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

Cicero to Dolabella Consull. Epist. 9.

THough I could content my selfe, my Dolabella, with your glory, and take therein wonderfull satisfaction, and contentment: yet I must need••s

conf••sse, that I feele my selfe replenished with infinite ioy, seeing, that by the common opinion of men, I am made partak••r of your praises. With whom∣soeuer I come to speake thereof, (And euery day I speake with very many, for there is a great number of vertuous men, whi••h for the meanes of health, repaire to these places: and besides this, diuers others my ne••re friends, which come vnto vs from pr••u••ledged places, all which) aft••r they haue exal∣••ed you to heauen with exceeding pray∣ses, they presently giue me the great••st, and most effectuall thankes that can be. For they say, they make no doubt, but that you, following my documents, and instructions, may discharge those offi∣ces. Which to an exc••llent Cittizen, and hono••able Con••ull are conforma∣ble. And though I may answer them in all truth; that the matters you com∣passe; your owne iudgement, and like∣ing moues you to effect them; and that you neede not anothers aduise: neuer∣••he••esse, neither doe I whollie yeeld to their words, because I would not exte∣nuate your praise; in that it may seeme, wholly to proceed from my Councels: nor doe I altogether oppose them: be∣cause I am more hungrie after glorie then is conuenient. And yet, that de∣••oga••es not from your dignitie, which Agamemn••n king of kings, reputed ••or

so great honor; to hauesome N••stor for a Coun••ellor: and to mee it brings great renowne; that you being a young man, and Consull, should in∣crease in vertuous operations, as nou∣rished and brought vp, vnder my disci∣pline. Luciu•• Caesar certainely, whom I went, to meet at Naples, al••hough ter∣rible bod••lie torments a••flicted him; neuerthelesse, before hee saluted me, said, I reioyce with you, my Cicero, in that you are of such power with Dola∣bell••, that, if I had as much with the son of my sister; we might, secure from all danger, now, lead a life reposed. But with your Dolabella I reioyce, and g••ue him thankes•• to whom in truth, since your time of being Consull, wee may only ascribe the title of true Consull, Hee afterwards vs••d many words, a∣bout your actions, and prowesse: con∣cluding, that there was neuer more ho∣nourable and illustrious enterprise p••r∣form••d; nor from which greater bene∣fit accrewed to the Common-wealth. And euerie one gen••rallie concurreth with him in this opinion. Now, I ••e∣quest you; that you will permit me, to assume this, as it were a false inheri∣tance of anothers glorie: and suffer me in some part, to enter into a participa∣tion, of your praises. Although my Dolabella (for what I said hi••herto, I spake out of merriment) I would more

willingly poure vpon you, all my com∣mendations, if any praise be due vnto me, then diminish any of yours. For I hauing alwaies so loued you, as easilie you may conceiue: [&] now especially, these your atchieuements haue enfla∣med me with so ardent an affection, that no man was euer, more set on fire with loue, then my selfe. For there is nothing, (beleeue me) that is more louelie, beautifull, or amiable then vertue. I euer loued, as you know, Marcus Brutus, for the excellencie of his wi••; for the sweetnesse of his customes; and for that bountie, and constancie, wherein none is comparable to him: and neuerthelesse, on the xiii of March, my loue toward•• him, was so augmen∣••ed; that I wondred, how a thing could growe greater, the which long time since I thought had attained to it ••ull growth. And who would euer haue thought, that the loue I beare you, could in any so••t, haue beene enlarged? and yet it is so encreased, that paral∣le••ling the loue I now beare you; with that wh••ch hitherto I professed ••o∣wards you, me thinkes that seemes vu••gar, and this singular. To what end the••efore should I exhort you, to haue ••he obiect of your thoughts to be euer reputation, and glorie? Shall I set be∣fore your eyes, the example of m••n fa∣mous for their vertue; which they vsu∣ally

doe, that exhort men to praise? I cannot finde a more famous man then your selfe. You must trace your owne footesteps, and seeke to goe beyond your selfe. And me thinkes, hauing a••readie wrou••ht such wonderfull things; you can doe no lesse, then re∣semble your own actions. And being so, exhortations, are not necessary: it is ra∣ther needfull, that I should reioyce wi••h you: a matter hauing fallen out to you, which I cannot say, euer happened to any other; which is; that, the hauing with rigorous seueritie punished an offence, did not displease; but pleased the people: and did as well to all good men, as to the meanest people, bring singular contentment. If this had hap∣pened through the ••••uour of Fortune; I would haue reioyced with you, in your h••ppie successe; but this fell out vnto you, first through the magnanimitie of your minde, and then by your owne wise∣dome and councell. For I haue read the Oration that you made vnto the people. I neuer saw any thing fuller of vnderstanding. For point, by point, you do•• so clo••ely come vp, to demonstrate the occasion of the fact, and then af∣terwards you retire your selfe with that dexteritie; that by an vniuersall consent of euery man, It seemed the matter it selfe solicited you, to chastise

the malefactors. You haue therefore free'd the towne from danger; and the Cittizens from feare. Neither onely at this instant; but for euer, while the memorie of so notable an act shall continue, you haue exceedingly bene∣fitted the Common-wealth. Therefore you must conceiue, that the whole Common-wealth relieth onlie vpon you: and that to you it belongs not only to preserue, but also to exalt them to honorable estate, ••••om whom the beginning of libertie is deriued. But of these things, so farre as I hope, it will not be long; ••re we discourse pre∣sentially. In the meane while; seeing you preserue the Common-wealth, and vs, attend with singular care, to pre∣serue your selfe. Farewell.