d an anxious night between hope and fear. There was more fear
than hope, however; for the earthquake still continued and many crazy
people were running about predicting awful horrors.

You must read my story without any view of writing about it in your
history, of which it is quite unworthy; indeed, my only excuse for
writing it in a letter is that you have asked for it.

_To Calpurnia, His Wife_

It is incredible how impatiently I wish for your return, such is the
tenderness of my love for you, and so unaccustomed are we to separation.
I lie awake great part of the nights thinking of you; and in the day my
feet carry me of their own accord to your room at the hours when I used
to see you, but not finding you there I go away as sorrowful and
disappointed as an excluded lover. The only time when I am free from
this distress is when I am in the forum busy with the lawsuits of my
friends. You may judge how wretched my life is when I find my repose
only in labour and my consolation in miseries and cares.

_To Germinius_

You must very well know the kind of people who, though themselves slaves
to every passion, are mightily indignant at the vices of others, and
most severe against those whom they most closely resemble. Surely
leniency is the most becoming of all virtues, even in persons who have
least need of anyone's indulgence. The highest of all characters, in my
estimation, is that of a man who is as ready to pardon human errors as
though he were every day himself guilty of them, and who yet abstains
from faults as though he never forgave them. Let us observe this rule,
both in our public and in our private relations--to be inexorable to
ourselves, but to treat the rest of the world with tenderness, including
even those who forgive only themselves. Let us always remember the
saying of that most humane and therefore very great Thrasea: "He who
hates vices, hates mankind."

Perhaps you will ask who it is that has moved me to these reflections?
There was a certain person lately--But I will tell you of that when we
meet. No; on second thoughts I will not tell you even then, lest by
condemning him and exposing his conduct I should be violating the
principle which I have just condemned. So, whoever he is, and whatever
he may be, the matter shall remain unspoken; since to expose him would
be of no advantage for the purpose of example; but to hide his fault
will be of great advantage to good nature.

_To the Em