Letter 103.6

My lord, I shall act in this matter, and in everything else, according to what I understand you want. I beg and ask you never to keep silent about anything you wish me to do; advise me as fittingly as you are doing now. [The text is damaged.] I would rather take the points in the case one by one, so that we can use Cicero's method. But if we proceed in continuous speeches, even though I shall not step outside the case, I will still have to use a sharper look, a forceful voice, and weighty words. Here and there I will have to show anger with a gesture or a finger, and this man of yours ought to bear that calmly. Yet it is hard to obtain this from him, for he is said to burn with eagerness to plead. I do not blame even that, but I warn you: do not think the very things that belong to the case are being set out too aggressively. You yourself advise that good faith must come first; and if one plays at arms or wrestling, even those playful exercises cannot be carried through without exertion. [The ending is damaged.] I have praised your "countryman" more happily.

? 140–143 A.D. To my Lord. I will act, my Lord, as to these counts and as to my whole life in the way I see you wish me to act; and I pray and beseech you never to forbear mentioning what you wish done by me, but dissuade me, as you are now rightly doing, if I ever undertake any such thing against your wishes. I should prefer (all the counts . . . . in the) case to be taken separately, that we may apply the method of Cicero. For when they compress that decision into so little, I desire . . . . . . . . but a fight could never be conducted in this way. But if we proceed with unbroken speeches, though I go no step outside the case, my glance must needs be somewhat keen, and my voice vehement, and my words stern, and I must shew anger with a gesture here and a finger there; and this your man ought to bear with composure. But it is no easy matter to get that concession from him, for he is said to be inflamed with a passion for pleading. Nor yet do I find fault with even this; but take heed that he seem not to you to put forward what actually belongs to his case too bitterly. But it is your own plea that honour should be the first consideration: and if one practises arms or wrestling, not even these mimic exercises can be carried through without strife . . . . . . . . . . . . I have praised more happily your "country bumpkin."

ad M. Caesarem 3.6 [39 Hout; 1.68 Haines] Domino meo. Ita faciam, domine, quom hoc tum omnia, quod ad . u . m aut te velle intellexero. Alia item omnia faciam, teque oro et quaeso, ne umquam, quod a me fieri volueris, reticeas, sed ut nunc aptissima suadeas. Ita enim . . . . neque umquam fac . . . . . . . . . adversus voluntatem tuam quicquam incipiam. malim etiam nuic . . . . pessiis in causa cuo . . . . . . . . . in causa sunt. Singillatim sunt, ut Ciceronis modum proferamus. Nam cum in tantulum vel consultum cogunt versum, cupio praesertim quom par . . . sed pugna mi . . . . . es hoc modo transigi possit. Quodsi agemus perpetuis orationibus, licet extra causam nihil progrediar, tamen et oculis acrioribus et voce vehementi et verbis gravibus utendum est. Malim autem jam . . . hic digito irato quod alii . . . . hominem tuum laesisse, sed difficile est, ut istud ab eo inpetrari possit: Dicitur enim cupidine agendi flagrare. Nec reprehendo tamen ne hoc quidem, sed vide, moneo, ne tibi ipsa illa, quae in causa sunt, infestius prolata videantur. Verum et ipse suadeas inprimis fidei parendum: Et si armis vel palaestrica ludas, ne has quidem ludicras exercitationes sine contentione confici posse. Fac arbitreris et inedia disertis vel . . . . . tui plus adeo supta. Et ratis . . . . s facundior lucta . . arna laudavi beatius Opicum tuum.