2. TO JEFFERSON FROM ADAMS, 9 OCTOBOR 1787
• This letter is full of warning, warning for what is to come in the future
• Adams talks about the cause they fought for will be thrown away by the next generation
• The US will lose it’s blueprint or it’s identity
• What they fought for will be gone
• He is warning of Greed, and that we must not fall, we can’t allow the US to change just
like many countries and Europe did before
• “O tempora-oh mores” means Oh what times! Oh what customs! – ancient quote from
Cicero in the fourth book (2nd oration against Verres) and the First Oration against Catiline
• This Explains the trend happening – Adams refers/warns to a changing identity of the
country
3. TO JEFFERSON FROM ADAMS, 11 MAY 1794
• This letter starts off speaking of retirement and how happy both men are (Adams speaks
about coming back from Europe not his retirement)
• Adams then goes in depth about some individual Europeans and speaks of rights
• “The Rights of one Generation of Men must Still depend, in Some degree, on the Paper
Transactions of another.”
• Laws and Social compact must be put on paper so they are concrete
• He speaks about the President of the US sending someone to try and reconcile with
Europe in order to find peace and avoid a war
• He worries about the debt war would cost/lives lost
• Also worries about Monarchy and Aristocracy
• “This country is becoming the asylum of all the ardent spirits in Europe”
4. CONT.
• “Fumum et Opes Strepitumque Romae” – “The smoke, the wealth, the din, of Rome”
• From Horace
• Odes 3.29
• Adams is saying if he had what Jefferson had (plantation/laborers) he would do the same
and leave the wealth, the smoke – all of the disturbances behind
• It’s all distractions
• Adams states that he does not approve of greed/distractions
5. ADAMS TO JEFFERSON, 3 FEBRUARY 1812
• First paragraph talks about how he fast he received a letter from Jefferson
• Adams was surprised it only took 8 days to get to him – changing of the times
• Speaks much about the Union and his views about independence which have not
changed
• Mentions Plato, Aristotle, and how he should have spent more time on Newton
• Refers to a lot of history in this letter
• Thucidides and Tacitus
• The original subscribers to Independence
• Talks about his age/staying healthy by walking/his grandkids
• “I would rather be the poorest man in france or england with sound health of body and
mind than the proudest King, Sachem or Warriour of any Tribe of savages in America”
6. CONT.
• "Concordia Res parvae crescunt, Discordia Maximae dilabuntur,” – “Small communities
grow great through harmony, great one fall to pieces through discord,”
• Found in Sallust, Jugurtha 10 and Juvenal, Satire 3
• When people work together there is no limit on what can happen – The blueprint for
the US
• Flip side – When there are many groups/people who are in disagreement this
can cause even the greatest communities/cities/states to fall
• I think this is placed in as both a foreshadowing of what can happen and a warning to
make sure not to stray
7. JEFFERSON TO ADAMS, 27 JUNE 1813
• Most of the letter talks about the fact that there has and always will be different groups/different ideas
• Political parties/factions within government/People opposing/upholding different beliefs
• Speaks about their meeting/coming to position in the country
• Holding The US beliefs – not falling to Monarchy/Aristocracy
• The entire first paragraph seems like a reflection of the past
• He says that there is always difference of opinion/party/government ideology
• Ἴδαν ἐς πολύδενδρον ἀνὴρ ὑλητόμος ἐλθὼν, Παπταίνει, παρέοντος ἄδην, ποθεν ἄρξεται ἔργου·Τί πρᾶτον
καταλεξῶ; ἐπεὶ πάρα μυρία ἐιπῆν.”
• Now when the feller goes up to thick woody Ida / He looks about him where to begin in all that plenty; / and so
I, where now shall I take up my tale
• Theocritus, Idylls
• Jefferson didn’t know where to begin with Adams previous questions so he just didn’t answer them
• Adams and Jefferson were rebuilding their friendship – fell because of political differences
• Adams more aggressive, Jefferson laid back and reserved
• “Some old Leaders know when to give it a rest”
8. ADAMS TO JEFFERSON, 12 MAY 1820
• Speaks of essences, that there is some essence yet we do not know what it really is
• This shows the humility in Adams
• He goes on to say that he understands different people will have different ideas, and at
the same time think that their idea is more important/right
• Saint will groan at philosopher – philosopher (believes only Matter in the universe)
laugh at saint (believes both matter and spirit in the universe)
• Idea of religion vs atheism/ religion vs science
• No human mind can truly understand what is out there/no one will truly ever be
right or wrong (at least in the case that they understand)
9. JEFFERSON TO ADAMS, 15 AUGUST 1820
• Speaks of his declining health, and how mathematics relates to the military
• Uses many ancient quotes in this letter responding back to Adams questions about matter
• Believes that to say the human soul, angels and God are immaterial is to say that they are
nothings
• Jesus taught us God is a spirit, but did not define spirit
• “Nothing made something”
• He states life is full of things we know for certain, and he enjoys that and does not trouble
himself with things that may indeed be, but of which do not have evidence to prove
• 'Deus reapse corporalis est; sed graviorum tantum ratione corporum incorporeus.’-
• Quid enim Deus nisi corpus?
• Quis negabit Deum esse corpus? Etsi Deus spiritus, spiritus etiam corpus est, sui generis
in sua effigie.
10. WORKS CITED
• Adams, John. "Founders Online: John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 3 February 1812."
John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, 3 February 1812. NHPRC, n.d. Web. 21 July
2015.
• Horace. "Horace: The Odes." Horace 'The Odes' Book III. A.S. Kline, 2003. Web. 21 July
2015.
• Jefferson, Thomas. "The Works of Thomas Jefferson." Google Books. Order of Congress,
n.d. Web. 21 July 2015.
• Lee, Patrick. "(Ἴδαν ἐς πολύδενδρον ) What the ..... ?" Thomas Jefferson Leadership.
N.p., n.d. Web. 21 July 2015.
• This File Was Downloaded From The Ib Notes Site:. "Cicero: In Catilinam 1." Cicero: In
Catilinam 1 (n.d.): n. pag. Ibnotes.tripod. 2001. Web. 20 July 2015.
• "Thomas Jefferson Leadership » Miscellaneous." Thomas Jefferson Leadership »
Miscellaneous. The University of Virginia Press, n.d. Web. 21 July 2015.
