I
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
[Sidenote: _Menturnae, May 5 or 6_, B.C. _51_]
Yes, I did see your feelings when we parted, and to my own I can
testify. That is an additional reason why you should take care that no
new decrees are passed, to prevent this painful separation from lasting
more than one year. You have taken the right steps with Annius
Saturninus. As to the guarantee, please give it yourself, while you are
in town. There are some proofs of ownership, for instance those for
Mennius’ or rather Atilius’ estate. You have done exactly what I wanted
in Oppius’ case, especially in putting the £7,000[165] to his credit. I
must have that paid off without waiting till I’ve got in all my arrears,
even if I have to get into the hands of the Jews[166] over it.
Now I come to the line you wrote crosswise at the end of your letter, in
which you give me a word of advice about your sister. The facts of the
case are that when I reached Arpinum and my brother had come, the first
thing we did was to have a long talk about you. After that I brought the
talk round to the discussion you and I had about your sister at
Tusculum. My brother’s behaviour then to your sister was gentleness and
kindness itself. If there ever was any quarrel about
Footnote 165:
800,000 sesterces.
Footnote 166:
_Versuram facere_ = to borrow money to pay off a previous loan.
fuerat ex ratione sumptus offensio, non appareret. Ille sic dies.
Postridie ex Arpinati profecti sumus. Ut in Arcano Quintus maneret, dies
fecit, ego Aquini, sed prandimus in Arcano. Nosti hunc fundum. Quo ut
venimus, humanissime Quintus “Pomponia” inquit, “tu invita mulieres, ego
arcivero viros.” Nihil potuit, mihi quidem ut visum est, dulcius idque
cum verbis tum etiam animo ac vultu. At illa audientibus nobis “Ego ipsa
sum” inquit “hic hospita,” id autem ex eo, ut opinor, quod antecesserat
Statius, ut prandium nobis videret. Tum Quintus “En” inquit mihi “haec
ego patior cotidie.” Dices: “Quid, quaeso, istuc erat?” Magnum; itaque
me ipsum commoverat; sic absurde et aspere verbis vultuque responderat.
Dissimulavi dolens. Discubuimus omnes praeter illam, cui tamen Quintus
de mensa misit. Illa reiecit. Quid multa? nihil meo fratre lenius, nihil
asperius tua sorore mihi visum est; et multa praetereo, quae tum mihi
maiori stomacho quam ipsi Quinto fuerunt. Ego inde Aquinum. Quintus in
Arcano remansit et Aquinum ad me postridie mane venit mihique narravit
nee secum illam dormire voluisse et, cum discessura esset, fuisse eius
modi, qualem ego vidissem. Quid quaeris? vel ipsi hoc dicas licet,
humanitatem ei meo iudicio illo die defuisse.
Haec ad te scripsi fortasse pluribus, quam necesse fuit, ut videres tuas
quoque esse partes instituendi et monendi. Reliquum est, ut, antequam
proficiscare, mandata nostra, exhaurias, scribas ad me omnia, Pomptinum
expense, there were no signs of it. So passed that day. On the next day
we started from Arpinum. A festival caused Quintus to stop at Arcanum,
while I went on to Aquinum: but we lunched together at Arcanum. You know
his place there. Well, when we reached it, Quintus said most politely,
“Pomponia, you invite the ladies, I will ask the men.” Nothing, so far
as I could see, could have been more gentle than his words or his
intention or his expression. But before us all she answered “I’m only a
stranger here”; just because Statius had been sent on in front to get
dinner ready for us, I suppose. Says Quintus to me: “There you are.
That’s what I have to put up with every day.” You may say there surely
was not much in that. But there was a good deal: indeed she upset me
myself; she answered with such uncalled for acrimony in word and look. I
concealed my annoyance. We all took our places except her: but Quintus
sent her something from the table, which she refused. In a word, it
seemed to me that my brother was as good-tempered and your sister as
cross as could be, and I have omitted a lot of things that aroused my
wrath more than Quintus’. Then I went on to Aquinum. Quintus stayed at
Arcanum, and came to me the next morning, and told me that she would not
sleep with him and, when she was leaving, she was as cross as when I saw
her. In fact, I don’t care if you tell her herself, that to my mind she
behaved with a lack of courtesy that day.
I have said perhaps more than necessary about it to show you that it is
your turn to do a little instructing and advising too. It only remains
for you to fulfil all my commissions before you start, and send me an
account of all of them, to rout Pomptinus out,
extrudas, cum profectus eris, cures, ut sciam, sic habeas, nihil
mehercule te mihi nec carius esse nec suavius. A. Torquatum amantissime
dimisi Menturnis, optimum virum; cui me ad te scripsisse aliquid in
sermone significes velim.
II
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. in Pompeiano VI Id. Mai. a. 703_]
A. d. VI Idus Maias, cum has dabam litteras, ex Pompeiano proficiscebar,
ut eo die manerem in Trebulano apud Pontium. Deinde cogitabam sine ulla
mora iusta itinera facere. In Cumano cum essem, venit ad me, quod mihi
pergratum fuit, noster Hortensius; cui deposcenti mea mandata cetera
universe mandavi, illud proprie, ne pateretur, quantum esset in ipso;
prorogari nobis provincias. In quo eum tu velim confirmes gratumque mihi
fecisse dicas, quod et venerit ad me et hoc mihi, praetereaque si quid
opus esset, promiserit. Confirmavi ad eam causam etiam Furnium nostrum,
quem ad annum tribunum pl. videbam fore. Habuimus in Cumano quasi
pusillam Romam. Tanta erat in his locis multitudo; cum interim Rufio
noster, quod se a Vestorio observari videbat, strategemate hominem
percussit; nam ad me non accessit. Itane? cum Hortensius veniret et
infirmus et tam longe et Hortensius, cum maxima praeterea multitudo,
ille non venit? Non, inquam. “Non vidisti igitur hominem?” inquies. Qui
potui non videre, cum per emporium Puteolanorum iter
and, when you have left, to let me know, believing that there is nothing
I hold dearer than yourself, nothing that gives me more delight. I bade
that good fellow, A. Torquatus, a most affectionate farewell at
Menturnae. I should like you to tell him I mentioned him in a letter.
II
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
[Sidenote: _Pompeii, May 10_, B.C. _51_]
On the 10th of May, the date of this letter, I set out from my villa at
Pompeii, to spend the day with Pontius in his villa at Trebula.
Thereafter I mean to do my day’s journey regularly without delay. While
I was in my villa at Cumae, our friend Hortensius paid me a very welcome
visit. He asked if I had any commissions, and I gave him commissions in
general, and in particular to prevent to the best of his ability
extension of my term of office in my province. Please keep him up to it,
and tell him that I was much gratified at his visit, and at his promises
on that particular point and of any other assistance I might need. I
have bound our friend Furnius, who, I see, will be tribune next year, to
help me in the same matter. My villa at Cumae was a miniature Rome;
there were such a lot of people in the neighbourhood. In the middle of
it all our friend Rufio, seeing that Vestorius was on his tracks,
baffled the man by a ruse; for he did not come to me. You may be
surprised that he did not come, seeing that Hortensius came, who is ill,
lives afar off and is a great man, and crowds of other people came as
well. I repeat he did not come. You may infer I did not see him. How
could I fail to see him when I travelled
facerem? In quo illum agentem aliquid, credo, salutavi, post etiam iussi
valere, cum me exiens e sua villa, numquid vellem, rogasset. Hunc
hominem parum gratum quisquam putet aut non in eo ipso laudandum, quod
audiri non laborarit? Sed redeo ad illud.
Noli putare mihi aliam consolationem esse huius ingentis molestiae, nisi
quod spero non longiorem annua fore. Hoc me ita velle multi non credunt
ex consuetudine aliorum; tu, qui scis, omnem diligentiam adhibebis tum
scilicet, cum id agi debebit, cum ex Epiro redieris. De re publica
scribas ad me velim, si quid erit, quod odorere. Nondum enim satis huc
erat allatum, quo modo Caesar ferret de auctoritate perscripta, eratque
rumor de Transpadanis eos iussos IIII viros creare. Quod si ita est,
magnos motus timeo. Sed aliquid ex Pompeio sciam.
