The letters in this selection have been chosen partly as revelatory of Cicero's personality or otherwise intrinsically interesting, partly to give an impression of the variety of the correspondence and to illustrate the main types of letter to be found in it. Though some of my choices are historically important, it has not been my aim to present a conspectus of historical source-material. I have judged it best to exclude (with one small exception) letters not written by Cicero, interesting and valuable though some of these are.

In conformity with the purposes of the series, its editors, Professor Kenney and Mrs Easterling, suggested numerous additions and amplifications in the original draft of my notes. Practically all these suggestions I have gratefully adopted.