On Friendship, by Marcus Tullius Cicero

Tr. E. S. Shuckburgh; M. Tulli Ciceronis: Laelius De Amicitia (This version of the De A icitia! is a conflation of t"o te#ts$ M. Tulli Ciceronis: Laelius De Amicitia, e%. Clifton &rice, '()*; an% M. Tulli Ciceronis: Scripta Quae Manserunt Omnia, &art +, ,ol. -, e%. C.../. Mueller, '0().1

21.3. T4E augur 5uintus Mucius Scaevola use% to recount a nu ber of stories about his father6in6la" 7alus 8aelius, accurately re e bere% an% char ingly tol%; an% "henever he talke% about hi al"ays gave hi the title of the "ise! "ithout any hesitation. 9 ha% been intro%uce% by y father to Scaevola as soon as 9 ha% assu e% the robe of a%ulthoo% (toga virilis1, an% 9 took a%vantage of the intro%uction never to :uit the venerable an;s si%e as long as 9 "as able to stay an% he "as s<are% to us. The conse:uence "as that 9 co itte% to e ory any %is:uisitions of his, as "ell as any short <ointe% a<o<htheg s, an%, in short, took as uch a%vantage of his "is%o as 9 coul%. /hen he %ie%, 9 attache% yself to Scaevola the &ontife#, "ho 9 ay venture to call :uite the ost %istinguishe% of our country en for ability an% u<rightness. =ut of this latter 9 shall take other occasions to s<eak. To return to Scaevola the augur. 22.3 AM>?7 any other occasions 9 <articularly re e ber one. 4e "as sitting on a se icircular gar%en6bench, as "as his custo , "hen 9 an% a very fe" inti ate frien%s "ere there, an% he chance% to turn the conversation u<on a sub@ect "hich about that ti e "as in any <eo<le;s ouths. Aou ust re e ber, Atticus, for you "ere very inti ate "ith &ublius Sul<icius, "hat e#<ressions of astonish ent, or even in%ignation, "ere calle% forth by his ortal :uarrel, as tribune, "ith the consul 5uintus &o <eius, "ith "ho he ha% for erly live% on ter s of the closest inti acy an% affection. 23.3 /ell, on this occasion, ha<<ening to ention this <articular circu stance, Scaevola %etaile% to us a %iscourse of 8aelius on frien%shi< %elivere% to hi self an% 8aelius;s other son6in6la" 7alus .annius, son of Marcus .annius, a fe" %ays after the %eath of Africanus. The <oints of that %iscussion 9 co itte% to e ory, an% have arrange% the in this book at y o"n %iscretion. .or 9 have brought the s<eakers, as it "ere, <ersonally on to y stage to <revent the constant sai% 9! an% sai% he! of a narrative, an% to give the %iscourse the air of being orally %elivere% in our hearing. 24.3 Aou have often urge% e to "rite so ething on .rien%shi<, an% 9 :uite ackno"le%ge% that the sub@ect see e% one "orth everybo%y;s investigation, an% s<ecially suite% to the close inti acy that has e#iste% bet"een you an% e. Accor%ingly 9 "as :uite rea%y to benefit the <ublic at your re:uest. As to the actors!. 9n the treatise on >l% Age, "hich 9 %e%icate% to you, 9 intro%uce% Cato as chief s<eaker. ?o one, 9 thought, coul% "ith greater <ro<riety s<eak on ol% age than one "ho ha% been an ol% an longer than any one else, an% ha% been e#ce<tionally vigorous in his ol% age. Si ilarly, having learnt fro tra%ition that of all frien%shi<s that bet"een 7aius 8aelius an% &ublius Sci<io "as the ost re arkable, 9 thought 8aelius "as @ust the <erson to su<<ort the chief <art in a %iscussion on frien%shi< "hich Scaevola re e bere% hi to have actually taken. Moreover, a %iscussion of this sort gains so eho" in "eight fro the authority of en of ancient %ays, es<ecially if they ha<<en to have been %istinguishe%. So it co es about that in rea%ing over "hat 9 have yself "ritten 9 have a feeling at ti es that it is actually Cato that is s<eaking, not 9. 25.3 .inally, as 9 sent the for er essay to you as a gift fro 1 one ol%

1. Q. Mucius augur multa narrare de C. Laelio socero suo memoriter et iucunde solebat nec dubitare illum in omni sermone appellare sapientem; ego autem a patre ita eram deductus ad Scaevolam sumpta virili toga, ut, quoad possem et liceret, a senis latere numquam discederem; itaque multa ab eo prudenter disputata, multa etiam breviter et commode dicta memoriae mandabam fierique studebam eius prudentia doctior. Quo mortuo me ad pontificem Scaevolam contuli, quem unum nostrae civitatis et ingenio et iustitia praestantissimum audeo dicere. Sed de hoc alias; nunc redeo ad augurem.

2. Cum saepe multa, tum memini domi in hemic clio sedentem, ut solebat, cum et ego essem una et pauci admodum familiares, in eum sermonem illum incidere qui tum forte multis erat in ore. Meministi enim profecto, !ttice, et eo magis, quod ". Sulpicio utebare multum, cum is tribunus plebis capitali odio a Q. "ompeio, qui tum erat consul, dissideret, quocum coniunctissime et amantissime vi#erat, quanta esset hominum vel admiratio vel querella. $. %taque tum Scaevola cum in eam ipsam mentionem incidisset, e#posuit nobis sermonem Laeli de amicitia habitum ab illo secum et cum altero genero, C. &annio Marci filio, paucis diebus post mortem !fricani. 'ius disputationis sententias memoriae mandavi, quas hoc libro e#posui arbitratu meo; quasi enim ipsos indu#i loquentes, ne (inquam) et (inquit) saepius interponeretur, atque ut tamquam a praesentibus coram haberi sermo videretur. *. Cum enim saepe mecum ageres ut de amicitia scriberem aliquid, digna mihi res cum omnium cognitione tum nostra familiaritate visa est. %taque feci non invitus ut prodessem multis rogatu tuo. Sed ut in Catone Maiore, qui est scriptus ad te de senectute, Catonem indu#i senem disputantem, quia nulla videbatur aptior persona quae de illa aetate loqueretur quam eius qui et diutissime sene# fuisset et in ipsa senectute praeter ceteros floruisset, sic cum accepissemus a patribus ma#ime memorabilem C. Laeli et ". Scipionis familiaritatem fuisse, idonea mihi Laeli persona visa est quae de amicitia ea ipsa dissereret quae disputata ab eo meminisset Scaevola. +enus autem hoc sermonum positum in hominum veterum auctoritate, et eorum inlustrium, plus nescio quo pacto videtur habere gravitatis; itaque ipse mea legens sic afficior interdum ut Catonem, non me loqui e#istimem. ,. Sed ut tum ad senem sene# de senectute, sic

an to another, so 9 have %e%icate% this On Friendship as a ost affectionate frien% to his frien%. 9n the for er Cato s<oke, "ho "as the ol%est an% "isest an of his %ay; in this 8aelius s<eaks on frien%shi<6 8aelius, "ho "as at once a "ise an (that "as the title given hi 1 an% e inent for his fa ous frien%shi<. &lease forget e for a "hile; i agine 8aelius to be s<eaking. 7aius .annius an% 5uintus Mucius co e to call on their father6in6la" after the %eath of Africanus. They start the sub@ect; 8aelius ans"ers the . An% the "hole essay on frien%shi< is his. 9n rea%ing it you "ill recognise a <icture of yourself. 26.3 *. Fannius. Aou are :uite right, 8aeliusB there never "as a better or ore illustrious character than Africanus. =ut you shoul% consi%er that at the <resent o ent all eyes are on you. Everybo%y calls you the "ise! par excellence, an% thinks you so. The sa e ark of res<ect "as lately <ai% Cato, an% "e kno" that in the last generation 8ucius Atilius "as calle% the "ise.! =ut in both cases the "or% "as a<<lie% "ith a certain %ifference. Atilius "as so calle% fro his re<utation as a @urist; Cato got the na e as a kin% of honorary title an% in e#tre e ol% age because of his varie% e#<erience of affairs, an% his re<utation for foresight an% fir ness, an% the sagacity of the o<inions "hich he %elivere% in senate an% foru . 27.3 Aou, ho"ever, are regar%e% as "ise in a so e"hat %ifferent sense not alone on account of natural ability an% character, but also fro your in%ustry an% learning; an% not in the sense in "hich the vulgar, but that in "hich scholars, give that title. 9n this sense "e %o not rea% of any one being calle% "ise in 7reece e#ce<t one an at Athens; an% he, to be sure, ha% been %eclare% by the oracle of A<ollo also to be the su<re ely "ise an.! .or those "ho co only go by the na e of the Seven Sages are not a% itte% into the category of the "ise by fasti%ious critics. Aour "is%o <eo<le believe to consist in this, that you look u<on yourself as self6sufficing an% regar% the changes an% chances of ortal life as <o"erless to affect your virtue. Accor%ingly they are al"ays asking e, an% %oubtless also our Scaevola here, ho" you bear the %eath of Africanus. This curiosity has been the ore e#cite% fro the fact that on the ?ones of this onth, "hen "e augurs et as usual in the suburban villa of Deci us =rutus for consultation, you "ere not <resent, though it ha% al"ays been your habit to kee< that a<<oint ent an% <erfor that %uty "ith the ut ost <unctuality. 28.3 Scaevola. Aes, in%ee%, 8aelius, 9 a often aske% the :uestion entione% by .annius. =ut 9 ans"er in accor%ance "ith "hat 9 have observe%$ 9 say that you bear in a reasonable anner the grief "hich you have sustaine% in the %eath of one "ho "as at once a an of the ost illustrious character an% a very %ear frien%. That of course you coul% not but be affecte%6anything else "oul% have been "holly unnatural in a an of your gentle nature6but that the cause of your non6atten%ance at our college eeting "as illness, not elancholy. Laelius. Thanks, ScaevolaB Aou are :uite right; you s<oke the e#act truth. .or in fact 9 ha% no right to allo" yself to be "ith%ra"n fro a %uty "hich 9 ha% regularly <erfor e%, as long as 9 "as "ell, by any <ersonal isfortune; nor %o 9 think that anything that can ha<<en "ill cause a an of <rinci<le to inter it a %uty. 29.3 As for your telling e, .annius, of the honourable a<<ellation given e (an a<<ellation to "hich 9 %o not recognise y title, an% to "hich 9 ake no clai 1, you %oubtless act fro feelings of affection; but 9 ust say that you see to e to %o less than @ustice to Cato. 9f 2

hoc libro ad amicum amicissimus scripsi de amicitia. -um est Cato locutus, quo erat nemo fere senior temporibus illis, nemo prudentior; nunc Laelius et sapiens .sic enim est habitus/ et amicitiae gloria e#cellens de amicitia loquetur. -u velim a me animum parumper avertas, Laelium loqui ipsum putes . C. &annius et Q. Mucius ad socerum veniunt post mortem !fricani; ab his sermo oritur, respondet Laelius, cuius tota disputatio est de amicitia, quam legens te ipse cognosces. 0. &annius1 Sunt ista, Laeli; nec enim melior vir fuit !fricano quisquam nec clarior. Sed e#istimare debes omnium oculos in te esse coniectos unum; te sapientem et appellant et e#istimant. -ribuebatur hoc modo M. Catoni; scimus L. !cilium apud patres nostros appellatum esse sapientem; sed uterque alio quodam modo, !cilius, quia prudens esse in iure civili putabatur, Cato, quia multarum rerum usum habebat; multa eius et in senatu et in foro vel provisa prudenter vel acta constanter vel responsa acute ferebantur; propterea quasi cognomen iam habebat in senectute sapientis. 2. -e autem alio quodam modo non solum natura et moribus, verum etiam studio et doctrina esse sapientem, nec sicut vulgus, sed ut eruditi solent appellare sapientem, qualem in reliqua +raecia neminem .nam qui septem appellantur, eos, qui ista subtilius quaerunt, in numero sapientium non habent/, !thenis unum accepimus, et eum quidem etiam !pollinis oraculo sapientissimum iudicatum; hanc esse in te sapientiam e#istimant, ut omnia tua in te posita esse ducas humanosque casus virtute inferiores putes. %taque e# me quaerunt, credo e# hoc item Scaevola, quonam pacto mortem !fricani feras, eoque magis quod pro#imis 3onis cum in hortos 4. 5ruti auguris commentandi causa, ut adsolet, venissemus, tu non adfuisti, qui diligentissime semper illum diem et illud munus solitus esses obire. 6. Scaevola1 Quaerunt quidem, C. Laeli, multi, ut est a &annio dictum, sed ego id respondeo, quod animum adverti, te dolorem, quem acceperis cum summi viri tum amicissimi morte, ferre moderate nec potuisse non commoveri nec fuisse id humanitatis tuae; quod autem 3onis in collegio nostro non adfuisses, valetudinem respondeo causam, non maestitiam fuisse. Laelius1 7ecte tu quidem, Scaevola, et vere; nec enim ab isto officio, quod semper usurpavi, cum valerem, abduci incommodo meo debui, nec ullo casu arbitror hoc constanti homini posse contingere, ut ulla intermissio fiat officii. 8. -u autem, &anni, quod mihi tantum tribui dicis quantum ego nec adgnosco nec postulo, facis amice; sed, ut mihi videris, non recte iudicas de Catone; aut enim nemo, quod quidem magis credo, aut si quisquam, ille sapiens fuit. Quo modo, ut alia

any one "as ever "ise,!6of "hich 9 have y %oubts,6he "as. &utting asi%e everything else, consi%er ho" he bore his son;s %eathB 9 ha% not forgotten &aulus; 9 ha% seen "ith y o"n eyes 7allus. =ut they lost their sons "hen ere chil%ren; Cato his "hen he "as a full6gro"n an "ith an assure% re<utation. 210.3 Do not therefore be in a hurry to reckon as Cato;s su<erior even that sa e fa ous <ersonage "ho A<ollo, as you say, %eclare% to be the "isest.! Ce e ber the for er;s re<utation rests on %ee%s, the latter;s on "or%s. -. ?>/, as far as 9 a concerne% (9 s<eak to both of you no"1, believe e the case stan%s thus. 9f 9 "ere to say that 9 a not affecte% by regret for Sci<io, 9 ust leave the <hiloso<hers to @ustify y con%uct, but in <oint of fact 9 shoul% be telling a lie. Affecte% of course 9 a by the loss of a frien% as 9 think there "ill never be again, such as 9 can fearlessly say there never "as before. =ut 9 stan% in no nee% of e%icine. 9 can fin% y o"n consolation, an% it consists chiefly in y being free fro the istaken notion "hich generally causes <ain at the %e<arture of frien%s. To Sci<io 9 a convince% no evil has befallen ine is the %isaster, if %isaster there be; an% to be severely %istresse% at one;s o"n isfortunes %oes not sho" that you love your frien%, but that you love yourself. 211.3 As for hi , "ho can say that all is not ore than "ellD .or, unless he ha% taken the fancy to "ish for i ortality, the last thing of "hich he ever thought, "hat is there for "hich ortal an ay "ish that he %i% not attainD 9n his early anhoo% he ore than @ustifie% by e#traor%inary <ersonal courage the ho<es "hich his fello"6citiEens ha% conceive% of hi as a chil%. 4e never "as a can%i%ate for the consulshi<, yet "as electe% consul t"ice$ the first ti e before the legal age; the secon% at a ti e "hich, as far as he "as concerne%, "as soon enough, but "as near being too late for the interests of the State. =y the overthro" of t"o cities "hich "ere the ost bitter ene ies of our E <ire, he <ut an en% not only to the "ars then raging, but also to the <ossibility of others in the future. /hat nee% to ention the e#:uisite grace of his anners, his %utiful %evotion to his other, his generosity to his sisters, his liberality to his relations, the integrity of his con%uct to every oneD Aou kno" all this alrea%y. .inally, the esti ation in "hich his fello"6citiEens hel% hi has been sho"n by the signs of ourning "hich acco <anie% his obse:uies. /hat coul% such a an have gaine% by the a%%ition of a fe" yearsD Though age nee% not be a bur%en,6as 9 re e ber Cato arguing in the <resence of yself an% Sci<io t"o years before he %ie%,6yet it cannot but take a"ay the vigour an% freshness "hich Sci<io "as still en@oying. 212.3 /e ay conclu%e therefore that his life, fro the goo% fortune "hich ha% atten%e% hi an% the glory he ha% obtaine%, "as so circu stance% that it coul% not be bettere%, "hile the su%%enness of his %eath save% hi the sensation of %ying. As to the anner of his %eath it is %ifficult to s<eak; you see "hat <eo<le sus<ect. Thus uch, ho"ever, 9 ay say$ Sci<io in his lifeti e sa" any %ays of su<re e triu <h an% e#ultation, but none ore agnificent than his last, on "hich, u<on the rising of the Senate, he "as escorte% by the senators an% the <eo<le of Co e, by the allies, an% by the 8atins, to his o"n %oor. .ro such an elevation of <o<ular estee the ne#t ste< see s naturally to be an ascent to the go%s above, rather than a %escent to 4a%es. 213.3 +. .>C 9 a not one of these o%ern <hiloso<hers "ho 3 aintain

omittam, mortem filii tulit9 memineram "aulum, videram +alum, sed hi in pueris, Cato in perfecto et spectato viro.

1:. Quam ob rem cave Catoni anteponas ne istum quidem ipsum, quem !pollo, ut ais, sapientissimum iudicavit; huius enim facta, illius dicta laudantur. 4e me autem, ut iam cum utroque vestrum loquar, sic habetote1 'go si Scipionis desiderio me moveri negem, quam id recte faciam, viderint sapientes; sed certe mentiar. Moveor enim tali amico orbatus qualis, ut arbitror, nemo umquam erit, ut confirmare possum, nemo certe fuit; sed non egeo medicina, me ipse consolor et ma#ime illo solacio quod eo errore careo quo amicorum decessu plerique angi solent. 3ihil mali accidisse Scipioni puto, mihi accidit, si quid accidit; suis autem incommodis graviter angi non amicum sed se ipsum amantis est.

11. Cum illo vero quis neget actum esse praeclare; 3isi enim, quod ille minime putabat, immortalitatem optare vellet, quid non adeptus est quod homini fas esset optare; qui summam spem civium, quam de eo iam puero habuerant, continuo adulescens incredibili virtute superavit, qui consulatum petivit numquam, factus consul est bis, primum ante tempus, iterum sibi suo tempore, rei publicae paene sero, qui duabus urbibus eversis inimicissimis huic imperio non modo praesentia verum etiam futura bella delevit. Quid dicam de moribus facillimis, de pietate in matrem, liberalitate in sorores, bonitate in suos, iustitia in omnes; nota sunt vobis. Quam autem civitati carus fuerit, maerore funeris indicatum est. Quid igitur hunc paucorum annorum accessio iuvare potuisset; Senectus enim quamvis non sit gravis, ut memini Catonem anno ante quam est mortuus mecum et cum Scipione disserere, tamen aufert eam viriditatem in qua etiam nunc erat Scipio.

