Letter 15.16

I think you must be somewhat ashamed by now, since this is the third letter that has caught you before you have sent a scrap or a single word. But I do not press; I shall wait for longer ones, or rather demand them. For my part, if I always had someone to give letters to, I would send three in an hour. For somehow, when I write something to you, you seem to be present before me -- and not through those "phantom images" as your new friends call them, who think even mental images are stirred up by Catian ghosts. For in case you did not know, Catius the Insubrian, an Epicurean who died recently, calls "spectra" what that man from Gargettus and Democritus before him called "eidola." But even if our eyes can be struck by these spectra, because they rush at you whenever you want them to, how the mind can be so struck I do not see. You will have to teach me, when you arrive safely, whether your phantom is at my disposal, so that as soon as I feel like thinking about you, it rushes at me -- and not only about you, who cling to my very marrow, but if I begin to think of the island of Britain, will its phantom fly to my breast? But more of this later; I am testing you to see how you take it. If you are annoyed and take it badly, I shall say more and demand that you be restored to the position from which you were ejected "by six armed men." In this interdict the clause "within this year" is not usually added. Therefore, if it is already two or three years since you sent virtue packing, seduced by the allurements of pleasure, the case will be fresh for us -- although who am I talking to? A most brave man who, ever since you entered public life, has done nothing that was not completely worthy of the highest dignity. In that very doctrine of yours I fear there may be more sinew than I supposed, if indeed you approve of it. "How did that occur to you?" you will say. Because I had nothing else to write; for about politics I cannot write anything, nor is it safe to write what I think.

DXXX (Fam. XV, 16) TO C. CASSIUS LONGINUS (AT BRUNDISIUM) ROME (JANUARY) I think you must be a little ashamed at this being the third letter inflicted on you before I have a page or a syllable from you. But I will not press you: I shall expect, or rather exact, a longer letter. For my part, if I had a messenger always at hand, I should write even three an hour. For somehow it makes you seem almost present when I write anything to you, and that not “by way of phantoms of images,” as your new friends express it, who hold that “mental pictures” are caused by what Catius called “spectres” — for I must remind you that Catius Insuber the Epicurean , lately dead, calls “spectres” what the famous Gargettius, and before him Democritus , used to call “images.” Well, even if my eyes were capable of being struck by these “spectres,” because they spontaneously run in upon them at your will, I do not see how the mind can be struck. You will be obliged to explain it to me, when you return safe and sound, whether the “spectre” of you is at my command, so as to occur to me as soon as I have taken the fancy to think about you; and not only about you, who are in my heart's core, but supposing I begin thinking about the island of Britain — will its image fly at once into my mind? But of this later on. I am just sounding you now to see how you take it. For if you are angry and annoyed, I shall say more and demand that you be restored to the sect from which you have been ejected by “violence and armed force.” In an injunction of this sort the words “within this year” are not usually added. Therefore, even if it is now two or three years since you divorced Virtue , seduced by the charms of Pleasure , it will still be open for me to do so. And yet to whom am I speaking? It is to you, the most gallant of men, who ever since you entered public life have done nothing that was not imbued to the utmost with the highest principle. In that very sect of yours I have a misgiving that there must be more stuff than I thought, if only because you accept it. “How did that come into your head?” you will say. Because I had nothing else to say. About politics I can write nothing: for I don't choose to write down my real opinions.

XVI. Scr. Romae mense Ianuario a.u.c. 709. M. CICERO S. D. C. CASSIO. Puto te [iam] suppudere, quem haec tertia iam epistula ante oppressit, quam tu scidam aut litteram; sed non urgeo; longiores enim exspectabo vel potius exigam. Ego, si semper haberem, cui darem, vel ternas in hora darem; fit enim nescio qui, ut quasi coram adesse videare, cum scribo aliquid ad te, neque id xat' eÞd‰lvn fantas¤aw , ut dicunt tui amici novi, qui putant etiam dianohtixåw fantas¤aw spectris Catianis excitari—nam, ne te fugiat, Catius Insuber, Epicureus, qui nuper est mortuus, quae ille Gargettius et iam ante Democritus eýdvla , hic spectra nominat—; his autem spectris etiamsi oculi possunt feriri, quod, cum velis, ipsa accurrunt, animus qui possit, ego non video: doceas tu me oportebit, cum salvus veneris, in meane potestate sit spectrum tuum, ut, simul ac mihi collibitum sit de te cogitare, illud accurrat, neque solum de te, qui mihi haeres in medullis, sed, si insulam Britanniam coepero cogitare, eius eýdvlon mihi advolabit ad pectus? Sed haec posterius; tento enim te, quo animo accipias: si enim stomachabere et moleste feres, plura dicemus postulabimusque, ex qua aþr°sei VI HOMINIBVS ARMATIS deiectus sis, in eam restituare. In hoc interdicto non solet addi IN HOC ANNO; quare, si iam biennium aut triennium est, cum virtuti nuntium remisisti delenitus illecebris voluptatis, in integro res nobis erit: quamquam quicum loquor? cum uno fortissimo viro, qui, posteaquam forum attigisti, nihil fecisti nisi plenissimum amplissimae dignitatis. In ista ipsa aþr°sei metuo ne plus nervorum sit, quam ego putaram, si modo eam tu probas. "Qui id tibi in mentem venit?" inquies. Quia nihil habebam aliud, quod scriberem; de re publica enim nihil scribere possum, nec enim, quod sentio, libet scribere.