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man's client? Morbidly apprehensive then and tortured by blind suspicion as I am, when most of what one writes is adapted to what one guesses to be the feelings of another, and not to the expression of one's own judgment, you may be sure that I appreciate the difficulty of emerging unscathed, though that is hardly your experience, armed as you are against every eventuality by your own consummate and outstanding genius. Anyhow I have told my son to read the book, and then take it away with him, or else give it to you, but on the one condition only, that you would undertake to correct it, which means that you would make another book of it altogether.
5 As to my journey to Asia,[1] though it is pressed upon me as absolutely necessary, I have carried out your orders. Now, why am I urging you in particular to act for me? Well, you see the time has come when my case must be definitely settled. It is no good, my dear Cicero, waiting for my son. He is but a young man, and, whether because of his impetuosity, or his youthfulness, or his apprehensions, he cannot give due consideration to everything. It is you who have got to shoulder the whole business[2]; all my hope is in you. It is you who seize with characteristic penetration upon the points which rejoice the heart and take the fancy of Caesar. Everything must originate with you, and be brought to an issue through your instrumentality. You have much influence with the great man himself, more than anyone with all his friends.
6 If you convince yourself of the one fact that this is not merely a call upon your generosity, to do whatever you have been asked to do (though that is