12. Quam ob rem vita quidem talis fuit vel fortuna vel gloria, ut nihil posset accedere, moriendi autem sensum celeritas abstulit; quo de genere mortis difficile dictu est; quid homines suspicentur, videtis; hoc vere tamen licet dicere, ". Scipioni e# multis diebus, quos in vita celeberrimos laetissimosque viderit, illum diem clarissimum fuisse, cum senatu dimisso domum reductus ad vesperum est a patribus conscriptis, populo 7omano, sociis et Latinis, pridie quam e#cessit e vita, ut e# tam alto dignitatis gradu ad superos videatur deos potius quam ad inferos pervenisse. 1$. 3eque enim assentior iis qui haec nuper disserere coeperunt, cum corporibus simul animos

that our souls <erish "ith our bo%ies, an% that %eath en%s all. /ith e ancient o<inion has ore "eight$ "hether it be that of our o"n ancestors, "ho attribute% such sole n observances to the %ea%, as they <lainly "oul% not have %one if they ha% believe% the to be "holly annihilate%; or that of the <hiloso<hers "ho once visite% this country, an% "ho by their a#i s an% %octrines e%ucate% Magna 7raecia, "hich at that ti e "as in a flourishing con%ition, though it has no" been ruine%; or that of the an "ho "as %eclare% by A<ollo;s oracle to be ost "ise,! an% "ho use% to teach "ithout the variation "hich is to be foun% in ost <hiloso<hers that the souls of en are %ivine, an% that "hen they have :uitte% the bo%y a return to heaven is o<en to the , least %ifficult to those "ho have been ost virtuous an% @ust.! 214.3 This o<inion "as share% by Sci<io. >nly a fe" %ays before his %eath6as though he ha% a <resenti ent of "hat "as co ing6he %iscourse% for three %ays on the state of the re<ublic. The co <any consiste% of &hilus an% Manlius an% several others, an% 9 ha% brought you, Scaevola, along "ith e. The last <art of his %iscourse referre% <rinci<ally to the i ortality of the soul; for he tol% us "hat he ha% hear% fro the el%er Africanus in a %rea . ?o" if it be true that in <ro<ortion to a an;s goo%ness the esca<e fro "hat ay be calle% the <rison an% bon%s of the flesh is easiest, "ho can "e i agine to have ha% an easier voyage to the go%s than Sci<ioD 9 a %is<ose% to think, therefore, that in his case ourning "oul% be a sign of envy rather than of frien%shi<. 9f, ho"ever, the truth rather is that the bo%y an% soul <erish together, an% that no sensation re ains, then though there is nothing goo% in %eath, at least there is nothing ba%. Ce ove sensation, an% a an is e#actly as though he ha% never been born; an% yet that this an "as born is a @oy to e, an% "ill be a sub@ect of re@oicing to this State to its last hour. 215.3 /herefore, as 9 sai% before, all is as "ell as <ossible "ith hi . ?ot so "ith e; for as 9 entere% life before hi , it "oul% have been fairer for e to leave it also before hi . Aet such is the <leasure 9 take in recalling our frien%shi<, that 9 look u<on y life as having been a ha<<y one because 9 have s<ent it "ith Sci<io. /ith hi 9 "as associate% in <ublic an% <rivate business; "ith hi 9 live% in Co e an% serve% abroa%; an% bet"een us there "as the ost co <lete har ony in our tastes, our <ursuits, an% our senti ents, "hich is the true secret of frien%shi<. 9t is not therefore in that re<utation for "is%o entione% @ust no" by .annius6es<ecially as it ha<<ens to be groun%less6that 9 fin% y ha<<iness so uch, as in the ho<e that the e ory of our frien%shi< "ill be lasting. /hat akes e care the ore about this is the fact that in all history there are scarcely three or four <airs of frien%s on recor%; an% it is classe% "ith the that 9 cherish a ho<e of the frien%shi< of Sci<io an% 8aelius being kno"n to <osterity. 216.3 FFanniusF. >f course that ust be so, 8aelius. =ut since you have entione% the "or% frien%shi<, an% "e are at leisure, you "oul% be %oing e a great kin%ness, an% 9 e#<ect Scaevola also, if you "oul% %o as it is your habit to %o "hen aske% :uestions on other sub@ects, an% tell us your senti ents about frien%shi<, its nature, an% the rules to be observe% in regar% to it. FScaevolaF. 9 shall of course be %elighte%. .annius has antici<ate% the very re:uest 9 "as about to ake. So you "ill be %oing us both a great favour. G. FLaeliusF. 9 shoul% ccrtainly have no ob@ection if 9 felt confi%ence 4

interire atque omnia morte deleri; plus apud me antiquorum auctoritas valet, vel nostrorum maiorum, qui mortuis tam religiosa iura tribuerunt, quod non fecissent profecto si nihil ad eos pertinere arbitrarentur, vel eorum qui in hac terra fuerunt magnamque +raeciam, quae nunc quidem deleta est, tum florebat, institutis et praeceptis suis erudierunt, vel eius qui !pollinis oraculo sapientissimus est iudicatus, qui non tum hoc, tum illud, ut in plerisque, sed idem semper, animos hominum esse divinos, iisque, cum e# corpore e#cessissent, reditum in caelum patere, optimoque et iustissimo cuique e#peditissimum. 1*. Quod idem Scipioni videbatur, qui quidem, quasi praesagiret, perpaucis ante mortem diebus, cum et "hilus et Manilius adesset et alii plures, tuque etiam, Scaevola, mecum venisses, triduum disseruit de re publica; cuius disputationis fuit e#tremum fere de immortalitate animorum, quae se in quiete per visum e# !fricano audisse dicebat. %d si ita est, ut optimi cuiusque animus in morte facillime evolet tamquam e custodia vinclisque corporis, cui censemus cursum ad deos faciliorem fuisse quam Scipioni; Quocirca maerere hoc eius eventu vereor ne invidi magis quam amici sit. Sin autem illa veriora, ut idem interitus sit animorum et corporum nec ullus sensus maneat, ut nihil boni est in morte, sic certe nihil mali; sensu enim amisso fit idem, quasi natus non esset omnino, quem tamen esse natum et nos gaudemus et haec civitas dum erit laetabitur. 1,. Quam ob rem cum illo quidem, ut supra di#i, actum optime est, mecum incommodius, quem fuerat aequius, ut prius introieram, sic prius e#ire de vita. Sed tamen recordatione nostrae amicitiae sic fruor ut beate vi#isse videar, quia cum Scipione vi#erim, quocum mihi coniuncta cura de publica re et de privata fuit, quocum et domus fuit et militia communis et, id in quo est omnis vis amicitiae, voluntatum, studiorum, sententiarum summa consensio. %taque non tam ista me sapientiae, quam modo &annius commemoravit, fama delectat, falsa praesertim, quam quod amicitiae nostrae memoriam spero sempiternam fore, idque eo mihi magis est cordi, quod e# omnibus saeculis vi# tria aut quattuor nominantur paria amicorum; quo in genere sperare videor Scipionis et Laeli amicitiam notam posteritati fore. 10. &annius1 %stuc quidem, Laeli, ita necesse est. Sed quoniam amicitiae mentionem fecisti et sumus otiosi, pergratum mihi feceris, spero item Scaevolae, si quem ad modum soles de ceteris rebus, cum e# te quaeruntur, sic de amicitia disputaris quid sentias, qualem e#istimes, quae praecepta des. Scaevola1 Mihi vero erit gratum; atque id ipsum cum tecum agere conarer, &annius antevertit. Quam ob rem utrique nostrum gratum admodum feceris. 12. Laelius1 'go vero non gravarer, si mihi ipse

in yself. .or the the e is a noble one, an% "e are (as .annius has sai%1 at leisure. =ut "ho a 9D an% "hat ability have 9D /hat you <ro<ose is all very "ell for <rofessional <hiloso<hers, "ho are use%, <articularly if 7reeks, to have the sub@ect for %iscussion <ro<ose% to the on the s<ur of the o ent. 9t is a task of consi%erable %ifficulty, an% re:uires no little <ractice. Therefore for a set %iscourse on frien%shi< you ust go, 9 think, to <rofessional lecturers. All 9 can %o is to urge on you to regar% frien%shi< as the greatest thing in the "orl%; for there is nothing "hich so fits in "ith our nature, or is so e#actly "hat "e "ant in <ros<erity or a%versity. 218.3 =ut 9 ust at the very beginning lay %o"n this <rinci<le6 friendship can only exist between good men. 9 %o not, ho"ever, <ress this too closely, like the <hiloso<hers "ho <ush their %efinitions to a su<erfluous accuracy. They have truth on their si%e, <erha<s, but it is of no <ractical a%vantage. Those, 9 ean, "ho say that no one but the "ise! is goo%.! 7rante%, by all eans. =ut the "is%o ! they ean is one to "hich no ortal ever yet attaine%. /e ust concern ourselves "ith the facts of every%ay life as "e fin% it6not i aginary an% i%eal <erfections. Even 7aius .annius, Manius Curius, an% Tiberius Coruncanius, "ho our ancestors %eci%e% to be "ise,! 9 coul% never %eclare to be so accor%ing to their stan%ar%. 8et the , then, kee< this "or% "is%o ! to the selves. Everybo%y is irritate% by it; no one un%erstan%s "hat it eans. 8et the but grant that the en 9 entione% "ere goo%.! ?o, they "on;t %o that either. ?o one but the "ise! can be allo"e% that title, say they. /ell, then, let us %is iss the an% anage as best "e ay "ith our o"n <oor other "it, as the <hrase is. 219.3 /e ean then by the goo%! Fthose "hose actions an% lives leave no :uestion as to their honour, <urity, e:uity, an% liberality; "ho are free fro gree%, lust, an% violence; an% "ho have the courage of their convictionsF. The en 9 have @ust na e% ay serve as e#a <les. Such en as these being generally accounte% goo%,! let us agree to call the so, on the groun% that to the best of hu an ability they follo" nature as the ost <erfect gui%e to a goo% life. ?o" this truth see s clear to e, that nature has so for e% us that a certain tie unites us all, but that this tie beco es stronger fro <ro#i ity. So it is that fello"6citiEens are <referre% in our affections to foreigners, relations to strangers; for in their case ?ature herself has cause% a kin% of frien%shi< to e#ist, though it is one "hich lacks so e of the ele ents of <er anence. .rien%shi< e#cels relationshi< in this, that "hereas you ay eli inate affection fro relationshi<, you cannot %o so fro frien%shi<. /ithout it relationshi< still e#ists in na e, frien%shi< %oes not. 220.3 Aou ay best un%erstan% this frien%shi< by consi%ering that, "hereas the erely natural ties uniting the hu an race are in%efinite, this one is so concentrate%, an% confine% to so narro" a s<here, that affection is ever share% by t"o <ersons only or at ost by a fe". H. ?>/ frien%shi< ay be thus %efine%$ a complete accord on all subjects human and divine, joined ith mutual !ood ill and a""ection. #nd ith the e$ception o" isdom, % am inclined to thin& nothin! better than this has been !iven to man b' the immortal !ods. There are <eo<le "ho give the <al to riches or to goo% health, or to <o"er an% office, any even to sensual <leasures. This last is the i%eal of brute beasts; an% of the others "e ay say that they are frail an% uncertain, an% %e<en% less on our o"n <ru%ence than on the 5

confiderem; nam et praeclara res est et sumus, ut di#it &annius, otiosi. Sed quis ego sum; aut quae est in me facultas; doctorum est ista consuetudo, eaque +raecorum, ut iis ponatur de quo disputent quamvis subito; magnum opus est egetque e#ercitatione non parva. Quam ob rem quae disputari de amicitia possunt, ab eis censeo petatis qui ista profitentur; ego vos hortari tantum possum ut amicitiam omnibus rebus humanis anteponatis; nihil est enim tam naturae aptum, tam conveniens ad res vel secundas vel adversas. 16. Sed hoc primum sentio, nisi in bonis amicitiam esse non posse; neque id ad vivum reseco, ut illi qui haec subtilius disserunt, fortasse vere, sed ad communem utilitatem parum; negant enim quemquam esse virum bonum nisi sapientem. Sit ita sane; sed eam sapientiam interpretantur quam adhuc mortalis nemo est consecutus, nos autem ea quae sunt in usu vitaque communi, non ea quae finguntur aut optantur, spectare debemus. 3umquam ego dicam C. &abricium, M). Curium, -i. Coruncanium, quos sapientes nostri maiores iudicabant, ad istorum normam fuisse sapientes. Quare sibi habeant sapientiae nomen et invidiosum et obscurum; concedant ut viri boni fuerint. 3e id quidem facient, negabunt id nisi sapienti posse concedi.

18. !gamus igitur pingui, ut aiunt, Minerva. Qui ita se gerunt, ita vivunt ut eorum probetur fides, integritas, aequitas, liberalitas, nec sit in eis ulla cupiditas, libido, audacia, sintque magna constantia, ut ii fuerunt modo quos nominavi, hos viros bonos, ut habiti sunt, sic etiam appellandos putemus, quia sequantur, quantum homines possunt, naturam optimam bene vivendi ducem. Sic enim mihi perspicere videor, ita natos esse nos ut inter omnes esset societas quaedam, maior autem ut quisque pro#ime accederet. %taque cives potiores quam peregrini, propinqui quam alieni; cum his enim amicitiam natura ipsa peperit; sed ea non satis habet firmitatis. 3amque hoc praestat amicitia propinquitati, quod e# propinquitate benevolentia tolli potest, e# amicitia non potest; sublata enim benevolentia amicitiae nomen tollitur, propinquitatis manet. 2:. Quanta autem vis amicitiae sit, e# hoc intellegi ma#ime potest, quod e# infinita societate generis humani, quam conciliavit ipsa natura, ita contracta res est et adducta in angustum ut omnis caritas aut inter duos aut inter paucos iungeretur. 'st enim amicitia nihil aliud nisi omnium divinarum humanarumque rerum cum benevolentia et caritate consensio; qua quidem haud scio an e#cepta sapientia nihil melius homini sit a dis immortalibus datum. 4ivitias alii praeponunt, bonam alii valetudinem, alii potentiam, alii honores, multi etiam voluptates. 5eluarum hoc quidem e#tremum, illa autem superiora caduca et incerta, posita non tam in consiliis nostris quam in fortunae temeritate.

ca<rice of fortune. Then there are those "ho fin% the chief goo%! in virtue. /ell, that is a noble %octrine. =ut the very virtue they talk of is the <arent an% <reserver of frien%shi<, an% "ithout it frien%shi< cannot <ossibly e#ist. 221.3 8et us, 9 re<eat, use the "or% virtue in the or%inary acce<tation an% eaning of the ter , an% %o not let us %efine it in high6flo"n language. 8et us account as goo% the <ersons usually consi%ere% so, such as &aulus, Cato, 7allus, Sci<io, an% &hilus. Such en as these are goo% enough for every%ay life; an% "e nee% not trouble ourselves about those i%eal characters "hich are no"here to be et "ith. 222.3 /ell, bet"een en like these the a%vantages of frien%shi< are al ost ore than 9 can say. To begin "ith, ho" can life he "orth living, to use the "or%s of Ennius, "hich lacks that re<ose "hich is to be foun% in the utual goo%6"ill of a frien%D /hat can be ore %elightful than to have so e one to "ho you can say everything "ith the sa e absolute confi%ence as to yourselfD 9s not <ros<erity robbe% of half its value if you have no one to share your @oyD >n the other han%, isfortunes "oul% be har% to bear if there "ere not so e one to feel the even ore acutely than yourself. 9n a "or%, other ob@ects of a bition serve for <articular en%s6riches for use, <o"er for securing ho age, office for re<utation, <leasure for en@oy ent, health for; free%o fro <ain an% the full use of the functions of the bo%y. =ut frien%shi< e braces innu erable a%vantages. Turn "hich "ay you <lease, you "ill fin% it at han%. 9t is every"here; an% yet never out of <lace, never un"elco e. .ire an% "ater the selves, to use a co on e#<ression, are not of ore universal use than frien%shi<. 9 a not no" s<eaking of the co on or o%ifie% for of it, though even that is a source of <leasure an% <rofit, but of that true an% co <lete frien%shi< "hich e#iste% bet"een the select fe" "ho are kno"n to fa e. Such frien%shi< enhances <ros<erity, an% relieves a%versity of its bur%en by halving an% sharing it. 223.3 7. A?D great an% nu erous as are the blessings of frien%shi<, this certainly is the sovereign one, that it gives us bright ho<es for the future an% forbi%s "eakness an% %es<air. 9n the face of a true frien% a So that "here his frien% is he is; if his frien% is rich, he is not <oor; though he be "eak, his frien%;s strength is his; an% I "hat is ost %ifficult to conceive I though %ea%, 2through his frien%3 he lives =ut such is the effect of the res<ect, the loving re e brance, an% the regret of frien%s "hich follo" us to the grave. /hile they take the sting out of %eath, they a%% a glory to the life of the survivors. ?ay, if you eli inate fro nature the tie of affection, there "ill be an en% of house an% city, nor "ill so uch as the cultivation of the soil be left. 9f you %on;t see the virtue of frien%shi< an% har ony, you ay learn it by observing the effects of :uarrels an% feu%s. /as any fa ily ever so "ell establishe%, any State so fir ly settle%, as 6 an sees as it "ere a secon% self.