III
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. in Trebulano V Id. Mai. a. 703_]
A. d. VI Idus Maias veni in Trebulanum ad Pontium. Ibi mihi tuae
litterae binae redditae sunt tertio abs te die. Eodem autem exiens e
Pompeiano
through the market of Puteoli? He was busy about something there I
fancy, when I greeted him. On a subsequent occasion, I bade him a brief
good-bye, when he came out of his villa and asked if I had any commands.
Is one to reckon such a man ungrateful, or does he not rather deserve
praise for not striving to get audience? But I return to my former
point.
Pray don’t imagine that I have any consolation for this tremendous
nuisance beyond a hope that my office will not outlast a year. A number
of people do not believe in this wish of mine, judging me by others.
You, who know my mind, will please use every effort, I mean when the
time comes for action, on your return from Epirus. Please write me on
state politics, and tell me any secrets you may scent out. For at
present we have no sufficient news as to how Caesar takes the recorded
opinion of the Senate on his case, and there was a report too that the
Transpadani were ordered to create a board of four municipal
officers.[167] If that is the case, I fear great disturbance: but I
shall learn some news from Pompey.
III
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
[Sidenote: _Trebula, May 11_, B.C. _51_]
On the 10th of May I came to Pontius’ villa at Trebula. There two
letters from you were delivered to me on the third day after leaving
your hands. On that same day, as I was quitting my place at Pompeii,
Footnote 167:
Caesar wished to give Transpadane Gaul the full _civitas_; in which
case they would become a _municipium_ and elect a yearly board of
_quattuorviri_, instead of _duoviri_.
Philotimo dederam ad te litteras; nec vero nunc erat sane, quod
scriberem. Qui de re publica rumores, scribe, quaeso; in oppidis enim
summum video timorem, sed multa inania. Quid de his cogites et quando,
scire velim. Ad quas litteras tibi rescribi velis, nescio. Nullas enim
adhuc acceperam, praeter quae mihi binae simul in Trebulano redditae
sunt; quarum alterae edictum P. Lentuli habebant (erant autem Nonis
Maiis datae), alterae rescriptae ad meas Menturnenses. Quani vereor, ne
quid fuerit σπουδαιότερον in iis, quas non accepi, quibus rescribi vis!
Apud Lentulum ponam te in gratia.
Dionysius nobis cordi est. Nicanor tuus operam mihi dat egregiam. lam
deest, quod scribam, et lucet. Beneventi cogitabam hodie. Nostra
continentia et diligentia esse satis[168] faciemus satis.
A Pontio ex Trebulano a. d. V Idus Maias.
IV
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. Beneventi IV Id Mai. a. 703_]
Beneventum veni a. d. V Idus Maias. Ibi accepi eas litteras, quas tu
superioribus litteris significaveras te dedisse, ad quas ego eo ipso die
dederam ex Trebulano a Pontio. Ac binas quidem tuas Beneventi accepi,
quarum alteras Funisulanus multo mane mihi dedit, alteras scriba
Tullius. Gratissima est mihi tua cura de illo meo primo et maximo
mandato; sed tua profectio spem meam debilitat. Ac de illo illuc
Footnote 168:
_The text here is corrupt._
I gave Philotimus a letter to you: nor have I at present any news. I beg
you write me what reports there are on the political situation. In the
country towns I notice there is much panic: but a great deal is
nonsense. Please let me know your opinion about this and the date of the
impending crisis. I do not know to which of your letters you ask for a
reply. I have received no letter so far, except the two which were
handed me together at my villa in Trebula. One of these contained the
edict of P. Lentulus, and was dated the 7th of May: the other was a
reply to my letter from Menturnae. I fear there may have been some
matter more important in a letter I did not receive, to which you ask
for a reply. I will put you in Lentulus’ good graces.
Dionysius is my bosom friend. Your Nicanor does me excellent service. I
have no more to say, and day is breaking. I think of going to Beneventum
to-day. My continence and diligence shall satisfy....
From the house of Pontius at Trebula, May 11.
IV
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
[Sidenote: _Beneventum May 12_, B.C. _51_]
I reached Beneventum on the 11th of May. There I received the note which
you said in your last letter had been despatched. I answered that letter
on the day I received it from Pontius’ villa at Trebula. And indeed two
letters of yours reached me at Beneventum, one of them handed to me by
Funisulanus in the early morning, and the other by my secretary Tullius.
I am very grateful to you for your trouble about my first and most
important commission. But your departure from Rome lessens my
quidem labor,[169] non quo—, sed inopia cogimur eo contenti esse. De
illo altero, quem scribis tibi visum esse non alienum, vereor, adduci ut
nostra possit, et tu ais δυσδιάγνωστον esse. Equidem sum facilis, sed tu
aberis, et me absente res habebit mei rationem?[170] Nam posset aliquid,
si utervis nostrum adesset, agente Servilia Servio fieri probabile.
Nunc, si iam res placeat, agendi tamen viam non video.
Nunc venio ad eam epistulam, quam accepi a Tullio. De Marcello fecisti
diligenter. Igitur, senatus consultum si erit factum, scribes ad me; si
minus, rem tamen conficies; mihi enim attribui oportebit, item Bibulo.
Sed non dubito, quin senatus consultum expeditum sit, in quo praesertim
sit compendium populi. De Torquato probe. De Masone et Ligure, cum
venerint. De illo, quod Chaerippus (quoniam hic quoque πρόσνευσιν
sustulisti), o provincia! etiamne hic mihi curandus est? curandus autem
hactenus, ne quid ad senatum “consule!” aut “numera!” Nam de ceteris—sed
tamen commode, quod cum Scrofa. De Pomptino recte scribis. Est enim ita,
ut, si ante Kal. Iunias Brundisi futurus sit, minus urguendi fuerint M.
Anneius et L. Tullius. Quae de Sicinio audisti, ea mihi probantur, modo
ne illa exceptio in aliquem incurrat bene de nobis meritum. Sed
considerabimus., rem enim probo. De
Footnote 169:
de illo, illuc quidem labor _Kayser_: me ille illud quod labat
_Z_^h_N_: me ille illud _M with a marginal variant_ me illud quidem
labat.
Footnote 170:
res habebis mirationem _M_. _The text is Tyrrell’s emendation. Many
others have been made, e.g. Palmer’s_ res haerebit. Habebis mei
rationem.
hope. As regards the man you mention, I am slipping into your view, not
that——but for want of a better we are compelled to be satisfied with
him. As for the other man who, you say, appears a not unlikely
candidate, I fear my daughter could not be persuaded, and, as you add,
there is not a pin to choose between them. For myself I am reasonable;
but you will be away, and will any account be taken of me in my absence?
For, if either of us were on the spot, a good face might be put on the
matter with Servius through the agency of Servilia. Now, even if it were
a thing I favoured, I see no way of bringing it to pass.
Now I come to that letter which I received from Tullius. You have been
very energetic about Marcellus: so, if a decree should be passed, please
inform me: but, if not, try to carry the matter through: a grant ought
to be made to me and to Bibulus. But I am confident that the decree will
be passed especially as it saves the people’s pocket. That is fine about
Torquatus. As for Maso and Ligur, we can wait till they come. As to
Chaerippus’ request, since you have given me no tip on the matter——hang
the province! Must I trouble about him too? Well, I must take enough
trouble to prevent any debate on the matter or count out in the House.
As for others——however you do well to have spoken with Scrofa. As to
Pomptinus you are right. It comes to this, if Pomptinus will be at
Brundisium before June, M. Anneius and L. Tullius need not hurry out of
Rome. As to your news from Sicinius, I am satisfied, provided this
restriction does not apply to anyone who has obliged me. But I will
think it over, as the plan pleases me. I will let you know
nostro itinere quod statuero, de quinque praefectis quid Pompeius
facturus sit, cum ex ipso cognoro, faciam, ut scias. De Oppio bene
curasti, quod ei de ¯DCCC¯ exposuisti, idque, quoniam Philotimum habes,
perfice et cognosce rationem et, ut agam amplius, si me amas, priusquam
proficiscaris, effice. Magna me cura levaris.
Habes ad omnia. Etsi paene praeterii chartam tibi deesse. Mea captio
est, si quidem eius inopia minus multa ad me scribis. Tu vero aufer
ducentos; etsi meam in eo parsimoniam huius paginae contractio
significat. Dumtaxat rumores, vel etiam si qua certa habes de Caesare,
exspecto. Litteras et aliis et Pomptino de omnibus rebus diligenter
dabis.
