pleading and politics, and pass his life quietly in the
study of philosophy.

But after he had received the news of Sylla's death, and his body,
strengthened again by exercise, had grown vigorous, and his voice
was rendered sweet and full to the ear, his friends at Rome earnestly
solicited him by letters to return to public affairs. He, therefore,
again prepared for use his orator's instrument of rhetoric, and summoned
into action his political faculties, diligently exercising himself in
declamations, and attending the most celebrated rhetoricians of the
time. He sailed from Athens for Asia and Rhodes. Among the Asian
masters, he conversed with Xenocles of Adramyttium, Dionysius of
Magnesia, and Menippus of Caria; at Rhodes, he studied oratory
with Apollonius, the son of Molon, and philosophy with Posidonius.
Apollonius, we are told, not understanding Latin, requested Cicero to
declaim in Greek. He complied willingly, thinking that his faults would
thus be better pointed out to him. After he finished, all his other
hearers were astonished, and vied with each other in praising him, but
Apollonius showed no signs of excitement while he was hearing him, and
now, when he had finished, sat musing for some time, without any remark.
And when Cicero was discomposed at this, he said, "You have my praise
and admiration, Cicero, and Greece my pity and commiseration, since
those arts and that eloquence which are the only glories that remain to
her, will now be transferred by you to Rome."

And now when Cicero, full of expectation, was again bent upon political
affairs, a certain oracle blunted the edge of his inclination; for
consulting the god of Delphi how he should attain most glory, the
Pythoness answered, "By making your own genius and not the opinion of
the people the guide of your life;" and therefore at first he passed his
time in Rome cautiously, and was very backward in pretending to public
offices, so that he was at that time in little esteem, and had got the
names, so readily given by low and ignorant people in Rome, of Greek and
Scholar. But when his own desire of fame and the eagerness of his father
and relations had made him take in earnest to pleading, he made no slow
or gentle advance to the first place, but shone out in full lustre at
once, and far surpassed all the advocates at the bar. At first, it is
said, he as well as Demosthenes, was defective in his delivery, and
on that account paid much attention to the