[Footnote 332: Or, as Prof. Tyrrell suggests, "does not quote Curio to that effect." I think, however, that Cicero does not use _laudo_ in this sense except in connexion with _auctorem_, _auctores_, and even then generally with a subsense, at least, of commendation. The speech was composed to be delivered against the elder Curio and Clodius (see p. 155), but was never delivered. Its personal tone made it dangerous now.] [Footnote 333: Cicero means that Atticus acted with the emotion spontaneously arising from his affection, but not with the caution which he would have shewn in doing a thing which he was under some obligation to do.] [Footnote 334: The ancient "colleges" or "clubs" had been gradually increasing, and a decree of the senate in B.C. 64 had declared certain of them unlawful. But Clodius had overridden this decree by a _lex_ early in B.C. 58, and many new ones were formed, which he used for his political purposes (_pro Sest._ § 55; Dio, xxxviii. 13).] [Footnote 335: That he could do nothing against the wishes of Cæsar (_Att._ x. 4, § 3; cp. _in Pis._ § 77). According to Plutarch, Pompey avoided a personal interview (_Cic._ 31).] [Footnote 336: The kindness has been all on the side of Atticus, who will therefore be attached to the object of it--for the benefactor loves more than the benefited.] [Footnote 337: A _privilegium_ was a law referring to a particular person, which was forbidden by the twelve tables, and if it was shewn to be unconstitutional a decree of the senate could declare it void. But Cicero seems to think that such a proceeding of the senate would give a possibility of raising the question afresh.] [Footnote 338: The first bill named no one, but enacted that "anyone who had put a citizen to death uncondemned should be forbidden fire and water." The second, "that M. Tullius be forbidden fire and water." Cicero says that the former did not touch him, I suppose, because it could not be retrospective. This is in accordance with the view of Cæsar, who approved of the law, but said that old sores ought not to be ripped up--οὐ μὴν καὶ προσήκειν ἐπὶ παρεληλυθόσι τοιοῦτόν τινα νόμον συγγράφεσθει (Dio, xxxviii. 17).] [Footnote 339: Because it shewed that he considered himself as coming under the new law.] [Footnote 340: Letter LXVIII, p. 154.] [Footnote 341: L. Domitius Ahenobarbus, who was a prætor this year.] [Footnote 342: Though Cicero uses _tantum ... quantum_ here, he does not mean that Atticus failed to love him enough--that would have been too unreasonable. In a certain way he means that he loved him too much. He allowed his spontaneous feelings full vent, without acting with the cool wisdom which he would have shewn in fulfilling a duty or moral obligation. It is more fully expressed above. Still, it was a difficult thing to say, and he doesn't succeed in making it very clear.] LXXIII (A III, 16) TO ATTICUS (AT ROME) THESSALONICA, 19 AUGUST [Sidenote: B.C. 58, ÆT. 48]