V
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. Venusiae Id. Mai. a. 703_]
Plane deest, quod scribam; nam, nec quod mandem, habeo (nihil enim
praetermissum est), nec quod narrem (novi enim nihil), nec iocandi locus
est; ita me multa sollicitant. Tantum tamen scito, Idibus Maiis nos
Venusia mane proficiscentes has dedisse. Eo autem die credo aliquid
actum in senatu. Sequantur igitur nos tuae litterae, quibus non modo res
what course I have determined to adopt as regards my route, and also as
to Pompey’s policy about the five prefects,[171] when I have heard from
him. As for Oppius you have done well to explain to him the matter of
the £7,000.[172] Please arrange the business since Philotimus is with
you. Examine the account and, to go further in my request, if you love
me, settle the debt before you leave town. You will relieve me of great
anxiety.
I have replied to all your points. But your want of paper I had almost
forgotten. It is my loss, if for lack of it your letter is shorter. Take
a couple of hundred sheets,[173] though the shortness of this page
betokens my stinginess in paper. In return I look for information and
gossip and any certain news of Caesar. You will write a letter to
Pomptinus, as well as others, about everything.
V
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
[Sidenote: _Venusia, May 15_, B.C. _51_]
I have absolutely nothing to write about. Having forgotten nothing I
have no commission for you. Having no news, I have nothing to relate.
And this is no place for jests considering the number of my cares. Still
you must know that I despatched this letter setting out from Venusia on
the morning of the 15th of May. I believe something has been done in the
Senate to-day. So send a letter after
Footnote 171:
Five new prefects were to be appointed in each of the Spains.
Footnote 172:
800,000 sesterces.
Footnote 173:
Understanding _chartas_, which is used by the older Latin authors as a
masculine noun, cf. Nonius 196, 17. Others however understand
_sestertios_.
omnes, sed etiam rumores cognoscamus. Eas accipiemus Brundisi; ibi enim
Pomptinum ad eam diem, quam tu scripsisti, exspectare consilium est. Nos
Tarenti quos cum Pompeio διαλόγους de re publica habuerimus, ad te
perscribemus. Etsi id ipsum scire cupio, quod ad tempus recte ad te
scribere possim, id est quam diu Romae futurus sis, ut aut, quo dem
posthac litteras, sciam, aut ne dem frustra. Sed, antequam proficiscare,
utique explicatum sit illud HS. ¯XX¯ et ¯DCCC¯. Hoc velim in maximis
rebus et maxime necessariis habeas, ut, quod auctore te velle coepi,
adiutore adsequar.
VI
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. Tarenti XIV K. Iun. a. 703_]
Tarentum veni a. d. XV Kal. Iunias. Quod Pomptinum statueram exspectare,
commodissimum duxi dies eos, quoad ille veniret, cum Pompeio consumere
eoque magis, quod ei gratum esse id videbam, qui etiam a me petierit, ut
secum et apud se essem cotidie. Quod concessi libenter. Multos enim eius
praeclaros de re publica sermones accipiam, instruar etiam consiliis
idoneis ad hoc nostrum negotium.
Sed ad te brevior iam in scribendo incipio fieri dubitans, Romaene sis
an iam profectus. Quod tamen quoad ignorabo, scribam aliquid potius quam
committam, ut, tibi cum possint reddi a me litterae, non reddantur. Nee
tamen iam habeo, quod aut mandem tibi aut narrem. Mandavi omnia; quae
quidem tu,
me, giving not only all the facts but the gossip too. I shall get it at
Brundisium. For it is there that I intend to await Pomptinus up to the
date that you have mentioned. I will write you of the _causeries_ I had
with Pompey at Tarentum about politics. Although there is one thing I
want to know, up to what time I can safely write to you at Rome, that is
how long you will be in town, so that I may have your address after your
removal and may not send letters in vain. Before you go, settle the
business of the £180 and the £7,000.[174] Please count it most important
and most necessary, that with your help I may achieve, what I began to
wish for at your instance.
VI
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
[Sidenote: _Tarentum, May 19_, B.C. _51_]
I came to Tarentum on the 18th of May. As I had decided to await
Pomptinus, I thought it most convenient to spend the days before his
arrival with Pompey, the more so because I saw it pleased him. Indeed he
begged me to see him and to be at his house every day; and I am glad to
give him my company. I shall have some grand conversations with him
about the political situation, and shall get useful advice on this
business of mine.
I am beginning to send you shorter letters, as I do not know whether you
are in Rome, or have now started on your journey. However, so long as I
am ignorant of your whereabouts, I will write you a line rather than run
the risk of not sending you a letter, when a letter from me can reach
you. I have no commission for you and nothing to say. I have given
Footnote 174:
20,000 and 800,000 sesterces.
ut polliceris, exhauries. Narrabo, cum aliquid habebo novi. Illud tamen
non desinam, dum adesse te putabo, de Caesaris nomine rogare ut
confectum relinquas. Avide exspecto tuas litteras et maxime, ut norim
tempus profectionis tuae.
VII
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. Tarenti XIII K. Iun. a. 703_]
Cotidie vel potius in dies singulos breviores litteras ad te mitto;
cotidie enim magis suspicor te in Epirum iam profectum. Sed tamen, ut
mandatum scias me curasse, quo de ante, ait se Pompeius quinos
praefectos delaturum novos vacationis iudiciariae causa. Ego cum triduum
cum Pompeio et apud Pompeium fuissem, proficiscebar Brundisium a. d.
XIII Kal. Iunias. Civem illum egregium relinquebam et ad haec, quae
timentur, propulsanda paratissimum. Tuas litteras exspectabo, cum ut,
quid agas, tum ut, ubi sis, sciam.
VIII
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. Brundisi IV aut III Non. Iun. a. 703_]
Me et incommoda valetudo, e qua iam emerseram, utpote cum sine febri
laborassem, et Pomptini exspectatio, de quo adhuc ne rumor quidem
venerat, tenebat duodecimum iam diem Brundisi; sed cursum exspectabamus.
Tu, si modo es Romae (vix enim puto), sin es, hoc vehementer
animadvertas velim.
you all my commissions, and please execute them as you promise. I will
send you any fresh news, when I have it. One matter I shall not cease to
request so long as I think you are in town,—that you will leave my debt
to Caesar settled. I await eagerly a letter from you, especially that I
may know the date of your leaving Rome.
VII
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
[Sidenote: _Tarentum, May 20_, B.C. _51_]
Daily, or rather more and more every day, I send you shorter letters:
for daily I suspect more than ever that you have started for Epirus.
However, to inform you that I have taken in hand your previous
commission:—Pompey says that he will appoint five new prefects,
exempting them from serving on juries. For myself, after spending three
days with Pompey at his house, I am setting out for Brundisium on the
20th of May. I am leaving behind me a noble citizen, well-prepared to
ward off the dangers we fear. I shall await your letters to inform me of
your actions and whereabouts.
VIII
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
[Sidenote: _Brundisium, June 2 or 3_, B.C. _51_]
Tiresome indisposition, from which I have recovered, as there was no
fever with my ailment, and also my awaiting Pomptinus, of whom so far no
news has reached me, have detained me now twelve days at Brundisium: but
I am looking for an opportunity to sail. I scarcely imagine that you are
in town; but, if you are, please give your closest attention to
Roma acceperam litteras Milonem meum queri per litteras iniuriam meam,
quod Philotimus socius esset in bonis suis. Id ego ita fieri volui de C.
Duroni sententia, quem et amicissimum Miloni perspexeram et talem virum,
qualem tu iudicas, cognoram. Eius autem consilium meumque hoc fuerat,
primum ut in potestate nostra esset res, ne illum malus emptor alienus
mancipiis, quae permulta secum habet, spoliaret, deinde ut Faustae, cui
cautum ille esse voluisset, ratum esset. Erat etiam illud, ut ipsi nos,
si quid servari posset, quam facillime servaremus. Nunc rem totam
perspicias velim; nobis enim scribuntur saepe maiora. Si ille queritur,
si scribit ad amicos, si idem Fausta vult, Philotimus, ut ego ei coram
dixeram, mihique ille receperat, ne sit invito Milone in bonis. Nihil
nobis fuerat tanti. Sin haec leviora sunt, tu iudicabis. Loquere cum
Duronio. Scripsi etiam ad Camillum, ad Lamiam eoque magis, quod non
confidebam Romae te esse. Summa erit haec. Statues, ut ex fide, fama
reque mea videbitur.