Qui autem in virtute summum bonum ponunt, praeclare illi quidem, sed haec ipsa virtus amicitiam et gignit et continet nec sine virtute amicitia esse ullo pacto potest. 21. %am virtutem e# consuetudine vitae sermonisque nostri interpretemur nec eam, ut quidam docti, verborum magnificentia metiamur virosque bonos eos, qui habentur, numeremus, "aulos, Catones, +alos, Scipiones, "hilos; his communis vita contenta est; eos autem omittamus, qui omnino nusquam reperiuntur. 22. -alis igitur inter viros amicitia tantas opportunitates habet quantas vi# queo dicere. "rincipio qui potest esse vita (vitalis), ut ait 'nnius, quae non in amici mutua benevolentia conquiescit; Quid dulcius quam habere quicum omnia audeas sic loqui ut tecum; Qui esset tantus fructus in prosperis rebus, nisi haberes, qui illis aeque ac tu ipse gauderet; adversas vero ferre difficile esset sine eo qui illas gravius etiam quam tu ferret. 4enique ceterae res quae e#petuntur opportunae sunt singulae rebus fere singulis, divitiae, ut utare, opes, ut colare, honores, ut laudere, voluptates, ut gaudeas, valetudo, ut dolore careas et muneribus fungare corporis; amicitia res plurimas continet; quoquo te verteris, praesto est, nullo loco e#cluditur, numquam intempestiva, numquam molesta est; itaque non aqua, non igni, ut aiunt, locis pluribus utimur quam amicitia. 3eque ego nunc de vulgari aut de mediocri, quae tamen ipsa et delectat et prodest, sed de vera et perfecta loquor, qualis eorum qui pauci nominantur fuit. 3am et secundas res splendidiores facit amicitia et adversas partiens communicansque leviores. 2$. Cumque plurimas et ma#imas commoditates amicitia contineat, tum illa nimirum praestat omnibus, quod bonam spem praelucet in posterum nec debilitari animos aut cadere patitur. <erum enim amicum qui intuetur, tamquam e#emplar aliquod intuetur sui. Quocirca et absentes adsunt et egentes abundant et imbecilli valent et,quod difficilius dictu est, Mortui vivunt; tantus eos honos, memoria, desiderium prosequitur amicorum. '# quo illorum beata mors videtur, horum vita laudabilis. Quod si e#emeris e# rerum natura benevolentiae coniunctionem, nec domus ulla nec urbs stare poterit, ne agri quidem cultus permanebit. %d si minus intellegitur, quanta vis amicitiae concordiaeque sit, e# dissensionibus atque e# discordiis percipi potest. Quae enim domus tam stabilis, quae tam firma

to be beyon% the reach of utter %estruction fro ani osities an% factionsD This ay teach you the i ense a%vantage of frien%shi<. 224.3. They say that a certain <hiloso<her of Agrigentu , in a 7reek <oe , <ronounce% "ith the authority of an oracle the %octrine that "hatever in nature an% the universe "as unchangeable "as so in virtue of the bin%ing force of frien%shi<; "hatever "as changeable "as so by the solvent <o"er of %iscor%. An% in%ee% this is a truth "hich everybo%y un%erstan%s an% <ractically attests by e#<erience. .or if any arke% instance of loyal frien%shi< in confronting or sharing %anger co es to light, every one a<<lau%s it to the echo. /hat cheers there "ere, for instance, all over the theatre at a <assage in the ne" <lay of y frien% an% guest &acuvius; "here the king, not kno"ing "hich of the t"o "as >restes, &yla%es %eclare% hi self to be >restes, that he ight %ie in his stea%, "hile the real >restes ke<t on asserting that it "as he. The au%ience rose en masse an% cla<<e% their han%s. An% this "as at an inci%ent in fiction$ "hat "oul% they have %one, ust "e su<<ose, if it ha% been in real lifeD Aou can easily see "hat a natural feeling it is, "hen en "ho "oul% not have ha% the resolution to act thus the selves, she"e% ho" right they thought it in another. 9 %on;t think 9 have any ore to say about frien%shi<. 9f there is any ore, an% 9 have no %oubt there is uch, you ust, if you care to %o so, consult those "ho <rofess to %iscuss such atters. 225.3. Fannius. /e "oul% rather a<<ly to you. Aet 9 have often consulte% such <ersons, an% have hear% "hat they ha% to say "ith a certain satisfaction. =ut in your %iscourse one so eho" feels that there is a %ifferent strain. Scaevola. Aou "oul% have sai% that still ore, .annius, if you ha% been <resent the other %ay in Sci<io;s <leasure6groun%s "hen "e ha% the %iscussion about the State. 4o" s<len%i%ly he stoo% u< for @ustice against &hilus;s elaborate s<eech. Fannius. AhB it "as naturally easy for the @ustest of for @ustice. en to stan% u<

civitas est, quae non odiis et discidiis funditus possit everti; '# quo quantum boni sit in amicitia iudicari potest. 2*. !grigentinum quidem doctum quendam virum carminibus +raecis vaticinatum ferunt, quae in rerum natura totoque mundo constarent quaeque moverentur, ea contrahere amicitiam, dissipare discordiam. !tque hoc quidem omnes mortales et intellegunt et re probant. %taque si quando aliquod officium e#stitit amici in periculis aut adeundis aut communicandis, quis est qui id non ma#imis efferat laudibus; Qui clamores tota cavea nuper in hospitis et amici mei M. "acuvi nova fabula9 cum ignorante rege, uter =restes esset, " lades =restem se esse diceret, ut pro illo necaretur, =restes autem, ita ut erat, =restem se esse perseveraret. Stantes plaudebant in re ficta; quid arbitramur in vera facturos fuisse; &acile indicabat ipsa natura vim suam, cum homines, quod facere ipsi non possent, id recte fieri in altero iudicarent. >actenus mihi videor de amicitia quid sentirem potuisse dicere; si quae praeterea sunt .credo autem esse multa/, ab iis, si videbitur, qui ista disputant, quaeritote. 2,. &annius1 3os autem a te potius; quamquam etiam ab istis saepe quaesivi et audivi non invitus equidem; sed aliud quoddam filum orationis tuae. Scaevola1 -um magis id diceres, &anni, si nuper in hortis Scipionis, cum est de re publica disputatum, adfuisses. Qualis tum patronus iustitiae fuit contra accuratam orationem "hili9 &annius1 &acile id quidem fuit iustitiam iustissimo viro defendere. Scaevola1 Quid; amicitiam nonne facile ei qui ob eam summa fide, constantia iustitiaque servatam ma#imam gloriam ceperit; 20. Laelius1 <im hoc quidem est adferre. Quid enim refert qua me ratione cogatis; cogitis certe. Studiis enim generorum, praesertim in re bona, cum difficile est, tum ne aequum quidem obsistere. Saepissime igitur mihi de amicitia cogitanti ma#ime illud considerandum videri solet, utrum propter imbecillitatem atque inopiam desiderata sit amicitia, ut dandis recipiendisque meritis quod quisque minus per se ipse posset, id acciperet ab alio vicissimque redderet, an esset hoc quidem proprium amicitiae, sed antiquior et pulchrior et magis a natura ipsa profecta alia causa. !mor enim, e# quo amicitia nominata est, princeps est ad benevolentiam coniungendam. 3am utilitates quidem etiam ab iis percipiuntur saepe qui simulatione amicitiae coluntur et observantur temporis causa, in amicitia autem nihil fictum est, nihil simulatum et, quidquid est, id est verum et

Scaevola. /ell, then, "hat about frien%shi<D /ho coul% %iscourse on it ore easily than the an "hose chief glory is a frien%shi< aintaine% "ith the ost absolute fi%elity, constancy, an% integrityD 226.3 8. Laelius. ?o" you are really using force. 9t akes no %ifference "hat kin% of force you use$ force it is. .or it is neither easy nor right to refuse a "ish of y sons6in6la", <articularly "hen the "ish is a cre%itable one in itself. /ell, then, it has very often occurre% to e "hen thinking about frien%shi<, that the chief <oint to be consi%ere% "as this$ is it "eakness an% "ant of eans that ake frien%shi< %esire%D 9 ean, is its ob@ect an interchange of goo% offices, so that each ay give that in "hich he is strong, an% receive that in "hich he is "eakD >r is it not rather true that, although this is an a%vantage naturally belonging to frien%shi<, yet its original cause is :uite other, <rior in ti e, ore noble in character, an% s<ringing ore %irectly fro our nature itselfD The 8atin "or% for frien%shi<, amicitia is %erive% fro that for love, amor; an% love 2amor3 is certainly the <ri e over in contracting utual affection. .or as to aterial a%vantages, it often ha<<ens that those are obtaine% even by en "ho are courte% by a ere sho" of frien%shi< an% treate% "ith res<ect fro intereste% otives. =ut 7

frien%shi< by its nature a% its of no feigning, no <retence$ as far as it goes it is both genuine an% s<ontaneous. 227.3. Therefore 9 gather that frien%shi< s<rings fro a natural i <ulse rather than a "ish for hel<$ fro an inclination of the heart, co bine% "ith a certain instinctive feeling of love, rather than fro a %eliberate calculation of the aterial a%vantage it "as likely to confer. The strength of this feeling you ay notice in certain ani als. They sho" such love to their offs<ring for a certain <erio%, an% are so belove% by the , that they clearly have a share in this natural, instinctive affection. =ut of course it is ore evi%ent in the case of an$ first, in the natural affection bet"een chil%ren an% their <arents, an affection "hich only shocking "icke%ness can sun%er; an% ne#t, "hen the <assion of love has attaine% to a like strength 6 on our fin%ing, that is, so e one <erson "ith "hose character an% nature "e are in full sy <athy, because "e think that "e <erceive in hi "hat 9 ay call the beacon6light of virtue. 228.3. .or nothing ins<ires love, nothing conciliates affection, like virtue. /hy, in a certain sense "e ay be sai% to feel affection even for en "e have never seen, o"ing to their honesty an% virtue. /ho, for instance, fails to %"ell on the e ory of 7aius .abricius an% Manius Curius "ith so e affection an% "ar th of feeling, though he has never seen the D >r "ho but loathes Tar:uinius Su<erbus, S<urius Cassius, S<urius MaeliusD /e have fought for e <ire in 9taly "ith t"o great generals, &yrrhus an% 4annibal. .or the for er, o"ing to his <robity, "e entertain no great feelings of en ity$ the latter, o"ing to his cruelty, our country has %eteste% an% al"ays "ill %etest. 229.3 9. ?>/, if the attraction of <robity is so great that "e can love it not only in those "ho "e have never seen, but, "hat is ore, actually in an ene y, "e nee% not be sur<rise% if en;s affections are rouse% "hen they fancy that they have seen virtue an% goo%ness in those "ith "ho a close inti acy is <ossible. 9 %o not %eny that affection is strengthene% by the actual recei<t of benefits, as "ell as by the <erce<tion of a "ish to ren%er service, co bine% "ith a closer intercourse. /hen these are a%%e% to the original i <ulse of the heart, to "hich 9 have allu%e%, a :uite sur<rising "ar th of feeling s<rings u<. An% if any one thinks that this co es fro a sense of "eakness, that each ay have so e one to hel< hi to his <articular nee%, all 9 can say is that, "hen he aintains it to be born of "ant an% <overty, he allo"s to frien%shi< an origin very base, an% a <e%igree, if 9 ay be allo"e% the e#<ression, far fro noble. 9f this ha% been the case, a an;s inclination to frien%shi< "oul% be e#actly in <ro<ortion to his lo" o<inion of his o"n resources. /hereas the truth is :uite the other "ay. 230.3. .or "hen a an;s confi%ence in hi self is greatest, "hen he is so fortifie% by virtue an% "is%o as to "ant nothing an% to feel absolutely self6%e<en%ent, it is then that he is ost cons<icuous for seeking out an% kee<ing u< frien%shi<s. Di% Africanus, for e#a <le, "ant anything of eD ?ot the least in the "orl%B ?either %i% 9 of hi . 9n y case it "as an a% iration of his virtue, in his an o<inion, ay be, "hich he entertaine% of y character, that cause% our affection. Closer inti acy a%%e% to the "ar th of our feelings. =ut though any great aterial a%vantages %i% ensue, they "ere not the source fro "hich our affection <rocee%e%. 8

voluntarium. 22. Quapropter a natura mihi videtur potius quam ab indigentia orta amicitia, applicatione magis animi cum quodam sensu amandi quam cogitatione quantum illa res utilitatis esset habitura. Quod quidem quale sit, etiam in bestiis quibusdam animadverti potest, quae e# se natos ita amant ad quoddam tempus et ab eis ita amantur ut facile earum sensus appareat. Quod in homine multo est evidentius, primum e# ea caritate quae est inter natos et parentes, quae dirimi nisi detestabili scelere non potest; deinde cum similis sensus e#stitit amoris, si aliquem nacti sumus cuius cum moribus et natura congruamus, quod in eo quasi lumen aliquod probitatis et virtutis perspicere videamur. 26. 3ihil est enim virtute amabilius, nihil quod magis adliciat ad diligendum, quippe cum propter virtutem et probitatem etiam eos, quos numquam vidimus, quodam modo diligamus. Quis est qui C. &abrici, M). Curi non cum caritate aliqua benevola memoriam usurpet, quos numquam viderit; quis autem est, qui -arquinium Superbum, qui Sp. Cassium, Sp. Maelium non oderit; Cum duobus ducibus de imperio in %talia est decertatum, " rrho et >annibale; ab altero propter probitatem eius non nimis alienos animos habemus, alterum propter crudelitatem semper haec civitas oderit. 28. Quod si tanta vis probitatis est ut eam vel in iis quos numquam vidimus, vel, quod maius est, in hoste etiam diligamus, quid mirum est, si animi hominum moveantur, cum eorum, quibuscum usu coniuncti esse possunt, virtutem et bonitatem perspicere videantur; Quamquam confirmatur amor et beneficio accepto et studio perspecto et consuetudine adiuncta, quibus rebus ad illum primum motum animi et amoris adhibitis admirabilis quaedam e#ardescit benevolentiae magnitudo. Quam si qui putant ab imbecillitate proficisci, ut sit per quem adsequatur quod quisque desideret, humilem sane relinquunt et minime generosum, ut ita dicam, ortum amicitiae, quam e# inopia atque indigentia natam volunt. Quod si ita esset, ut quisque minimum esse in se arbitraretur, ita ad amicitiam esset aptissimus; quod longe secus est. $:. ?t enim quisque sibi plurimum confidit et ut quisque ma#ime virtute et sapientia sic munitus est, ut nullo egeat suaque omnia in se ipso posita iudicet, ita in amicitiis e#petendis colendisque ma#ime e#cellit. Quid enim; !fricanus indigens mei; Minime hercule9 ac ne ego quidem illius; sed ego admiratione quadam virtutis eius, ille vicissim opinione fortasse non nulla, quam de meis moribus habebat, me dile#it; au#it benevolentiam consuetudo. Sed quamquam utilitates multae et magnae consecutae sunt, non sunt tamen ab earum spe causae diligendi profectae.

231.3. .or as "e are not beneficent an% liberal "ith any vie" of e#torting gratitu%e, an% %o not regar% an act of kin%ness as an invest ent, but follo" a natural inclination to liberality; so "e look on frien%shi< as "orth trying for, not because "e are attracte% to it by the e#<ectation of ulterior gain, but in the conviction that "hat it has to give us is fro first to last inclu%e% in the feeling itself. 232.3. .ar %ifferent is the vie" of those "ho, like brute beasts, refer everything to sensual <leasure. An% no "on%er. Men "ho have %egra%e% all their <o"ers of thought to an ob@ect so ean an% conte <tible can of course raise their eyes to nothing lofty, to nothing gran% an% %ivine. Such <ersons in%ee% let us leave out of the <resent :uestion. An% let us acce<t the %octrine that the sensation of love an% the "ar th of inclination have their origin in a s<ontaneous feeling "hich arises %irectly the <resence of <robity is in%icate%. /hen once en have conceive% the inclination, they of course try to attach the selves to the ob@ect of it, an% ove the selves nearer an% nearer to hi . Their ai is that they ay be on the sa e footing an% the sa e level in regar% to affection, an% be ore incline% to %o a goo% service than to ask a return, an% that there shoul% be this noble rivalry bet"een the . Thus both truths "ill be establishe%. /e shall get the ost i <ortant aterial a%vantages fro frien%shi<; an% its origin fro a natural i <ulse rather than fro a sense of nee% "ill be at once ore %ignifie% an% ore in accor%ance "ith fact. .or if it "ere true that its aterial a%vantages ce ente% frien%shi<, it "oul% be e:ually true that any change in the "oul% %issolve it. =ut nature being inca<able of change, it follo"s that genuine frien%shi<s are eternal. So uch for the origin of frien%shi<. =ut <erha<s you "oul% not care to hear any ore. Fannius. ?ay, <ray go on; let us have the rest, 8aelius. 9 take on yself to s<eak for y frien% here as his senior. 233.3. Scaevola. 5uite rightB Therefore, <ray let us hear. 10. Laelius. /ell, then, y goo% frien%s, listen to so e conversations about frien%shi< "hich very fre:uently <asse% bet"een Sci<io an% yself. 9 ust begin by telling you, ho"ever, that be use% to say that the ost %ifficult thing in the "orl% "as for a frien%shi< to re ain uni <aire% to the en% of life. So any things ight intervene$ conflicting interests; %ifferences of o<inion in <olitics; fre:uent changes in character, o"ing so eti es to isfortunes, so eti es to a%vancing years. 4e use% to illustrate these facts fro the analogy of boyhoo%, since the "ar est affections bet"een boys are often lai% asi%e "ith the boyish toga; an% even if they %i% anage to kee< the u< to a%olescence, they "ere so eti es broken by a rivalry in courtshi<, or for so e other a%vantage to "hich their utual clai s "ere not co <atible. 234.3 Even if the frien%shi< "as <rolonge% beyon% that ti e, yet it fre:uently receive% a ru%e shock shoul% the t"o ha<<en to be co <etitors for office. .or "hile the ost fatal blo" to frien%shi< in the a@ority of cases "as the lust of gol%, in the case of the best en it "as a rivalry for office an% re<utation, by "hich it ha% often ha<<ene% that the ost violent en ity ha% arisen bet"een the closest frien%s.

$1. ?t enim benefici liberalesque sumus, non ut e#igamus gratiam .neque enim beneficium faeneramur sed natura propensi ad liberalitatem sumus/, sic amicitiam non spe mercedis adducti sed quod omnis eius fructus in ipso amore inest, e#petendam putamus. $2. !b his qui pecudum ritu ad voluptatem omnia referunt longe dissentiunt, nec mirum; nihil enim altum, nihil magnificum ac divinum suspicere possunt qui suas omnes cogitationes abiecerunt in rem tam humilem tamque contemptam. Quam ob rem hos quidem ab hoc sermone removeamus, ipsi autem intellegamus natura gigni sensum diligendi et benevolentiae caritatem facta significatione probitatis. Quam qui adpetiverunt, applicant se et propius admovent ut et usu eius, quem diligere coeperunt, fruantur et moribus sintque pares in amore et aequales propensioresque ad bene merendum quam ad reposcendum, atque haec inter eos sit honesta certatio. Sic et utilitates e# amicitia ma#imae capientur et erit eius ortus a natura quam ab imbecillitate gravior et verior. 3am si utilitas amicitias conglutinaret, eadem commutata dissolveret; sed quia natura mutari non potest, idcirco verae amicitiae sempiternae sunt.

=rtum quidem amicitiae videtis, nisi quid ad haec forte vultis. &annius1 -u vero perge, Laeli; pro hoc enim, qui minor est natu, meo iure respondeo. $$. Scaevola1 7ecte tu quidem. Quam ob rem audiamus. Laelius1 !udite vero, optimi viri, ea quae saepissime inter me et Scipionem de amicitia disserebantur. Quamquam ille quidem nihil difficilius esse dicebat, quam amicitiam usque ad e#tremum vitae diem permanere. 3am vel ut non idem e#pediret, incidere saepe, vel ut de re publica non idem sentiretur; mutari etiam mores hominum saepe dicebat, alias adversis rebus, alias aetate ingravescente. !tque earum rerum e#emplum e# similitudine capiebat ineuntis aetatis, quod summi puerorum amores saepe una cum praete#ta toga ponerentur.

$*. Sin autem ad adulescentiam perdu#issent, dirimi tamen interdum contentione vel u#oriae condicionis vel commodi alicuius, quod idem adipisci uterque non posset. Quod si qui longius in amicitia provecti essent, tamen saepe labefactari, si in honoris contentionem incidissent; pestem enim nullam maiorem esse amicitiis quam in plerisque pecuniae cupiditatem, in optimis quibusque honoris certamen et gloriae; e# quo inimicitias ma#imas saepe inter amicissimos

e#stitisse.

