. Here we haue neede, of your so ex∣quisite, and perfect a iudgement, and of that your so profound knowledge; so that many times, it makes me reser∣ued in my speech. I am constantly re∣solu'd, if Caesar will, to lay aside here∣after that person, wherein I haue many times giuen him satisfaction, and to shut my selfe vp in studies, ••o enioy an honest vacancie, together with you, and others, that haue a desire to vnder∣stand.

I would not haue had you to doubt, that your letters would haue annoyed mee, i•• they had, as you write, beene long; for, I as∣sure you, the longer, the more accept∣able. Farewell.