Vol I, § 61; J.B. Mayor, 'Sketch of Ancient Philosophy', pp. 223-244;
Teuffel, 'History of Roman Literature', Vol. i, § 172 _et seq._ Cruttwell,
'History of Roman Literature', Bk. II. Part 1, Ch. 2; 'Cicero', by Collins,
in Ancient Classics for English Readers, Ch. 10, et seq.; also the
Introduction to Reid's edition of the _Academica_, and the account of
Cicero by Prof. Ramsay in Smith's Dictionary of Biography and Mythology.
The most attractive biography of Cicero in English is that by Forsyth. That
by Trollope is able but quite partisan. On the philosophy, consult also
Zeller's 'Eclectics.'

II. THE CATO MAIOR.

(i.) ORIGIN AND SCOPE.

1. _Date and Circumstances of Composition._

The date at which the Cato Maior was written can be determined with almost
perfect exactness. A mention in Cicero's work entitled _De Divinatione_[6]
shows that the Cato Maior preceded that work by a short time. The _De
Divinatione_ was written after the assassination of Caesar, that is, after
the 15th of March in the year 44.[7] Again, the Cato Maior is mentioned as
a recent work in three letters addressed by Cicero to Atticus.[8] The
earliest of these letters was written on or about the 12th of May, 44.[9]
We shall hardly err, therefore, if we assume that Cicero composed the Cato
Maior in April of the year 44.[10] This agrees also with slight indications
in the work itself. In the dedicatory introduction Cicero speaks of
troubles weighing heavily on himself and Atticus.[11] Any one who reads the
letters to Atticus despatched in April, 44, will have little doubt that the
troubles hinted at are the apprehensions as to the course of Antonius, from
whom Cicero had personally something to fear. Atticus was using all the