Page:Plutarch's Lives (Clough, v.5, 1865).djvu/83

CICERO. 75 out of the way of either party, Cicero, wondering that Csesar had not written himself, gave an angry rejily, that he should not do any thing unbecoming his past life. Such is the account to be collected from his letters. But as soon as Caesar was marched into Spain, he im- mediately sailed away to join Pompey. And he mms welcomed by all but Cato ; who, taking him privately, chid him for coming to Pompey. As for himself, he said, it had been indecent to forsake that part in the com- monwealth which he had chosen from the beo-innino- ; but Cicero might have been more iiseful to his country and friends, if, remaming neuter, he had attended and used his influence to moderate the result, instead of com- ing hither to make himself, without reason or necessity, an enemy to CiBsar, and a partner in such great dangers. By this language, partly, Cicero's feelings were altered, and partly, also, because Pompey made no great use of him. Although, indeed, he was himself the cause of it, by his not denying that he was sorry he had come, by his depreciating Pompey's resources, finding fault underhand with his counsels, and continually indulging in jests and sarcastic remarks on his fellow-soldiers. Though he went about in the camp with a gloomy and melancholy face himself, he was always trying to raise a laugh in others, whether they wished it or not. It may not be amiss to mention a few instances. To Domitius, on his preferring to a command one who was no soldier, and saying, in his defence, that he was a modest and prudent person, he replied, " Why did not you keep him for a tutor for your children ? " On hearing Theophanes, the Lesbian, who was master of the engineers in the army, praised for the ad- mirable way in which he had consoled the Ehodians for the loss of their fleet, " What a thing it is," he said, " to have a Greek in command ! " When Caesar had been