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of writing to you in such a way as rather to console a brave and wise man than to lay before you any assured hope of your restoration, except what, once this conflagration had been extinguished, I thought might justly be expected from the Republic itself. Remind yourself of your own letters to me, in which you have ever displayed a high spirit, resolute, and prepared to bear whatever might befall; and I was not surprised at it when I remembered that you had been engaged in public affairs from the earliest years of your life, and that the tenure of your public offices coincided with the most critical periods in the welfare and fortunes of the whole community; yes, and that you entered this very war not merely to play the happy victor, but also, should it so befall, if vanquished, the philosopher.

⁵ In the next place, since you devote your literary activities to putting on record the exploits of men of courage, it is your duty to reflect that you cannot afford to do anything to disprove your own close resemblance to those whom you eulogize.

But this sort of talk would be better suited to those times from which you have now escaped. As it is you have only to prepare yourself to join with us in enduring present conditions; could I but discover a remedy for them, I should pass that same on to you. We have, however, one refuge—that learning and literature of which we have always availed ourselves; in prosperity we regarded them as a source of pleasure only, now we regard them as our very salvation.

But, to revert to what I said at first, you must never have any doubt but that everything connected with your restoration and return has been fully accomplished.