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pleasure, but even without irritation. Nay, even if I keep clear of his senatorial speeches, and of every wish and purpose which he entertained in politics, and chose in merely general terms to eulogise his firmness and consistency, even this in itself would be no pleasant hearing for your friends. But that great man cannot be praised as he really deserves unless the following topics are dilated upon: his having seen that the present state of things was to occur, his having exerted himself to prevent them, and his having quitted life to avoid seeing what has actually happened. What point is there in these on which I could possibly secure the approval of Aledius? But, I beseech you, be careful about your health and bring the prudence, which you apply to all matters, to bear before everything else on getting well.

CCCCLXVIII (, 6)

TO M. TERENTIUS VARRO (AT TUSCULUM)

Our friend Caninius has brought a message from you bidding me write and tell you whatever I thought you ought to know. Well then, Cæsar's arrival of course is occupying men's minds, and of that you are yourself not unaware. However, he having written, I presume, to say that he intended to come to his villa at Alsium, his friends wrote to him not to do so: that many people would annoy him, and he himself annoy many: they thought it would be more convenient for him to land at Ostia. I do not myself understand what difference it makes; but yet Hirtius told me that both he and Balbus and Oppius had written to him to do so—men, as I have reason to know, who are attached to you. I wanted you to learn this, that you might know