HISTORY

OF THE

LIFE

O F

M. TULLIUS CICERO.

Hunc igitur Spectemus. Hoc propofitum fit nobis exemplum.
Ille fe profeciffe sciat, cui CICERO valde placebit.

QUINTIL. Inftit. 1. x. 1.

By CONYERS MIDDLETON, D. D.

PRINCIPAL LIBRARY-KEEPER OF THE UNIVERSITY
OF CAMBRIDGE.

VOL. II.

A NEW EDITION.

BASIL:

Printed for J. J. TOURNEISEN; and J. L. LEGRAND,

MDCCXC.

Cic. 50.

Coff.

US LENTU

LUS SPIN

Cicero's return was, what he himself truly calls it, A. Urb. 696,
the beginning of a new life to him'; which was
to be governed by new maxims, and a new kind
of policy; yet so as not to forfeit his old char- P. CORNELI
acter. He had been made to feel in what hands.
the weight of power lay, and what little depend- THER,
ence was to be placed on the help and fupport Q. CECILI
of his Ariftocratical friends: Pompey had ferved us METEL
him on this important occafion very fincerely, and US NEPOS.
with the concurrence alfo of Cæfar; fo as to
make it a point of gratitude, as well as prudence,
to be more obfervant of them than he had hith-
erto been the Senate, on the other hand, with
the Magistrates and the honeft of all ranks, were
zealous in his caufe; and the Conful Lentulus
above all feemed to make it the fole end and
VOL. II.
B

This uncommon

glory of his administration'. confent of oppofite parties in promoting his reftoration, drew upon him a variety of obligations, which must needs often clafh and interfere with each other; and which it was his part ftill to manage fo, as to make them confiftent with his honor, his fafety, his private, and his public duty: these were to be the fprings and motives of his new life; the hinges on which his future conduct was to turn; and to do justice feverally to them all, and affign to each its proper weight and measure of influence, required his utmost skill and addrefs '.

The day after his arrival, on the fifth of September, the Confuls fummoned the Senate, to give him an opportunity of paying his thanks to them in public for their late fervices; where, after a general profeffion of his obligations to them all, he made his particular acknowledgments to each Magiftrate by name, to the Confuls; the Tribunes; the Prætors: he addreffed himself to the Tribunes, before the Prætors; not for the dignity of their office, for in that they were inferior, but for their greater authority in making laws; and confequently, their greater merit in carrying his law into effect. The number of his private friends was too great to make it poffible for him to enumerate or thank them all; fo that he confined himself to the Magiftrates, with exception only to Pompey*, whom for the eminence of his character, though at prefent only a private man, he took care to diftinguish by a perfonal address

and compliment. But as Lentulus was the first in office, and had ferved him with the greatest affection, fo he gives him the first share of his praise; and in the overflowing of his gratitude ftyles him the Parent and the God of his life and fortunes'. The next day he paid his thanks likewife to the people, in a speech from the Roftra; where he dwelt chiefly on the fame topics which he had ufed in the Senate, celebrating the particular merits and fervices of his principal friends, efpecially of Pompey; whom he declares to be the greatest man for virtue, wisdom, glory, who was then living, or had lived, or ever would live; and that he owed more to him on this occafion, than it was even lawful almoft, for one man to owe to another".

Both these speeches are ftill extant, and a paffage or two from each will illuftrate the temper and difpofition in which he returned: in speaking to the Senate, after a particular recital of the fervices of his friends, he adds, " as I have a plea. "fure in enumerating thefe, fo I willingly pafs

over in filence what others wickedly acted "against me: it is not my prefent business to re"member injuries; which if it were in my power "to revenge, I should chufe to forget; my life "fhall be applied to other purposes: to repay "the good offices of those who have deserved it " of me; to hold fast the friendships which have "been tried as it were in the fire; to wage war "with declared enemies; to pardon my timorous, nor yet expofe my treacherous friends;