235.3. Again, "i%e breaches an%, for the ost <art, @ustifiable ones "ere cause% by an i oral re:uest being a%e of frien%s, to <an%er to a an;s unholy %esires or to assist hi in inflicting a "rong. A refusal, though <erfectly right, is attacke% by those to "ho they refuse co <liance as a violation of the la"s of frien%shi<. ?o" the <eo<le "ho have no scru<les as to the re:uests they ake to their frien%s, thereby allo" that they are rea%y to have no scru<les as to "hat they "ill %o for their frien%s; an% it is the recri inations of such <eo<le "hich co only not only :uench frien%shi<s, but give rise to lasting en ities. 9n fact,! he use% to say, these fatalities overhang frien%shi< in such nu bers that it re:uires not only "is%o but goo% luck also to esca<e the all.! 236.3. 11. /9T4 these <re ises, then, let us first, if you <lease, e#a ine the :uestion6ho" far ought <ersonal feeling to go in frien%shi<D .or instance$ su<<ose Coriolanus to have ha% frien%s, ought they to have @oine% hi in inva%ing his countryD Again, in the case of ,ecellinus or S<urius Maelius, ought their frien%s to have assiste% the in their atte <t to establish a tyrannyD 237.3. Take t"o instances of either line of con%uct. /hen Tiberius 7racchus atte <te% his revolutionary easures he "as %eserte%, as "e sa", by 5uintus Tubero an% the frien%s of his o"n stan%ing. >n the other han%, a frien% of your o"n fa ily, Scaevola, 7ains =lossius of Cu ae, took a %ifferent course. 9 "as acting as assessor to the consuls 8aenas an% Cu<ilius to try the cons<irators, an% =lossius <lea%e% for y <ar%on on the groun% that his regar% for Tiberius 7racchus ha% been so high that he looke% u<on his "ishes as la". Even if he ha% "ishe% you to set fire to the Ca<itolD! sai% 9. That is a thing,! he re<lie%, that he never "oul% have "ishe%.! Ah, but if he ha% "ishe% itD! sai% 9. 9 "oul% have obeye%.! The "icke%ness of such a s<eech nee%s no co ent. An% in <oint of fact he "as as goo% an% better than his "or% for he %i% not "ait for or%ers in the au%acious <rocee%ings of Tiberius 7racchus, but "as the hea% an% front of the , an% "as a lea%er rather than an abettor of his a%ness. The result of his infatuation "as that he fle% to Asia, terrifie% by the s<ecial co ission a<<ointe% to try hi , @oine% the ene ies of his country, an% <ai% a <enalty to the re<ublic as heavy as it "as %eserve%. 9 conclu%e, then, that the <lea of having acte% in the interests of a frien% is not a vali% e#cuse for a "rong action. .or, seeing that a belief in a an;s virtue is the original cause of frien%shi<, frien%shi< can har%ly re ain if virtue he aban%one%. 238.3. =ut if "e %eci%e it to be right to grant our frien%s "hatever they "ish, an% to ask the for "hatever "e "ish, <erfect "is%o ust be assu e% on both si%es if no ischief is to ha<<en. =ut "e cannot assu e this <erfect "is%o ; for "e are s<eaking only of such frien%s as are or%inarily to be et "ith, "hether "e have actually seen the or have been tol% about the 6 en, that is to say, of every%ay life. 9 ust :uote so e e#a <les of such <ersons, taking care to select such as a<<roach nearest to our stan%ar% of "is%o . 239.3. /e rea%, for instance, that &a<us Ae ilius "as a close frien% of 7aius 8uscinus. 4istory tells us that they "ere t"ice consuls together, an% colleagues in the censorshi<. Again, it is on recor% that Manius Curius an% Tiberius Coruncanius "ere on the ost inti ate ter s "ith the an% "ith each other. ?o", "e cannot even sus<ect that any one of these en ever aske% of his frien% anything that ilitate% against his honour or his oath or the interests of the re<ublic. 9n the case of 10

$,. Magna etiam discidia et plerumque iusta nasci, cum aliquid ab amicis quod rectum non esset postularetur, ut aut libidinis ministri aut adiutores essent ad iniuriam; quod qui recusarent, quamvis honeste id facerent, ius tamen amicitiae deserere arguerentur ab iis quibus obsequi nollent. %llos autem qui quidvis ab amico auderent postulare, postulatione ipsa profiteri omnia se amici causa esse facturos. 'orum querella inveterata non modo familiaritates e#stingui solere sed odia etiam gigni sempiterna. >aec ita multa quasi fata impendere amicitiis ut omnia subterfugere non modo sapientiae sed etiam felicitatis diceret sibi videri. $0. Quam ob rem id primum videamus, si placet, quatenus amor in amicitia progredi debeat. 3umne, si Coriolanus habuit amicos, ferre contra patriam arma illi cum Coriolano debuerunt; num <ecellinum amici regnum adpetentem, num Maelium debuerunt iuvare; $2. -i. quidem +racchum rem publicam ve#antem a Q. -uberone aequalibusque amicis derelictum videbamus. !t C. 5lossius Cumanus, hospes familiae vestrae, Scaevola, cum ad me, quod aderam Laenati et 7upilio consulibus in consilio, deprecatum venisset, hanc ut sibi ignoscerem, causam adferebat, quod tanti -i. +racchum fecisset ut, quidquid ille vellet, sibi faciendum putaret. -um ego1 ('tiamne, si te in Capitolium faces ferre vellet;) (3umquam) inquit (voluisset id quidem; sed si voluisset, paruissem.) <idetis, quam nefaria vo#9 't hercule ita fecit vel plus etiam quam di#it; non enim paruit ille -i. +racchi temeritati sed praefuit, nec se comitem illius furoris, sed ducem praebuit. %taque hac amentia quaestione nova perterritus in !siam profugit, ad hostes se contulit, poenas rei publicae graves iustasque persolvit. 3ulla est igitur e#cusatio peccati, si amici causa peccaveris; nam cum conciliatri# amicitiae virtutis opinio fuerit, difficile est amicitiam manere, si a virtute defeceris.

$6. Quod si rectum statuerimus vel concedere amicis, quidquid velint, vel impetrare ab iis, quidquid velimus, perfecta quidem sapientia si simus, nihil habeat res vitii; sed loquimur de iis amicis qui ante oculos sunt, quos vidimus aut de quibus memoriam accepimus, quos novit vita communis. '# hoc numero nobis e#empla sumenda sunt, et eorum quidem ma#ime qui ad sapientiam pro#ime accedunt. $8. <idemus "apum !emilium Luscino familiarem fuisse .sic a patribus accepimus/, bis una consules, collegas in censura; tum et cum iis et inter se coniunctissimos fuisse M). Curium, -i. Coruncanium memoriae proditum est. %gitur ne suspicari quidem possumus quemquam horum ab amico quippiam contendisse, quod contra fidem, contra ius iurandum, contra rem publicam esset.

such en as these there is no <oint in saying that one of the "oul% not have obtaine% such a re:uest if he ha% a%e it; for they "ere en of the ost scru<ulous <iety, an% the aking of such a re:uest "oul% involve a breach of religious obligation no less than the granting it. 4o"ever, it is :uite true that 7aius Carbo an% 7aius Cato %i% follo" Tiberius 7racchus; an% though his brother Caius 7racchus %i% not %o so at the ti e, he is no" the ost eager of the all. 240.3 12. /E ay then lay %o"n this rule of frien%shi<6neither ask nor consent to %o "hat is "rong. .or the <lea for frien%shi<;s sake! is a %iscre%itable one, an% not to be a% itte% for a o ent. This rule hol%s goo% for all "rong6%oing, but ore es<ecially in such as involves %isloyalty to the re<ublic. .or things have co e to such a <oint "ith us, y %ear .annius an% Scaevola, that "e are boun% to look so e"hat far ahea% to "hat is likely to ha<<en to the re<ublic. The constitution, as kno"n to our ancestors, has alrea%y s"erve% so e"hat fro the regular course an% the lines arke% out for it 241.3 Tiberius 7racchus a%e an atte <t to obtain the <o"er of a king, or, 9 ight rather say, en@oye% that <o"er for a fe" onths. 4a% the Co an <eo<le ever hear% or seen the like beforeD /hat the frien%s an% conne#ions that follo"e% hi , even after his %eath, have succee%e% in %oing in the case of &ublius Sci<io 9 cannot %escribe "ithout tears. As for Carbo, thanks to the <unish ent recently inflicte% on Tiberius 7racchus, "e have by hook or by crook anage% to hol% out against his attacks. =ut "hat to e#<ect of the tribuneshi< of Caius 7racchus 9 %o not like to forecast. >ne thing lea%s to another; an% once set going, the %o"n"ar% course <rocee%s "ith ever6 increasing velocity. There is the case of the ballot$ "hat a blo" "as inflicte% first by the le# 7abinia, an% t"o years after"ar%s by the le# CassiaB 9 see alrea%y to see the <eo<le estrange% fro the Senate, an% the ost i <ortant affairs at the ercy of the ultitu%e. .or you ay be sure that ore <eo<le "ill learn ho" to set such things in otion than ho" to sto< the . 242.3 /hat is the <oint of these re arksD This$ no one ever akes any atte <t of this sort "ithout frien%s to hel< hi . /e ust therefore i <ress u<on goo% en that, shoul% they beco e inevitably involve% in frien%shi<s "ith en of this kin%, they ought not to consi%er the selves un%er any obligation to stan% by frien%s "ho are %isloyal to the re<ublic. =a% en ust have the fear of <unish ent before their eyes$ a <unish ent not less severe for those "ho follo" than for those "ho lea% others to cri e. /ho "as ore fa ous an% <o"erful in 7reece than The istoclesD At the hea% of the ar y in the &ersian "ar he ha% free% 7reece; he o"e% his e#ile to <ersonal envy$ but he %i% not sub it to the "rong %one hi by his ungrateful country as he ought to have %one. 4e acte% as Coriolanus ha% acte% a ong us t"enty years before. =ut no one "as foun% to hel< the in their attacks u<on their fatherlan%. =oth of the accor%ingly co itte% suici%e. 243.3 /e conclu%e, then, not only that no such confe%eration of evilly %is<ose% en ust be allo"e% to shelter itself un%er the <lea of frien%shi<, but that, on the contrary, it ust be visite% "ith the severest <unish ent, lest the i%ea shoul% <revail that fi%elity to a frien% @ustifies even aking "ar u<on one;s country. An% this is a case "hich 9 a incline% to think, consi%ering ho" things are beginning to go, "ill sooner or later arise. An% 9 care :uite as uch "hat the state of the constitution "ill be after y %eath as "hat it is no". 244.3 13. 8ET this, then, be lai% %o"n as the first la" of frien%shi<, 11

3am hoc quidem in talibus viris quid attinet dicere, si contendisset, impetraturum non fuisse; cum illi sanctissimi viri fuerint, aeque autem nefas sit tale aliquid et facere rogatum et rogare. !t vero -i. +racchum sequebantur C. Carbo, C. Cato, et minime tum quidem C. frater, nunc idem acerrimus. *:. >aec igitur le# in amicitia sanciatur, ut neque rogemus res turpes nec faciamus rogati. -urpis enim e#cusatio est et minime accipienda cum in ceteris peccatis, tum si quis contra rem publicam se amici causa fecisse fateatur. 'tenim eo loco, &anni et Scaevola, locati sumus ut nos longe prospicere oporteat futuros casus rei publicae. 4efle#it iam aliquantum de spatio curriculoque consuetudo maiorum. *1. -i. +racchus regnum occupare conatus est, vel regnavit is quidem paucos menses. 3um quid simile populus 7omanus audierat aut viderat; >unc etiam post mortem secuti amici et propinqui quid in ". Scipione effecerint, sine lacrimis non queo dicere. 3am Carbonem, quocumque modo potuimus, propter recentem poenam -i. +racchi sustinuimus; de C. +racchi autem tribunatu quid e#pectem, non libet augurari. Serpit deinde res; quae proclivis ad perniciem, cum semel coepit, labitur. <idetis in tabella iam ante quanta sit facta labes, primo +abinia lege, biennio autem post Cassia. <idere iam videor populum a senatu disiunctum, multitudinis arbitrio res ma#imas agi. "lures enim discent quem ad modum haec fiant, quam quem ad modum iis resistatur. *2. Quorsum haec; Quia sine sociis nemo quicquam tale conatur. "raecipiendum est igitur bonis ut, si in eius modi amicitias ignari casu aliquo inciderint, ne e#istiment ita se alligatos ut ab amicis in magna aliqua re publica peccantibus non discedant; improbis autem poena statuenda est, nec vero minor iis qui secuti erunt alterum, quam iis qui ipsi fuerint impietatis duces. Quis clarior in +raecia -hemistocle, quis potentior; qui cum imperator bello "ersico servitute +raeciam liberavisset propterque invidiam in e#silium e#pulsus esset, ingratae patriae iniuriam non tulit, quam ferre debuit, fecit idem, quod ## annis ante apud nos fecerat Coriolanus. >is adiutor contra patriam inventus est nemo; itaque mortem sibi uterque conscivit. *$. Quare talis improborum consensio non modo e#cusatione amicitiae tegenda non est sed potius supplicio omni vindicanda est, ut ne quis concessum putet amicum vel bellum patriae inferentem sequi; quod quidem, ut res ire coepit, haud scio an aliquando futurum sit. Mihi autem non minori curae est, qualis res publica post mortem meam futura, quam qualis hodie sit. **. >aec igitur prima le# amicitiae sanciatur, ut ab amicis honesta petamus, amicorum causa honesta

that 213 e should as& "rom "riends and do "or "riends onl' hat is !ood. 223 =ut %o not let us "ait to be aske% either$ let there be ever an eager rea%iness, an% an absence of hesitation. 233 8et us have the courage to give a%vice "ith can%our. 9n frien%shi<, let the influence of frien%s "ho give goo% a%vice be <ara ount; an% let this influence be use% to enforce a%vice not only in <lain6s<oken ter s, but so eti es, if the case %e an%s it, "ith shar<ness; an% "hen so use%, let it be obeye%. 245.3 9 give you these rules because 9 believe that so e "on%erful o<inions are entertaine% by certain <ersons "ho have, 9 a tol%, a re<utation for "is%o in 7reece. There is nothing in the "orl%, by the "ay, beyon% the reach of their so<histry. /ell, so e of the teach that "e shoul% avoi% very close frien%shi<s, for fear that one an shoul% have to en%ure the an#ieties of several. Each an, say they, has enough an% to s<are on his o"n han%s; it is too ba% to be involve% in the cares of other <eo<le. The "isest course is to hol% the reins of frien%shi< as loose as <ossible; you can then tighten or slacken the at your "ill. .or the first con%ition of a ha<<y life is free%o fro care, "hich no one;s in% can en@oy if it has to travail, so to s<eak, for others besi%es itself. 246.3 Another sect, 9 a tol%, gives vent to o<inions still less generous. 9 briefly touche% on this sub@ect @ust no". They affir that frien%shi<s shoul% be sought solely for the sake of the assistance they give, an% not at all fro otives of feeling an% affection; an% that therefore @ust in <ro<ortion as a an;s <o"er an% eans of su<<ort are lo"est, he is ost eager to gain. frien%shi<s$ thence it co es that "eak "o en seek the su<<ort of frien%shi< ore than en, the <oor ore than the rich, the unfortunate rather than those estee e% <ros<erous. 247.3 /hat noble <hiloso<hyB Aou ight @ust as "ell take the sun out of the sky as frien%shi< fro life; for the i ortal go%s have given us nothing better or ore %elightful. =ut let us e#a ine the t"o %octrines. /hat is the value of this free%o fro care!D 9t is very te <ting at first sight, but in <ractice it has in any cases to be <ut on one si%e. .or there is no business an% no course of action %e an%e% fro us by our honour "hich you can consistently %ecline, or lay asi%e "hen begun, fro a ere "ish to esca<e fro an#iety. ?ay, if "e "ish to avoi% an#iety "e ust avoi% virtue itself, "hich necessarily involves so e an#ious thoughts in sho"ing its loathing an% abhorrence for the :ualities "hich are o<<osite to itself6as kin%ness for ill6nature, self6 control for licentiousness, courage for co"ar%ice. Thus you ay notice that it is the @ust "ho are ost <aine% at in@ustice, the brave at co"ar%ly actions, the te <erate at %e<ravity. 248.3 9t is then characteristic of a rightly or%ere% in% to be <lease% at "hat is goo% an% grieve% at the reverse. Seeing then that the "ise are not e#e <t fro the heart6ache ("hich ust be the case unless "e su<<ose all hu an nature roote% out of their hearts1, "hy shoul% "e banish frien%shi< fro our lives, for fear of being involve% by it in so e a ount of %istressD 9f you take a"ay e otion, "hat %ifference re ains 9 %on;t say bet"een a an an% a beast, but bet"een a an an% a stone or a log of "oo%, or anything else of that kin%D ?either shoul% "e give any "eight to the %octrine that virtue is so ething rigi% an% unyiel%ing as iron. 9n <oint of fact it is in regar% to frien%shi<, as in so any other things, so su<<le an% sensitive that it e#<an%s, so to s<eak, at a frien%;s goo% fortune, contracts at his 12

faciamus, ne e#spectemus quidem, dum rogemur; studium semper adsit, cunctatio absit; consilium vero dare audeamus libere. "lurimum in amicitia amicorum bene suadentium valeat auctoritas, eaque et adhibeatur ad monendum non modo aperte sed etiam acriter, si res postulabit, et adhibitae pareatur. *,. 3am quibusdam, quos audio sapientes habitos in +raecia, placuisse opinor mirabilia quaedam .sed nihil est quod illi non persequantur argutiis/1 partim fugiendas esse nimias amicitias, ne necesse sit unum sollicitum esse pro pluribus; satis superque esse sibi suarum cuique rerum, alienis nimis implicari molestum esse; commodissimum esse quam la#issimas habenas habere amicitiae, quas vel adducas, cum velis, vel remittas; caput enim esse ad beate vivendum securitatem, qua frui non possit animus, si tamquam parturiat unus pro pluribus. *0. !lios autem dicere aiunt multo etiam inhumanius .quem locum breviter paulo ante perstrin#i/ praesidii adiumentique causa, non benevolentiae neque caritatis, amicitias esse e#petendas; itaque, ut quisque minimum firmitatis haberet minimumque virium, ita amicitias appetere ma#ime; e# eo fieri ut mulierculae magis amicitiarum praesidia quaerant quam viri et inopes quam opulenti et calamitosi quam ii qui putentur beati. *2. = praeclaram sapientiam9 Solem enim e mundo tollere videntur, qui amicitiam e vita tollunt, qua nihil a dis immortalibus melius habemus, nihil iucundius. Quae est enim ista securitas; Specie quidem blanda sed reapse multis locis repudianda. 3eque enim est consentaneum ullam honestam rem actionemve, ne sollicitus sis, aut non suscipere aut susceptam deponere. Quod si curam fugimus, virtus fugienda est, quae necesse est cum aliqua cura res sibi contrarias aspernetur atque oderit, ut bonitas malitiam, temperantia libidinem, ignaviam fortitudo; itaque videas rebus iniustis iustos ma#ime dolere, imbellibus fortes, flagitiosis modestos. 'rgo hoc proprium est animi bene constituti, et laetari bonis rebus et dolere contrariis. *6. Quam ob rem si cadit in sapientem animi dolor, qui profecto cadit, nisi e# eius animo e#stirpatam humanitatem arbitramur, quae causa est cur amicitiam funditus tollamus e vita, ne aliquas propter eam suscipiamus molestias; Quid enim interest motu animi sublato non dico inter pecudem et hominem, sed inter hominem et truncum aut sa#um aut quidvis generis eiusdem; 3eque enim sunt isti audiendi qui virtutem duram et quasi ferream esse quandam volunt; quae quidem est cum multis in rebus, tum in amicitia tenera atque tractabilis, ut et bonis amici quasi diffundatur

