Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/51

 CICERO. 43 sedile ; of which he made no private profit himself, but used their generosity only to reduce the public price of provisions. He had a very pleasant seat at Arpi,* he had also a farm near Naples, and another about Pompeii, but neither of any great value. The portion of his wife, Tereutia, amounted to ten myriads, and he had a bequest valued at nine myi'iads of denarii ; upon these he lived in a liberal but temperate style, with the learned Greeks and Eomans that were his familiars. He rarely, if at any tune, sat down to meat till sunset, and that not so much on account of business, as for his health and the Aveakness of his stomach. He was otherwise in the care of his body nice and delicate, appointing himself, for example, a set num- ber of walks and rubbings. And after tliis manner man- aging the habit of his body, he brought it in time to be healthful, and capable of supporting many great fatigues and trials. His father's house lie made over to his brother, living himself near the Palatine hill, that he might not give the trouble of long journeys to those that made suit to him. And, mdeed, there were not fewer daily appear- ing at his door, to do their court to him, than there were that came to Crassus for his riches, or to Pompey for his power amongst the soldiers, these being at that time the two men of the greatest repute and influence in Eome. Nay, even Pompey himself used to pay court to Cicero, and Cicero's public actions did much to establish Pompey's authority and reputation in the state. Numerous distinguished competitors stood with him for the prretor's office ; but he was chosen before them all, and managed the decision of causes with justice and in- tegrity. It is related that Licinius Macer, a man himself is far from Rome, in Apulia, but native place.
 * Plutarch calls it Arpi, which it is, of course, Arpinum, Cicero's