academica of cicero. - 912 Freedom Library

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Diodotus is spoken of as still living, although when the words were written he had been dead for
many years [282] . The surprise of Hortensius, who is but a learner in philosophy, at the wisdom of
Lucullus, is very dramatic [283] . The many political and private troubles which were pressing
upon Cicero when he wrote the work are kept carefully out of sight. Still we can catch here and
there traces of thoughts and plans which were actively employing the author's mind at Astura.
His intention to visit Tusculum has left its mark on the last section of the book, while in the last
but one the De Finibus, the De Natura Deorum and other works are shadowed forth [284] . In
another passage the design of the Tusculan Disputations, which was carried out immediately after
the publication of the Academica and De Finibus, is clearly to be seen [285] .
Hortensius and Catulus now sink to a secondary position in the conversation, which is resumed
by Lucullus. His speech is especially acknowledged by Cicero to be drawn from the works of
Antiochus [286] . Nearly all that is known of the learning of Lucullus is told in Cicero's dialogue,
and the passages already quoted from the letters. He seems at least to have dallied with culture,
although his chief energy, as a private citizen, was directed to the care of his fish-ponds [287] . In
his train when he went to Sicily was the poet Archias, and during the whole of his residence in
the East he sought to attach learned men to his person. At Alexandria he was found in the
company of Antiochus, Aristus, Heraclitus Tyrius, Tetrilius Rogus and the Selii, all men of
philosophic tastes [288] . He is several times mentioned by Pliny in the Natural History as the
patron of Greek artists. Yet, as we have already seen, Cicero acknowledged in his letters to
Atticus that Lucullus was no philosopher. He has to be propped up, like Catulus, by the authority
of another person. All his arguments are explicitly stated to be derived from a discussion in
which he had heard Antiochus engage. The speech of Lucullus was, as I have said, mainly a
reply to that of Cicero in the Catulus. Any closer examination of its contents must be postponed
till I come to annotate its actual text. The same may be said of Cicero's answer.
In the intermediate form of the Academica, the speech of Lucullus was no doubt transferred to
Brutus, but as he has only such a slight connection with the work, I do not think it necessary to
do much more than call attention to the fact. I may, however, notice the close relationship in
which Brutus stood to the other persons with whom we have had to deal. He was nephew of
Cato, whose half-sister Servilia was wife of Lucullus [289] . Cato was tutor to Lucullus' son, with
Cicero for a sort of adviser: while Hortensius had married a divorced wife of Cato. All of them
were of the Senatorial party, and Cato and Brutus lived to be present, with Cicero, during the war
between Pompey and Caesar. Brutus and Cicero were both friends of Antiochus and Aristus,
whose pupil Brutus was [290] .
c. The Second Edition.
When Cicero dedicated the Academica to Varro, very slight alterations were necessary in the
scenery and other accessories of the piece. Cicero had a villa close to the Cuman villa of Catulus
and almost within sight of Hortensius' villa at Bauli [291] . Varro's villa, at which the scene was
now laid, was close to the Lucrine lake [292] . With regard to the feigned date of the discourse, we
may observe that at the very outset of the work it is shown to be not far distant from the actual
time of composition [293] . Many allusions are made to recent events, such as the utter overthrow
of the Pompeian party, the death of Tullia [294] , and the publication of the Hortensius [295] .
Between the date of Tullia's death and the writing of the Academica, it can be shown that Varro,
Cicero and Atticus could not have met together at Cumae. Cicero therefore for once admits into
his works an impossibility in fact. This impossibility would at once occur to Varro, and Cicero
anticipates his wonder in the letter of dedication [296] .
For the main facts of Varro's life the student must be referred to the ordinary sources of
information. A short account of the points of contact between his life and that of Cicero, with a
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