IX
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. Acti XVII K. Quint. a. 703_]
Actium venimus a. d. XVII Kal. Quinctiles, cum quidem et Corcyrae et
Sybotis muneribus tuis, quae et Araus et meus amicus Eutychides opipare
et φιλοπροσηνέστατα nobis congesserant, epulati essemus
the following. I have received a letter from Rome, saying that my friend
Milo writes complaining of ill-treatment from me, for allowing
Philotimus to have a hand in the purchase of his property. I acted on
the advice of C. Duronius, a man whom I saw to be most friendly to Milo,
and just such a person as you suppose him to be. His plan and mine was
this, firstly, to keep a hold over Milo’s property for fear some hard
bargainer, a stranger to us, should rob him of his slaves, of whom a
great number were with him; and secondly, that the settlement he
intended to make on Fausta should be respected. There was the further
intention, that we ourselves should have the readiest means of saving
anything that could be saved. Now please review the whole matter, for
letters to me often exaggerate. If Milo complains and writes to his
friends, and, if Fausta wishes, as I told Philotimus and as he agreed, I
would not have him purchase the property against Milo’s wish. Nothing
would compensate for offending Milo. You will judge if the matter has
been exaggerated. Please consult Duronius. I have written also to
Camillus and to Lamia, among other reasons because I do not feel sure
you are in town. To sum up, in deciding be careful of my honour,
reputation and interests.
IX
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
[Sidenote: _Actium, June 14._ B.C. _51_]
I reached Actium on the 14th of June, after feasting like an alderman
both at Corcyra and the Sybota islands, thanks to your gifts which Araus
and my good friend Eutychides heaped on me with lavish
Saliarem in modum. Actio maluimus iter facere pedibus, qui
incommodissime navigassemus, et Leucatam flectere molestum videbatur,
actuariis autem minutis Patras accedere sine impedimentis non satis
visum est decorum. Ego, ut saepe tu me currentem hortatus es, cotidie
meditor, praecipio meis, faciam denique, ut summa modestia et summa
abstinentia munus hoc extraordinarium traducamus. Parthus velim
quiescat, et fortuna nos iuvet, nostra praestabimus.
Tu, quaeso, quid agas, ubi quoque tempore futurus sis, quales res
nostras Romae reliqueris, maxime de ¯XX¯ et ¯DCCC¯ cura ut sciamus. Id
unis diligenter litteris datis, quae ad me utique perferantur,
consequere. Illud tamen, quoniam nunc abes, cum id non agitur, aderis
autem ad tempus, ut mihi rescripsti, memento curare per te et per omnes
nostros, in primis per Hortensium, ut annus noster maneat suo statu, ne
quid novi decernatur. Hoc tibi ita mando, ut dubitem, an etiam te rogem,
ut pugnes, ne intercaletur. Sed non audeo tibi omnia onera imponere;
annum quidem utique teneto.
Cicero meus, modestissimus et suavissimus puer, tibi salutem dicit.
Dionysium semper equidem, ut scis, dilexi, sed cotidie pluris facio, et
mehercule in primis quod te amat nec tui mentionem intermitti sinit.
kindness. From Actium I preferred to travel by land, in view of the
wretched passage we had and the danger of rounding Leucatas. It did not
seem to me quite dignified to go ashore at Patrae in small boats without
my baggage. I will really take care to fulfil this unusual office of
mine with all propriety and honesty, as you have often urged me, nothing
loth; and daily I bethink me of your advice and impress it on my staff.
Please God the Parthians keep quiet and fortune favour me, I will answer
for myself.
I beg that you will let me know what you are doing, your movements from
time to time, how you left my business at Rome, particularly in the
matter of the £180 and the £7,000. Please do this in a letter carefully
addressed to reach me anyhow. You are away at this present moment of
inaction, but you have promised me to be in town for the occasion, and
remember to use your best endeavours and to employ all my friends,
especially Hortensius, that my year of office may conclude without any
extension. This commission should perhaps be accompanied by a request
for you to fight that no extra days may be added to the calendar: but I
hardly like to give you all this trouble. Anyhow insist on the year.
My son, a boy of charming manners, sends greetings to you. I have always
liked Dionysius as you know, but I make more of him every day,
especially because he is your admirer, and lets slip no chance of
mentioning you.
X
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. Athenis prid. K. aut K. Quint. a. 703_]
Ut Athenas a. d. VI Kal. Quinctiles veneram, exspectabam ibi iam quartum
diem Pomptinum neque de eius adventu certi quicquam habebam. Eram autem
totus, crede mihi, tecum et, quamquam sine iis per me ipse, tamen acrius
vestigiis tuis monitus de te cogitabam. Quid quaeris? non mehercule
alius ullus sermo nisi de te. Sed tu de me ipso aliquid scire fortasse
mavis. Haec sunt. Adhuc sumptus nec in me aut publice aut privatim nec
in quemquam comitum. Nihil accipitur lege Iulia, nihil ab hospite.
Persuasum est omnibus meis serviendum esse famae meae. Belle adhuc. Hoc
animadversum Graecorum laude et multo sermone celebratur. Quod superest,
elaboratur in hoc a me, sicut tibi sensi placere. Sed haec tum laudemus,
cum erunt perorata. Reliqua sunt eius modi, ut meum consilium saepe
reprehendam, quod non aliqua ratione ex hoc negotio emerserim. O rem
minime aptam meis moribus! o illud verum ἔρδοι τις! Dices: “Quid adhuc?
nondum enim in negotio versaris.” Sane scio et puto molestiora restare.
Etsi haec ipsa fero equidem fronte, ut puto, et voltu bellissime, sed
angor intimis sensibus; ita multa vel iracunde vel insolenter vel in
omni genere stultitiae insulse adrogantur et dicuntur et tacentur
cotidie; quae non, quo te celem, non perscribo, sed quia
X
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
[Sidenote: _Athens, June 29 or July 1_, B.C. _51_]
I came to Athens on the 25th of June, and I have waited three days for
Pomptinus, but have heard nothing certain of his coming. Believe me, you
are with me all the time, and, though it did not need associations to
turn my thoughts towards you, still I was reminded of you more than ever
by treading in your footsteps. Indeed we talk of nothing else but you;
but perhaps you prefer to have news about myself. So far no public body
or private person has spent money on me or on my staff. I have not even
taken the barest necessities allowed by the law of Julius, nor have I
billeted myself on anyone. My staff have made up their minds that they
must uphold my good name. So far everything has gone well: the Greeks
have noted it and are full of outspoken praise. For the rest I am
endeavouring to act as I know you would like. But let us reserve our
praise for the end of the story. In other respects I often blame my
mistake in not having found some method of escape from this flood of
affairs. The business is little suited to my tastes. It is a true
saying, “Cobbler, stick to your last.”[175] You will say: “What,
already? You have not yet begun your work.” Too true, and I fear worse
is to come. I put up with things with cheerful brow and smiling face;
but I suffer in my heart of hearts. There is so much ill temper and
insolence, such stupid folly of every kind, such arrogant talk and such
sullen silence to be put up with every day. I pass over this, not
because I wish to conceal it, but
Footnote 175:
ἔρδοι τις ἣν ἕκαστος εἰδείη τέχνην (Aristophanes, _Vespae_ 1431).
δυσεκλάλητα sunt. Itaque admirabere meam βαθύτητα, cum salvi redierimus;
tanta mihi μελέτη huius virtutis datur.
Ergo haec quoque hactenus; etsi mihi nihil erat propositum ad
scribendum, quia, quid ageres, ubi terrarum esses, ne suspicabar quidem.
Nec hercule umquam tam diu ignarus rerum mearum fui, quid de Caesaris,
quid de Milonis nominibus actum sit; ac non modo nemo domo, ne Roma
quidem quisquam, ut sciremus, in re publica quid ageretur. Quare, si
quid erit, quod scias de iis rebus, quas putabis scire me velle, per
mihi gratum erit, si id curaris ad me perferendum.
