academica of cicero. - 912 Freedom Library

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affixed. Atticus, who visited Cicero at Tusculum, had doubtless pointed out the incongruity
between the known attainments of Catulus and Lucullus, and the parts they were made to take in
difficult philosophical discussions. It is not uncharacteristic of Cicero that his first plan for
healing the incongruity should be a deliberate attempt to impose upon his readers a set of
statements concerning the ability and culture of these two noble Romans which he knew, and in
his own letters to Atticus admitted, to be false. I may note, as of some interest in connection with
the Academica, the fact that among the unpleasant visits received by Cicero at Tusculum was one
from Varro [166] .
On the 23rd July, Cicero left Home for Arpinum, in order, as he says, to arrange some business
matters, and to avoid the embarrassing attentions of Brutus [167] . Before leaving Astura, however,
it had been his intention to go on to Arpinum [168] . He seems to have been still unsatisfied with
his choice of interlocutors for the Academica, for the first thing he did on his arrival was to
transfer the parts of Catulus and Lucullus to Cato and Brutus [169] . This plan was speedily cast
aside on the receipt of a letter from Atticus, strongly urging that the whole work should be
dedicated to Varro, or if not the Academica, the De Finibus [170] . Cicero had never been very
intimate with Varro: their acquaintance seems to have been chiefly maintained through Atticus,
who was at all times anxious to draw them more closely together. Nine years before he had
pressed Cicero to find room in his works for some mention of Varro [171] . The nature of the
works on which our author was then engaged had made it difficult to comply with the
request [172] . Varro had promised on his side, full two years before the Academica was written, to
dedicate to Cicero his great work De Lingua Latino. In answer to the later entreaty of Atticus,
Cicero declared himself very much dissatisfied with Varro's failure to fulfil his promise. From
this it is evident that Cicero knew nothing of the scope or magnitude of that work. His complaint
that Varro had been writing for two years without making any progress [173] , shows that there
could have been little of anything like friendship between the two. Apart from these causes for
grumbling, Cicero thought the suggestion of Atticus a "godsend [174] ." Since the De Finibus was
already "betrothed" to Brutus, he promised to transfer to Varro the Academica, allowing that
Catulus and Lucullus, though of noble birth, had no claim to learning [175] . So little of it did they
possess that they could never even have dreamed of the doctrines they had been made in the first
edition of the Academica to maintain [176] . For them another place was to be found, and the
remark was made that the Academica would just suit Varro, who was a follower of Antiochus,
and the fittest person to expound the opinions of that philosopher [177] . It happened that continual
rain fell during the first few days of Cicero's stay at Arpinum, so he employed his whole time in
editing once more his Academica, which he now divided into four books instead of two, making
the interlocutors himself, Varro and Atticus [178] . The position occupied by Atticus in the
dialogue was quite an inferior one, but he was so pleased with it that Cicero determined to confer
upon him often in the future such minor parts [179] . A suggestion of Atticus that Cotta should also
be introduced was found impracticable [180] .
Although the work of re-editing was vigorously pushed on, Cicero had constant doubts about the
expediency of dedicating the work to Varro. He frequently throws the whole responsibility for
the decision upon Atticus, but for whose importunities he would probably again have changed his
plans. Nearly every letter written to Atticus during the progress of the work contains entreaties
that he would consider the matter over and over again before he finally decided [181] . As no
reasons had been given for these solicitations, Atticus naturally grew impatient, and Cicero was
obliged to assure him that there were reasons, which he could not disclose in a letter [182] . The
true reasons, however, did appear in some later letters. In one Cicero said: "I am in favour of
Varro, and the more so because he wishes it, but you know he is
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