The five days debate at Cicero's house in Tusculum between master and sophister.

SECT. I. That the Greeks were inferior to the Romans in most Points of useful knowledge.

BEING at length wholly or in great part, eas'd of the toyle of Pleading, and State Affairs. I have, chiefly upon your advice, most worthy Brutus, turn'd my thoughts to those Studies which I had indeed retain'd in mind, but after long dis-continu∣ance upon incursion of business, and the late Troubles I have resum'd. Now whereas the Sy∣stems and Circle of all those Arts which relate to direction in the way of well-living, are com∣priz'd in the Study of Wisdom, so call'd Philo∣sophy; this I have thought expedient to illustrate in Latin. Not but that Philosophy may be learn'd from Greek Treatises and Tutors. But I have still been of the Judgment that my Country-men have either invented all things more wisely than the Greeks, or improv'd whatever they receiv'd from them, which they counted worth the bestowing

their time and pains upon. For as to personal de∣portment, and ordering Family Concerns, we support them with much more Splendor and Dis∣cretion. But as to the publick, our Ancestors set∣tled the State upon unquestionably better Laws and Customs. What need I mention the Military part, wherein my Country-men have excell'd as in Valour, so much more in Discipline? Now for those Advantages which are the Products of Na∣ture, not acquists of Study, neither Greeks nor any other Nation under Heaven may compare with them. For what Gravity, what Constancy of mind, what Resolution, Honor, Conscience, what so universal excellency of Vertue, hath been any where to be found, as might match the old Ro∣man? Greece indeed had better Scholars and more Books, wherein the Victory was easily gain'd over them that made no Resistance. For whereas the ancientest sort of learned men among the Greeks were their Poets, (if it be true that Homer and Hesiod were before the building of Rome, and A••∣chilochus in the Reign of Romidus) Poetry came later among us, for about CCCCX. after the build∣ing of Rome, Livy put out the first Play, in the Consulship of C. Claudius Son of Appius the blind, and M. Tuditanus the year before Ennius was born, who was elder than Plautus and Naevius. *

* Those Arts that relate to direction in the way of well-living] As Logick, to find out the true end of Life, and Scope of all our Actions. Ethicks to mark out the Bounds of Good and Evil; with Oeconomicks and Politicks for relative Duties Publick and Private: Natural Philosophy to understand the Nature of God, the Universe, and our own Souls; this is that Circle of Arts which more immediately refer to the ordering our Life.

My Country-men have either invented all things more wisely] He repayes the Greeks that disdain which they had for the rest of Mankind, whom they call'd Barbarians.