Quid est praeterea? Nihil sane nisi illud. Valde me Athenae delectarunt
urbe dumtaxat et urbis ornamento et hominum amore in te et in nos quadam
benevolentia; sed multa in[176] ea philosophia sursum deorsum, si quidem
est in Aristo, apud quem eram. Nam Xenonem tuum vel nostrum potius
Quinto concesseram, et tamen propter vicinitatem totos dies simul
eramus. Tu velim, cum primum poteris, tua consilia ad me scribas, ut
sciam, quid agas, ubi quoque tempore, maxime quando Romae futurus sis.
XI
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. Athenis pr. Non. Quint. a. 703_]
Hui, totiesne me litteras dedisse Romam, cum ad te nullas darem? At vero
posthac frustra potius dabo quam, si recte dari potuerint, committam, ut
non dem. Ne provincia nobis prorogetur, per fortunas! dum ades, quicquid
provideri poterit, provide.
Footnote 176:
multum _M_: multa in _Reid_.
because to explain is difficult. You shall marvel at my self-restraint,
when I return home safe. I have so much practice in the virtue.
Enough of this topic too. Though indeed I have nothing to make me write
to you at all, because I have no idea of what you are doing or where you
are, and I have never been so long ignorant about my own concerns—as to
what has been done about the debt to Caesar and Milo’s money matters:
and there has come no messenger from Rome much less from my house to
inform me of political affairs. So, if you have information you may
think I should like to know, I shall be delighted if you will take care
to send it to me.
I have only one thing to add. Athens pleases me greatly, that is the
material city, its embellishments, your popularity and the kind feeling
shown to me: but its philosophy is topsy-turvy, that is, if it is
represented by Aristus with whom I am staying: for I gave up Xeno your
friend and mine to Quintus. Still we are close neighbours and meet every
day. Please write me as soon as possible of your plans, and tell me what
you are doing, where you are from time to time, and especially when you
will be in town.
XI
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
[Sidenote: _Athens, July 6_, B.C. _51_]
What, write so often to Rome, and never a line to you! Well, in future,
rather than do such a thing as not to write a letter that can reach you
safely, I will despatch a letter that may go astray. In the name of
heaven, while you are in town, take every possible precaution against
the term of my office
Non dici potest, quam flagrem desiderio urbis, quam vix harum rerum
insulsitatem feram.
Marcellus foede in Comensi. Etsi ille magistratum non gesserat, erat
tamen Transpadanus. Ita mihi videtur non minus stomachi nostro quam
Caesari fecisse. Sed hoc ipse viderit. Pompeius mihi quoque videbatur,
quod scribis Varronem dicere, in Hispaniam certe iturus. Id ego minime
probabam; qui quidem Theophani facile persuasi nihil esse melius quam
illum nusquam discedere. Ergo Graecus incumbet. Valet autem auctoritas
eius apud illum plurimum.
Ego has pr. Nonas Quinctiles proficiscens Athenis dedi, cum ibi decem
ipsos fuissem dies. Venerat Pomptinus, una Cn. Volusius; aderat
quaestor; tuus unus Tullius aberat. Aphracta Rhodiorum et dicrota
Mytilenaeorum habebam et aliquid ἐπικώπων. De Parthis erat silentium.
Quod superest, di iuvent!
Nos adhuc iter per Graeciam summa cum admiratione fecimus, nec mehercule
habeo, quod adhuc quem accusem meorum. Videntur mihi nosse nostram
causam et condicionem profectionis suae; plane serviunt existimationi
meae. Quod superest, si verum illud est οἵαπερ ἡ δέσποινα, certe
permanebunt. Nihil
being extended. I cannot describe how ardently I long for town, how hard
I find it to bear the stupidity of life here.
Marcellus acted disgracefully over the man from Comum:[177] even if he
had not been a magistrate, still he was a Transpadane. So Marcellus’
action seems to me as likely to anger Pompey as Caesar; but that is his
own look-out. I agree with Varro’s statement, which you quote in your
letter, that Pompey will surely go to Spain. I by no means approve of
the policy, and indeed I convinced Theophanes easily that Pompey’s
presence in Rome was the very best course. So the Greek will put
pressure on Pompey; and his opinion weighs with him a great deal.
I despatch this letter on the 6th of July, being about to leave Athens,
where I have stayed just ten days. Pomptinus has come along with Cn.
Volusius. My quaestor is here. Your friend Tullius is the one absentee.
I have some open boats of Rhodes and two-deckers from Mitylene and a few
despatch boats. There is no news of the Parthians. For the rest, God
help us.
So far our journey through Greece has provoked great admiration, and I
have no fault at all to find with my staff at present. They seem to
understand what my case is, and the terms on which they stand. They do
everything to maintain my good name. For the rest, if the saying be
true, “Like master, like man,”[178] assuredly they will stick to their
good behaviour,
Footnote 177:
He had ordered him to be flogged, disregarding the fact that Caesar
had sent 5,000 colonists to Transpadane Gaul. Magistrates of a
_colonia_ had the full _civitas_.
Footnote 178:
The proverb ends τοία χἠ κύων (“the dog is like its mistress”)
according to the Scholiast on Plato _De Repub._, viii, 563.
enim a me fieri ita videbunt, ut sibi sit delinquendi locus. Sin id
parum profuerit, fiet aliquid a nobis severius. Nam adhuc lenitate
dulces sumus et, ut spero, proficimus aliquantum. Sed ego hanc, ut
Siculi dicunt, ἀνεξίαν in unum annum meditatus sum. Proinde pugna, ne,
si quid prorogatum sit, turpis inveniar.
Nunc redeo, ad quae mihi mandas. In praefectis excusatio: iis, quos
voles, deferto. Non ero tam μετέωρος, quam in Appuleio fui. Xenonem tam
diligo quam tu, quod ipsum sentire certo scio. Apud Patronem et reliquos
barones te in maxima gratia posui et hercule merito tuo feci. Nam mihi
Ister dixit te scripsisse ad se mihi ex illius litteris rem illam curae
fuisse, quod ei pergratum erat. Sed, cum Patro mecum egisset, ut peterem
a vestro Ariopago, ὑπομνηματισμὸν tollerent, quem Polycharmo praetore
fecerant, commodius visum est et Xenoni et post ipsi Patroni me ad
Memmium scribere, qui pridie, quam ego Athenas veni, Mitilenas profectus
erat, ut is ad suos scriberet posse id sua voluntate fieri. Non enim
dubitabat Xeno, quin ab Ariopagitis invito Memmio impetrari non posset.
Memmius autem aedificandi consilium abiecerat; sed erat Patroni iratus.
Itaque scripsi ad eum accurate; cuius epistulae misi ad te exemplum.
Tu velim Piliam meis verbis consolere. Indicabo enim tibi, tu illi nihil
dixeris. Accepi fasciculum, in quo erat epistula Piliae. Abstuli,
aperui, legi. Valde scripta est συμπαθῶς. Brundisio quae tibi epistulae
for they will see no excuse for misconduct in any act of mine. If
example be futile, I must try severer means. So far I have been mild and
kind, and I hope I am making headway. But I have looked forward to
playing patience, as the Sicilians say, for one year only. So fight for
me, for fear extension of office might spoil my conduct.
To return to the commissions you have given me. Prefects have exemption
from serving on a jury. Give the office to whom you will. I shall not be
so _difficile_, as I was in the case of Appuleius. I am as fond of Xeno
as you are, and I am sure he knows it. I have put you in well-deserved
favour with Patro and the other blockheads. Ister has told me you have
written to him that you learned from Patro’s letter I was taking an
interest in the point, much to his delight. But when Patro urged me to
ask your Areopagus to cancel the minute they had made when Polycharmus
was praetor, it seemed better to Xeno and afterwards to Patro himself
that I should send a letter to Memmius, who had set out to Mitylenae the
day before I arrived at Athens, asking him to inform his agents that the
minute could be cancelled with his free consent. For Xeno was sure the
Areopagus would refuse to act against his will. Memmius had abandoned
his plan of building a house; but he was angry with Patro. I enclose a
copy of the careful letter I wrote him.
