it Brutus of whom Varro was jealous?  It seems strange that Cicero should not have entered into correspondence with Varro himself.  Etiquette seems to have required that the recipient of a dedication should be assumed ignorant of the intentions of the donor till they were on the point of being actually carried out.  Thus although Cicero saw Brutus frequently while at Tusculum, he apparently did not speak to him about the De Finibus, but employed Atticus to ascertain his feeling about the dedication[187].

Cicero’s own judgment about the completed second edition of the Academica is often given in the letters.  He tells us that it extended, on the whole, to greater length than the first, though much had been omitted; he adds, “Unless human self love deceives me, the books have been so finished that the Greeks themselves have nothing in the same department of literature to approach them....  This edition will be more brilliant, more terse, and altogether better than the last[188].”  Again:  “The Antiochean portion has all the point of Antiochus combined with any polish my style may possess[189].”  Also:  “I have finished the book with I know not what success, but with a care which nothing could surpass[190].”  The binding and adornment of the presentation copy for Varro received great attention, and the letter accompanying it was carefully elaborated[191].  Yet after everything had been done and the book had been sent to Atticus at Rome, Cicero was still uneasy as to the reception it would meet with from Varro.  He wrote thus to Atticus:  “I tell you again and again that the presentation will be at your own risk.  So if you begin to hesitate, let us desert to Brutus, who is also a follower of Antiochus. 0 Academy, on the wing as thou wert ever wont, flitting now hither, now thither!” Atticus on his part “shuddered” at the idea of taking the responsibility[192].  After the work had passed into his hands, Cicero begged him to take all precautions to prevent it from getting into circulation until they could meet one another in Rome[193].  This warning was necessary, because Balbus and Caerellia had just managed to get access to the De Finibus[194].  In a letter, dated apparently a day or two later, Cicero declared his intention to meet Atticus at Rome and send the work to Varro, should it be judged advisable to do so, after a consultation[195].  The meeting ultimately did not take place, but Cicero left the four books in Atticus’ power, promising to approve any course that might be taken[196].  Atticus wrote to say that as soon as Varro came to Rome the books would be sent to him.  “By this time, then,” says Cicero, when he gets the letter, “you have taken the fatal step; oh dear! if you only knew at what peril to yourself!  Perhaps my letter stopped you, although you had not read it when you wrote.  I long to hear how the matter stands[197].”  Again, a little later:  “You have been bold enough, then, to give Varro the books?  I await