ius Sulpicius, what expressions of astonishment, or even
indignation, were called forth by his mortal quarrel, as tribune, with
the consul Quintus Pompeius, with whom he had formerly lived on terms of
the closest intimacy and affection. Well, on this occasion, happening
to mention this particular circumstance, Scaevola detailed to us a
discourse of Laelius on friendship delivered to himself and Laelius's
other son-in-law Galus Fannius, son of Marcus Fannius, a few days after
the death of Africanus. The points of that discussion I committed to
memory, and have arranged them in this book at my own discretion. For
I have brought the speakers, as it were, personally on to my stage to
prevent the constant "said I" and "said he" of a narrative, and to give
the discourse the air of being orally delivered in our hearing.

You have often urged me to write something on Friendship, and I
quite acknowledged that the subject seemed one worth everybody's
investigation, and specially suited to the close intimacy that has
existed between you and me. Accordingly I was quite ready to benefit the
public at your request.

As to the _dramatis personae_. In the treatise on Old Age, which I
dedicated to you, I introduced Cato as chief speaker. No one, I thought,
could with greater propriety speak on old age than one who had been an
old man longer than any one else, and had been exceptionally vigorous
in his old age. Similarly, having learnt from tradition that of all
friendships that between Gaius Laelius and Publius Scipio was the most
remarkable, I thought Laelius was just the person to support the chief
part in a discussion on friendship which Scaevola remembered him to have
actually taken. Moreover, a discussion of this sort gains somehow in
weight from the authority of men of ancient days, especially if they
happen to have been distinguished. So it comes about that in reading
over what I have myself written I have a feeling at times that it is
actually Cato that is speaking, not I.

Finally, as I sent the former essay to you as a gift from one old man to
another, so I have dedicated this _On Friendship_ as a most affectionate
friend to his friend. In the former Cato spoke, who was the oldest and
wisest man of his day; in this Laelius speaks on friendship--Laelius,
who was at once a wise man (that was the title given him) and eminent
for his famous friendship. Please forget me for a while; imagine Laelius
to be speaking.

Gaius Fanniu