Please convey my condolences to Pilia. I will tell you a secret you are
not to repeat to her: I received the parcel containing her letter, took
it out, opened and read it. It was written in terms of sympathy for
Quintus. Please consider the letters you got from Brundisium without one
from me as having
redditae sunt sine mea, tum videlicet datas, cum ego me non belle
haberem. Nam illam νομαίαν ἀργίας[179] excusationem ne acceperis. Cura,
ut omnia sciam, sed maxime ut valeas.
XII
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. in medio mari med. m. Quint. a. 703_]
Negotium magnum est navigare atque id mense Quinctili. Sexto die Delum
Athenis venimus. Pr. Nonas Quinctiles a Piraeo ad Zostera vento molesto;
qui nos ibidem Nonis tenuit. Ante VIII Idus ad Ceo iucunde; inde Gyarum
saevo vento, non adverso; hinc Syrum, inde Delum, utroque citius, quam
vellemus, cursum confecimus. Nam nosti aphracta Rhodiorum; nihil, quod
minus fluctum ferre possit. Itaque erat in animo nihil festinare nec me
Delo movere, nisi omnia ἀκρωτήρια Γυρέων vidissem.
De Messalla ad te, statim ut audivi, de Gyaro dedi litteras et—id ipsum
consilium nostrum—etiam ad Hortensium, cui quidem valde συνηγωνίων. Sed
tuas de eius iudicii sermonibus et mehercule omni de rei publicae statu
litteras exspecto πολιτικώτερον quidem scriptas, quoniam meos cum
Thallumeto nostro pervolutas libros, eius modi, inquam, litteras, ex
quibus ego, non quid fiat (nam id vel Helonius, vir gravissimus, potest
efficere, cliens tuus), sed quid futurum sit, sciam.
Cum haec leges, habebimus consules. Omnia perspicere
Footnote 179:
νομαίαν ἀργίας _Tyrrell_: νομαναρια me _MSS._
been despatched when I was indisposed. I won’t ask you to accept the
lazy man’s stock excuse, my business. Take great care to keep me well
posted up in news, and still greater care to preserve your health.
XII
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
[Sidenote: _At sea, July_, B.C. _51_]
A sea voyage is a big business, especially in the month of July. Six
days after leaving Athens I came to Delos. On the 6th of July I got from
the Piraeus to Zoster with a contrary wind which kept us there on the
7th. On the 8th we reached Ceos in fine weather. From there we came to
Gyaros, with a wind strong, but not contrary: thence to Syros, and from
Syros to Delos; in both cases sailing quicker than we could have wished.
You know by this time what the open boats of Rhodes are like, poor
things in a rough sea. So I have made up my mind not to hurry and not to
stir from Delos until I see “all the peaks of Gyrae” clear.
I sent you a letter about Messalla at once from Gyaros as soon as I
heard, and another on my own initiative to Hortensius, for I felt much
sympathy with him. I await a letter from you to give me the gossip about
the verdict and about the political situation, dealing, if I may say so,
more with public topics, since now, with the aid of Thallumetus, you are
running through my books. I don’t want a letter to tell me what is
actually happening, for that tiresome fellow your client Helonius can do
that: but I want to know what is likely to happen.
By the time you read this, consuls will have been
poteris de Caesare, de Pompeio, de ipsis iudiciis. Nostra autem negotia,
quoniam Romae commoraris, amabo te, explica. Cui rei fugerat me
rescribere, de strue laterum, plane rogo, de aqua, si quid poterit
fieri, eo sis ammo, quo soles esse; quam ego cum mea sponte tum tuis
sermonibus aestimo plurimi. Ergo tu id conficies. Praeterea, si quid
Philippus rogabit, quod in tua re faceres, id velim facias. Plura
scribam ad te, cum constitero. Nunc eram plane in medio mari.
XIII
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. Ephesi VII K. Sext. a. 703_]
Ephesum venimus a. d. XI Kal. Sextiles sexagesimo et quingentesimo post
pugnam Bovillanam. Navigavimus sine timore et sine nausea, sed tardius
propter aphractorum Rhodiorum imbecillitatem. De concursu legationum,
privatorum, et de incredibili multitudine, quae mihi iam Sami, sed
mirabilem in modum Ephesi praesto fuit, aut audisse te puto aut “Quid ad
me attinet?” Verum tamen decumani, quasi venissem cum imperio, Graeci
quasi Ephesio praetori se alacres obtulerunt. Ex quo te intellegere
certo scio multorum annorum ostentationes meas nunc in discrimen esse
adductas. Sed, ut spero, utemur ea palaestra, quam a te didicimus,
omnibusque satis faciemus et eo facilius, quod in nostra provincia
confectae sunt
elected. You will be able to have clear views about Caesar and Pompey
and the trials themselves. And please arrange my affairs, since you are
staying in town. Oh, I forgot to answer one question about the
brickwork: as to the aqueduct, without entering into particulars, please
be as kind as you always are, if anything can be done. To the last item,
my own views as well as your letters lead me to attach very great
importance: so please get it done. Furthermore, if the contractor puts
you any questions, please act as you would in your own case. I will
write a longer letter, when I am on dry land. At present I am far out at
sea.
XIII
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
[Sidenote: _Ephesus, July 26_, B.C. _51_]
I reached Ephesus on the 22nd of July, the five hundred and sixtieth day
after the battle of Bovillae.[180] The voyage caused me no alarm and no
sickness, but was slow owing to the crankiness of the open boats. I
imagine you have heard about the crowd of legations and of private
suitors and about the astonishing number of people who met me even at
Samos, and even more noticeably at Ephesus; or you may say it does not
interest you. Still the tax-collectors thrust themselves on my notice as
though I had come with an army behind me, and the Greeks as if I were
governor of Asia. You will see that the professions of my life are now
being put to the test. I hope I shall employ the training I have learned
from you and satisfy everybody, the more easily because in my province
the contracts have been settled. But
Footnote 180:
The murder of Clodius, Jan. 18, B.C. 52.
pactiones. Sed hactenus, praesertim cum cenanti mihi nuntiarit Cestius
se de nocte proficisci.
Tua negotiola Ephesi curae mihi fuerunt, Thermoque tametsi ante adventum
meum liberalissime erat pollicitus tuis omnibus, tamen Philogenem et
Seium tradidi, Apollonidensem Xenonem commendavi. Omnino omnia se
facturum recepit. Ego praeterea rationem Philogeni permutationis eius,
quam tecum feci, edidi. Ergo haec quoque hactenus.
Redeo ad urbana. Per fortunas! quoniam Romae manes, primum illud
praefulci atque praemuni, quaeso, ut simus annui, ne intercaletur
quidem. Deinde exhauri mea mandata maximeque, si quid potest de illo
domestico scrupulo, quem non ignoras, dein de Caesare, cuius in
cupiditatem te auctore incubui, nec me piget. Et, si intellegis, quam
meum sit scire et curare, quid in re publica fiat—fiat autem? immo vero
etiam quid futurum sit, perscribe ad me omnia, sed diligentissime
imprimisque, ecquid iudiciorum status aut factorum aut futurorum etiam
laboret. De aqua, si curae est, si quid Philippus aget, animadvertes.
XIV
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. Trallibus VI K. Sext. a. 703_]
Antequam aliquo loco consedero, neque longas a me neque semper mea manu
litteras exspectabis; cum autem erit spatium, utrumque praestabo. Nunc
iter conficiebamus aestuosa et pulverulenta via. Dederam
enough of this, especially as Cestius has interrupted my dinner with
news that he is starting to-night.
I attended to your little jobs at Ephesus and although before my arrival
Thermus had given the most lavish promises to all your people, still I
introduced Philogenes and Seius to him, and recommended Xeno of
Apollonis. He undertook to do everything. In addition I submitted to
Philogenes an account of the sum I got from you by negotiating a bill of
exchange. So enough of this too.
I return to town affairs. Since you are staying in Rome, in heaven’s
name, do support and establish my plea to be let off with one year of
office without additions to the calendar. Execute all my commissions;
particularly get over that hitch in my private affairs of which you are
aware, and over the business with Caesar. It was you who led me to try
to pay my debt, and I am glad. If you understand my _penchant_ to know
and trouble about what is happening in public life, or rather what is
going to happen, write to me in full and with accuracy, especially
whether there is any break-down at all in the trials that have been held
or are going to be held. If you are interested about the aqueduct, and
if the contractor is at work, please give it your attention.
