6.
You must rely wholly on what arguments you can find. For he will never be convicted either
by his own opinion or his case, or by that which is formed of it by his friends.
[12]
You ask us, O Gratius, why we are so exceedingly attached to this man. Because he supplies
us with food whereby our mind is refreshed after this noise in the forum, and with rest for
our ears after they have been wearied with bad language. Do you think it possible that we
could find a supply for our daily speeches, when discussing such a variety of matters, unless
we were to cultivate our minds by the study of literature; or that our minds could bear being
kept so constantly on the stretch if we did not relax them by that same study? But I confess
that I am devoted to those studies, let others be ashamed of them if they have buried
themselves in books without being able to produce anything out of them for the common
advantage or anything which may bear the eyes of men and the light. But why need I be ashamed,
who for many years have lived in such a manner as never to allow my own love of tranquillity
to deny me to the necessity or advantage of another or my fondness for pleasure to distract,
or even sleep to delay my attention to such claims?
[13]
Who
then can reproach me or who has any right to be angry with me, if I allow myself as much time
for the cultivation of these studies as some take for the performance of their own business,
or for celebrating days of festival and games, or for other pleasures, or even for the rest
and refreshment of mind and body, or as others devote to early banquets, to playing at dice,
or at ball? And this ought to be permitted to me, because by these studies my power of
speaking and those faculties are improved, which, as far as they do exist in me, have never
been denied to my friends when they have been in peril. And if that ability appears to any one
to be but moderate, at all events I know whence I derive those principles which are of the
greatest value.
[14]
For if I had not persuaded myself from my
youth upwards, both by the precepts of many masters and by much reading, that there is nothing
in life greatly to be desired, except praise and honour, and that while pursuing those things
all tortures of the body, all dangers of death and banishment are to be considered but of
small importance, I should never have exposed myself, in defence of your safety, to such
numerous and arduous contests, and to these daily attacks of profligate men. But all books are
full of such precepts, and all the sayings of philosophers, and all antiquity is full of
precedents teaching the same lesson; but all these things would lie buried in darkness, if the
light of literature and learning were not applied to them. How many images of the bravest men,
carefully elaborated, have both the Greek and Latin writers bequeathed to us, not merely for
us to look at and gaze upon, but also for our imitation! And I, always keeping them before my
eyes as examples for my own public conduct, have endeavoured to model my mind and views by
continually thinking of those excellent men.
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