s the heavens, then, then
shall that truly be called a year. In this year how many are there of
our ages contained. For as when Romulus died, and made his way here to
these temples of the gods, the sun was seen by man to fade away, so will
the sun again depart from the heavens, when the stars, having
accomplished their spaces, shall have returned to their old abodes. Of
this, the true year, not a twentieth part has been as yet consumed. If,
then, you despair of reaching this abode, which all of true excellence
strive to approach, what glory is there to be gained? When gained, it
will not last the space of one year. Look then aloft, my son, and fix
your eyes upon this eternal home. Despise all vulgar fame, nor place
your hopes on human rewards. Let Virtue by her own charms lead you on to
true glory. Let men talk of you--for talk they will. Man's talk of man
is small in its space, and short-lived in its time. It dies with a
generation and is forgotten by posterity.'

"When he had spoken I thus answered him: 'Africanus,' I said, 'I indeed
have hitherto endeavored to find a road to heaven, following your
example and my father's; but now, for so great a reward, will I struggle
on more bravely.' 'Struggle on,' he replied, 'and know this--not that
thou art mortal but only this thy body. This frail form is not thyself.
It is the mind, invisible, and not a shape at which a man may point with
his fingers. Know thyself to be a god. To be strong in purpose and in
mind; to remember to provide and to rule; to restrain and to move the
body it is placed over, as the great God does the world--that is to be a
god. And as the God who moves this mortal world is eternal, so does an
eternal soul govern this frail body.'"

FOOTNOTES:

[1] As I shall explain a few pages farther on, four of these
speeches are supposed by late critics to be spurious.

[2] See Mr. Long's introduction to these orations. "All this
I admit," says Mr. Long, speaking of some possible
disputant; "but he will never convince any man of sense that
the first of Roman writers, a man of good understanding, and
a master of eloquence, put together such tasteless, feeble,
and extravagant compositions."

[3] Pro Cn. Plancio, ca. xxx.: "Nonne etiam illa testis est
oratio quae est a me prima habita in Senatu. * * * Recitetur
oratio, quae propter rei magnitudinem dicta de scripto est."

[4] Quintilian, lib. xi., ca. 1, who as a critic worshipped