BOOK I
12. From Alexander the Platonist,[1] not to say to anyone often or without necessity, nor write in a letter, I am too busy, nor in this fashion constantly plead urgent affairs as an excuse for evading the obligations entailed upon us by our relations towards those around us.
13. From Catulus,[2] not to disregard a friend's expostulation even when it is unreasonable, but to try to bring him back to his usual friendliness; and to speak with whole-hearted good-will of one's teachers, as it is recorded that Domitius[3] did of Athenodotus; and to be genuinely fond of one's children.
14. From my 'brother' Severus,[4] love of family, love of truth, love of justice, and (thanks to him!) to know Thrasea, Helvidius, Cato, Dion, Brutus; and the conception of a state with one law for all, based upon individual equality and freedom of speech, and of a sovranty which prizes above all things the liberty of the subject; and furthermore from him also to set a well-balanced and unvarying value on philosophy; and readiness to do others a kindness, and eager generosity, and optimism, and confidence in the love of friends; and perfect openness in the case of those that came in for his censure; and the absence of any need for his friends to surmise what he did or did not wish, so plain was it.
- ↑ See Phil. Vit. Soph. ii. 5, p. 247 Kays. He was summoned by Marcus to Pannonia about 174 and made his Greek secretary.
- ↑ A Stoic, see Capit. iii. 2.
- ↑ Domitii were among the maternal ancestors of Marcus, and an Athenodotus was Fronto's teacher (ad Caes. iv. 12; Nab. p. 73).
- ↑ See Index II. He was father of the son-in-law of Marcus.
