After he finished, all his other hearers were
astonished, and vied with each other in praising him, but
Apollonius showed no signs of excitement while he was hearing him,
and now, when he had finished, sat musing for some time, without
any remark. And when Cicero was discomposed at this, he said, "You
have my praise and admiration, Cicero, and Greece my pity and
commiseration, since those arts and that eloquence which are the
only glories that remain to her, will now be transferred by you to
Rome."
And now when Cicero, full of expectation, was again bent upon
political affairs, a certain oracle blunted the edge of his
inclination; for consulting the god of Delphi how he should attain
most glory, the Pythoness answered, "By making your own genius and
not the opinion of the people the guide of your life;" and
therefore at first he passed his time in Rome cautiously, and was
very backward in pretending to public offices, so that he was at
that time in little esteem, and had got the names, so readily
given by low and ignorant people in Rome, of Greek and Scholar.
But when his own desire of fame and the eagerness of his father
and relations had made him take in earnest to pleading, he made no
slow or gentle advance to the first place, but shone out in full
lustre at once, and far surpassed all the advocates at the bar.
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