Translation:Letters to Friends/9.18

To L. Papirius Paetus at Naples

Tusculum, c. 26 July 46 BC

Cicero says hello to Paetus

When I was relaxing at my villa at Tusculum because I had sent my students to meet him, so they might in the same way compliment me as much as possible in front of their friend, I received your letter completely full of sweetness; and from this I understood that my idea was approved by you, that, as the king Dionysius, when he had been driven from Syracuse, is said to have opened a school at Corinth, so I with the courts removed, with my kingdom of the forum lost, should begin to have a sort of school. What else? The idea entices me, too. For I’m achieving many things: first, what is at the moment especially necessary, I’m fortifying myself for these times. I don’t know what kind it is; I see only this, that I still prefer no one’s idea to this one, unless by chance it was better to die. In one’s own bed, I confess, but it does not happen so; I was not on the battlefield. The others, Pompey, your Lentulus, Scipio, Afranius, died disgracefully. But Cato honorably. We will be allowed to do so right when we want to; let us only take care that it is not as necessary for us as it was for him, what I am making sure of. So this was the first.

The next is as follows: I am becoming better, first in my health, which I had lost after such exercises had been neglected; second, that very skill of oratory, if there was any upon me, would’ve dried up if I hadn’t brought myself back to these exercises. My last remark, what I expect you consider paramount, is the following: I have now prepared more peacocks than you have young pigeons. You entertain yourself there with Haterius’s legal gusto, I with Hirtius’s gravy here. So come, if you’re a man, and learn from me the ‘first principles’ which you seek; yet a pig is teaching Minerva. But as I see it, if you are unable to sell your properties and to fill a pot with denarii, you must return to Rome; it’s better to die of indigestion here than of hunger there. I see you have lost goods; I expect your friends have done that same thing. So it’s over for you if you don’t take care. You can be carried to Rome on that mule of yours which you say is your only one, since you sold your workhorse for food. You’ll have the seat next to mine in the school, as if you’re my assistant teacher; a cushion will accompany it.