Letter 106
To his Brother
I asked the young man who brought me some silphium from you, whether you had grown it yourself, or whether it was a present you had received, a share of which you were passing on to me. I learned from him that your own garden, which you take such care of, yielded you this excellent plant, together with every other sort of fruit. I am doubly rejoiced both on the account of the beauty of this product, and on the account of the reputation your estate enjoys. Go on, then, and make the most of such fertile soil. Never tire of watering your beloved garden beds, and may they never weary of the labours of birth, so that you may have enough for your own use, and may send me whatever the seasons bring forth.
Letter 107
To his Brother
Really you are joking when you say that you want to prevent us from manufacturing arms while the enemy is holding the country, plundering everything, and slaughtering whole populations every day, and when we have no soldiers to be seen. Are you going to maintain then that private individuals are not authorized to bear arms, but allowed to die? Evidently the government is full of wrath against those who attempt to save themselves. Very well, then, if I gain nothing else, at all events the laws shall be out masters instead of these destroyers. How high a value, think you, do I set on seeing peace flowering again, the tribunal in position, and the herald ordering silence! Yes, I desire only to die when my city has regained her former position.
Letter 108
To his Brother
I have gained three hundred lances and as many scimitars. As to two-edged swords, I never had more than ten, for they do not manufacture these long iron weapons in our country. I think, however, the scimitars strike the bodies of our enemies a more terrible blow, and for that reason we shall use them. At a pinch we can have clubs, for our wild-olive trees are excellent. Some of our men carry also hatchets, ground on one side, in their belts. By battering the shields of our enemies with hatchets, we force them to fight on an equal footing with us, as we have no defensive armour. To-morrow, I think, the battle will take place. A band of the enemy met some of our scouts recently. It pursued them with vigour, and then, seeing that our people were too well mounted to be overtaken, the barbarians bade them to announce to us tidings, cheerful indeed, if we shall no longer have to wander about looking for men hiding in the vast expanses of the country. For they told us that they would wait for us, that they wished to know what sort of men we were, who had not hesitated to leave our homes for so long a time, to go out to fight a warlike people, wandering tribes accounted to live perpetually as we live only when we are making an expedition. I hope, therefore, that to-morrow by the aid of God I may vanquish him in a second attempt. I commend my children to you. You are their uncle, and ought to remember to show favour to them.