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CICERO. 77 way before the rest of the company, came down to meet him, saluted him, and, leading the way, conversed with him alone for some furlongs. And from that time for- ward he continued to treat him with honor and respect ; so that, when Cicero wrote an oration in praise of Cato, Caesar, in writing an answer to it, took occasion to com- mend Cicero's own life and eloquence, comparing him to Pericles and Theramenes. Cicero's oration was called Cato ; CfEsar's, anti-Cato. So also, it is related that when Quintus Ligarius was prosecuted for having been in arms against Ctesar, and Cicero had undertaken his defence, Ctesar said to his friends, " Why might we not as well once more hear a speech from Cicero ? Ligarius, there is no question, is a wicked man and an enemy." But when Cicero began to speak, he wonderfully moved him, and proceeded in his speech with such varied pathos, and such a charm of lan- guage, that the color of Caesar's countenance often changed, and it was evident that all the passions of his soul were in commotion. At length, the orator touch- ing upon the Pharsalian battle, he was so affected that his body trembled, and some of the papers he held dropped out of his hands. And thus he was overpowered, and acquitted Ligarius. Henceforth, the commonwealth being changed into a monarchy, Cicero withdrew himself from public affairs, and employed his leisure in instructing those young men that would, in philosophy ; and by the near intercourse he thus had with some of the noblest and highest in rank, he again began to possess great influence in the city. The work and object which he set himself was to com- pose and translate philosophical dialogues and to render logical and physical terms into the Roman idiom. For he it was, as it is said, who first or principally gave Latin