oyalists: so great is the scandal
in which the consuls are involved, owing to the suspicion of their
having bargained for a bribe from the candidates. The four candidates
for the consulship are all arraigned: their cases are difficult of
defence, but I shall do my best to secure the safety of our friend
Messalla--and that is inseparable from the acquittal of the others.
Publius Sulla has accused Gabinius of bribery--his stepson Memmius, his
cousin Caecilius, and his son Sulla backing the indictment. L. Torquatus
put in his claim to the conduct of the prosecution, and, to everybody's
satisfaction, failed to establish it. You ask, "What will become of
Gabinius?" We shall know in three days' time about the charge of _lese
majeste_. In that case he is at a disadvantage from the hatred
entertained by all classes for him; witnesses against him as damaging as
can be: accusers in the highest degree inefficient: the panel of jurors
of varied character: the president a man of weight and decision--Alfius:
Pompey active in soliciting the jurors on his behalf. What the result
will be I don't know; I don't see, however, how he can maintain a
position in the state. I shew no rancour in promoting his destruction,
and await the result with the utmost good temper. That is nearly all the
news. I will add this one item: your boy (who is mine also) is
exceedingly devoted to his rhetoric master Paeonius, a man, I think, of
great experience in his profession, and of very good character. But you
are aware that my method of instruction aims at a somewhat more
scholarly and philosophical style.[645] Accordingly I, for my part, am
unwilling that his course of training should be interrupted, and the boy
himself seems to be more drawn to that declamatory style, and to like it
better; and as that was the style in which I was myself initiated, let
us allow him to follow in my path, for I feel sure it will eventually
bring him to the same point; nevertheless, if I take him with me
somewhere in the country, I shall guide him to the adoption of my system
and practice. For you have held out before me a great reward, which it
certainly shall not be my fault if I fail to fully obtain. I hope you
will write and tell me most carefully in what district you are going to
pass the winter, and what your prospects are.

[Footnote 645: [Greek: thetikoteron]. From [Greek: thesis], a
philosophical proposition or thesis. In _Paradox. praef._ he uses [Greek:
thetika] o