isfortunes. /e conclu%e then that ental <ain "hich "e ust often encounter on a frien%;s account is not of sufficient conse:uence to banish frien%shi< fro our life, any ore than it is true that the car%inal virtues are to be %is<ense% "ith because they involve certain an#ieties an% %istresses. 14. 8ET e re<eat then, the clear in%ication of virtue, to "hich a in% of like character is naturally attracte%, is the beginning of frien%shi<.! /hen that is the case the rise of affection is a necessity. 249.3 .or "hat can be ore irrational than to take %elight in any ob@ects inca<able of res<onse, such as office, fa e, s<len%i% buil%ings, an% <ersonal %ecoration, an% yet to take little or none in a sentient being en%o"e% "ith virtue, "hich has the faculty of loving or, if 9 ay use the e#<ression, loving backD .or nothing is really ore %elightful than a return of affection, an% the utual interchange of kin% feeling an% goo% offices. An% if "e a%%, as "e ay fairly %o, that nothing so <o"erfully attracts an% %ra"s one thing to itself as likeness %oes to frien%shi<, it "ill at once be a% itte% to be true that the goo% love the goo% an% attach the to the selves as though they "ere unite% by bloo% an% nature. .or nothing can be ore eager, or rather gree%y, for "hat is like itself than nature. So, y %ear .annius an% Scaevola, "e ay look u<on this as an establishe% fact, that bet"een goo% en there is, as it "ere of necessity, a kin%ly feeling, "hich is the source of frien%shi< or%aine% by nature. =ut this sa e kin%liness affects the any also. .or that is no unsy <athetic or selfish or e#clusive virtue, "hich <rotects even "hole nations an% consults their best interests. An% that certainly it "oul% not have %one ha% it %is%aine% all affection for the co on her%. 251.3 Again, the believers in the interest! theory a<<ear to e to %estroy the ost attractive link in the chain of frien%shi<. .or it is not so uch "hat one gets by a frien% that gives one <leasure, as the "ar th of his feeling; an% "e only care for a frien%;s service if it has been <ro <te% by affection. An% so far fro its being true that lack of eans is a otive for seeking frien%shi<, it is usually those "ho being ost richly en%o"e% "ith "ealth an% eans, an% above all "ith virtue ("hich, after all, is a an;s best su<<ort1, are least in nee% of another, that are ost o<enhan%e% an% beneficent. 9n%ee% 9 a incline% to think that frien%s ought at ti es to be in "ant of so ething. .or instance, "hat sco<e "oul% y affections have ha% if Sci<io ha% never "ante% y a%vice or co6o<eration at ho e or abroa%D 9t is not frien%shi<, then, that follo"s aterial a%vantage, but aterial a%vantage frien%shi<. 252.3 15. /E ust not therefore listen to these su<erfine gentle en "hen they talk of frien%shi<, "hich they kno" neither in theory nor in <ractice. .or "ho, in heaven;s na e, "oul% choose a life of the greatest "ealth an% abun%ance on con%ition of neither loving or being belove% by any creatureD That is the sort of life tyrants en%ure. They, of course, can count on no fi%elity, no affection, no security for the goo%"ill of any one. .or the all is sus<icion an% an#iety; for the there is no <ossibility of frien%shi<. 253.3 /ho can love one "ho he fears, or by "ho he kno"s that he 13

et incommodis contrahatur. Quam ob rem angor iste, qui pro amico saepe capiendus est, non tantum valet ut tollat e vita amicitiam, non plus quam ut virtutes, quia non nullas curas et molestias adferunt, repudientur. Cum autem contrahat amicitiam, ut supra di#i, si qua significatio virtutis eluceat, ad quam se similis animus applicet et adiungat, id cum contigit, amor e#oriatur necesse est. *8. Quid enim tam absurdum quam delectari multis inanimis rebus, ut honore, ut gloria, ut aedificio, ut vestitu cultuque corporis, animante virtute praedito, eo qui vel amare vel, ut ita dicam, redamare possit, non admodum delectari; 3ihil est enim remuneratione benevolentiae, nihil vicissitudine studiorum officiorumque iucundius. ,:. Quid, si illud etiam addimus, quod recte addi potest, nihil esse quod ad se rem ullam tam alliciat et attrahat quam ad amicitiam similitudo; concedetur profecto verum esse, ut bonos boni diligant adsciscantque sibi quasi propinquitate coniunctos atque natura. 3ihil est enim appetentius similium sui nec rapacius quam natura. Quam ob rem hoc quidem, &anni et Scaevola, constet, ut opinor, bonis inter bonos quasi necessariam benevolentiam, qui est amicitiae fons a natura constitutus. Sed eadem bonitas etiam ad multitudinem pertinet. 3on enim est inhumana virtus neque immunis neque superba, quae etiam populos universos tueri iisque optime consulere soleat; quod non faceret profecto, si a caritate vulgi abhorreret. ,1. !tque etiam mihi quidem videntur, qui utilitatum causa fingunt amicitias, amabilissimum nodum amicitiae tollere. 3on enim tam utilitas parta per amicum quam amici amor ipse delectat, tumque illud fit, quod ab amico est profectum, iucundum, si cum studio est profectum; tantumque abest, ut amicitiae propter indigentiam colantur, ut ii qui opibus et copiis ma#imeque virtute, in qua plurimum est praesidii, minime alterius indigeant, liberalissimi sint et beneficentissimi. !tque haud sciam an ne opus sit quidem nihil umquam omnino deesse amicis. ?bi enim studia nostra viguissent, si numquam consilio, numquam opera nostra nec domi nec militiae Scipio eguisset; 3on igitur utilitatem amicitia, sed utilitas amicitiam secuta est. ,2. 3on ergo erunt homines deliciis diffluentes audiendi, si quando de amicitia, quam nec usu nec ratione habent cognitam, disputabunt. 3am quis est, pro deorum fidem atque hominum9 qui velit, ut neque diligat quemquam nec ipse ab ullo diligatur, circumfluere omnibus copiis atque in omnium rerum abundantia vivere; >aec enim est t rannorum vita nimirum, in qua nulla fides, nulla caritas, nulla stabilis benevolentiae potest esse fiducia, omnia semper suspecta atque sollicita, nullus locus amicitiae. ,$. Quis enim aut eum diligat quem metuat, aut

is feare%D Aet such en have a sho" of frien%shi< offere% the , but it is only a fair6"eather sho". 9f it ever ha<<en that they fall, as it generally %oes, they "ill at once un%erstan% ho" frien%less they are. So they say Tar:uin observe% in his e#ile that he never kne" "hich of his frien%s "ere real an% "hich sha , until he ha% cease% to be able to re<ay either. Though "hat sur<rises e is that a an of his <rou% an% overbearing character shoul% have a frien% at all. 254.3 An% as it "as his character that <revente% his having genuine frien%s, so it often ha<<ens in the case of en of unusually great eans6their very "ealth forbi%s faithful frien%shi<s. .or not only is .ortune blin% herself; but she generally akes those blin% also "ho en@oy her favours. They are carrie%, so to s<eak, beyon% the selves "ith self6conceit an% self6"ill; nor can anything be ore <erfectly intolerable than a successful fool. Aou ay often see it. Men "ho before ha% <leasant anners enough un%ergo a co <lete change on attaining <o"er of office. They %es<ise their ol% frien%s$ %evote the selves to ne". 255.3 ?o", can anything be ore foolish than that en "ho have all the o<<ortunities "hich <ros<erity, "ealth, an% great eans can besto", shoul% secure all else "hich onev can buy6horses, servants, s<len%i% u<holstering, an% costly <late6but %o not secure frien%s, "ho are, if 9 ay use the e#<ression, the ost valuable an% beautiful furniture of lifeD An% yet, "hen they ac:uire the for er, they kno" not "ho "ill en@oy the , nor for "ho they ay be taking all this trouble; for they "ill one an% all eventually belong to the strongest$ "hile each an has a stable an% inalienable o"nershi< in his frien%shi<s. An% even if those <ossessions, "hich are, in a anner, the gifts of fortune, %o <rove <er anent, life can never be anything but @oyless "hich is "ithout the consolations an% co <anionshi< of frien%s. 256.3 16. T> turn to another branch of our sub@ect. /e ust no" en%eavour to ascertain "hat li its are to be observe% in frien%shi<6 "hat is the boun%ary6line, so to s<eak, beyon% "hich our affection is not to go. >n this <oint 9 notice three o<inions, "ith none of "hich 9 agree. >ne is Fthat "e shoul% love our frien% @ust as uch as "e love ourselves, an% no ore; another, that our affection to the shoul% e#actly corres<on% an% e:ual theirs to us; a thir%, that a an shoul% be value% at e#actly the sa e rate as he values hi selfF. 257.3 To not one of these o<inions %o 9 assent. The first, "hich hol%s that our regar% for ourselves is to be the easure of our regar% for our frien%, is not true; for ho" any things there are "hich "e "oul% never have %one for our o"n sakes, but %o for the sake of a frien%B /e sub it to ake re:uests fro un"orthy <eo<le, to %escen% even to su<<lication; to be shar<er in invective, ore violent in attack. Such actions are not cre%itable in our o"n interests, but highly so in those of our frien%s. There are any a%vantages too "hich en of u<right character voluntarily forego, or of "hich they are content to be %e<rive%, that their frien%s ay en@oy the rather than the selves. 258.3 The secon% %octrine is that "hich li its frien%shi< to an e#act e:uality in utual goo% offices an% goo% feelings. =ut such a vie" 14

eum a quo se metui putet; Coluntur tamen simulatione dumta#at ad tempus. Quod si forte, ut fit plerumque, ceciderunt, tum intellegitur quam fuerint inopes amicorum. Quod -arquinium di#isse ferunt, tum e#sulantem se intelle#isse quos fidos amicos habuisset, quos infidos, cum iam neutris gratiam referre posset. ,*. Quamquam miror, illa superbia et importunitate si quemquam amicum habere potuit. !tque ut huius, quem di#i, mores veros amicos parare non potuerunt, sic multorum opes praepotentium e#cludunt amicitias fideles. 3on enim solum ipsa &ortuna caeca est sed eos etiam plerumque efficit caecos quos comple#a est; itaque efferuntur fere fastidio et contumacia nec quicquam insipiente fortunato intolerabilius fieri potest. !tque hoc quidem videre licet, eos qui antea commodis fuerint moribus, imperio, potestate, prosperis rebus immutari, sperni ab iis veteres amicitias, indulgeri novis. ,,. Quid autem stultius quam, cum plurimum copiis, facultatibus, opibus possint, cetera parare, quae parantur pecunia, equos, famulos, vestem egregiam, vasa pretiosa, amicos non parare, optimam et pulcherrimam vitae, ut ita dicam, supellectilem; etenim cetera cum parant, cui parent, nesciunt, nec cuius causa laborent .eius enim est istorum quidque, qui vicit viribus/, amicitiarum sua cuique permanet stabilis et certa possessio; ut, etiamsi illa maneant, quae sunt quasi dona &ortunae, tamen vita inculta et deserta ab amicis non possit esse iucunda. Sed haec hactenus. ,0. Constituendi autem sunt qui sint in amicitia fines et quasi termini diligendi.

4e quibus tres video sententias ferri, quarum nullam probo, unam, ut eodem modo erga amicum adfecti simus, quo erga nosmet ipsos, alteram, ut nostra in amicos benevolentia illorum erga nos benevolentiae pariter aequaliterque respondeat, tertiam, ut, quanti quisque se ipse facit, tanti fiat ab amicis. ,2. >arum trium sententiarum nulli prorsus assentior. 3ec enim illa prima vera est, ut, quem ad modum in se quisque sit, sic in amicum sit animatus. Quam multa enim, quae nostra causa numquam faceremus, facimus causa amicorum9 precari ab indigno, supplicare, tum acerbius in aliquem invehi insectarique vehementius, quae in nostris rebus non satis honeste, in amicorum fiunt honestissime; multaeque res sunt in quibus de suis commodis viri boni multa detrahunt detrahique patiuntur, ut iis amici potius quam ipsi fruantur. ,6. !ltera sententia est, quae definit amicitiam paribus officiis ac voluntatibus. >oc quidem est

re%uces frien%shi< to a :uestion of figures in a s<irit far too narro" an% illiberal, as though the ob@ect "ere to have an e#act balance in a %ebtor an% cre%itor account. True frien%shi< a<<ears to e to be so ething richer an% ore generous than that co es to; an% not to be so narro"ly on its guar% against giving ore than it receives. 9n such a atter "e ust not be al"ays afrai% of so ething being "aste% or running over in our easure, or of ore than is @ustly %ue being %evote% to our frien%shi<. 259.3 =ut the last li it <ro<ose% is the "orst, na ely, that a frien%;s esti ate of hi self is to be the easure of our esti ate of hi . 9t often ha<<ens that a an has too hu ble an i%ea of hi self, or takes too %es<airing a vie" of his chance of bettering his fortune. 9n such a case a frien% ought not to take the vie" of hi "hich he takes of hi self. Cather he shoul% %o all he can to raise his %roo<ing s<irits, an% lea% hi to ore cbeerful ho<es an% thoughts. /e ust then fin% so e other li it. =ut 9 ust first ention the senti ent "hich use% to call forth Sci<io;s severest criticis . 4e often sai% that no one ever gave utterance to anything ore %ia etrically o<<ose% to the s<irit of frien%shi< than the author of the %ictu , Aou shoul% love your frien% "ith the consciousness that you ay one %ay hate hi .! 4e coul% not be in%uce% to believe that it "as rightfully attribute% to =ias, "ho "as counte% as one of the Seven Sages. 9t "as the senti ent of so e <erson "ith sinister otives or selfish a bition, or "ho regar%e% everything as it affecte% his o"n su<re acy. 4o" can a an be frien%s "ith another, if he thinks it <ossible that be ay be his ene yD /hy, it "ill follo" that he ust "ish an% %esire his frien% to co it as any istakes as <ossible, that he ay have all the ore han%les against hi ; an%, conversely, that he ust be annoye%, irritate%, an% @ealous at the right actions or goo% fortune of his frien%s. 260.3 This a#i , then, let it be "hose it "ill, is the utter %estruction of frien%shi<. The true rule is to take such care in 2choosing3 "riends as never to enter upon love o" someone hom e could under an' circumstances come to hate. An% even if "e are unlucky in our choice, "e ust <ut u< "ith it6accor%ing to Sci<io6in <reference to aking calculations as to a future breach. 261.3 17. T4E real li it to be observe% in frien%shi< is this$ the characters of t"o frien%s ust be stainless. There ust be co <lete har ony of interests, <ur<ose, an% ai s, "ithout e#ce<tion. Then if the case arises of a frien%;s "ish (not strictly right in itself1 calling for su<<ort in a atter involv g his life or re<utation, "e ust ake so e concession fro the straight <ath6on con%ition, that is to say, that e#tre e %isgrace is not the conse:uence. So ething ust be conce%e% to frien%shi<. An% yet "e ust not be entirely careless of our re<utation, nor regar% the goo% o<inion of our fello"6citiEens as a "ea<on "hich "e can affor% to %es<ise in con%ucting the business of our life, ho"ever lo"ering it ay be to tout for it by flattery an% s ooth "or%s. /e ust by no eans ab@ure virtue, "hich secures us affection. 262.3 =ut to return again to Sci<io, the sole author of the %iscourse on frien%shi<. 4e use% to co <lain that there "as nothing on "hich en besto"e% so little <ains$ that every one coul% tell e#actly ho" any goats or shee< he ha%, but not ho" any frien%s; an% "hile they took <ains in <rocuring the for er, they "ere utterly careless in selecting 15

nimis e#igue et e#iliter ad calculos vocare amicitiam, ut par sit ratio acceptorum et datorum. 4ivitior mihi et affluentior videtur esse vera amicitia nec observare restricte, ne plus reddat quam acceperit; neque enim verendum est, ne quid e#cidat, aut ne quid in terram defluat, aut ne plus aequo quid in amicitiam congeratur. ,8. -ertius vero ille finis deterrimus, ut, quanti quisque se ipse faciat, tanti fiat ab amicis. Saepe enim in quibusdam aut animus abiectior est aut spes amplificandae fortunae fractior. 3on est igitur amici talem esse in eum qualis ille in se est, sed potius eniti et efficere ut amici iacentem animum e#citet inducatque in spem cogitationemque meliorem. !lius igitur finis verae amicitiae constituendus est, si prius, quid ma#ime reprehendere Scipio solitus sit, di#ero. 3egabat ullam vocem inimiciorem amicitiae potuisse reperiri quam eius, qui di#isset ita amare oportere, ut si aliquando esset osurus; nec vero se adduci posse, ut hoc, quem ad modum putaretur, a 5iante esse dictum crederet, qui sapiens habitus esset unus e septem; impuri cuiusdam aut ambitiosi aut omnia ad suam potentiam revocantis esse sententiam. Quonam enim modo quisquam amicus esse poterit ei, cui se putabit inimicum esse posse; quin etiam necesse erit cupere et optare, ut quam saepissime peccet amicus, quo plures det sibi tamquam ansas ad reprehendendum; rursum autem recte factis commodisque amicorum necesse erit angi, dolere, invidere. 0:. Quare hoc quidem praeceptum, cuiuscumque est, ad tollendam amicitiam valet; illud potius praecipiendum fuit, ut eam diligentiam adhiberemus in amicitiis comparandis, ut ne quando amare inciperemus eum, quem aliquando odisse possemus. Quin etiam si minus felices in diligendo fuissemus, ferendum id Scipio potius quam inimicitiarum tempus cogitandum putabat. 01. >is igitur finibus utendum arbitror, ut, cum emendati mores amicorum sint, tum sit inter eos omnium rerum, consiliorum, voluntatum sine ulla e#ceptione communitas, ut, etiamsi qua fortuna acciderit ut minus iustae amicorum voluntates adiuvandae sint, in quibus eorum aut caput agatur aut fama, declinandum de via sit, modo ne summa turpitudo sequatur; est enim quatenus amicitiae dari venia possit. 3ec vero neglegenda est fama nec mediocre telum ad res gerendas e#istimare oportet benevolentiam civium; quam blanditiis et assentando colligere turpe est; virtus, quam sequitur caritas, minime repudianda est. 02. Sed .saepe enim redeo ad Scipionem, cuius omnis sermo erat de amicitia/ querebatur, quod omnibus in rebus homines diligentiores essent; capras et oves quot quisque haberet, dicere posse, amicos quot haberet, non posse dicere et in illis

