Page:Loeb Classical Library L205N (1958).djvu/439

you plainly told me in a certain letter—that you would be more assiduous in showing your respect for me than you had been in the province (although in my opinion your courtesy when in office there left nothing to be desired) in proportion as you could be more free to use your own judgment. And so not only was I extremely pleased with your former letter, which showed me that you had looked forward to my arrival with the eagerness of a friend, and that, though things had not turned out as you had anticipated, you were greatly delighted with the policy I had adopted, but I have also derived no little pleasure from the expression, in this last letter of yours, of your judgment, as well as of your kindness; your judgment, because I understand that, as all good and gallant men ought to do, you deem nothing to be expedient but what is right and honourable; your kindness, because you promise that, whatever policy I shall have adopted, you will be at my side, and nothing can be at once more agreeable to me and in my opinion more honourable to yourself than that.

² My plans have been laid long ago, but I have written nothing to you about them before, not that it was necessary to keep you in ignorance of them, but because to share your plans with another at such a crisis seems to be almost tantamount to reminding him of his duty, or rather entreating him urgently to become your partner in something either dangerous or difficult. However, your goodwill, kindheartedness, and friendly feeling for me being what it is, I warmly welcome such an attitude of mind on your part, but only on these terms (you see I am not going to abandon my usual modesty in making requests)—if you do what you declare you