XIV
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
[Sidenote: _Tralles, July 27_, B.C. _51_]
You must not expect long letters from me nor always letters in my own
handwriting, till I have settled down somewhere. When I have time, I
will guarantee both. I am now engaged on a hot and dusty journey. I
wrote yesterday from Ephesus; to-day
Epheso pridie; has dedi Trallibus. In provincia mea fore me putabam Kal.
Sextilibus. Ex ea die, si me amas, παράπηγμα ἐνιαύσιον commoveto.
Interea tamen haec mihi, quae vellem, adferebantur, primum otium
Parthicum, dein confectae pactiones publicanorum, postremo seditio
militum sedata ab Appio stipendiumque eis usque ad Idus Quinctiles
persolutum.
Nos Asia accepit admirabiliter. Adventus noster nemini ne minimo quidem
fuit sumptui. Spero meos omnes servire laudi meae. Tamen magno timore
sum, sed bene speramus. Omnes iam nostri praeter Tullium tuum venerunt.
Erat mihi in animo recta proficisci ad exercitum, aestivos menses
reliquos rei militari dare, hibernos iuris dictioni.
Tu velim, si me nihilo minus nosti curiosum in re publica quam te,
scribas ad me omnia, quae sint, quae futura sint. Nihil mihi gratius
facere potes; nisi tamen id erit mihi gratissimum, si, quae tibi
mandavi, confeceris imprimisque illud ἐνδόμυχον, quo mihi scis nihil
esse carius. Habes epistulam plenam festinationis et pulveris; reliquae
subtiliores erunt.
XV
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. Laodiceae III Non. Sext. a. 703_]
Laodiceam veni pridie Kal. Sextiles. Ex hoc die clavum anni movebis.
Nihil exoptatius adventu meo,
I write from Tralles. I expect to be in my province on the 1st of
August. Let that day, if you love me, be notched[181] as the first of my
year of office. Meantime the following welcome news has reached me, that
the Parthians are at peace; secondly that the contracts with the
tax-farmers have been settled, and lastly that Appius has quelled a
mutiny of his soldiers and paid them up to the 15th of July.
Asia has given me an astonishing welcome. My coming has cost no one a
penny. I trust that my staff are cherishing my good name. I am very
nervous: but I hope for the best. All of them have joined me except your
friend Tullius. I intend to go straight to my army, to devote the
remaining summer months to military matters, and the winter to judicial
business.
As you know that I am as interested as you in political business, please
write to me everything that is happening and is likely to happen. You
can do me no greater service, except the greatest service of all, which
is to carry out my commissions, particularly that household matter with
which you know I am greatly concerned. This letter is full of dust and
hurry: others shall be more in detail.
XV
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
[Sidenote: _Laodicea, Aug. 3_, _B.C._ _51_]
I reached Laodicea on the 31st of July. So notch that day as the
beginning of my year of office. My arrival has been looked forward to
with desire and longing.
Footnote 181:
παράπηγμα ἐνιαύσιον corresponds to _clavus anni_ of the next letter.
The expression arose from the custom of driving a nail into the right
wall of the Temple of Jupiter on the Ides of September every year to
keep count of the years.
nihil carius. Sed est incredibile, quam me negotii taedeat, non habeat
satis magnum campum ille tibi non ignotus cursus animi et industriae
meae, praeclara opera cesset. Quippe, ius Laodiceae me dicere, cum Romae
A. Plotius dicat, et, cum exercitum noster amicus habeat tantum, me
nomen habere duarum legionum exilium? Denique haec non desidero, lucem,
forum, urbem, domum, vos desidero. Sed feram, ut potero, sit modo
annuum. Si prorogatur, actum est. Verum perfacile resisti potest, tu
modo Romae sis.
Quaeris, quid hic agam. Ita vivam, ut maximos sumptus facio. Mirifice
delector hoc instituto. Admirabilis abstinentia ex praeceptis tuis, ut
verear, ne illud, quod tecum permutavi, versura mihi solvendum sit. Appi
vulnera non refrico, sed apparent nec occuli possunt. Iter Laodicea
faciebam a. d. III Non. Sextiles, cum has litteras dabam, in castra in
Lycaoniam. Inde ad Taurum cogitabam, ut cum Moeragene signis collatis,
si possem, de servo tuo deciderem.
“Clitellae bovi sunt impositae; plane non est
nostrum onus.”
Sed feremus, modo, si me amas, sim annuus. Adsis tu ad tempus, ut
senatum totum excites. Mirifice sollicitus sum, quod iam diu mihi ignota
sunt ista omnia. Quare, ut ad te ante scripsi, cum cetera tum res
publica cura ut mihi nota sit. Plura scribam. Tarde tibi redditu
iri,[182] sed dabam familiari homini ac domestico, C. Andronico
Puteolano. Tu autem
Footnote 182:
_The text here is uncertain._
You would never believe how sick I am of the business and I cannot find
sufficient scope for the wide interests and energy you know I possess,
and do nothing noticeable. To think that I hold court in Laodicea, while
A. Plotius does so at Rome, and that I have the nominal command of two
skeleton legions, while Caesar has a huge army! However, it is not these
advantages I miss: it is the world, the Forum, the city, my home and
you. I will bear as best I can a year of office: an extension would kill
me. Still we may combat that very easily if only you are at Rome.
You ask what I am doing. Upon my life I am spending a fortune. I am
marvellously pleased with the rule of conduct I have formed: and you
have taught me to be so admirably self restrained that I fear I may have
to borrow to pay off the money I took from you. I avoid opening the
wounds which Appius has inflicted on the province: but they are patent
and cannot be hidden. I travel from Laodicea on the 3rd of August, the
date of this letter, to the camp in Lycaonia. Thence I intend to go to
Taurus, so that I may settle the matter of your slave, if possible, by
pitched battle with Moeragenes.
“’Tis the ox that bears the load, not I.”
I can endure; but, for heaven’s sake, let it be only for a year. You
must be in town at the proper time to stir up every member of the House.
I am marvellously anxious, because it is so long since I have had news:
so, as I wrote before, give me news of political matters as well as
other things. I will write more fully. [This letter I know] will be a
long time in reaching you: but I am giving it to a trusty and intimate
friend, C. Andronicus of
saepe dare tabellariis publicanorum poteris per magistros scripturae et
portus nostrarum dioecesium.
XVI
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. in itinere a Synnada ad Philomelium inter a. d. V et
III Id. Sext. a. 703_]
Etsi in ipso itinere et via discedebant publicanorum tabellarii, et
eramus in cursu, tamen surripiendum aliquid putavi spatii, ne me
immemorem mandati tui putares. Itaque subsedi in ipsa via, dum haec,
quae longiorem desiderant orationem, summatim tibi perscriberem. Maxima
exspectatione in perditam et plane eversam in perpetuum provinciam nos
venisse scito pridie Kal. Sextiles, moratos triduum Laodiceae, triduum
Apameae, totidem dies Synnade. Audivimus nihil aliud nisi imperata
ἐπικεφάλια solvere non posse, ὠνὰς omnium venditas, civitatum gemitus,
ploratus, monstra quaedam non hominis, sed ferae nescio cuius immanis.
Quid quaeris? taedet omnino eos vitae. Levantur tamen miserae civitates,
quod nullus fit sumptus in nos neque in legatos neque in quaestorem
neque in quemquam. Scito non modo nos foenum, aut quod e lege Iulia dari
solet, non accipere, sed ne ligna quidem, nec praeter quattuor lectos et
tectum quemquam accipere quicquam, multis locis ne tectum quidem, et in
tabernaculo manere plerumque. Itaque incredibilem in
Puteoli. You, however, will be able to get the contractors for the
pasture-dues and harbour-duties of my districts to send yours by the
tax-gatherers’ messengers.
