icero pledged his credit for
the loyalty of Octavian, who styled him "father" and affected to take
his advice on all occasions (_Epp. ad Brut._ i. 17. 5). Cicero, an
incurable optimist in politics, may have convinced himself of Octavian's
sincerity. The breach, however, was bound to come, and the saying,
maliciously attributed to Cicero, that Octavian was an "excellent youth
who must be praised and--sent to another place," neatly expresses the
popular view of the situation.[7] Cicero was sharply criticized by M.
Junius Brutus for truckling to Octavian while showing irreconcilable
enmity to Antony and Lepidus (_ad Brut._ i. 16. 4, i. 15. 9); but Brutus
was safe in his province, and it is difficult to see what other course
was open to a politician in Rome. Whether Cicero was right or wrong,
none can question his amazing energy. He delivered his long series of
_Philippics_ at Rome, and kept up a correspondence with the various
provincial governors and commanders, all short-sighted and selfish, and
several of them half-hearted, endeavouring to keep each man in his place
and to elaborate a common plan of operations. He was naturally included
in the list of the proscribed, though it is said that Octavian fought
long on his behalf, and was slain near Formiae on the 7th of December
43. He had a ship near in which he had previously attempted to fly, but
being cast back by unfavourable winds he returned to his villa, saying,
"Let me die in the country which I have often saved." His head and hands
were sent to Rome and nailed to the rostra, after Fulvia, wife of Antony
and widow of Clodius, had thrust a hairpin through the tongue.

_Works._--The literary works of Cicero may be classed as (1) rhetorical;
(2) oratorical; (3) philosophical and political; (4) epistolary.

(i.) _Rhetorical._[8]--His chief works of this kind are: (_a_) _de
Oratore_, a treatise in three books dedicated to his brother Quintus.
The discussion is conducted in the form of a dialogue which is supposed
to have occurred in 91 B.C. chiefly between the two orators L. Crassus
and M. Antonius. The first book deals with the studies necessary for an
orator; the second with the treatment of the subject matter; the third
with the form and delivery of a speech. Cicero says of this work in a
letter (_Fam._ i. 9. 23) that it "does not deal in hackneyed rules and
embraces the whole theory of oratory as laid down by Isocrates and
Aristotle." (_b_) _Brutus_, or _de claris or