_T._ No; tell me, _why_ did you leave it out? had you a reason? _C._ I thought it was only the Latin style, to dress the sentence, to make it antithetical; and was not English. _T._ Very good, still, you can express it; try. _C. Also_, with the second clause? _T._ That is right, go on. _C._ Nam et, _for you distinctly stated in writing your opinion_, et Atticus ad me sermonem tuum pertulit, _and Aticus too sent me word of what you said,… of what you said to him in conversation_. _T._ “Pertulit.” _C._ It means that Atticus conveyed on to Cicero the conversation he had with Appius. _T. Who_ was Atticus? _C. is silent._ _T._ Who was Atticus? _C._ I didn’t think it came into the examination.… _T._ Well, I didn’t say it did: but still you can tell me who Atticus was. _C._ A great friend of Cicero’s. _T._ Did he take much part in politics? _C._ No. _T._ What were his opinions? _C._ He was an Epicurean. _T._ What was an Epicurean? _C. is silent, then_, Epicureans lived for themselves. _T._ You are answering very well, sir; proceed. _C._ Semper judicavi, _I have ever considered_, in te, et in capiendo consilio prudentiam summam esse, et in dando fidem; _that your wisdom was of the highest order_ … _that you had the greatest wisdom … that nothing could exceed the wisdom of your resolves, or the honesty of your advice_. _T._ “Fidem.” _C._ It means _faithfulness to the person asking_ … maximeque sum expertus, _and I had a great proof of it_.… _T._ _Great_; why don’t you say _greatest_? “maxime” is superlative. _C._ The Latins use the superlative, when they only mean the positive. _T._ You mean, when English uses the positive; can you give me an instance of what you mean? _C._ Cicero always speaks of others as amplissimi, optimi, doctissimi, clarissimi. _T._ Do they ever use the comparative for the positive? _C. thinks, then_, Certior factus sum. _T._ Well, perhaps; however, here, “maxime” may mean _special_, may it not? _C. And I had a special proof of it_, cùm, initio civilis belli, per literas te consuluissem, _when, on the commencement of the civil war, I had written to ask your advice_, quid mihi faciendum esse censeres, _what you thought I ought to do_, eundumne ad Pompeium, an manendum in Italiâ, _to go to Pompey, or to remain in Italy_. _T._ Very well, now stop. Dubitanti mini, quod scit Atticus noster. You construed quod, _as_. _C._ I meant the relative _as_. _T._ Is _as_ a relative? _C. As_ is used in English for the relative, as when we say _such as_ for _those who_. _T._ Well, but why do you use it here? What is the antecedent to “quod”? _C._ The sentence Dubitanti mihi, etc. _T._ Still, construe “quod” literally. _C. A thing which._ _T._ Where is _a thing?_ _C._ It is understood. _T._ Well, but put it in. _C._ Illud quod. _T._ Is that right? what is the common phrase? _C. is silent._ _T._ Did you ever see “illud quod” in that position? is it the phrase? _C. is silent._