07.01.2013 Views

academica of cicero. - 912 Freedom Library

academica of cicero. - 912 Freedom Library

academica of cicero. - 912 Freedom Library

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

The Project Gutenberg eBook <strong>of</strong> ...<br />

the third book which is mentioned Ad. Att. XVI. 6, 4. I may here add that Krische seems to me<br />

wrong in holding that the whole four books formed one discussion, finished within the limits <strong>of</strong> a<br />

single day. Why interrupt the discussion by the insertion <strong>of</strong> a prologue <strong>of</strong> so general a nature as<br />

to be taken from a stock which Cic. kept on hand ready made? (Cf. Ad Att. as above.)<br />

Besides the actual fragments <strong>of</strong> the second edition, many indications <strong>of</strong> its contents are preserved<br />

in the work <strong>of</strong> Augustine entitled Contra Academicos, which, though written in support <strong>of</strong><br />

dogmatic opinions, imitated throughout the second edition <strong>of</strong> the Academica <strong>of</strong> Cic. No writings<br />

<strong>of</strong> the Classical period had so great an influence on the culture and opinions <strong>of</strong> Augustine as the<br />

Academica and the lost Hortensius. I give, partly from Krische, the scattered indications <strong>of</strong> the<br />

contents <strong>of</strong> the former which are to be gathered from the bishop's works. In Aug. Contr. Ac. II.<br />

14, 15, we have what appears to be a summary <strong>of</strong> the lost part <strong>of</strong> Book I. to the following effect.<br />

The New Academy must not be regarded as having revolted against the Old, all that it did was to<br />

discuss that new doctrine <strong>of</strong> ?ata????? advanced by Zeno. The doctrine <strong>of</strong> a?ata????a though<br />

present to the minds <strong>of</strong> the ancients had never taken distinct shape, because it had met with no<br />

opposition. The Old Academy was rather enriched than attacked by the New. Antiochus, in<br />

adopting Stoicism under the name <strong>of</strong> the Old Academy, made it appear that there was a strife<br />

between it and the New. With Antiochus the historical exposition <strong>of</strong> Cic. must have ended. From<br />

this portion <strong>of</strong> the first book, Aug. derived his opinion (Contra. Ac. II. 1) that New Academicism<br />

was excusable from the necessities <strong>of</strong> the age in which it appeared. Indications <strong>of</strong> Book II. in<br />

Aug. are scarce, but to it I refer Contra. Ac. I. 7 placuit Ciceroni nostro beatum esse qui verum<br />

investigat etiam si ad eius inventionem non valeat pervenire, also ibid. III. 10 illis (Academicis)<br />

placuit esse posse hominem sapientem, et tamen in hominem scientiam cadere non posse. These I<br />

refer to Cicero's development <strong>of</strong> the probabile in Book II., although I ought to say that Krische, p.<br />

65, maintains that the substance <strong>of</strong> Catulus' exposition in the Ac. Priora transferred to Book IV. <strong>of</strong><br />

the Ac. Posteriora. As this would leave very meagre material for Book II., nothing indeed<br />

excepting the provisional pro<strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong> the deceptiveness <strong>of</strong> the senses, I cannot accede to his<br />

arrangement; mine, I may remark, involves a much smaller departure from the first edition.<br />

Allusions in Aug. to the attack on the senses by Cic. in Book II. are difficult to fix, as they apply<br />

equally well to the later attack in Book IV. As to Books III. and IV., I do not think it necessary<br />

here to prove from Aug. the points <strong>of</strong> agreement between them and the Lucullus, which will find<br />

a better place in my notes on the latter, but merely give the divergences which appear from other<br />

sources. These are the translation <strong>of</strong> s?f?sµata by cavillationes in Luc. 75 (Seneca Ep. III.), and<br />

the insertion in 118 <strong>of</strong> essentia as a translation <strong>of</strong> ??s?a.<br />

BOOK II.<br />

ENTITLED LUCULLUS.<br />

§§1—12. Summary. Lucullus, though an able and cultivated man, was absent from<br />

Rome on public service too long during his earlier years to attain to glory in the<br />

forum (1). He unexpectedly proved a great general. This was due to his untiring<br />

study and his marvellous memory (2). He had to wait long for the reward <strong>of</strong> his<br />

merits as a commander and civil administrator, and was allowed no triumph till just<br />

before my consulship. What I owed to him in those troublous times I cannot now tell<br />

(3). He was not merely a general; he was also a philosopher, having learned much<br />

from Antiochus and read much for himself (4). Those enemies <strong>of</strong> Greek culture who<br />

think a Roman noble ought not to know philosophy, must be referred to the<br />

examples <strong>of</strong> Cato and Africanus (5). Others think that famous men should not be<br />

introduced into dialogues <strong>of</strong> the kind. Are they then, when they meet, to be silent or<br />

to talk about trifles? I, in applying myself to philosophy, have neglected no public<br />

duty, nor do I think the fame <strong>of</strong> illustrious citizens diminished, but enriched, by a<br />

reputation for philosophical knowledge (6). Those who hold that the interlocutors in<br />

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/14970/14970-h/14970-h.htm[1/5/2010 10:31:57 AM]

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!