But of all modern writers Mr. Froude has been the hardest to Cicero.
His sketch of the life of Caesar is one prolonged censure on that of
Cicero. Our historian, with all that glory of language for which he is
so remarkable, has covered the poor orator with obloquy. There is no
period in Cicero's life so touching, I think, as that during which he
was hesitating whether, in the service of the Republic, it did or did
not behoove him to join Pompey before the battle of Pharsalia. At this
time he wrote to his friend Atticus various letters full of agonizing
doubts as to what was demanded from him by his duty to his country,
by his friendship for Pompey, by loyalty to his party, and by his own
dignity. As to a passage in one of those, Mr. Froude says "that Cicero
had lately spoken of Caesar's continuance in life as a disgrace to
the State." "It has been seen also that he had long thought of
assassination as the readiest means of ending it,"[1] says Mr. Froude.
The "It has been seen" refers to a statement made a few pages earlier,
in which he translates certain words written by Cicero to Atticus."[2]
"He considered it a disgrace to them that Caesar was alive." That is
his translation; and in his indignation he puts other words, as it
were, into the mouth of his literary brother of two thousand years
before. "Why did not somebody kill him ?" The Latin words themselves
are added in a note, "Cum vivere ipsum turpe sit nobis."[3] Hot
indignation has so carried the translator away that he has missed the
very sense of Cicero's language." When even to draw the breath of life
at such a time is a disgrace to us!" That is what Cicero meant. Mr.
Froude in a preceding passage gives us another passage from a letter
to Atticus,[4] "Caesar was mortal."[5] So much is an intended
translation. Then Mr. Froude tells us how Cicero had "hailed Caesar's
eventual murder with rapture;" and goes on to say, "We read the words
with sorrow and yet with pity." But Cicero had never dreamed of
Caesar's murder. The words of the passage are as follows: "Hunc