, where he had
lived more than twenty years.

Pliny, _Ep._ v. 3, 6, 'P. Vergilius, Cornelius Nepos ... Non quidem hi
senatores.'

Nep. _Att._ 13, 7, 'Atque hoc non auditum, sed cognitum praedicamus:
saepe enim propter familiaritatem domesticis rebus interfuimus.'

Nepos knew Cicero, doubtless, through Atticus, but there is no
evidence that they were intimate, except Gell. xv. 28, 1, who is
probably mistaken, 'Cornelius Nepos ... M. Ciceronis ut qui maxime
amicus familiaris fuit.' A fragment of a letter from Cicero to Nepos
is quoted by Sueton. _Iul._ 55; from Nepos to Cicero by Lactant.
_inst. div._ iii. 15, 10; and Fronto (p. 20, ed. Naber) speaks of a
collection of Cicero's works revised by Nepos and Atticus.

Nepos was on intimate terms with Catullus, whom, as coming from
Verona, he may have known in early life. Catullus, who is mentioned by
Nepos (_Att._ 12, 4), dedicated a collection of poems to him (Catull.
1). Nepos was alive in B.C. 29, in which, or the following year, he
completed the life of Atticus.

As regards Nepos' character and views, Pliny, _Ep._ v. 3, 6,
attributes to him _sanctitas morum_. The words of Cicero, _ad Att._
xvi. 5, 5, imply only a playful compliment, 'Et ais, "+met'
amymona+." Tu vero +amymon+, ille [Nepos] quidem +ambrotos+.'

Nepos' slight regard for philosophy is shown by a letter to Cicero
quoted by Lactant. _inst. div._ iii. 15, 10, 'Tantum abest, ut ego
magistram esse putem vitae philosophiam beataeque vitae perfectricem,
ut nullis magis existimem opus esse magistris vivendi quam plerisque,
qui in ea disputanda versantur.'

Cf. also Cic. _ad Att._ xvi. 5, 5, 'Nepotis epistulam exspecto.
Cupidus ille meorum? qui ea, quibus maxime +gaurio+, legenda non
putet.'

Philosophy, according to Nepos, ought to be practical.

Nep. _Att._ 17, 3, 'Nam principum philosophorum ita percepta habuit
praecepta, ut his ad vitam agendam, non ad ostentationem uteretur.'

Nepos, as is shown by his works, supported government by the Senate.

(2) WORKS.

1. Erotic poems; mentioned by Pliny, _Ep._ v. 3, 6.

2. _Chronica_, in three books, embracing universal history. Catull. 1,

'Quoi dono lepidum novom libellum
arida modo pumice expolitum?
Corneli, tibi; namque tu solebas
meas esse aliquid putare nugas
iam tum, cum ausus es unus Italorum
omne aevom tribus explicare chartis,
doctis, Iuppiter, et laboriosis.'

It is clear, from the above, that Nepos had mentioned Catullus in