Cicero Epistulae ad Familiares 4.9.3 Translation PDF

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CICERO Epistulae ad Familiares 4.9.3 – Translation Everything is sad in civil wars – which our ancestors certainly not once, our generation often has already experienced; but nothing is sadder than the victory itself, which, even if comes to the best ones, however leaves them more ferocious and more powerless that, even though they are not such by nature, they may be forced by the necessity; for many things must be done by the winner, even unwillingly, according to the judgement of those who he won with. Did you not see along with me, how cruel was that future victory? Then, would you be away from the fatherland in order to not see what you would not want? ‘No’, you answer, ‘for I myself would keep my works and my dignity’. But it was a quality of your virtue to put your personal affairs in the lowest position, to strive vehemently for the state. Then, what is the purpose of this decision? For again and your conduct is proved and, as in such situation, fortune is also praised: conduct which both at the beginning of the war you followed because of necessity and you did not want to pursue wisely at the end; fortune, since you preserved the state and the fame of your dignity through an earnest leisure: now in truth there should be no sweeter place than the fatherland for you nor you must have less regard for it, which is more shameful, but rather do pity that it, already deprived of many famous men, may not be deprived of your aspect too. Then, if it was a quality of a great mind not to be the supplicant of the winner, look, that it is not of the superb mind to refuse his liberality, and if it is a virtue of the wise man to be away from the fatherland, it is of a severe man not to desire it, and if you cannot enjoy a public service, it is folly not to want a private one. This is the top argument, that, if you think that this life is more comfortable for you, you should consider that it may not be safer: there is great freedom in swords, but abroad there is even less shame towards crime. I have much care for your health, that I be either equal or certainly near to Marcellus, your brother; you have to make decision about your times and safeness and about your life and properties....