Chapter 11

SECTION 36Therefore let us first consider, if you please, how far affection ought to advance in friendship. If Coriolanus had friends, should they have borne arms with Coriolanus against their country? Should the friends of Vecellinus have aided him when he sought to make himself king, or those of Maelius have aided him?

SECTION 37We saw Tiberius Gracchus, when he was convulsing the republic, abandoned by Quintus Tubero and the friends of his own age. But Gaius Blossius of Cumae, a guest-friend of your family, Scaevola, came to me to plead for pardon—for I sat on the council of the consuls Laenas and Rupilius—and offered this as his excuse: that he had valued Tiberius Gracchus so highly that he thought himself bound to do whatever Gracchus wished. Then I said, “Even if he had wished you to carry torches against the Capitol?” “He would never have wished that,” he replied; “but if he had, I should have obeyed.” You see what an impious declaration that was. And, by Hercules, he acted accordingly—or even went beyond what he had said; for he did not merely obey the recklessness of Tiberius Gracchus, but took command of it, presenting himself not as the companion of his madness but as its leader. And so, in consequence of this frenzy, terrified by the special inquiry, he fled to Asia, joined the enemies of Rome, and paid to the republic the heavy and just penalty he owed.

There is therefore no excuse for wrongdoing if you have done wrong for a friend’s sake; for since an esteem for virtue has been the bond that first creates friendship, friendship can scarcely endure if you forsake virtue.

SECTION 38Now if we were to establish as right the principle that we should grant our friends whatever they wish, and obtain from them whatever we ourselves wish, the matter would indeed contain no fault—provided that we possessed perfect wisdom. But we are speaking of those friends who stand before our eyes, whom we see, or of whom tradition has given us knowledge, men known to ordinary life. From their number we must take our examples, and especially from those who approach most nearly to wisdom.

SECTION 39We know that Papus Aemilius was an intimate friend of Gaius Luscinus—for so we have learned from our fathers—and that they were twice consuls together and colleagues in the censorship. Tradition also records that Manius Curius and Tiberius Coruncanius were most closely united both with them and with each other. We cannot, therefore, even suspect that any one of these men ever demanded from a friend anything contrary to good faith, contrary to his oath, or contrary to the republic. Indeed, what need is there to say of such men that, had one made such a demand, he would not have obtained it, when they were men of the most scrupulous integrity, and when it is equally impious either to do such a thing when asked or to ask it? Tiberius Gracchus, however, was followed by Gaius Carbo and Gaius Cato—and, least of all at that time, by his brother Gaius, who is now his most ardent partisan.

SECTION 36Therefore, let us first consider, if you please, how far affection ought to go in friendship. If Coriolanus had friends, were they obliged to bear arms with Coriolanus against their country? Were the friends of Vecellinus obliged to help him when he sought royal power, or those of Maelius to help him?

SECTION 37We saw Tiberius Gracchus, when he was throwing the republic into turmoil, abandoned by Quintus Tubero and his other friends of the same age. But Gaius Blossius of Cumae, a family friend of yours, Scaevola, came to me to plead his case, since I was serving on the council of the consuls Laenas and Rupilius. He offered this as his excuse and asked me to forgive him: that he had valued Tiberius Gracchus so highly that he thought he was bound to do whatever Gracchus wished. Then I said, “Even if he had wanted you to carry torches to the Capitol?” “He would never have wanted that,” he replied, “but if he had, I would have obeyed.” You see what an abominable statement that was. And, by Hercules, he acted accordingly—or even went beyond what he had said. For he did not merely obey the reckless designs of Tiberius Gracchus; he took the lead in them. He presented himself not as a companion in Gracchus’s madness, but as its leader. And so, in consequence of this insanity, terrified by the special court of inquiry, he fled to Asia, joined the enemies of Rome, and paid the republic a severe and just penalty.There is therefore no excuse for wrongdoing if you have done wrong for a friend’s sake. For since a belief in someone’s virtue is what brings friendship into being, friendship can hardly survive if you abandon virtue.

SECTION 38Now, if we were to establish as a rule that it is right either to grant our friends whatever they want or to obtain from them whatever we want, the principle would indeed be faultless if we possessed perfect wisdom. But we are speaking of the friends before our eyes, whom we actually see or about whom tradition has informed us—the kind familiar from ordinary life. We must take our examples from this group, and especially from those who come closest to wisdom.

SECTION 39We know that Papus Aemilius was an intimate friend of Gaius Luscinus—this is what we have learned from our fathers—and that they were consuls together twice and colleagues in the censorship. Tradition also tells us that Manius Curius and Tiberius Coruncanius were extremely close both to them and to each other. We cannot even suspect, therefore, that any one of these men ever pressed a friend to do anything contrary to good faith, contrary to his oath, or contrary to the republic. Indeed, in the case of such men, what is the point of saying that, if one of them had made such a demand, he would not have obtained it? They were men of the highest integrity, and it is equally wicked either to do such a thing when asked or to ask it of someone else. Tiberius Gracchus, however, was followed by Gaius Carbo and Gaius Cato, and also by his brother Gaius—though at that time less ardently than the others, while now he is the fiercest of them all.