Page:On Friendship (Howe, 1915).pdf/40

 of all this mixture, which, seizing my whole will, led it to dive and disappear in his ; which, seizing his whole will, led it to dive and disappear in mine, with a like desire, a like consent: I say disappear truly, for we kept back nothing to be our own, to be either his or mine.

When Lælius, in presence of the Roman consuls, who, after the condemnation of Tiberius Gracchus, prosecuted all those that had been in his confidence, came to inquire of Caius Blossius (who was the chief of his friends), how much he would have been willing to do for him, and he had replied, “All things,” “How, all things?” he continued; “‘suppose he had bid you set fire to our temples?” “He would never have bidden it,” answered Blossius. “But if he had?” insisted Lælius. “I should have obeyed,” responded he. If he was so utterly the friend of Gracchus as the histories say, he had no call to offend the consuls by this last hardy admission; and should not have abandoned the assurance he had of what Gracchus would have desired. But at the same time those who accuse this reply of sedition, do not well understand this mystery, and do not presuppose, which is the truth, that