ng from Theophrastus,[221] if you don't shortly see the time of our
government an object of regret. For if the power of the senate was
disliked, what do you think will be the case when it has passed, not to
the people, but to three unscrupulous men? So let them then make whom
they choose consuls, tribunes, and even finally clothe Vatinius's wen
with the double-dyed purple[222] of the priesthood, you will see before
long that the great men will be not only those who have made no false
step,[223] but even he who did make a mistake, Cato. For, as to myself,
if your comrade Publius will let me, I think of playing the sophist: if
he forces me, I shall at least defend myself, and, as is the trick of my
trade, I publicly promise to

"Strike back at him who first is wroth with me."[224]

May the country only be on my side: it has had from me, if not more than
its due, at least more than it ever demanded. I would rather have a bad
passage with another pilot than be a successful pilot to such ungrateful
passengers. But this will do better when we meet. For the present take
an answer to your questions. I think of returning to Antium from Formiae
on the 3rd of May. From Antium I intend to start for Tusculum on the 7th
of May. But as soon as I have returned from Formiae (I intend to be there
till the 29th of April) I will at once inform you. Terentia sends
compliments, and "Cicero the little greets Titus the Athenian."[225]

[Footnote 214: Q. Caecilius Bassus, probably quaestor at Ostia. Antium
would be in his district.]

[Footnote 215: [Greek: boopis], _sc._ Clodia. She is to talk to her
brother about Cicero. She is "Iuno" perhaps as an enemy--as Bacon called
the Duchess of Burgundy Henry VII.'s Iuno--or perhaps for a less decent
reason, as _coniux sororque_ of Publius.]

[Footnote 216: Pompey, who was proud of having taken Jerusalem.
_Traductor ad plebem_, said of the magistrate presiding at the _comitia_
for adoption.]

[Footnote 217: Cicero himself. Clodius may have called him this from his
biting repartees. Prof. Tyrrell, "Tear 'em."]

[Footnote 218: The nobility, whom Cicero has before attacked as idle and
caring for nothing but their fish-ponds (_piscinarii_, cp. p. 59).]

[Footnote 219: The _lex AElia_ (about B.C. 150) was a law regulating the
powers of magistrates to dissolve _comitia_ on religious grounds, such
as bad omens, _servata de coelo, etc._ Cicero (who could have had very
little belief in the augural s