Chapter 1

SECTION 1Quintus Mucius the augur often used to recount, from memory and with great charm, many stories about his father-in-law, Gaius Laelius, and never hesitated in any conversation to call him a wise man. As for me, when I had assumed the toga of manhood, my father placed me under Scaevola’s care with the understanding that, so far as I could and was permitted, I should never leave the old man’s side. Accordingly, I committed to memory many arguments judiciously developed by him, as well as many sayings of his, brief and aptly expressed, and I strove to become wiser through his wisdom. After his death, I attached myself to Scaevola the pontiff, whom I venture to call the one man in our commonwealth most distinguished both for intellect and for justice. But of him another time; I now return to the augur.

SECTION 2Among the many occasions I remember, there was one when he was sitting at home, as was his custom, on the semicircular bench, with me and only a very few close friends present, and he happened upon a subject that was then on nearly everyone’s lips. You surely remember, Atticus—and all the more because you were closely associated with Publius Sulpicius—how great was the astonishment or indignation of the public when Sulpicius, as tribune of the plebs, became divided by a deadly hatred from Quintus Pompeius, who was then consul, though he had lived with him in the closest and most affectionate intimacy.

SECTION 3And so, when Scaevola happened to mention that very affair, he related to us a conversation on friendship held by Laelius with himself and with Laelius’s other son-in-law, Gaius Fannius, son of Marcus, a few days after the death of Africanus. I committed the substance of that discussion to memory and have set it forth in this book in my own fashion; for I have introduced the speakers as though they themselves were talking, so that “I said” and “he said” need not be inserted too often, and so that the conversation might seem to be taking place face-to-face, among persons actually present.

SECTION 4For since you often urged me to write something about friendship, the subject appeared to me worthy both of universal consideration and of our own intimacy; and so I willingly complied, that at your request I might benefit many. But just as in the Cato the Elder, which was written for you on old age, I introduced the aged Cato as the speaker, because no person seemed better suited to speak about that time of life than one who had remained an old man for so long and in old age itself had flourished beyond all others, so, since we had learned from our fathers that the friendship of Gaius Laelius and Publius Scipio was especially memorable, the person of Laelius seemed to me a fitting one to discuss friendship in the very terms that Scaevola remembered him using. Moreover, this form of discourse, resting on the authority of men of former times—and illustrious men at that—somehow seems to possess greater dignity. Thus, when I read my own work, I am sometimes so affected that I imagine Cato, not myself, is speaking.

SECTION 5But as I, then an old man, wrote to an old man about old age, so in this book, as a most devoted friend, I have written to a friend about friendship. Then it was Cato who spoke, a man than whom scarcely anyone in those days was older and no one wiser; now Laelius, both a wise man—for so he was regarded—and a man eminent for the glory of his friendship, will speak about friendship. I should like you to turn your attention away from me for a little while and imagine that Laelius himself is speaking. Gaius Fannius and Quintus Mucius come to their father-in-law after the death of Africanus; they begin the conversation, and Laelius replies. His entire discourse concerns friendship, which, as you read it, you will recognize for yourself.

SECTION 1Quintus Mucius the augur used to tell many stories about his father-in-law, Gaius Laelius, from memory and with great charm, and he never hesitated to call him “the Wise” in every conversation. My own father, after I had assumed the toga of manhood, placed me under Scaevola’s guidance with the understanding that, as far as I could and was permitted, I should never leave the old man’s side. And so I committed to memory many arguments he presented wisely, as well as many things he said briefly and aptly, and I tried to become better educated through his wisdom. After his death, I attached myself to Scaevola the pontiff, whom I venture to call the one man in our state most outstanding in both intellect and justice. But I will speak of him another time; now I return to the augur.

SECTION 2Among the many occasions on which he spoke at length, I particularly remember him sitting at home in his semicircular seat, as was his custom, when I was with him along with only a very few close friends, and falling into a discussion of a subject that was then on nearly everyone’s lips. For you surely remember, Atticus—and all the more because you were very close to Publius Sulpicius—how much astonishment and complaint there was among the people when Sulpicius, as tribune of the plebs, became divided by deadly hatred from Quintus Pompeius, who was then consul, although he had lived with him in the closest and most affectionate friendship.

SECTION 3And so, when Scaevola happened to mention that very subject, he recounted to us a conversation on friendship that Laelius had held with him and with his other son-in-law, Gaius Fannius, son of Marcus, a few days after Africanus’s death. I committed the substance of that discussion to memory and have set it out in this book in my own manner. For I have presented the men themselves as speaking, so that I would not have to keep inserting “I said” and “he said,” and so that the conversation might appear to be taking place face-to-face among people actually present.

SECTION 4For you often urged me to write something about friendship, and the subject seemed to me worthy both of everyone’s attention and of our own close relationship. So I willingly did as you asked, in the hope of benefiting many people. But just as in Cato the Elder, the book on old age that was written for you, I presented the aged Cato conducting the discussion, because no character seemed better suited to speak about that period of life than a man who had lived to a very advanced age and had flourished in old age beyond all others, so too, since we had learned from our fathers that the friendship of Gaius Laelius and Publius Scipio had been especially memorable, Laelius seemed to me a suitable character to discuss the very points about friendship that Scaevola remembered him discussing. Somehow, this form of dialogue, founded on the authority of distinguished men of earlier times, seems to carry greater weight. Indeed, when I read my own work, I am sometimes so affected that I think it is Cato speaking, not I.

SECTION 5But just as I, an old man, then wrote to an old man about old age, so in this book I, a most devoted friend, have written to a friend about friendship. Then the speaker was Cato, than whom almost no one in those days was older or wiser; now Laelius, who was regarded as wise and was renowned for the glory of his friendship, will speak about friendship. I would like you to turn your attention away from me for a little while and imagine that Laelius himself is speaking. Gaius Fannius and Quintus Mucius come to their father-in-law after the death of Africanus. They begin the conversation, and Laelius responds. His entire discussion concerns friendship, and as you read it, you will recognize yourself.