been especially praised by our countrymen. Moreover, even the advocates of
pleasure seek for subterfuges, and are talking of virtue whole days
together; and say that pleasure is at first only wished for; that
afterwards it, through custom, becomes a second nature, by which men are
excited to do many things without at all seeking pleasure.

The Stoics remain to be mentioned. They, indeed, have borrowed not one
idea or another from us, but have appropriated our whole system of
philosophy. And as other thieves alter the marks on the things which they
have stolen, so they, in order to be able to use our opinions as their
own, have changed the names which are like the private marks on things.
And so this school alone remains worthy of those men who study the liberal
arts, worthy of the learned, worthy of eminent men, worthy of princes,
worthy of kings.

And when he had said this, and then stopped to take breath for a while;
What is the matter? said he; do I not seem to have said enough in your
presence for my own defence? I replied,--Indeed, O Piso, as has often been
the case before, you have seemed to-day to have so thorough an
acquaintance with all these things, that, if we could always have the
advantage of your company, I should not think that we had much reason to
have recourse to the Greeks. Which, indeed, I have been the more pleased
with, because I recollect that Staseas, the Neapolitan, your preceptor, a
very illustrious Peripatetic, was at times accustomed to discuss these
points differently, agreeing with those men who attributed a great deal of
weight to prosperity and adversity, and to the good or evil qualities of
the body. It is as you say, he replied: but these points are argued with
much more accuracy and impressiveness by my friend Antiochus than they
used to be by Staseas. Although I do not ask what I have proved to your
satisfaction, but what I have proved to the satisfaction of this friend of
mine, the young Cicero, a pupil whom I wish to seduce from you.

XXVI. Then Lucius said,--Indeed, I quite agree with what you have said, and
I think my brother does too. Then said Piso to me: Is it so? Do you pardon
the youth? or would you rather that he should learn these things which,
when he has learnt thoroughly, he will know nothing at all? I give him
leave, said I. But do not you recollect that I am allowed to express my
approval or disapproval of what has been said by you? For who can avoid
approving of wha