a pleasant adventure as he was on the road through Campania; meeting with a person of some eminence, with whom he was acquainted, he asked him what they said and thought of his actions in Rome, imagining that his name, and the glory of his achievements, had filled the whole city. His acquaintance answered, 'Why, where have you been then, Cicero, all this time?"

The authority of Cicero in Rome at that time was undoubtedly great; but he rendered himself obnoxious and burdensome to many; not by any ill action, but by continually praising and magnifying himself. He never entered the assembly of the people, the senate, or the courts of judicature, but Catiline and Lentulus were the burden of his song. Not satisfied with this, his writings were so interlarded with encomiums on himself, that, though his style was elegant and delightful, his discourses were disgusting and nauseous to the reader; for the blemish stuck to him like an incurable disease. But though he had such an insatiable avidity of honour, he was never unwilling that others should have their share; for he was entirely free from envy; and it appears from his works, that he was most liberal in his praises, not only of the ancients, but of those of his own time. Many of his remarkable sayings too of this nature are preserved. Thus of Aristotle, he said, That he was a river of flowing gold; and of Plato's Dialogues, That if Jupiter were to speak, he would speak as he did. Theophrastus he used to call his particular favourite: and being asked which of Demosthenes' orations he thought the best, he answered, the longest. Some who affect to be zealous admirers of that orator complain indeed of Cicero's saying in one of his Epistles, that Demosthenes sometimes nodded in his orations; but they forget the many great encomiums he bestowed on him in other parts of his works;

Y

and do not consider that he gave the title of Philippics to his orations against Mark Antony, which were the most ela borate he ever wrote. There was not one of his cotempo raries celebrated either for his eloquence or philosophy, whose fame he did not promote either by speaking or writing of him in an advantageous manner.

"These were the effects of his vanity; and his superior keenness of expression, which he had at command, led him into many violations of decorum. He pleaded for Munatius in a certain cause; and his client was acquitted in conse quence of his defence. Afterwards Munatius prosecuted Sabinus, one of Cicero's friends: upon which he was so much transported with anger as to say, 'Thinkest thou it was the merit of thy cause that saved thee, and not rather the cloud which I threw over thy crimes, and kept them from the sight of the court!' He had succeeded in an encomium on Marcus Crassus from the rostrum; and, a few days after, as publicly reproached him. What,' said Crassus, did you not lately praise me in the place where you now stand?? True,' answered Cicero, but I did that by way of experiment, to see what I could make of a bad subject.'

6

" Crassus had once affirmed that none of his family ever lived above threescore years; but afterwards wanted to contradict it, and said, What could I be thinking of when I asserted such a thing? You knew,' said Cicero, that such an assertion would be agreeable to the people of

Rome.'

6

6

"Crassus happened one day to profess himself much pleased with that maxim of the Stoics, The good man is always rich.' 'I imagine,' said Cicero, there is another more agreeable to you: All things belong to prudence.'

"For Crassus was notoriously covetous: Crassus had two sons; one of which resembled a man called Accius so much, that his mother was suspected of an intrigue with him. This young man spoke in the senate with great applause; and Cicero being asked what he thought of him, answered in Greek, "AxIOS CRASSOW;" (which signifies either the Accius of Crassus, or, worthy of Crassus.) When Crassus was going to set out for Syria, he thought it better to leave Cicero his friend than his enemy; and, therefore, addressed him one day in an obliging manner, and told him, he would come and sup with him; Cicero accepted the offer with equal politeness. A few days after, Vatinius likewise applied to him, by his friends, and desired a reconciliation. 'What,' said Cicero, does Vatinius too want to sup with me?' such were his jests upon Crassus.

"Vatinius had scrophulous tumours in his neck; and, one day when he was pleading, Cicero called him a tumid

orator.

"An account was once brought Cicero that Vatinius was dead; which being afterwards contradicted, he said, May vengeance seize the tongue that told the lie!"

6

"And when Clodius told Cicero that the judges did not give credit to his depositions, Yes,' said he, five-andtwenty of them believed me; for so many condemned you; nor did the other thirty believe you, for they did not acquit you till they had received your money.""

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