WEDNESDAY, December 8.
Into English Prose.

Ac mihi tamen ante, quam in provinciam venissem, redditæ sunt a te literæ ; quibus etsi te Tarsum proficisci demonstrabas, tamen mihi non dubiam spem mei conveniendi afferebas; quum interea, credo equidem, malivoli homines (late enim patet hoc vitium,) sed tamen probabilem materiam nacti sermonis, ignari meæ constantiæ, conabantur alienare a te voluntatem meam; qui te forum Tarsi agere, statuere multa, decernere, judicare dicerent, quum posses jam suspicari, tibi esse successum; quæ ne ab iis quidem fieri solerent, qui brevi tempore sibi succedi putarent. Horum ego sermone non movebar. Quin etiam (credas mihi velim) si quid tu ageres, levari me putabam molestia ; et ex annua provincia, quæ mihi longa videtur, prope jam undecim mensium provinciam factam esse gaudebam, si absenti mihi unius mensis labor detractus esset. Illud (vere dicam) me movet, in tanta militum paucitate abesse tris cohortes, quæ sint plenissimæ ; nec me scire ubi sint. Molestissime autem fero, quod, te ubi visurus sim, nescio: eoque ad te tardius scripsi, quod quotidie te ipsum exspectabam: quum interea ne literas quidem ullas accepi, quæ me docerent, quid ageres, aut ubi te visurus essem. Itaque virum fortem, mihique in primis probatum, Antonium, præfectum evocatorum, misi ad te, cui, si tibi videretur, cohortes traderes: ut, dum tempus anni esset idoneum, aliquid negotii gerere possem. In quo, tuo consilio ut me sperarem esse usurum, et amicitia nostra, et literæ tuæ fecerant: quod ne nunc quidem despero. Sed plane, quando, aut ubi te visurus sim, nisi ad me scripseris, ne suspicari quidem possum. Ego, ut me tibi amicissimum esse, et æqui, et iniqui intelligant, curabo. De tuo in me animo iniquis secus existimandi videris nonnihil loci dedisse. Id si correxeris, mihi valde gratum erit. Et, ut habere rationem possis, quo loco me, salva lege Cornelia, convenias, ego in provinciam veni pridie kal. Sext.; iter in Ciliciam facio per Cappadociam. Castra movi ab Iconio pridie kalendas Sept. Nunc tu et ex diebus, et ex ratione itineris, si putabis me esse conveniendum, constitues, quo loco id commodissime fieri possit, et quo die. Vale.-Cicero to Appius.

FRIDAY, December 10.

Into Latin Prose.

Howbeit, he did not stoop to any petty and mean artifices, as they do, which are ignorant in state-employments; and depend not so much upon the strength of their own wits, as upon the counsels and brains of others, to support their authority; for he was skilled in the turnings of all human affairs; and transacted all matters, especially those of high consequence by himself, and not by others.

He was singularly skilful to avoid envy; and found it not impertinent to his ends, to decline that, though it were with some diminution of his dignity. For aiming at a real power, he was content to pass by all vain pomp and outward shows of power throughout his whole life; till at last, whether high-flown with the continual exercise of power, or corrupted with flatteries, he affected the ensigns of power (the style and diadem of a king) which was the bait that wrought his overthrow.

This is true, that he harboured the thoughts of a kingdom from his very youth: and hereunto the example of Sylla, and the kindred of Marius, and his emulation of Pompey, and the corruption and ambition of the times, did prick him forward: but then he paved his way to a kingdom, after a wonderful and strange manner. At first, by a popular and seditious power; afterwards by a military power, and that of a general in war. For there was required to effect his ends; first, that he should break the power and authority of the senate; which, as long as it stood firm, was adverse, and an hindrance, that no man could climb to sovereignty and imperial command.-Bacon.

MONDAY, December 13.

Into Greek Iambics.

Alas! my friends, not in your cause alone; In mine own also have I to contend

Against the Tyrant !-Know ye,

that my Bertha

Has disappear'd, snatch'd off from midst of us
By sudden violence-

Stauffacher.

Hath the Tyrant dar'd

So foul an act against a noble Lady?

Rudenz. Alas! my friends, I promis'd you mine aid,
And I have first to supplicate for yours.

Stol'n, torn away,

from me is my beloved.

Who knoweth where the monster hath conveyed her;
What means, what outrage, he may not attempt
To force her into a detested marriage!

Schiller's "W. Tell."

Lovesy, Printer, Promenade, Cheltenham.