Tully's three books of offices, in English with notes explaining the method and meaning of the author.

CHAP. XXIV.

Care should be taken to prevent Peoples running too much into Debt. Faith the Cement of Publick So∣ciety. Cicero's Conduct in his Consulship about the matter of Debts. The Duties of a good Magistrate. How one's Health and Estate are to be taken care of.

a 1.1 CAre ought therefore to be taken before-hand (which 'tis easie to do by a great many ways) to keep People from running so much into Debt, as may bring any Damage or Inconvenience to the Publick: and not, when they are in, to make the Creditors lose what's their own, and let the Debtors gain what in Justice is another's: For no∣thing so cements, and holds together in Union all the parts of a Society, as Faith or Credit; which can never be kept up, unless Men are under some force and necessity of honestly Paying what they owe to one another. This Design of having Debt∣ors excus'd from Payment, b 1.2 was never attempted

with greater eagerness, than whilst I was Consul: Men of all Ranks and Degrees in the State, took up Arms and form'd Camps for the bringing it about; whose Endeavours I resisted with so much vigour, as that the Republick was quickly deliver'd from so per∣nicious an Evil. There never were known greater Debts in the City, nor ever more easily and faithful∣ly paid: and pray what was the Reason of all this? Why because when their Hopes of Defrauding were cut off, they found 'emselves under a Necessity of Payment. 'Tis true there is c 1.3 one, who has since been a Conquerer, (tho' then he was conquer'd by my Vigilance) that has d 1.4 found out Means to effect these Designs, at a time when they'd bring him e 1.5 no manner of Advantage; but such an Inclination had that Man to Villany, that the bare Doing of it was a Pleasure to him, without any other Invitation in the World. The Sum then of what has been said is this, That such as design for the good of the Re∣publick, must be sure to avoid this sort of Libera∣lity, which takes away from one what it gives to a∣nother; and must constantly make it their principal Care, to uphold each Member in his proper Rights, according to the Principles of Justice and Equity; so as neither to suffer the poorer sort of People to be wrong'd or oppress'd, by reason of their Pover∣ty; nor the richer to be hindred from keeping or demanding what's justly their own, by the Envy of the others: and in fine must apply their most

earnest Endeavours, whether in War or Peace, to encrease the Power, and enlarge the Bounds and Revenues of the Republick. These are the Duties and Exercises of great Men: These are the things which were practic'd by our Ancestors; and who∣ever goes on to perform the same, will not only bring great Advantage to the Republick, but gain a mighty Interest and Reputation to himself. f 1.6 In these Rules of Duty relating to things profitable, g 1.7 Antipater the Tyrian, a Stoick Philosopher, who lately dy'd at Athens, thinks that two things have been omitted by Panaetius: First, The care of get∣ting or preserving one's Health. And, Secondly, Of an Estate. I believe that great Philosopher might omit 'em on purpose, because they are so easie and obvious to every one: however 'tis certain they

are both of 'em profitable. h 1.8 Now Health is pre∣serv'd by considering the peculiar Temper of one's Body, and observing what agrees or does not agree with it; by Temperance and Moderation in Meats and Drinks, and other things relating to the wel∣fare of the Body; by forbearance and abstinence as to the matter of Pleasures; and lastly, by the Skill of Physicians, and the like. i 1.9 An Estate should be gotten by nothing that's any ways Scandalous or Dishonest; preserv'd by Diligence and prudent Ma∣nagement; and lastly, by the same means better'd and augmented. But this whole Subject is excellent∣ly handled by k 1.10 Xenophon the Socratick, in his Book of O Economicks; which I formerly translated from the Greek into Latin, when much about as old as you are at present.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Since the Design of making Creditors Forgive all Debts, is so very pernicious, &c. 'tis one great Business of a good Governour, to prevent Peoples running too much into Debt; which may be done several Ways.
• b 1.2

  In the Conspiracy of Catiline. See chap. 22. Book 1.
• c 1.3

  He means Caesar, who being over head and ears in Debt, was suspected in Catiline's time, to favour his wicked Designs under-hand; and so may be said to have been conquer'd by Cicero, when he ruin'd Catiline.
• d 1.4

  He made the Creditors lose not all, but only a fourth part of their Due.
• e 1.5

  Because he was then got free from Debt by other Ways; and so had no occasion to make use of this, upon his own Account.
• f 1.6

  He has now done with his first Head propos'd in this Book, viz. Whether an Action be profitable or not? In which, af∣ter having shewn, That Men are able to bring the most Pro∣fit to us, he gives some Directions about how we should en∣gage Men to be of our side, and so do us all the Service that lies in their Power. He should now proceed to the second Head propos'd to be the Subject of this Book; but because Antipater thought the former not perfect, because two ma∣terial things were omitted in it, viz. The Care of our Health, and Estate; he therefore; before he leaves this Head, adds a word or two about each of these.
• g 1.7

  There were two or three Stoicks of that Name; The one of Tarsus, call'd Tarsensis, Scholar to Diogenes Babylonius, and Master of Panaetius. He is mention'd ch. 12. of the next Book. Another about the same time (or as others think the same Man by another name) call'd Sidonius, a familiar Ac∣quaintance of L. Crassus, an Historian and Poet, famous for making Hexameter Verses extempore, [See Cic. and Quintil.] of whom we have several Epigrams still extant in the Greek Anthologia. He's said to have had a Fever every Year on his Birth-day, of which at last he dy'd. The third a Tyrian here mention'd, an Acquaintance of Cicero's, and particularly fa∣miliar with Cato Uticensis, whom he Instructed in Morality and Politicks.
• h 1.8

  How the Health of the Body is to be maintain'd.
• i 1.9

  How an Estate should be gotten, kept, &c.
• k 1.10

  A famous Athenian, Son of one Gryllus, and Scholar of Socrates; a valiant and wise Captain, as well as an eminent Philosopher and Historian. His Works are most of 'em ex∣tant to this day: the native Simplicity, Purity, and especial∣ly Sweetness of which, have justly got him the name of the Athenian Bee. The Translation Cicero here mentions is lost, except some Fragments.