Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology (1870) - Volume 1.djvu/752

 portions of it which have been transmitted to modern times. By comparing carefully a series of letters written to Atticus in the course of в. с. 45 (ad Att. xiii. 32,12—14, 16, 18, 19, 21—23, 25, 35, 44), we find that Cicero had drawn up a treatise upon the Academic Philosophy in the form of a dialogue between Catulus, Lucullus, and Hortensius, and that it was comprised in two books, the first bearing the name of Catulus, the second that of Lucullus. A copy was sent to Atticus, and soon after it had reached him, two new introductions were composed, the one in praise of Catulus, the other in praise of Lucullus. Scarcely had this been done, when Cicero, from a conviction that Catulus, Lucullus, and Hortensius, although men of highly cultivated minds, and well acquainted with general literature, were known to have been little conversant with the subtle arguments of abstruse philosophy, determined to withdraw them altogether, and accordingly substituted Cato and Brutus in their place. (Ad. Att. xiiii. 16.) Immediately after this change had been introduced, he received a communication from Atticus representing that Varro was much offended by being passed over in the discussion of topics in which he was deeply versed. Thereupon, Cicero, catching eagerly at the idea thus suggested, resolved to recast the whole piece, and quickly produced, under the old title, a new and highly improved edition, divided into four books instead of two, dedicating the whole to Varro, to whom was assigned the task of defending the tenets of Antiochus of Ascalon, while the author himself undertook to support the views of Philo, Atticus also taking a share in the conversation. But although these alterations were effected with great rapidity, the copy originally sent to Atticus had in the meantime been repeatedly transcribed : hence both editions passed into circulation, and a part of each has been preserved. One section, containing 12 chapters, is a short fragment of the first book of the second or Varronian edition ; the other, containing 49 chapters, is the entire second book of the first edition, to which is prefixed the new introduction noticed above (ad Att. xiii. 32), together with the proper title of Lucullus. Thus it appears that the first book of the first edition has been altogether lost, and the whole of the second edition, with the exception of the fragment of the first book already mentioned and a few scraps quoted by Lactantius, Augustin, and the grammarians. Upon examining the dates of the letters referred to, it will be seen that the first edition had been despatched to Atticus about the middle of June, for the new introductions were written by the 27th (ad Att. xiii. 32) ; that the second edition, which is spoken of with great complacency—" Libri quidem ita exierunt (nisi forte me communis 🇬🇷 decipit), ut in tali genere ne apud Graecos quidem simile quidquam"—was fully completed towards the close of July (ad Att. xiii. 15), a few days before the last touches had been given to the De Finibus (xiii. 19) ; and that it was actually in the possession of Varro before the ides of August. (xiii. 35, 44.) Goerenz has taken great pains to prove that these books were published under the title of Academica, and that the appellation Academicae Quaestiones, or Academicае Disputationes, by which they are frequently distinguished, are without authority and altogether inappropriate.

The object proposed was, to give an accurate narrative of the rise and progress of the Academic Philosophy, to point out the various modifications introduced by successive professors, and to demonstrate the superiority of the principles of the New Academy, as taught by Philo, over those of the Old Academy, as advocated by Antiochus of Ascalon. It is manifestly impossible, under existing circumstances, to determine with certainty the amount of difference between the two editions. That there was a considerable difference is certain, for, although Cicero was in the first instance induced to depart from his plan merely because be considered the topics discussed out of keeping with the character of the individuals who were represented as discussing them, still the division of the two books into four necessarily implies some important change in the arrangement if not in the substance of the subject-matter. We are, moreover, expressly informed, that many things were omitted, and that the four books of the second edition, although more concise than the two of the first, were at the same time better and more brilliant (splendidiora, breviora, meliora). It is probable that the first book of the first edition, after giving a sketch of the leading principles of the different branches of the Academy as they grew out of each other in succession, was occupied with a detailed investigation of the speculations of Carneades, just as those of Philo, which were adopted to a certain extent by Cicero himself, form the leading theme of the second. What remains of the first book of the second edition enables us to discover that it was devoted to the history of Academic opinions from the time of Socrates and Plato, who were regarded as the fathers of the sect, down to Antiochus, from whom Cicero himself had in his youth received instruction while residing at Athens. The second book may have been set apart for an inquiry into the theories of Arcesilas, who, although the real founder of the New Academy, appears to have been alluded to in the former edition only in an incidental and cursory manner; while the third and fourth books would embrace the full and clear development and illustration of his pregnant though obscure doctrines, as explained in the eloquent disquisitions of Carneades and Philo. Such is the opinion of Goerenz, and although it does not admit of strict proof, yet it is highly plausible in itself, and is fully corroborated by the hints and indications which appear in those portions of the dialogue now extant.

The scene of the Catulus was the villa of that statesman at Cumae, while the Lucullus is supposed to have been held at the mansion of Hortensius near Bauli. The dialogues of the second edition commence at the Cumanum of Varro ; but, as we learn from a fragment of the third book quoted by Nonius Marcellus, the parties repaired during the course of the conference to the shores of the Lucrine lake.

The Editio Princeps is included in the collection of Cicero's philosophical works printed in 2 vols, fol. by Sweynheym and Pannartz, Rome, 1471, see above, p. 719, b. The edition of Davis, Camb. 8vo. 1725, was frequently reprinted, and for along period remained the standard, but is now superseded by those of Goerenz, Leipzig, 8vo. 1810, forming the first volume of his edition of the philosophical works of Cicero ; and of Orelli, Zurich, 8vo. 1827 