in the deliverance of scientific judgments. The fame of Cicero as an orator and statesman has overshadowed his reputation as a philosopher. In philosophy, indeed, he has no pretensions to originality: he was rather an amateur than one of the regular and professional fraternity. Yet his philosophical writings are able and eloquent digests of the opinions of preceding philosophers, and are well worthy of our study. His dialogues, 'De Amicitia' and 'De Senectute,' have a deep ethical interest, and have besides "a fine mellow tone of colouring, which sets them, perhaps, above all his other works in point of originality and beauty." Cicero was born 106 B.C., and died, or rather was murdered, 43 B.C., during the troubled times of the triumvirate between Augustus, Antony, and Lepidus. In regard to the Epicurean philosophy, its tenets were adopted and its praises sounded by the Roman poet Lucretius (b. 95 B.C., d. 51 B.C.) And no doubt many of the luxurious Romans adopted the creed of Epicurus.
4. At a somewhat later period Stoicism was upheld at Rome by the example and writings of Seneca, one of the most distinguished adherents of whom this sect can boast. Seneca was a person of some importance as the tutor of Nero, and his history is connected with the dark reign of that hideous tyrant. He was falsely charged with being privy to the conspiracy of Piso, and the emperor's commands were conveyed to him, signifying that he must prepare for
