Marcus Tullius Cicero

“ Moreover, lapse of time not only does not soften this grief, it even enhances it. For other sorrows are softened by age, this one cannot but be daily increased both by my sense of present misery and the recollection of my past life. ”

“ There is something in the suggestion you mentioned as having been made in your conversation with Culleo as to a privilegium, [6] but by far the better course is to have the law repealed. For if no one vetoes it, what course can be safer? But if anyone is found to prohibit its passing, he will be equally able to veto a decree of the senate. ”

“ According to Plutarch, Pompey avoided a personal interview (Cic. 31) .↑ The kindness has been all on the side of Atticus, who will therefore be attached to the object of it—for the benefactor loves more than the benefited.↑ A privilegium was a law referring to a particular person, which was forbidden by the twelve tables, and if it was shown to be unconstitutional a decree of the senate could declare it void. ”

“ But Axius, in describing the proceedings of the same day, does not speak so highly of Curio. [1] But he may be omitting something; I know you have certainly not written anything except what actually occurred. Varro's talk gives me some hope of Caesar, and would that Varro himself would throw himself into the cause! Which he certainly will do both of his own accord and under pressure from you. ”

“ But Cicero seems to think that such a proceeding of the senate would give a possibility of raising the question afresh.↑ The first bill named no one, but enacted that "anyone who had put a citizen to death uncondemned should be forbidden fire and water." ”

“ Its personal tone made it dangerous now.↑ Cicero means that Atticus acted with the emotion spontaneously arising from his affection, but not with the caution which he would have shown in doing a thing which he was under some obligation to do.↑ The ancient "colleges" or "clubs" had been gradually increasing and a decree of the senate in BC 64 bad declared certain of them unlawful. ”

“ This is in accordance with the view of Caesar, who approved of the law, but said that old sores ought not to be ripped up—ou mên kai prosêkein epi parelêluthosi toiouton tina nomon sungraphesthai (Dio, 38.17) .↑ Because it shewed that he considered himself as coming under the new law.↑ Letter LXVIII↑ L. Domitius Ahenobarbus, who was a praetor this year.↑ Though Cicero uses tantum ... quantum here, he does not mean that Atticus failed to love him enough—that would have been too unreasonable. In a certain way he means that he loved him too much. ”