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The plea that it was for a friend's sake is a base apology, one that should never be admitted with regard to other forms of guilt, and certainly not as to crimes against the State. We, indeed, Fannius and Scaevola, are so situated that we ought to look far in advance for the perils that our country may incur.
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. Please forget me for a while; imagine Laelius to be speaking. Gaius Fannius and Quintus Mucius come to call on their father-in-law after the death of Africanus. They start the subject; Laelius answers them.
Fannius has anticipated the very request I was about to make. So you will be doing us both a great favour. Laelius. I should certainly have no objection if I felt confidence in myself.
But I know not how my discourse has digressed from the friendships of perfect, that is, of wise men, wise, I mean, so far as wisdom can fall to the lot of man, to friendships of a lighter sort. Let us then return to our original subject, and bring it to a speedy conclusion. Virtue, I say to you, Caius Fannius, and to you, Quintus Mucius, virtue both forms and preserves friendships.
I had already completed two books, in which I represented a conversation taking place on the Novendialia held in the consulship of Tuditanus and Aquilius, between Africanus, shortly before his death, and Lælius, Philus, Manilius, P. Rutilius, Q. Tubero, and Lælius's sons-in-law, Fannius and Scævola; a conversation which was extended to nine days and the same number of books "On the best Constitution of the State" and "On the best Citizen."
The supplies were scanty; Fannius and Triarius, in their distress, sent the most urgent entreaties to the general to furnish aid. With a heavy heart Lucullus resolved to yield to necessity, to give up Nisibis and Tigranocerta, and, renouncing all the brilliant hopes of his Armenian expedition, to return to the right bank of the Euphrates. Fannius was relieved; but in Pontus the help was too late.
But the proposal encountered the united opposition of the senate and the mob of the capital. The nature of this coalition and its mode of conflict are clearly and distinctly seen from an accidentally preserved fragment of the speech which the consul Gaius Fannius made to the burgesses in opposition to the proposal.
Then Scipio, putting on his sandals and robes, immediately went forth from his chamber, and when he had walked a little time in the portico, he met Lælius, and welcomed him and those that accompanied him, namely, Spurius Mummius, to whom he was greatly attached, and C. Fannius and Quintus Scævola, sons-in-law of Lælius, two very intelligent young men, and now of the quæstorian age.
And the whole essay on friendship is his. In reading it you will recognise a picture of yourself. Fannius. You are quite right, Laelius! there never was a better or more illustrious character than Africanus. But you should consider that at the present moment all eyes are on you. Everybody calls you "the wise" par excellence, and thinks you so.
It seems probable, however, that it was a history either of the third of the Punic wars, or of all of them; for Plutarch quotes from him probably from his History the statement that he, Fannius, and Tiberius Gracchus were the first to mount the walls of Carthage whent he city was taken.
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