translate, especially from those authors whom I have just named, when
there is an opportunity of doing so with propriety; just as Ennius often
translates passages from Homer, and Afranius(22) from Menander. Nor will
I, like Lucilius, make any objection to everybody reading my writings. I
should be glad to have that Persius(23) for one of my readers; and still
more to have Scipio and Rutilius; men whose criticism he professed to
fear, saying that he wrote for the people of Tarentum, and Consentia, and
Sicily. That was all very witty of him, and in his usual style; but still,
people at that time were not so learned as to give him cause to labour
much before he could encounter their judgment, and his writings are of a
lightish character, showing indeed, a high degree of good breeding, but
only a moderate quantity of learning. But whom can I fear to have read my
works when I ventured to address a book to you, who are not inferior to
the Greeks themselves in philosophical knowledge? Although I have this
excuse for what I am doing, that I have been challenged by you, in that to
me most acceptable book which you sent me "On Virtue."

But I imagine that some people have become accustomed to feel a repugnance
to Latin writing because they have fallen in with some unpolished and
inelegant treatises translated from bad Greek into worse Latin. And with
those men I agree, provided they will not think it worth while to read the
Greek books written on the same subject. But who would object to read
works on important subjects expressed in well-selected diction, with
dignity and elegance; unless, indeed, he wishes to be taken absolutely for
a Greek, as Albucius was saluted at Athens by Scaevola, when he was praetor?
And this topic has been handled by that same Lucilius with great elegance
and abundant wit; where he represents Scaevola as saying--

You have preferr'd, Albucius, to be call'd
A Greek much rather than a Roman citizen
Or Sabine, countryman of Pontius,
Tritannius, and the brave centurions
And standard-bearers of immortal fame.
So now at Athens, I, the praetor, thus
Salute you as you wish, whene'er I see you,
With Greek address, {~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMEGA WITH PSILI AND PERISPOMENI~} {~GREEK SMALL LETTER CHI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER ALPHA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER IOTA WITH PERISPOMENI~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER RHO~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON~} noble Titus,
Ye lictors, and attendants {~GREEK SMALL