Still, amid much depreciation, sufficient interest and sympathy were roused by his first philosophical works to encourage Cicero to proceed.  The elder generation, for whose approbation he most cared, praised the books, and many were incited both to read and to write philosophy[130].  Cicero now extended his design, which seems to have been at first indefinite, so as to bring within its scope every topic which Greek philosophers were accustomed to treat[131].  Individual questions in philosophy could not be thoroughly understood till the whole subject had been mastered[132].  This design then, which is not explicitly stated in the two earliest works which we possess, the Academica and the De Finibus, required the composition of a sort of philosophical encyclopaedia.  Cicero never claimed to be more than an interpreter of Greek philosophy to the Romans.  He never pretended to present new views of philosophy, or even original criticisms on its history.  The only thing he proclaims to be his own is his style.  Looked at in this, the true light, his work cannot be judged a failure.  Those who contrive to pronounce this judgment must either insist upon trying the work by a standard to which it does not appeal, or fail to understand the Greek philosophy it copies, or perhaps make Cicero suffer for the supposed worthlessness of the philosophy of his age.

In accordance with Greek precedent, Cicero claims to have his oratorical and political writings, all or nearly all published before the Hortensius, included in his philosophical encyclopaedia[133].  The only two works strictly philosophical, even in the ancient view, which preceded the Academica, were the De Consolatione, founded on Crantor’s book, [Greek:  peri penthous], and the Hortensius, which was introductory to philosophy, or, as it was then called, protreptic.

For a list of the philosophical works of Cicero, and the dates of their composition, the student must be referred to the Dict. of Biography, Art.  Cicero.

IV. History of the Academica.

On the death of Tullia, which happened at Tusculum in February, 45 B.C., Cicero took refuge in the solitude of his villa at Astura, which was pleasantly situated on the Latin coast between Antium and Circeii[134].  Here he sought to soften his deep grief by incessant toil.  First the book De Consolatione was written.  He found the mechanic exercise of composition the best solace for his pain, and wrote for whole days together[135].  At other times he would plunge at early morning into the dense woods near his villa, and remain there absorbed in study till nightfall[136].  Often exertion failed to bring relief; yet he repelled the entreaties of Atticus that he would return to the forum and the senate.  A grief, which books and solitude could scarcely enable him to endure, would crush him, he felt, in the busy city[137].