New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-24

with whom he was so willing to be lde1tlsos
the start, and against whom he was later ,,,. q
TO range himself in n mood Of impIaeas,.
nifty All through his career as a public
he practised an OppOrtunism sometimes -
disconcerting to the student. Then. too
advocate his scruples were flexible Ha
willing to take bad cause and rejoiced -
he won it, and, although he was forbisds,
law to accept remuneration from his client. -
never hesitated to obtain by evasion ~ -
statutes the reward to which he felt hiInsal, -
titled But that energy 90 which he refer, :
his letter to Rufus was with him a trait vb,.s
had to play it's part Mr. Swinburne haa a..
that there is no such thing as an inarticrI..-
poet The academic politician may exist ana -
of service to the world. yet such a polifo,l
mind as Cicero's is fnconceivabIe in a state o,,.
activity Shining at Rome was the tudis,.-
sable condition Of his life, and MS boast -,
he was true to himself was. after all a ia.
one His motives were not petty, and uass-,,I
profit was never the sole aim Of his sxsfep..
He loved the fray for it's own sake, and fgr -.
distinction that il brought him a man q,
mind and oratOricaI power. There Is nO,bin.
more characteristic in his correspondence tba,
the letter to AtticUs in which he describes hi,
battle against CIodius at the time Of the latter,
trial for sacTilege- He not only gave eyilenes
to contradict the alibi which CIodius endeav.
Ored 10 prove but seized the opportunity 70 an
gage in one Of his splendid oratOricai excursions
He writes to his friend: The fact Is that "A
long as I had TO defend the authority OF tho
Senate I battled with such gallaEtry and vigor
that there We're shouts OF applause and crowd,
around me in the house ringing with ny praise
Nay, if you ever thought that 1 showed courage
in political business. you certainly would have
admired my conduct in that cause. But when
the culprit had betaken himself to public meet
inss and had made an invidious use OF my uane
immortal gods! What battles What havoesr
What saIlies 1 made upon Piso, Curio on The
whole of that set. How I fell upon the old men
for their instability, the young for their prof
legacy! Again and again, SO help me heayenl
1 regretted your absence. not only as the SUD
porter of my policy, but as the spectator also
of my admirable lighting
CIodius was acquitted. and Cicero goes on 70
discourse Of the jurors. who had been bribed to
bring in a favorable verdict He continues in
the same letter with words so typical and 50
interesting that we must quote them at length.
By nv denunciations and invectives against
those corrupt jurors which left none Of the IA
vOrerS and supporters OF that verdict a word 70
say for themselves, save the consul Pso
no rest anywhere l got him deprived OF Syria,
which had been already plighted TO him I re-
vived the fainting spirit OF the Senate and re-
called it to it's former severity L overW helmed
ClGdius in the Senate TO his face, both in
set speech, very weighty and serious. also
in an interchange Of repartees, OF which I ap-
pend a specimen for your 6eiectati0n. The resi-
lose all point of grace without the excitement
of the contest Well at the meeting OF The
Senate on the fifteenth of May. being called On
for my opinion, I spoke at considerable length
on the high interests OF the Republic and
brought in the following passage by a happy
inspiration: DO not, Fathers, regard ourselves
as fallen utterly; do not faint because You have
received one blow. The wound IS which I
cannot disguise but which I yet feel sure should
not be regarded with extreme fear; To fear
would show US to be the greatest Of towards %
ignore it the greatest Of fools. Lentulus vas
twice acquitted; so was Cdtiline; a third sscA
criminal has been let loose by Jurors upon
the Republic You are mistaken, Clodius. II is
not for the city but for the prison that the jurors
have reserved you, and their intention was net
to retain You in the state, but 10 deprive you
Of the privilege of exile Wherefore. Fathers.
rouse up all your courage, hold fast 70 your
high calling. There Sti0 remains in the Pc
public the old community of the lOyalisJs. their
feelings have been outraged. their resolution has
done; only what was actually existing has been
discovered. In the trial of one prOtigate many
like him have been detected" But what am
about? 1 have copied almost a speech into
letter.
/ return TO the duel Of words Up gets cur
teeth my having been at Bate II wasn't true
but what did that matter TO him. It IS as
though you We're 10 say" replied I, that had
been IN disguise" What business" quOthsAa
has an ATpinate with hot baths?" say thzt
to your patron" said l. who coveted the va
about the marine villa How long" said-h
ARE we to put up with this king?' You men-