frien%s, an% <ossesse% no <articular arks, so to s<eak, or tokens by "hich they ight @u%ge of their suitability for frien%shi<. ?o" the :ualities "e ought to look out for in aking our selection are fir ness, stability, constancy. There is a <lentiful lack of en so en%o"e%, an% it is %ifficult to for a @u%g ent "ithout testing. ?o" this testing can only be a%e %uring the actual e#istence of the frien%6shi<; for frien%shi< so often <rece%es the for ation of a @u%g ent, an% akes a <revious test i <ossible. 263.3 9f "e are <ru%ent then, "e shall rein in our i <ulse to affection as "e %o chariot horses. /e ake a <reli inary trial of horses. So "e shoul% of frien%shi<; an% shoul% test our frien%s; characters by a kin% of tentative frien%shi<. 9t ay often ha<<en that the untrust"orthiness of certain en is co <letely %is<laye% in a s all oney atter; others "ho are <roof against a s all su are %etecte% if it be large. =ut even if so e are foun% "ho think it ean to <refer oney to frien%shi<, "here shall "e look for those "ho <ut frien%shi< before office, civil or ilitary <ro otions, an% <olitical <o"er, an% "ho, "hen the choice lies bet"een these things on the one si%e an% the clai s of frien%shi< on the other, %o not give a strong <reference to the for erD 9t is not in hu an nature to be in%ifferent to <olitical <o"er; an% if the <rice en have to <ay for it is the sacrifice of frien%shi<, they think their treason "ill be thro"n into the sha%e by the agnitu%e of the re"ar%. 264.3 This is "hy true frien%shi< is very %ifficult to fin% a ong those "ho engage in <olitics an% the contest for office. /here can you fin% the an to <refer his frien%;s a%vance ent to his o"nD An% to say nothing of that, think ho" grievous an% al ost intolerable it is to ost en to share <olitical %isaster. Aou "ill scarcely fin% anyone "ho can bring hi self to %o that. An% though "hat Ennius says is :uite true,6! the hour of nee% she"s the frien% in%ee%,!6yet it is in these t"o "ays that ost <eo<le betray their untrust"orthiness an% inconstancy, by looking %o"n on frien%s "hen they are the selves <ros<erous, or %eserting the in their %istress. A an, then, "ho has she"n a fir , unshaken, an% unvarying frien%shi< in both these contingencies "e ust reckon as one of a class the rarest in the "orl%, an% all but su<erhu an. 265.3 '0. ?o", "hat is the :uality to look out for as a "arrant for the stability an% <er anence of frien%shi<D 213 9t is lo'alt'. ?othing that lacks this can be stable. 223 /e shoul% also in 233 a social disposition, 243 an% a s'mpathetic nature, ove% by "hat oves us. These all contribute to aintain loyalty. Aou can never trust a character "hich is intricate an% tortuous. ?or, in%ee%, is it <ossible for one to be trust"orthy an% fir "ho is unsy <athetic by nature an% un ove% by "hat affects ourselves. /e ay a%%, that he ust neither take <leasure in bringing accusations against us hi self, nor believe the "hen they are brought. All these contribute to for that constancy "hich 9 have been en%eavouring to %escribe. An% the result is, "hat 9 starte% by saying, that frien%shi< is only <ossible bet"een goo% en. 16 aking our selection look out for simplicit',

quidem parandis adhibere curam, in amicis eligendis neglegentis esse nec habere quasi signa quaedam et notas, quibus eos qui ad amicitias essent idonei, iudicarent. Sunt igitur firmi et stabiles et constantes eligendi; cuius generis est magna penuria. 't iudicare difficile est sane nisi e#pertum; e#periendum autem est in ipsa amicitia. %ta praecurrit amicitia iudicium tollitque e#periendi potestatem. 0$. 'st igitur prudentis sustinere ut cursum, sic impetum benevolentiae, quo utamur quasi equis temptatis, sic amicitia e# aliqua parte periclitatis moribus amicorum. Quidam saepe in parva pecunia perspiciuntur quam sint leves, quidam autem, quos parva movere non potuit, cognoscuntur in magna. Sin vero erunt aliqui reperti qui pecuniam praeferre amicitiae sordidum e#istiment, ubi eos inveniemus, qui honores, magistratus, imperia, potestates, opes amicitiae non anteponant, ut, cum e# altera parte proposita haec sint, e# altera ius amicitiae, non multo illa malint; %mbecilla enim est natura ad contemnendam potentiam; quam etiamsi neglecta amicitia consecuti sint, obscuratum iri arbitrantur, quia non sine magna causa sit neglecta amicitia. 0*. %taque verae amicitiae difficillime reperiuntur in iis qui in honoribus reque publica versantur; ubi enim istum invenias qui honorem amici anteponat suo; Quid; haec ut omittam, quam graves, quam difficiles plerisque videntur calamitatum societates9 ad quas non est facile inventu qui descendant. Quamquam 'nnius recte1 !micus certus in re incerta cernitur, tamen haec duo levitatis et infirmitatis plerosque convincunt, aut si in bonis rebus contemnunt aut in malis deserunt. Qui igitur utraque in re gravem, constantem, stabilem se in amicitia praestiterit, hunc e# ma#ime raro genere hominum iudicare debemus et paene divino. 0,. &irmamentum autem stabilitatis constantiaeque eius, quam in amicitia quaerimus, fides est; nihil est enim stabile quod infidum est. Simplicem praeterea et communem et consentientem id est qui rebus isdem moveatur, eligi par est , quae omnia pertinent ad fidelitatem; neque enim fidum potest esse multiple# ingenium et tortuosum, neque vero, qui non isdem rebus movetur naturaque consentit, aut fidus aut stabilis potest esse.!ddendum eodem est, ut ne criminibus aut inferendis delectetur aut credat oblatis, quae pertinent omnia ad eam, quam iam dudum tracto, constantiam. %ta fit verum illud, quod initio di#i, amicitiam nisi inter bonos esse non posse.

?o" there are t"o characteristic features in his treat ent of his frien%s that a goo% ("hich ay be regar%e% as e:uivalent to a "ise1 an "ill al"ays %is<lay. .irst, he "ill be entirely "ithout any ake6believe or <retence of feeling; for the o<en %is<lay even of %islike is ore beco g to an ingenuous character than a stu%ie% conceal ent of senti ent. Secon%ly, he "ill not only re@ect all accusations brought against his frien% by another, but he "ill not be sus<icious hi self either, nor be al"ays thinking that his frien% has acte% i <ro<erly. 266.3 =esi%es this, there shoul% be a certain <leasantness in "or% an% anner "hich a%%s no little flavour to frien%shi<. A gloo y te <er an% unvarying gravity ay be very i <ressive; but frien%shi< shoul% be a little less unben%ing, ore in%ulgent an% gracious, an% ore incline% to all kin%s of goo%6fello"shi< an% goo%6nature. 267.3 19. =JT here arises a :uestion of so e little %ifficulty. Are there any occasions on "hich, assu ing their "orthiness, "e shoul% <refer ne" to ol% frien%s, @ust as "e <refer young to age% horsesD The ans"er a% its of no %oubt "hatever. .or there shoul% be no satiety in frien%shi<, as there is in other things. The ol%er the s"eeter, as in "ines that kee< "ell. An% the <roverb is a true one, Aou ust eat any a <eck of salt "ith a an to be thorough frien%s "ith hi .!

'st enim boni viri, quem eundem sapientem licet dicere, haec duo tenere in amicitia1 primum ne quid fictum sit neve simulatum; aperte enim vel odisse magis ingenui est quam fronte occultare sententiam; deinde non solum ab aliquo allatas criminationes repellere, sed ne ipsum quidem esse suspiciosum, semper aliquid e#istimantem ab amico esse violatum. 00. !ccedat huc suavitas quaedam oportet sermonum atque morum, haudquaquam mediocre condimentum amicitiae. -ristitia autem et in omni re severitas habet illa quidem gravitatem, sed amicitia remissior esse debet et liberior et dulcior et ad omnem comitatem facilitatemque proclivior. 02. '#sistit autem hoc loco quaedam quaestio subdifficilis, num quando amici novi, digni amicitia, veteribus sint anteponendi, ut equis vetulis teneros anteponere solemus. %ndigna homine dubitatio9 3on enim debent esse amicitiarum sicut aliarum rerum satietates; veterrima quaeque, ut ea vina, quae vetustatem ferunt, esse debet suavissima; verumque illud est, quod dicitur, multos modios salis simul edendos esse, ut amicitiae munus e#pletum sit. 06. 3ovitates autem si spem adferunt, ut tamquam in herbis non fallacibus fructus appareat, non sunt illae quidem repudiandae, vetustas tamen suo loco conservanda; ma#ima est enim vis vetustatis et consuetudinis. Quin in ipso equo, cuius modo feci mentionem, si nulla res impediat, nemo est, quin eo, quo consuevit, libentius utatur quam intractato et novo. 3ec vero in hoc quod est animal, sed in iis etiam quae sunt inanima, consuetudo valet, cum locis ipsis delectemur, montuosis etiam et silvestribus, in quibus diutius commorati sumus. 08. Sed ma#imum est in amicitia parem esse inferiori. Saepe enim e#cellentiae quaedam sunt, qualis erat Scipionis in nostro, ut ita dicam, grege. 3umquam se ille "hilo, numquam 7upilio, numquam Mummio anteposuit, numquam inferioris ordinis amicis, Q. vero Ma#imum fratrem, egregium virum omnino, sibi nequaquam parem, quod is anteibat aetate, tamquam superiorem colebat suosque omnes per se posse esse ampliores volebat. 2:. Quod faciendum imitandumque est omnibus, ut, si quam praestantiam virtutis, ingenii, fortunae consecuti sint, impertiant ea suis communicentque cum pro#imis, ut, si parentibus nati sint humilibus, si propinquos habeant imbecilliore vel animo vel fortuna, eorum augeant opes eisque honori sint et dignitati. ?t in fabulis, qui aliquamdiu propter ignorationem stirpis et generis in famulatu fuerunt, cum cogniti sunt et aut deorum aut regum filii inventi, retinent tamen caritatem in pastores, quos patres multos annos esse du#erunt. Quod est multo profecto magis in veris patribus certisque

268.3 ?ovelty, in%ee%, has its a%vantage, "hich "e ust not %es<ise. There is al"ays ho<e of fruit, as there is in healthy bla%es of corn. =ut age too ust have its <ro<er <osition; an%, in fact, the influence of ti e an% habit is very great. To recur to the illustration of the horse "hich 9 have @ust no" use%. Every one likes Fceteris <aribusF to use the horse to "hich he has been accusto e%, rather than one that is untrie% an% ne". An% it is not only in the case of a living thing that this rule hol%s goo%, but in inani ate things also; for "e like <laces "here "e have live% the longest, even though they are ountainous an% covere% "ith forest. 269.3 =ut here is another gol%en rule in frien%shi<$ F<ut yourself on a level "ith your frien%F. .or it often ha<<ens that there are certain su<eriorities, as for e#a <le Sci<io;s in "hat 9 ay call our set. ?o" he never assu e% any airs of su<eriority over &hilus, or Cu<ilius, or Mu ius, or over frien%s of a lo"er rank stilt. .or instance, he al"ays she"e% a %eference to his brother 5uintus Ma#i us because he "as his senior, "ho, though a an no %oubt of e inent character, "as by no eans his e:ual. 4e use% also to "ish that all his frien%s shoul% be the better for his su<<ort. 270.3 This is an e#a <le "e shoul% all follo". 9f any of us have any a%vantage in <ersonal character, intellect, or fortune, "e shoul% be rea%y to ake our frien%s sharers an% <artners in it "ith ourselves. .or instance, if their <arents are in hu ble circu stances, if their relations are <o"erful neither in intellect nor eans, "e shoul% su<<ly their %eficiencies an% <ro ote their rank an% %ignity. Aou kno" the legen%s of chil%ren brought u< as servants in ignorance of their <arentage an% fa ily. /hen they are recogniEe% an% %iscovere% to be the sons of go%s or kings, they still retain their affection for the she<her%s "ho they have for any years looke% u<on as their <arents. Much ore ought this to be so in the case of real an% un%oubte% <arents. .or the 17

a%vantages of genius an% virtue, an% in short,of every kin% of su<eriority, are never realiEe% to their fullest e#tent until they are besto"e% u<on our nearest an% %earest. *). =ut the converse ust also be observe%. .or in frien%shi< an% relationshi<, @ust as those "ho <ossess any su<eriority ust <ut the selves on an e:ual footing "ith those "ho are less fortunate, so these latter ust not be annoye% at being sur<asse% in genius, fortune, or rank. =ut ost <eo<le of that sort are forever either gru bling at so ething, or har<ing on their clai s; an% es<ecially if they consi%er that they have services of their o"n to allege involving Eeal an% frien%shi< an% so e trouble to the selves. &eo<le "ho are al"ays bringing u< their services are a nuisance. The reci<ient ought to re e ber the ; the <erfor er shoul% never ention the . 9n the case of frien%s, then, as the su<erior are boun% to %escen%, so are they boun% in a certain sense to raise those belo" the . .or there are <eo<le "ho ake their frien%shi< %isagreeable by i agining the selves un%ervalue%. This generally ha<<ens only to those "ho think that they %eserve to be so; an% they ought to be she"n by %ee%s as "ell as by "or%s the groun%lessness of their o<inion. ?o" the easure of your benefits shoul% he in the first <lace your o"n <o"er to besto", an% in the secon% <lace the ca<acity to bear the on the <art of hi on "ho you are besto"ing affection an% hel<. .or, ho"ever great your <ersonal <restige ay be, you cannot raise all your frien%s to the highest offices of the State. .or instance, Sci<io "as able to ake &ublius Cu<ilius consul, but not his brother 8ucius. =ut granting that you can give anyone anything you choose, you ust have a care that it %oes not <rove to be beyon% his <o"ers. As a general rule, "e ust "ait to ake u< our in% about frien%shi<s till en;s characters an% years have arrive% at their full strength an% %evelo< ent. &eo<le ust not, for instance, regar% as fast frien%s all "ho in their youthful enthusias for hunting or football they like% for having the sa e tastes. =y that rule, if it "ere a ere :uestion of ti e, no one "oul% have such clai s on our affections as nurses an% slave6tutors. ?ot that they are to be neglecte%, but they stan% on a %ifferent groun%. 9t is only these ature frien%shi<s that can be <er anent. .or %ifference of character lea%s to %ifference of ai s, an% the result of such %iversity is to estrange frien%s. The sole reason, for instance, "hich <revents goo% en fro aking frien%s "ith ba%, or ba% "ith goo%, is that the %ivergence of their characters an% ai s is the greatest <ossible. Another goo% rule in frien%shi< is this$ %o not let an e#cessive affection hin%er the highest interests of your frien%s. This very often ha<<ens. 9 "ill go again to the region of fable for an instance. ?eo<tole us coul% never have taken Troy if he ha% been "illing to listen to 8yco e%es, "ho ha% brought hi u<, an% "ith any tears trie% to <revent his going there. Again, it often ha<<ens that i <ortant business akes it necessary to <art fro frien%s$ the an "ho tries to baulk it, because he thinks that he cannot en%ure the se<aration, is of a "eak an% effe inate nature, an% on that very account akes but a <oor frien%. There are, of course, li its to "hat you ought to e#<ect fro a frien% an% to "hat you shoul% allo" hi to %e an% of you. An% these you ust take into calculation in every case. 18

faciendum. &ructus enim ingenii et virtutis omnisque praestantiae tum ma#imus capitur, cum in pro#imum quemque confertur. 21. ?t igitur ii qui sunt in amicitiae coniunctionisque necessitudine superiores, e#aequare se cum inferioribus debent, sic inferiores non dolere se a suis aut ingenio aut fortuna aut dignitate superari. Quorum plerique aut queruntur semper aliquid aut etiam e#probrant, eoque magis, si habere se putant, quod officiose et amice et cum labore aliquo suo factum queant dicere. =diosum sane genus hominum officia e#probrantium; quae meminisse debet is in quem conlata sunt, non commemorare, qui contulit. 22. Quam ob rem ut ii qui superiores sunt submittere se debent in amicitia, sic quodam modo inferiores e#tollere. Sunt enim quidam qui molestas amicitias faciunt, cum ipsi se contemni putant; quod non fere contingit nisi iis qui etiam contemnendos se arbitrantur; qui hac opinione non modo verbis sed etiam opere levandi sunt. 2$. -antum autem cuique tribuendum, primum quantum ipse efficere possis, deinde etiam quantum ille quem diligas atque adiuves, sustinere. 3on enim neque tu possis, quamvis e#cellas, omnes tuos ad honores amplissimos perducere, ut Scipio ". 7upilium potuit consulem efficere, fratrem eius L. non potuit. Quod si etiam possis quidvis deferre ad alterum, videndum est tamen, quid ille possit sustinere. 2*. =mnino amicitiae corroboratis iam confirmatisque et ingeniis et aetatibus iudicandae sunt, nec si qui ineunte aetate venandi aut pilae studiosi fuerunt, eos habere necessarios quos tum eodem studio praeditos dile#erunt. %sto enim modo nutrices et paedagogi iure vetustatis plurimum benevolentiae postulabunt; qui neglegendi quidem non sunt sed alio quodam modo aestimandi. !liter amicitiae stabiles permanere non possunt. 4ispares enim mores disparia studia sequuntur, quorum dissimilitudo dissociat amicitias; nec ob aliam causam ullam boni improbis, improbi bonis amici esse non possunt, nisi quod tanta est inter eos, quanta ma#ima potest esse, morum studiorumque distantia. 2,. 7ecte etiam praecipi potest in amicitiis, ne intemperata quaedam benevolentia, quod persaepe fit, impediat magnas utilitates amicorum. 3ec enim, ut ad fabulas redeam, -roiam 3eoptolemus capere potuisset, si L comedem, apud quem erat educatus, multis cum lacrimis iter suum impedientem audire voluisset. 't saepe incidunt magnae res, ut discedendum sit ab amicis; quas qui impedire vult, quod desiderium non facile ferat, is et infirmus est mollisque natura et ob eam ipsam causam in amicitia parum iustus. 20. !tque in omni re considerandum est et quid postules ab amico et quid patiare a te impetrari.

