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war, has no hesitation in refusing to carry it through to the bitter end.

³ I see that those who did not adopt the same policy as yourself have split up into two sections; either they attempted to renew hostilities (and these are they who betook themselves to Africa), or else, just as I did myself, they threw themselves on the mercy of the conqueror; your policy was a kind of compromise, because you perhaps thought that the latter course showed a cringing, and the former a stubborn, spirit. I quite admit that your policy was deemed a wise one by most people, or shall I say by all?—and many even thought it showed a great and gallant spirit. But, if I may say what I think, the course you have adopted has its limitations, especially as I am sure that the one thing you lack to retain all your possessions is the will to do so; for I have come to the conclusion that there is but one thing which causes our omnipotent friend to hesitate, and that is his fear that you would not regard your recall as an act of kindness at all. What I think about it there is no need for me to tell you; you can see for yourself what my own conduct has been.

⁴ But even if you had already made up your mind that you would sooner be away all your days than witness what was revolting to you, you should yet reflect that wherever you were you would still be at the mercy of the very man from whom you were trying to escape. And though he were likely to raise no objection whatever to your living in peace and independence as long as you were cut off from your country and property, you would still have to consider whether you would prefer to live at Rome and in your own house, whatever the conditions