Page:The Soul of a Century.djvu/145

 In stormy times, I knew it was the custom To take one’s life as well as one’s belongings And if you hid yourself in distant comers Your property they’d take then burdensome becomes The barren life, devoid of earthly treasures. So I sold out, succeeded thus to hide My life and wealth within the shades of science In famous Athens There I was enabled To aid with loans, when the city’s need arose, Or poverty had threatened to invade the homes Of individuals I knew Thus grew my wealth, For money grows and strengthens, the more it travels Like a river’s stream, increasing as it flows. I was soon known as Athen’s benefactor. (Which proves my motives were not based on profit) They offered me the rights of citizenship, Proposed a monument erected to my name But I refused for one, it is not prudent In times of strife to cause the shout of glory About one’s person if you but care to live And secondly, it ill becomes a Roman To change his country in a time of stress, Knowing such times will pass I offered grain When Athenians were starving and friends, At times I could not pass the streets Because the Greek’s affection was so pressing It fairly crushed me, sirs, that is the truth. Later, when Sulla Felix came to Athens, I quickly gained his favor, for I spoke The Grecian tongue as a grammarian. I Homer knew, recited lengthy passages From his famed tragedies, and Felix listened While his freckled hands, carelessly ruffled Through his reddish hair I followed him about Like the very shadow. Then finally when peace returned to Rome I too returned And there I lived, enjoying Cicero’s warm and confidential friendship. (Indeed, my sister soon became his wife). And with Hortensius, Cicero’s rival I too kept friendly, for he is but a fool Who foolishly incites hostilities With his friend’s enemies, yes, he’s a fool Who would deny that it is not a folly, Since enemies are life’s most deadly venom, A chilling shadow cast over pleasing sunshine.