*'. Again, there is such a %isaster, so to s<eak, as having to break off frien%shi<. An% so eti es it is one "e cannot avoi%. .or at this <oint the strea of our %iscourse is leaving the inti acies of the "ise an% touching on the frien%shi< of or%inary <eo<le. 9t "ill ha<<en at ti es that an outbreak of vicious con%uct affects either a an;s frien%s the selves or strangers, yet the %iscre%it falls on the frien%s. 9n such cases frien%shi<s shoul% be allo"e% to %ie out gra%ually by an inter ission of intercourse. They shoul%, as 9 have been tol% that Cato use% to say, rather be unstitche% than torn in t"ain; unless, in%ee%, the in@urious con%uct be of so violent an% outrageous a nature as to ake an instant breach an% se<aration the only <ossible course consistent "ith honour an% rectitu%e. Again, if a change in character an% ai takes <lace, as often ha<<ens, or if <arty <olitics <ro%uces an alienation of feeling (9 a no" s<eaking, as 9 sai% a short ti e ago, of or%inary frien%shi<s, not of those of the "ise1, "e shall have to be on our guar% against a<<earing to e bark u<on active en ity "hile "e only ean to resign a frien%shi<. .or there can be nothing ore %iscre%itable than to be at o<en "ar "ith a an "ith "ho you have been inti ate. Sci<io, as you are a"are, ha% aban%one% his frien%shi< for 5uintus &o <eius on y account; an% again, fro %ifferences of o<inion in <olitics, he beca e estrange% fro y colleague Metellus. 9n both cases he acte% "ith %ignity an% o%eration, she"ing that he "as offen%e% in%ee%, but "ithout rancour. >ur first ob@ect, then, shoul% be to <revent a breach; our secon%, to secure that, if it %oes occur, our frien%shi< shoul% see to have %ie% a natural rather than a violent %eath. ?e#t, "e shoul% take care that frien%shi< is not converte% into active hostility, fro "hich flo" <ersonal :uarrels, abusive language, an% angry recri inations. These last, ho"ever, <rovi%e% that they %o not <ass all reasonable li its of forbearance, "e ought to <ut u< "ith, an%, in co <li ent to an ol% frien%shi<, allo" the <arty that inflicts the in@ury, not the one that sub its to it, to be in the "rong. 7enerally s<eaking, there is but one "ay of securing an% <rovi%ing oneself against faults an% inconveniences of this sort6not to be too hasty in besto"ing our affection, an% not to besto" it at all on un"orthy ob@ects. ?o", by "orthy of frien%shi<! 9 ean those "ho have in the selves the :ualities "hich attract affection. This sort of an is rare; an% in%ee% all e#cellent things are rare; an% nothing in the "orl% is so har% to fin% as a thing entirely an% co <letely <erfect of its kin%. =ut ost <eo<le not only recogniEe nothing as goo% in our life unless it is <rofitable, but look u<on frien%s as so uch stock, caring ost for those by "ho they ho<e to ake ost <rofit. Accor%ingly they never <ossess that ost beautiful an% ost s<ontaneous frien%shi< "hich ust be sought solely for itself "ithout any ulterior ob@ect. They fail also to learn fro their o"n feelings the nature an% the strength of frien%shi<. .or every one loves hi self, not for any re"ar% "hich such love ay bring, but because he is %ear to hi self in%e<en%ently of anything else. =ut unless this feeling is transferre% to another, "hat a real frien% is "ill never be reveale%; for he is, as it "ere, a secon% self. =ut if "e fin% these t"o instincts she"ing the selves in ani als,6 "hether of the air or the sea or the lan%, "hether "il% or ta e,6first, a love of self, "hich in fact is born in everything that lives alike; an%, 19

'st etiam quaedam calamitas in amicitiis dimittendis non numquam necessaria; iam enim a sapientium familiaritatibus ad vulgares amicitias oratio nostra delabitur. 'rumpunt saepe vitia amicorum tum in ipsos amicos, tum in alienos, quorum tamen ad amicos redundet infamia. -ales igitur amicitiae sunt remissione usus eluendae et, ut Catonem dicere audivi, dissuendae magis quam discindendae, nisi quaedam admodum intolerabilis iniuria e#arserit, ut neque rectum neque honestum sit nec fieri possit, ut non statim alienatio disiunctioque faciunda sit. 22. Sin autem aut morum aut studiorum commutatio quaedam, ut fieri solet, facta erit aut in rei publicae partibus dissensio intercesserit .loquor enim iam, ut paulo ante di#i, non de sapientium sed de communibus amicitiis/, cavendum erit, ne non solum amicitiae depositae, sed etiam inimicitiae susceptae videantur. 3ihil est enim turpius quam cum eo bellum gerere quocum familiariter vi#eris. !b amicitia Q. "ompei meo nomine se removerat, ut scitis, Scipio; propter dissensionem autem, quae erat in re publica, alienatus est a collega nostro Metello; utrumque egit graviter, auctoritate et offensione animi non acerba. 26. Quam ob rem primum danda opera est ne qua amicorum discidia fiant; sin tale aliquid evenerit, ut e#stinctae potius amicitiae quam oppressae videantur. Cavendum vero ne etiam in graves inimicitias convertant se amicitiae; e# quibus iurgia, maledicta, contumeliae gignuntur. Quae tamen si tolerabiles erunt, ferendae sunt, et hic honos veteri amicitiae tribuendus, ut is in culpa sit qui faciat, non is qui patiatur iniuriam. =mnino omnium horum vitiorum atque incommodorum una cautio est atque una provisio, ut ne nimis cito diligere incipiant neve non dignos. 28. 4igni autem sunt amicitia quibus in ipsis inest causa cur diligantur. 7arum genus. 't quidem omnia praeclara rara, nec quicquam difficilius quam reperire quod sit omni e# parte in suo genere perfectum. Sed plerique neque in rebus humanis quicquam bonum norunt, nisi quod fructuosum sit, et amicos tamquam pecudes eos potissimum diligunt e# quibus sperant se ma#imum fructum esse capturos. 6:. %ta pulcherrima illa et ma#ime naturali carent amicitia per se et propter se e#petita nec ipsi sibi e#emplo sunt, haec vis amicitiae et qualis et quanta sit. %pse enim se quisque diligit, non ut aliquam a se ipse mercedem e#igat caritatis suae, sed quod per se sibi quisque carus est. Quod nisi idem in amicitiam transferetur, verus amicus numquam reperietur; est enim is qui est tamquam alter idem. 61. Quod si hoc apparet in bestiis, volucribus, nantibus, agrestibus, cicuribus, feris, primum ut se ipsae diligant .id enim pariter cum omni animante

secon%ly, an eagerness to fiu% an% attach the selves to other creatures of their o"n kin%; an% if this natural action is acco <anie% by %esire an% by so ething rese bling hu an love, ho" uch ore ust this be the case in an by the la" of his natureD .or an not only loves hi self, but seeks another "hose s<irit he ay so blen% "ith his o"n as al ost to ake one being of t"o. **. =ut ost <eo<le unreasonably, not to s<eak of o%esty, "ant such a frien% as they are unable to be the selves, an% e#<ect fro their frien%s "hat they %o not the selves give. The fair course is first to be goo% yourself, an% then to look out for another of like character. 9t is bet"een such that the stability in frien%shi< of "hich "e have been talking can be secure%; "hen, that is to say, en "ho are unite% by affection learn, first of all, to rule those <assions "hich enslave others, an% in the ne#t <lace to take %elight in fair an% e:uitable con%uct, to bear each other;s bur%ens, never to ask each other for anything inconsistent "ith virtue an% rectitu%e, an% not only to serve an% love but also to res<ect each other. 9 say res<ect!; for if res<ect is gone, frien%shi< has lost its brightest @e"el. An% this sho"s the istake of those "ho i agine that frien%shi< gives a <rivilege to licentiousness an% sin. ?ature has given us frien%shi< as the han% ai% of virtue, not as a <artner in guilt$ to the en% that virtue, being <o"erless "hen isolate% to reach the highest ob@ects, ight succee% in %oing so in union an% <artnershi< "ith another. Those "ho en@oy in the <resent, or have en@oye% in the <ast, or are %estine% to en@oy in the future such a <artnershi< as this, ust be consi%ere% to have secure% the ost e#cellent an% aus<icious co bination for reaching nature;s highest goo%. This is the <artnershi<, 9 say, "hich co bines oral rectitu%e, fa e, <eace of in%, serenity$ all that en think %esirable because "ith the life is ha<<y, but "ithout the cannot be so. This being our best an% highest ob@ect, "e ust, if "e %esire to attain it, %evote ourselves to virtue; for "ithout virtue "e can obtain neither frien%shi< nor anything else %esirable. 9n fact, if virtue be neglecte%, those "ho i agine the selves to <ossess frien%s "ill fin% out their error as soon as so e grave %isaster forces the to ake trial of the .

nascitur/, deinde ut requirant atque appetant ad quas se applicent eiusdem generis animantis, idque faciunt cum desiderio et cum quadam similitudine amoris humani, quanto id magis in homine fit natura9 qui et se ipse diligit et alterum anquirit, cuius animum ita cum suo misceat ut efficiat paene unum e# duobus. 62. Sed plerique perverse, ne dicam impudenter, habere talem amicum volunt, quales ipsi esse non possunt, quaeque ipsi non tribuunt amicis, haec ab iis desiderant. "ar est autem primum ipsum esse virum bonum, tum alterum similem sui quaerere. %n talibus ea, quam iam dudum tractamus, stabilitas amicitiae confirmari potest, cum homines benevolentia coniuncti primum cupiditatibus iis quibus ceteri serviunt imperabunt, deinde aequitate iustitiaque gaudebunt, omniaque alter pro altero suscipiet, neque quicquam umquam nisi honestum et rectum alter ab altero postulabit, neque solum colent inter se ac diligent sed etiam verebuntur. 3am ma#imum ornamentum amicitiae tollit qui e# ea tollit verecundiam. 6$. %taque in iis perniciosus est error qui e#istimant libidinum peccatorumque omnium patere in amicitia licentiam; virtutum amicitia adiutri# a natura data est, non vitiorum comes, ut, quoniam solitaria non posset virtus ad ea, quae summa sunt, pervenire, coniuncta et consociata cum altera perveniret. Quae si quos inter societas aut est aut fuit aut futura est, eorum est habendus ad summum naturae bonum optumus beatissimusque comitatus. 6*. >aec est, inquam, societas, in qua omnia insunt, quae putant homines e#petenda, honestas, gloria, tranquillitas animi atque iucunditas, ut et, cum haec adsint, beata vita sit et sine his esse non possit. Quod cum optimum ma#imumque sit, si id volumus adipisci, virtuti opera danda est, sine qua nec amicitiam neque ullam rem e#petendam consequi possumus; ea vero neglecta qui se amicos habere arbitrantur, tum se denique errasse sentiunt, cum eos gravis aliquis casus e#periri cogit. 6,. Quocirca .dicendum est enim saepius/, cum iudicaris, diligere oportet, non, cum dile#eris, iudicare. Sed cum multis in rebus neglegentia plectimur, tum ma#ime in amicis et diligendis et colendis; praeposteris enim utimur consiliis et acta agimus, quod vetamur vetere proverbio. 3am implicati ultro et citro vel usu diuturno vel etiam officiis repente in medio cursu amicitias e#orta aliqua offensione disrumpimus. 60. Quo etiam magis vituperanda est rei ma#ime necessariae tanta incuria. ?na est enim amicitia in rebus humanis, de cuius utilitate omnes uno ore consentiunt. Quamquam a multis virtus ipsa contemnitur et venditatio quaedam atque ostentatio esse dicitur; multi divitias despiciunt, quos parvo contentos tenuis victus cultusque delectat; honores vero, quorum cupiditate quidam inflammantur, quam multi ita contemnunt, ut nihil inanius, nihil

/herefore, 9 ust again an% again re<eat, you ust satisfy your @u%g ent before engaging your affections$ not love first an% @u%ge after"ar%s. /e suffer fro carelessness in any of our un%ertakings$ in none ore than in selecting an% cultivating our frien%s. /e <ut the cart before the horse, an% shut the stable %oor "hen the stee% is stolen, in %efiance of the ol% <roverb. .or, having utually involve% ourselves in a long6stan%ing inti acy or by actual obligations, all on a su%%en so e cause of offence arises an% "e break off our frien%shi<s in full career. *-.9t is this that akes such carelessness in a atter of su<re e i <ortance all the ore "orthy of bla e. 9 say su<re e i <ortance,! because frien%shi< is the one thing about the utility of "hich everybo%y "ith one accor% is agree%. That is not the case in regar% even to virtue itself; for any <eo<le s<eak slightingly of virtue as though it "ere ere <uffing an% self6glorification. ?or is it the case "ith riches. Many look %o"n on riches, being content "ith a little an% taking <leasure in <oor fare an% %ress, An% as to the <olitical offices 20

for "hich so e have a burning %esire 6ho" any entertain such a conte <t for the as to think nothing in the "orl% ore e <ty an% trivialB An% so on "ith the rest; things %esirable in the eyes of so e are regar%e% by very any as "orthless. =ut of frien%shi< all think alike to a an, "hether those have %evote% the selves to <olitics, or those "ho %elight in science an% <hiloso<hy, or those "ho follo" a <rivate "ay of life an% care for nothing but their o"n business, or those lastly "ho have given the selves bo%y an% soul to sensuality6they all think, 9 say, that "ithout frien%shi< life is no life, if they "ant so e <art of it, at any rate, to be noble. .or frien%shi<, in one "ay or another, <enetrates into the lives of us all, an% suffers no career to be entirely free fro its influence. Though a an be of so churlish an% unsociable a nature as to loathe an% shun the co <any of ankin%, as "e are tol% "as the case "ith a certain Ti on at Athens, yet even he cannot refrain fro seeking so e one in "hose hearing he ay %isgorge the veno of his bitter te <er. /e shoul% see this ost clearly, if it "ere <ossible that so e go% shoul% carry us a"ay fro these haunts of en, an% <lace us so e6"here in <erfect solitu%e, an% then shoul% su<<ly us in abun%ance "ith everything necessary to our nature, an% yet take fro us entirely the o<<ortunity of looking u<on a hu an being. /ho coul% steel hi self to en%ure such a lifeD /ho "oul% not lose in his loneliness the Eest for all <leasuresD An% in%ee% this is the <oint of the observation of, 9 think, Archytas of Tarentu . 9 have it thir% han%; en "ho "ere y seniors tol% e that their seniors ha% tol% the . 9t "as this$ 9f a an coul% ascen% to heaven an% get a clear vie" of the natural or%er of the universe, an% the beauty of the heavenly bo%ies, that "on%erful s<ectacle "oul% give hi s all <leasure, though nothing coul% be conceive% ore %elightful if he ha% but ha% so e one to "ho to tell "hat he ha% seen.! So true it is that nature abhors isolation, an% ever leans u<on so e6thing as a stay an% su<<ort; an% this is foun% in its ost <leasing for in our closest frien%. *+. =ut though ?ature also %eclares by so any in%ications "hat her "ish an% ob@ect an% %esire is, "e yet in a anner turn a %eaf ear an% "ill not hear her "arnings. The intercourse bet"een frien%s is varie% an% co <le#, an% it ust often ha<<en that causes of sus<icion an% offence arise, "hich a "ise an "ill so eti es avoi%, at other ti es re ove, at others treat "ith in%ulgence. The one <ossible cause of offence that ust be face% is "hen the interests of your frien% an% your o"n sincerity are at stake. .or instance, it often ha<<ens that frien%s nee% re onstrance an% even re<roof. /hen these are a% inistere% in a kin%ly s<irit they ought to be taken in goo% <art. =ut so eho" or other there is truth in "hat his FAn%riaF$ y frien% Terence says in

esse levius e#istiment9

itemque cetera, quae quibusdam admirabilia videntur, permulti sunt qui pro nihilo putent; de amicitia omnes ad unum idem sentiunt, et ii qui ad rem publicam se contulerunt, et ii qui rerum cognitione doctrinaque delectantur, et ii qui suum negotium gerunt otiosi, postremo ii qui se totos tradiderunt voluptatibus, sine amicitia vitam esse nullam, si modo velint aliqua e# parte liberaliter vivere. 62. Serpit enim nescio quo modo per omnium vitas amicitia nec ullam aetatis degendae rationem patitur esse e#pertem sui. Quin etiam si quis asperitate ea est et immanitate naturae, congressus ut hominum fugiat atque oderit, qualem fuisse !thenis -imonem nescio quem accepimus, tamen is pati non possit, ut non anquirat aliquem, apud quem evomat virus acerbitatis suae. !tque hoc ma#ime iudicaretur, si quid tale posset contingere, ut aliquis nos deus e# hac hominum frequentia tolleret et in solitudine uspiam collocaret atque ibi suppeditans omnium rerum, quas natura desiderat, abundantiam et copiam hominis omnino aspiciendi potestatem eriperet. Quis tam esset ferreus qui eam vitam ferre posset, cuique non auferret fructum voluptatum omnium solitudo; 66. <erum ergo illud est quod a -arentino !rch ta, ut opinor, dici solitum nostros senes commemorare audivi ab aliis senibus auditum1 (si quis in caelum ascendisset naturamque mundi et pulchritudinem siderum perspe#isset, insuavem illam admirationem ei fore; quae iucundissima fuisset, si aliquem, cui narraret, habuisset.)

Sic natura solitarium nihil amat semperque ad aliquod tamquam adminiculum adnititur; quod in amicissimo quoque dulcissimum est. Sed cum tot signis eadem natura declaret, quid velit, anquirat, desideret, tamen obsurdescimus nescio quo modo nec ea, quae ab ea monemur, audimus. 'st enim varius et multiple# usus amicitiae, multaeque causae suspicionum offensionumque dantur, quas tum evitare, tum elevare, tum ferre sapientis est; una illa sublevanda offensio est, ut et utilitas in amicitia et fides retineatur1 nam et monendi amici saepe sunt et obiurgandi, et haec accipienda amice, cum benevole fiunt. 68. Sed nescio quo modo verum est, quod in !ndria familiaris meus dicit1 =bsequium amicos, veritas odium parit. Molesta veritas, siquidem e# ea nascitur odium, quod est venenum amicitiae, sed obsequium multo molestius, quod peccatis indulgens praecipitem amicum ferri sinit; ma#ima autem culpa in eo, qui et veritatem aspernatur et in fraudem obsequio

