Letter 7.26

I had been suffering severely from my bowels for ten days, and because I had no fever I could not convince the people who wanted my services that I was unwell. So I fled to my Tusculan villa, after two days of such fasting that I had not even tasted water. Worn out by weakness and hunger, I needed your attention more than I thought you could need mine. I dread all illnesses, but especially the one for which the Stoics abuse your Epicurus, because he said strangury and dysenteric pains troubled him. They think one disease comes from gluttony and the other from an even more shameful kind of excess. I had been truly afraid of dysentery. But either the change of place, or even the easing of my mind, or perhaps the natural decline of an illness already growing old, seems to have helped me. Still, so that you do not wonder where this came from or how I brought it on myself, the sumptuary law, which supposedly introduced simplicity, betrayed me. When your refined diners want to bring farm produce into honor because it is exempted by the law, they season mushrooms, little cabbages, and every kind of vegetable so deliciously that nothing could be more tempting. I fell into these at Lentulus's augural dinner, and such violent diarrhea seized me that only today does it seem to have begun to stop. So I, who easily abstained from oysters and lampreys, was deceived by beet and mallow. From now on I will be more cautious. Still, when you heard from Anicius - for he saw me nauseated - you had good reason not only to send but even to visit. I am thinking of staying here until I recover, for I have lost both strength and body. But if I drive off the illness, I hope I will easily get them back.

XCIII (Fam. VII, 26) TO M. FADIUS GALLUS (AT ROME) TUSCULUM (? DECEMBER) Having been suffering for nine days past from a severe disorder of the bowels, and being unable to convince those who desired my services that I was ill because I had no fever, I fled to my Tusculan villa, after having, in fact, observed for two days so strict a fast as not even to drink a drop of water. Accordingly, being thoroughly reduced by weakness and hunger, I was more in want of your services than I thought mine could be required by you. For myself, while shrinking from all illnesses, I especially shrink from that in regard to which the Stoics attack your friend Epicurus for saying that ”he suffered from strangury and pains in the bowels" — the latter of which complaints they attribute to gluttony, the former to a still graver indulgence. I had been really much afraid of dysentery. But either the change of residence, or the mere relaxation of anxiety, or perhaps the natural abatement of the complaint from lapse of time, seems to me to have done me good. However, to prevent your wondering how this Came about, or in what manner I let myself in for it, I must tell you that the sumptuary law, supposed to have introduced plain living, was the origin of my misfortune. For whilst your epicures wish to bring into fashion the products of the earth, which are not forbidden by the law, they flavour mushrooms, petits choux, and every kind of pot-herb so as to make them the most tempting dishes possible. Having fallen a victim to these in the augural banquet at the house of Lentulus , I was seized with a violent diarrhoea, which, I think, has been checked today for the first time. And so I, who abstain from oysters and lampreys without any difficulty, have been beguiled by beet and mallows. Henceforth, therefore, I shall be more cautious. Yet, having heard of it from Anicius — for he saw me turning sick — you had every reason not only for sending to inquire, but even for coming to see me. I am thinking of remaining here till I am thoroughly restored, for I have lost both strength and flesh. However, if I can once get completely rid of my complaint, I shall, I hope, easily recover these.

XXVI. Scr. in Tusculano a.u.c. 697. CICERO S. D. GALLO. Cum decimum iam diem graviter ex intestinis laborarem neque iis, qui mea opera uti volebant, me probarem non valere, quia febrim non haberem, fugi in Tusculanum, cum quidem biduum ita ieiunus fuissem, ut ne aquam quidem gustarem: itaque confectus languore et fame magis tuum officium desideravi, quam a te requiri putavi meum. Ego autem cum omnes morbos reformido, tum in quo Epicurum tuum Stoici male accipiunt, quia dicat straggourixë xaÐ dusenterixë p­yh sibi molesta esse, quorum alterum morbum edacitatis esse putant, quorum alterum morbum edacitatis esse putant, alterum etiam turpioris intemperantiae. Sane dusenter¤an pertimueram; sed visa est mihi vel loci mutatio vel animi etiam relaxatio vel ipsa fortasse iam senescentis morbi remissio profuisse. Ac tamen, ne mirere, unde hoc acciderit quomodove commiserim, lex sumptuaria, quae videtur litÒthta attulisse, ea mihi fraudi fuit. Nam, dum volunt isti lauti terra nata, quae lege excepta sunt, in honorem adducere, fungos, heluellas, herbas omnes ita condiunt, ut nihil possit esse suavius: in eas cum incidissem in coena augurali apud Lentulum, tanta me di­rroia arripuit, ut hodie primum videatur coepisse consistere. Ita ego, qui me ostreis et muraenis facile abstinebam, a beta et a malva deceptus sum; posthac igitur erimus cautiores. Tu tamen, cum audisses ab Anicio—vidit enim me nauseantem—, non modo mittendi causam iustam habuisti, sed etiam visendi: ego hic cogito commorari, quoad me reficiam, nam et vires et corpus amisi; sed, si morbum depulero, facile, ut spero, illa revocabo.