Page:The Natural History of Pliny.djvu/38

 4 pliny's NATUEAL HISTOEY. [Book I. "When the candidates for office, during the heat of the canvass, deposited the fine^ in the hands of Cato, that de- termined opposer of bribery, rejoicing as he did in his being rejected from what he considered to be foolish honours, they professed to do this out of respect to his integrity; the greatest glory which a man could attain. It- was on this occasion that Cicero uttered the noble ejaculation, " How happy are you, Marcus Porcius, of whom no one dares to ask what is dishonourable^!" "When L. Scipio Asiaticus appealed to the tribunes, among whom was Grracchus, he expressed full confidence that he should obtain an acquittal, even from a judge w^ho was his enemy. Hence it follows, that he who appoints his own judge must absolutely submit to the decision ; this choice is therefore termed an appeal'^. I am well aware, that, placed as you are in the highest station, and gifted with the most splendid eloquence and the most accomplished mind, even those who come to pay their respects to you, do it with a kind of veneration : on this account I ought to be careful that what is dedicated to you should be worthy of you. But the country people, and, indeed, some whole nations offer milk to the Grods^, and those who cannot procure frankincense substitute in its place salted cakes ; for the Gods are not dissatisfied when they are wor- shiped by every one to the best of his ability. But my temerity will appear the greater by the consideration, that these volumes, which I dedicate to you, are of such inferior importance. For they do not admit of the display of genius, nor, indeed, is mine one of the highest order ; they admit of no excursions, nor orations, nor discussions, nor of any won- derful adventures, nor any variety of transactions, nor, from the barrenness of the matter, of anything particularly plea- sant in the narration, or agreeable to the reader. The na- ^ "Pecvmias deponerent." Ajasson, i. 11, remarks on these words, virum deponebant, qua scilicet multarentur, si imquam hujus criminis manifesti fierent." 2 This expression is not foimd in any of the works of Cicero which are now extant, nor, indeed, is it certain that it was anytliing more than a remark made in conversation. 3 " Provocatio," calling forth. ^ Horace, Epist. ii. 1. 143 ; Ovid, Fast. iv. 746 and v. 121, and Ti- bullus, i. 1. 26 and ii, 5. 37, refer to the offerings of milk made by the country people to their rural deities.
 * ' Qui videri volebant ambitu alieiiissimi, pecuniam apud sanctum aliquem