Letter 4.11

You can well believe that your authority has always carried weight with me in every matter, but especially in this business above all. When Gaius Marcellus, my brother who loves me most dearly, not only gave me advice but also besought me with prayers, he could not persuade me until it was accomplished by your letters that I should follow your counsel above all. How the matter was conducted, your letters make clear to me. Your congratulation, though most welcome to me because it comes from the best of hearts, yet this is far more delightful and pleasing to me: that in the very small number of friends, relatives, and connections who truly favored my welfare, I have learned that you showed yourself most devoted to me and demonstrated a singular goodwill toward me. The remaining things are of such a nature that I, given the times, could easily and calmly do without them; but this I hold to be of such a character that without the goodwill of such men and friends, no one could live either in adversity or in prosperity. And so in this I congratulate myself; and that you may understand that you have bestowed your service upon a most devoted friend, I shall prove it to you in deed. Farewell.

CDXCIV (Fam. IV, 11) MARCUS MARCELLUS TO CICERO (AT ROME) MITYLENE (OCTOBER) That your influence has ever had the greatest weight with me everything that has occurred has given you reason to know, but nothing so clearly as the recent transaction. For though C. Marcellus , my very affectionate cousin, not only advised me, but besought me in moving terms, he failed to persuade me. It was only your letter that induced me to follow the advice that you and he gave in preference to every other. Your letters describe to me the nature of the debate in the senate. Though your congratulation is exceedingly acceptable to me, because it proceeds from the kindest of hearts, yet there is one thing still more delightful and gratifying to me — namely, that while I have so few friends, relations, or connexions to take a sincere interest in my safety, I have had reason to know that you desire my company and have shown in a practical way an unparalleled devotion to my interest. Everything else is as you say. And considering the state of the times, I was well content to be out of it ill. I take the truth, indeed, to be that without the kind-ness of such gallant men and true friends no one, whether in adversity or prosperity, can live a real life. Accordingly, I congratulate myself on this. But for yourself, I will prove to you in a practical manner that you have been loyal to a man who loves you most deeply.

XI. Scr. Mytilenis exeunte anno a.u.c. 708. MARCELLUS CICERONI S. PLURIMAM. Valuisse apud me tuam semper auctoritatem cum in omni re tum in hoc maxime negotio potes existimare: cum mihi C. Marcellus, frater amantissimus mei, non solum consilium daret, sed precibus quoque me obsecraret, non prius mihi persuadere potuit, quam tuis est effectum litteris, ut uterer vestro potissimum consilio. Res quemadmodum sit acta, vestrae litterae mihi declarant. Gratulatio tua etsi est mihi probatissima, quod ab optimo fit animo, tamen hoc mihi multo iucundius est et gratius, quod in summa paucitate amicorum, propinquorum ac necessariorum, qui vere meae saluti faverent, te cupidissimum mei singularemque mihi benevolentiam praestitisse cognovi. Reliqua sunt eiusmodi, quibus ego, quoniam haec erant tempora, facile et aequo animo carebam; hoc vero eiusmodi esse statuo, ut sine talium virorum et amicorum benevolentia neque in adversa neque in secunda fortuna quisquam vivere possit: itaque in hoc ego mihi gratulor; tu vero ut intelligas homini amicissimo te tribuisse officium, re tibi praestabo. Vale.