Co <liance gets us frien%s, <lain s<eaking hate. &lain s<eaking is a cause of trouble, if the result of 9t is resent ent, "hich is <oison of frien%shi<; but co <liance is really the cause of uch ore trouble, because by in%ulging his faults it lets a frien% <lunge into hea%long ruin. =ut the an "ho is ost to bla e is he "ho resents <lain s<eaking an% allo"s flattery to egg hi on to his 21

ruin. >n this <oint, then, fro first to last there is nee% of %eliberation an% care. 9f "e re onstrate, it shoul% be "ithout bitterness; if "e re<rove, there shoul% be no "or% of insult. 9n the atter of co <liance (for 9 a gla% to a%o<t Terence;s "or%1, though there shoul% be every courtesy, yet that base kin% "hich assists a an in vice shoul% be far fro us, for it is un"orthy of a free6born an, to say nothing of a frien%. 9t is one thing to live "ith a tyrant, another "ith a frien%. =ut if a an;s ears are so close% to <lain s<eaking that be cannot hear to hear the truth fro a frien%, "e ay give hi < in %es<air. This re ark of Cato;s, as so any of his %i%, she"s great acuteness$ There are <eo<le "ho o"e ore to bitter ene ies than to a<<arently <leasant frien%s$ the for er often s<eak the truth, the latter never.! =esi%es, it is a strange <ara%o# that the reci<ients of a%vice shoul% feel no annoyance "here they ought to feel it, an% yet feel so uch "here they ought not. They are not at all ve#e% at having co itte% a fault, but very angry at being re<rove% for it. >n the contrary, they ought to be grieve% at the cri e an% gla% of the correction. *G. /ell, then, if it is true that to give an% receive a%vice 6the for er "ith free%o an% yet "ithout bitterness, the latter "ith <atience an% "ithout irritation6is <eculiarly a<<ro<riate to genuine frien%shi<, it is no less true that there can be nothing ore utterly subversive of frien%shi< than flattery, a%ulation, an% base co <liance. 9 use as any ter s as <ossible to bran% this vice of light6 in%e%, untrust"orthy en, "hose sole ob@ect in s<eaking is to <lease "ith6out any regar% to truth. 9n everything false <retence is ba%. for it sus<en%s an% vitiates our <o"er of %iscerning the truth. =ut to nothing it is so hostile as to frien%shi<; for it %estroys that frankness "ithout "hich frien%shi< is an e <ty na e. .or the essence of frien%shi< being that t"o in%s beco e as one, ho" can that ever take <lace if the in% of each of the se<arate <arties to it is not single an% unifor , but variable, changeable, an% co <le#D Can anything be so <liable, so "avering, as the in% of a an "hose attitu%e %e<en%s not only on another;s feeling an% "ish, but on his very looks an% no%sD 9f one says ?o,! 9 ans"er ?o! ; if Aes,! 9 ans"er Aes.! 9n fine, 9;ve lai% this task u<on yself To echo all that;s sai%6 to :uote y ol% frien% Terence again. =ut he <uts these "or%s into the outh of a 7natho. To a% it such a an into one;s inti acy at all is a sign of folly. =ut there are any <eo<le like 7natho, an% it is "hen they are su<erior either in <osition or fortune or re<utation that their flatteries beco e ischievous, the "eight of their <osition aking u< for the lightness of their character. =ut if "e only take reasonable care, it is as easy to se<arate an% %istinguish a genuine fro a s<ecious frien% as anything else that is coloure% an% artificial fro "hat is sincere an% genuine. A <ublic asse bly, though co <ose% of en of the s allest <ossible culture, nevertheless "ill see clearly the %ifference bet"een a ere %e agogue (that is, a flatterer an% untrust"orthy citiEen1 an% a an of <rinci<le, stan%ing, an% soli%ity. 9t "as by this kin% of flattering language that 7aius &a<irius the other %ay en%eavoure% to tickle the ears of the asse ble% <eo<le, "hen <ro<osing his la" to ake the tribunes re6eligible. 9 s<oke against it. 22

impellitur. =mni igitur hac in re habenda ratio et diligentia est, primum ut monitio acerbitate, deinde ut obiurgatio contumelia careat; in obsequio autem, quoniam -erentiano verbo libenter utimur, comitas adsit, assentatio, vitiorum adiutri#, procul amoveatur, quae non modo amico, sed ne libero quidem digna est; aliter enim cum t ranno, aliter cum amico vivitur. 8:. Cuius autem aures clausae veritati sunt, ut ab amico verum audire nequeat, huius salus desperanda est. Scitum est enim illud Catonis, ut multa1 (melius de quibusdam acerbos inimicos mereri quam eos amicos qui dulces videantur; illos verum saepe dicere, hos numquam.) !tque illud absurdum, quod ii, qui monentur, eam molestiam quam debent capere non capiunt, eam capiunt qua debent vacare; peccasse enim se non anguntur, obiurgari moleste ferunt; quod contra oportebat, delicto dolere, correctione gaudere. 81. ?t igitur et monere et moneri proprium est verae amicitiae et alterum libere facere, non aspere, alterum patienter accipere, non repugnanter, sic habendum est nullam in amicitiis pestem esse maiorem quam adulationem, blanditiam, assentationem; quamvis enim multis nominibus est hoc vitium notandum levium hominum atque fallacium ad voluntatem loquentium omnia, nihil ad veritatem. 82. Cum autem omnium rerum simulatio vitiosa est .tollit enim iudicium veri idque adulterat/, tum amicitiae repugnat ma#ime; delet enim veritatem, sine qua nomen amicitiae valere non potest. 3am cum amicitiae vis sit in eo, ut unus quasi animus fiat e# pluribus, qui id fieri poterit, si ne in uno quidem quoque unus animus erit idemque semper, sed varius, commutabilis, multiple#; 8$. Quid enim potest esse tam fle#ibile, tam devium quam animus eius qui ad alterius non modo sensum ac voluntatem sed etiam vultum atque nutum convertitur; 3egat quis, nego; ait, aio; postremo imperavi egomet mihi =mnia adsentari, ut ait idem -erentius, sed ille in +nathonis persona, quod amici genus adhibere omnino levitatis est. 8*. Multi autem +nathonum similes cum sint loco, fortuna, fama superiores, horum est assentatio molesta, cum ad vanitatem accessit auctoritas.

8,. Secerni autem blandus amicus a vero et internosci tam potest adhibita diligentia quam omnia fucata et simulata a sinceris atque veris. Contio, quae e# imperitissimis constat, tamen iudicare solet quid intersit inter popularem, id est assentatorem et levem civem, et inter constantem et severum et gravem. 80. Quibus blanditiis C. "apirius nuper influebat in auris contionis, cum ferret legem de tribunis plebis reficiendis9 4issuasimus nos; sed nihil de me, de

=ut 9 "ill leave the <ersonal :uestion. 9 <refer s<eaking of Sci<io. 7oo% heavensB ho" i <ressive his s<eech "as, "hat a a@esty there "as in itB Aou "oul% have <ronounce% hi , "ithout hesitation, to be no ere hench an of the Co an <eo<le, but their lea%er. 4o"ever, you "ere there, an% oreover have the s<eech in your han%s. The result "as that a la" eant to <lease the <eo<le "as by the <eo<le;s votes re@ecte%. >nce ore to refer to yself, you re e ber ho" a<<arently <o<ular "as the la" <ro<ose% by 7aius 8icinius Crassus about the election to the College of &riests! in the consulshi< of 5uintus Ma#i us, Sci<io;s brother, an% 8ucius Mancinus. .or the <o"er of filling u< their o"n vacancies on the <art of the colleges "as by this <ro<osal to be transferre% to the <eo<le. 9t "as this an, by the "ay, "ho began the <ractice of turning to"ar%s the foru "hen a%%ressing the <eo<le. 9n s<ite of this, ho"ever, u<on y s<eaking on the conservative si%e, religion gaine% an easy victory over his <lausible s<eech. This took <lace in y <raetorshi<, five years before 9 "as electe% consul, "hich sho"s that the cause "as successfully aintaine% ore by the erits of the case than by the <restige of the highest office. *H. ?o", if on a stage, such as a <ublic asse bly essentially is, "here there is the a <lest roo for fiction an% half6truths, truth nevertheless <revails if it be but fairly lai% o<en an% brought into the light of %ay, "hat ought to ha<<en in the case of frien%shi<, "hich rests entirely on truthfulnessD .rien%shi<, in "hich, unless you both see an% sho" an o<en breast, to use a co on e#<ression, you can neither trust nor be certain of anything6no, not even of utual affection, since you cannot be sure of its sincerity. 4o"ever, this flattery, in@urious as it is, can hurt no one but the an "ho takes it in an% likes it. An% it follo"s that the an to o<en his ears "i%est to flatterers is he "ho first flatters hi self an% is fon%est of hi self. 9 grant you that ,irtue naturally loves herself; for she kno"s herself an% <erceives ho" "orthy of love she is. =ut 9 a not no" s<eaking of absolute virtue, but of the belief en have that they <ossess virtue. The fact is that fe"er <eo<le are en%o"e% "ith virtue than "ish to be thought to be so. 9t is such <eo<le that take %elight in flattery. /hen they are a%%resse% in language e#<ressly a%a<te% to flatter their vanity, they look u<on such e <ty <ersiflage as a testi ony to the truth of their o"n <raises. 9t is not then <ro<erly frien%shi< at all "hen the one "ill not listen to the truth, an% the other is <re<are% to lie. ?or "oul% the servility of <arasites in co e%y have see e% hu orous to us ha% there been no such things as braggart ca<tains. 9s Thais really uch oblige% to eD! 9t "oul% have been :uite enough to ans"er Much,! but he ust nee%s say 9 ensely.! Aour servile flatterer al"ays e#aggerates "hat his victi "ishes to be <ut strongly. /herefore, though it is "ith those "ho catch at an% invite it that this flattering falsehoo% is es<ecially <o"erful, yet en even of soli%er an% stea%ier character ust be "arne% tn be on the "atch against being taken in by cunningly %isguise% flattery. An o<en flatterer any one can %etect, unless he is an absolute fool the covert insinuation of the cunning an% the sly is "hat "e have to be stu%iously on our guar% against. 4is %etection is not by any eans the easiest thing in the "orl%, for he often covers his servility un%er the guise of contra%iction, an% flatters by <reten%ing to %is<ute, an% then at last giving in an% allo"ing 23

Scipione dicam libentius. Quanta illi, di immortales, fuit gravitas, quanta in oratione maiestas9 ut facile ducem populi 7omani, non comitem diceres. Sed adfuistis, et est in manibus oratio. %taque le# popularis suffragiis populi repudiata est. !tque, ut ad me redeam, meministis, Q. Ma#imo, fratre Scipionis, et L. Mancino consulibus, quam popularis le# de sacerdotiis C. Licini Crassi videbatur9 cooptatio enim collegiorum ad populi beneficium transferebatur; atque is primus instituit in forum versus agere cum populo. -amen illius vendibilem orationem religio deorum immortalium nobis defendentibus facile vincebat. !tque id actum est praetore me quinquennio ante quam consul sum factus; ita re magis quam summa auctoritate causa illa defensa est.

82. Quod si in scaena, id est in contione, in qua rebus fictis et adumbratis loci plurimum est, tamen verum valet, si modo id patefactum et illustratum est, quid in amicitia fieri oportet, quae tota veritate perpenditur; in qua nisi, ut dicitur, apertum pectus videas tuumque ostendas, nihil fidum, nihil e#ploratum habeas, ne amare quidem aut amari, cum, id quam vere fiat, ignores. Quamquam ista assentatio, quamvis perniciosa sit, nocere tamen nemini potest nisi ei qui eam recipit atque ea delectatur. %ta fit, ut is assentatoribus patefaciat aures suas ma#ime, qui ipse sibi assentetur et se ma#ime ipse delectet. 86. =mnino est amans sui virtus; optime enim se ipsa novit, quamque amabilis sit, intellegit. 'go autem non de virtute nunc loquor sed de virtutis opinione. <irtute enim ipsa non tam multi praediti esse quam videri volunt. >os delectat assentatio, his fictus ad ipsorum voluntatem sermo cum adhibetur, orationem illam vanam testimonium esse laudum suarum putant. 3ulla est igitur haec amicitia, cum alter verum audire non vult, alter ad mentiendum paratus est. 3ec parasitorum in comoediis assentatio faceta nobis videretur, nisi essent milites gloriosi. Magnas vero agere gratias -hais mihi; Satis erat respondere1 (magnas); (ingentes) inquit. Semper auget assentator id, quod is cuius ad voluntatem dicitur vult esse magnum.

88. Quam ob rem, quamquam blanda ista vanitas apud eos valet qui ipsi illam allectant et invitant, tamen etiam graviores constantioresque admonendi sunt, ut animadvertant, ne callida assentatione capiantur. !perte enim adulantem nemo non videt, nisi qui admodum est e#cors; callidus ille et occultus ne se insinuet, studiose cavendum est; nec enim facillime

hi self to be beaten, that the <erson hoo%"inke% ay think hi self to have been the clearer6sighte%. ?o" "hat can be ore %egra%ing than to be thus hoo%"inke%D Aou ust be on your guar% against this ha<<ening to you, like the an in the F4eiressF$ 4o" have 9 been befoole%B no %rivelling %otar%s >n any stage "ere e;er so <laye% u<on. .or even on the stage "e have no grosser re<resentation of folly than that of short6sighte% an% cre%ulous ol% en. =ut so eho" or other 9 have straye% a"ay fro the frien%shi< of the <erfect, that is of the "ise! ( eaning, of course, such "is%o ! as hu an nature is ca<able of1, to the sub@ect of vulgar, unsubstantial frien%shi<s. 8et us then return to our original the e, an% at length bring that, too, to a conclusion. *K. /ell, then, .annius an% Mucius, 9 re<eat "hat 9 sai% before. 9t is virtue, virtue, "hich both creates an% <reserves frien%shi<. >n it %e<en%s har ony of interest, <er anence, fi%elity. /hen ,irtue has reare% her hea% an% she"n the light of her countenance, an% seen an% recognise% the sa e light in another, she gravitates to"ar%s it, an% in her turn "elco es that "hich the other has to she"; an% fro it s<rings u< a fla e "hich you ay call love or frien%shi< as you <lease. =oth "or%s are fro the sa e root in 8atin; an% love is @ust the cleaving to hi "ho you love "ithout the <ro <ting of nee% or any vie" to a%vantage6though this latter blosso s s<ontaneously on frien%shi<, little as you ay have looke% for it. 9t is "ith such "ar th of feeling that 9 cherishe% 8ucius &aulus, Marcus Cato, 7alus 7allus, &ublius ?asica, Tiberius 7racchus, y %ear Sci<io;s father6in6la". 9t shines "ith even greater "ar th "hen en are of the sa e age, as in the case of Sci<io an% 8ucius .urius, &ublius Cu<ilius, S<urius Mu ius, an% yself. FEn revancheF, in y ol% age 9 fin% co fort in the affection of young en, as in the case of yourselves an% 5uintus Tubero$ nay ore, 9 %elight in the inti acy of such a very young an as &ublius Cutilius an% Aulus ,erginius. An% since the la" of our nature an% of our life is that a ne" generation is for ever s<ringing u<, the ost %esirable thing is that along "ith your conte <oraries, "ith "ho you starte% in the race, you ay also teach "hat is to us the goal. =ut in vie" of the in6stability an% <erishableness of ortal things, "e shoul% be continually on the look6out for so e to love an% by "ho to be love%; for if "e lose affection an% kin%liness fro our life, "e lose all that gives it char . .or e, in%ee%, though torn a"ay by a su%%en stroke, Sci<io still lives an% ever "ilt live. .or it "as the virtue of the an that 9 love%, an% that has not suffere% %eath. An% it is not y eyes only, because 9 ha% all y life a <ersonal e#<erience of it, that never lose sight of it$ it "ill shine to <osterity also "ith un%i e% glory. ?o one "ill ever cherish a nobler a bition or a loftier ho<e "ithout thinking his e ory an% his i age the best to <ut before his eyes. 9 %eclare that of all the blessings "hich either fortune or nature has besto"e% u<on e 9 kno" none to co <are "ith Sci<io;s frien%shi<. 9n it 9 foun% sy <athy in <ublic, counsel in <rivate business; in it too a eans of s<en%ing y leisure "ith unalloye% %elight. ?ever, to the best of y kno"le%ge, %i% 9 offen% hi even in the ost trivial <oint; 24

agnoscitur, quippe qui etiam adversando saepe assentetur et litigare se simulans blandiatur atque ad e#tremum det manus vincique se patiatur, ut is qui illusus sit plus vidisse videatur. Quid autem turpius quam illudi; Quod ut ne accidat, magis cavendum est. ?t me hodie ante omnes comicos stultos senes <ersaris atque inlusseris lautissume. 1::. >aec enim etiam in fabulis stultissima persona est improvidorum et credulorum senum. Sed nescio quo pacto ab amicitiis perfectorum hominum, id est sapientium .de hac dico sapientia, quae videtur in hominem cadere posse/, ad leves amicitias deflu#it oratio. Quam ob rem ad illa prima redeamus eaque ipsa concludamus aliquando. <irtus, virtus, inquam, C. &anni, et tu, Q. Muci, et conciliat amicitias et conservat. %n ea est enim convenientia rerum, in ea stabilitas, in ea constantia; quae cum se e#tulit et ostendit suum lumen et idem aspe#it agnovitque in alio, ad id se admovet vicissimque accipit illud, quod in altero est; e# quo e#ardescit sive amor sive amicitia; utrumque enim dictum est ab amando; amare autem nihil est aliud nisi eum ipsum diligere, quem ames, nulla indigentia, nulla utilitate quaesita; quae tamen ipsa efflorescit e# amicitia, etiamsi tu eam minus secutus sis. 1:1. >ac nos adulescentes benevolentia senes illos, L. "aulum, M. Catonem, C. +alum, ". 3asicam, -i. +racchum, Scipionis nostri socerum, dile#imus, haec etiam magis elucet inter aequales, ut inter me et Scipionem, L. &urium, ". 7upilium, Sp. Mummium. <icissim autem senes in adulescentium caritate acquiescimus, ut in vestra, ut in Q. -uberonis; equidem etiam admodum adulescentis ". 7utili, !. <ergini familiaritate delector. Quoniamque ita ratio comparata est vitae naturaeque nostrae, ut alia e# alia aetas oriatur, ma#ime quidem optandum est, ut cum aequalibus possis, quibuscum tamquam e carceribus emissus sis, cum isdem ad calcem, ut dicitur, pervenire. 1:2. Sed quoniam res humanae fragiles caducaeque sunt, semper aliqui anquirendi sunt quos diligamus et a quibus diligamur; caritate enim benevolentiaque sublata omnis est e vita sublata iucunditas. Mihi quidem Scipio, quamquam est subito ereptus, vivit tamen semperque vivet; virtutem enim amavi illius viri, quae e#stincta non est; nec mihi soli versatur ante oculos, qui illam semper in manibus habui, sed etiam posteris erit clara et insignis. 3emo umquam animo aut spe maiora suscipiet, qui sibi non illius memoriam atque imaginem proponendam putet. 1:$. 'quidem e# omnibus rebus quas mihi aut fortuna aut natura tribuit, nihil habeo quod cum amicitia Scipionis possim comparare. %n hac mihi de re publica consensus, in hac rerum privatarum consilium, in eadem requies plena oblectationis fuit. 3umquam illum ne minima quidem re offendi, quod quidem senserim, nihil

never %i% 9 hear a "or% fro hi 9 coul% have "ishe% unsai%. /e ha% one house, one table, one style of living; an% not only "ere "e together on foreign service, but in our tours also an% country so@ourns. /hy s<eak of our eagerness to be ever gaining so e kno"le%ge, to be ever learning so ething, on "hich "e s<ent all our leisure hours far fro the gaEe of the "orl%D 9f the recollection an% e ory of these things ha% <erishe% "ith the an, 9 coul% not <ossibly have en%ure% the regret for one so closely unite% "ith e in life an% affection. =ut these things have not <erishe%; they are rather fe% an% strengthene% by refle#ion an% e ory. Even su<<osing e to have been entirely bereft of the , still y ti e of life of itself brings e no s all consolation$ for 9 cannot have uch longer no" to bear this regret; an% everything that is brief ought to be en%urable, ho"ever severe. This is all 9 ha% to say on frien%shi<. >ne <iece of a%vice on <arting. Make u< your in%s to this. ,irtue ("ithout "hich frien%shi< is i <ossible1 is first; but ne#t to it, an% to it alone, the greatest of all things is .rien%shi<.

audivi e# eo ipse quod nollem; una domus erat, idem victus, isque communis, neque solum militia, sed etiam peregrinationes rusticationesque communes. 1:*. 3am quid ego de studiis dicam cognoscendi semper aliquid atque discendi; in quibus remoti ab oculis populi omne otiosum tempus contrivimus. Quarum rerum recordatio et memoria si una cum illo occidisset, desiderium coniunctissimi atque amantissimi viri ferre nullo modo possem. Sed nec illa e#stincta sunt alunturque potius et augentur cogitatione et memoria mea, et si illis plane orbatus essem, magnum tamen adfert mihi aetas ipsa solacium. 4iutius enim iam in hoc desiderio esse non possum. =mnia autem brevia tolerabilia esse debent, etiamsi magna sunt. >aec habui de amicitia quae dicerem. <os autem hortor ut ita virtutem locetis, sine qua amicitia esse non potest, ut ea e#cepta nihil amicitia praestabili putetis.

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