anly
courage, and to reflect under what conditions all mortals, and in what
times we particularly, have been born. Your virtue has given you more
than fortune has taken away: for you have obtained what not many "new
men" have obtained; you have lost what many men of the highest rank have
lost. Finally, a state of legislation, law courts, and politics
generally appears to be imminent, such that the man would seem to be the
most fortunate who has quitted such a republic as ours with the lightest
possible penalty. As for you, however--since you retain your fortune and
children, with myself and others still very closely united to you,
whether by relationship or affection--and since you are likely to have
much opportunity of living with me and all your friends--and since,
again, your condemnation is the only one out of so many that is
impugned, because, having been passed by one vote (and that a doubtful
one), it is regarded as a concession to a particular person's
overwhelming[718] power--for all these reasons, I say, you ought to be
as little distressed as possible at the inconvenience that has befallen
you. My feeling towards yourself and your children will always be such
as you wish, and such as it is in duty bound to be.

[Footnote 717: Titus Fadius Gallus had been a quaestor in Cicero's
consulship (B.C. 63), and a tribune in B.C. 58, when Cicero reckoned him
among those on whom he depended to resist Clodius. He also, among
others, had a motion prepared for Cicero's recall, of which Cicero
speaks with approbation (p. 178). We do not know on what charge he had
been condemned, but a number of prosecutions followed the death of
Clodius and Pompey's legislation as to violence and corruption of
juries.]

[Footnote 718: Pompey. He uses the word _potentia_, as he generally
does, in an invidious sense of "tyrannical, or, unconstitutional power,"
as opposed to _auctoritas_, "legitimate influence."]

CLXXX (F III, 1)

TO APPIUS CLAUDIUS PULCHER[719] (IN CILICIA)

ROME

[Sidenote: B.C. 52, AET. 54]

Cicero to Appius, _imperator_. Could the Republic itself speak and tell
you of its state, you would not learn it more easily from its own lips
than from your freedman Phania: he is a man of such clear insight, as
well as (in a good sense) of such keen curiosity! Wherefore he shall
explain everything to you: for that will suit me best by enabling me to
curtail my letter, and will be more prudent for me in view of other