6. M.Marius, a friend of Cicero, whose estate was in the neighbourhood of one of Cicero's, and with whom he was closely united by similarity of political opinions and intellectual tastes and habits. Although Marius constantly suffered from ill health, he was of a lively and cheerful disposition, full of wit and merriment; and accordingly, Cicero's four letters to him, which have aomn down to us (ad Fam. 7.1-4), are written in a sportive tone. The estate of Marius was in the neighbourhood of Pompeii, not far from the Pompeianum of Cicero. Almost all that we know about this Marius is contained in the four letters of Cicero already referred to. He is also mentioned by him in a letter to his brother Quintus. (Aa Q. Fr. 2.10.)