XVI
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
[Sidenote: _On the road from Synnada to Philomelium, between Aug. 9 and
11_, B.C. _51_]
Though the tax-farmers’ messengers are actually on their road and I am
travelling, still I think I must snatch a moment for fear you may
imagine I have forgotten your commission. So I sit down on the high road
to scribble you a summary of what really calls for a long epistle. You
must know that my arrival in this province, which is in a state of
lasting ruin and desolation, was expected eagerly. I got here on the
31st of July. I stayed three days at Laodicea, three at Apamea, and as
many at Synnas.[183] Everywhere I heard the same tale. People could not
pay the poll-tax: they were forced to sell out their investments: groans
and lamentations in the towns, and awful conduct of one who is some kind
of savage beast rather than a man. All the people are, as you may
suppose, tired of life. However, the poor towns are relieved that they
have had to spend nothing on me, my legates, or a quaestor, or anyone.
For you must know that I not only refused to accept pay, or what is a
proper perquisite under the Julian law, but that none of us will take
firewood or anything beyond four beds and a roof; and in many places we
do not accept even a roof, but remain mostly under canvas. So
extraordinary
Footnote 183:
This name is found in three forms in classical authors—Synnada (neut.
pl.), Synnada (fem. sing.), as in the superscription to this letter,
and Synnas, as here.
modum concursus fiunt ex agris, ex vicis, ex domibus omnibus. Mehercule
etiam adventu nostro reviviscunt. Iustitia, abstinentia, dementia tui
Ciceronis itaque opiniones omnium superavit. Appius, ut audivit nos
venire, in ultimam provinciam se coniecit Tarsum usque. Ibi forum agit.
De Partho silentium est, sed tamen concisos equites nostros a barbaris
nuntiabant ii, qui veniebant. Bibulus ne cogitabat quidem etiam nunc in
provinciam suam accedere; id autem facere ob eam causam dicebant, quod
tardius vellet decedere. Nos in castra properabamus, quae aberant bidui.
XVII
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. in itinere ad castra inter IV Id. et prid. Id. Sext. a.
703_]
Accepi Roma sine epistula tua fasciculum litterarum; in quo, si modo
valuisti et Romae fuisti, Philotimi duco esse culpam, non tuam. Hanc
epistulam dictavi sedens in raeda, cum in castra proficiscerer, a quibus
aberam bidui. Paucis diebus habebam certos homines, quibus darem
litteras. Itaque eo me servavi. Nos tamen, etsi hoc te ex aliis audire
malo, sic in provincia nos gerimus, quod ad abstinentiam attinet, ut
nullus terruncius insumatur in quemquam. Id fit etiam et legatorum et
tribunorum et praefectorum diligentia; nam omnes mirifice
συμφιλοδοξοῦσιν gloriae meae. Lepta noster mirificus est. Sed nunc
propero. Perscribam ad te paucis diebus omnia. Cicerones nostros
Deiotarus filius, qui rex ab senatu appellatus est
throngs of people have come to meet me from farms and villages and every
homestead. Upon my word my very coming seems to revive them. Your friend
Cicero has won all hearts by his justice and self-restraint and kind
bearing. When Appius heard of my arrival, he betook himself to the
extreme border of the province, right up by Tarsus. There he holds
court. There is no news of the Parthians, but chance arrivals report
that they have cut up our cavalry. Even now Bibulus is not thinking of
coming to his province: people say because he desires to be late in
departing from it. I am hurrying into camp, which is two days’ journey
away.
XVII
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
[Sidenote: _On the same journey, between Aug. 10 and 12_, B.C. _51_]
I got a bundle of letters from Rome without one from you. Supposing you
are well and in town, I imagine the fault was Philotimus’ and not yours.
This letter is dictated as I sit in my carriage on my road to the camp,
from which I am distant two days’ journey. In a few days’ time I have
trusty messengers: so I reserve myself for that time. I should like you
to hear the news from others; but I can’t help saying that I am
conducting myself in the province with such restraint that not a
halfpenny is spent on any of us. For that I have to thank the conduct of
the legates, tribunes and praetors. For all of them take a surprising
pride in maintaining my good name. Our friend Lepta is wonderful. I am
in a hurry now, and will write everything in a few days’ time. The
younger Deiotarus, who was styled king by the Senate, has taken the two
boys to his court. So long
secum in regnum. Dum in aestivis nos essemus, illum pueris locum esse
bellissimum duximus.
Sestius ad me scripsit, quae tecum esset de mea domestica et maxima cura
locutus, et quid tibi esset visum. Amabo te, incumbe in eam rem et ad me
scribe, quid et possit, et tu censeas. Idem scripsit Hortensium de
proroganda nostra provincia dixisse nescio quid. Mihi in Cumano
diligentissime se, ut annui essemus, defensurum receperat. Si quicquam
me amas, hunc locum muni. Dici non potest, quam invitus a vobis adsim;
et simul hanc gloriam iustitiae et abstinentiae fore inlustriorem spero,
si cito decesserimus, id quod Scaevolae contigit, qui solos novem menses
Asiae praefuit.
Appius noster, cum me adventare videret, profectus est Tarsum usque
Laodicea. Ibi forum agit, cum ego sim in provincia. Quam eius iniuriam
non insector. Satis enim habeo negotii in sanandis vulneribus, quae sunt
imposita provinciae; quod do operam ut faciam quam minima cum illius
contumelia. Sed hoc Bruto nostro velim dicas, illum fecisse non belle,
qui adventu meo, quam longissime potuerit, discesserit.
XVIII
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. in castris ad Cybistra Cappadociae XI K. Oct. a. 703_]
Quam vellem Romae esses, si forte non es. Nihil enim certi habebamus
nisi accepisse nos tuas litteras a. d. XIIII Kal. Sextil. datas, in
quibus scriptum esset te in Epirum iturum circiter Kal. Sextil. Sed,
sive Romae es sive in Epiro, Parthi Euphraten transierunt
as I am in my summer camp, I fancied that would be the best place for
them.
Sestius wrote me an account of his conversation with you about my
pressing domestic affairs, and of your opinion. Please devote yourself
to the business and write to me what can be done and what you think.
Sestius told me that Hortensius has said something or other about
extending my term of office. He undertook at Cumae to take good care
that it should not outlast a year. If you have any regard for me, get
that point fixed up squarely. I cannot describe my dislike to being away
from you. Moreover I hope that my justice and restraint may become more
famous, if I leave soon: for it was so in the case of Scaevola, who
governed Asia only nine months.
On seeing that I was about to arrive, our friend Appius left Laodicea
and went up to Tarsus. I am not offended at the slight he has done me by
holding court while I am in the province, for I have enough business to
heal the wounds that he has inflicted on it: and I try to do this with
as little reflection on him as possible. But please tell our friend
Brutus, that his father-in-law has not acted well in going away as far
as he could on my arrival.
XVIII
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
[Sidenote: _In camp at Cybistra in Cappadocia, Sept. 20_, B.C. _51_]
If you don’t happen to be in town, I wish to goodness you were. I have
no positive news beyond your letter dated the 19th of July, in which you
said you were going to Epirus about the 1st of August. But whether you
are at Rome or in Epirus, the Parthians have crossed the Euphrates under
the leadership of
duce Pacoro, Orodis regis Parthorum filio, cunctis fere copiis. Bibulus
nondum audiebatur esse in Syria; Cassius in oppido Antiochia est cum
omni exercitu, nos in Cappadocia ad Taurum cum exercitu, ad Cybistra;
hostis in Cyrrhestica, quae Syriae pars proxima est provinciae meae. His
de rebus scripsi ad senatum, quas litteras, si Romae es, videbis putesne
reddendas, et multa, immo omnia, quorum κεφάλαιον, ne quid inter caesa
et porrecta, ut aiunt, oneris mihi addatur aut temporis. Nobis enim hac
infirmitate exercitus, inopia sociorum, praesertim fidelium, certissimum
subsidium est hiems. Ea si venerit, nec illi ante in meam provinciam
transierint, unum vereor, ne senatus propter urbanarum rerum metum
Pompeium nolit dimittere. Quodsi alium ad ver mittit, non laboro, nobis
modo temporis ne quid prorogetur. Haec igitur, si es Romae; sin abes,
aut etiam si ades, haec negotia sic se habent. Stamus animis et, quia
consiliis, ut videmur, bonis utimur, speramus etiam manu. Tuto
consedimus copioso a frumento, Ciliciam prope conspiciente, expedito ad
mutandum loco parvo exercitu, sed, ut spero, ad benevolentiam erga nos
consentiente. Quem nos Deiotari adventu cum suis omnibus copiis
duplicaturi eramus. Sociis multo fidelioribus utimur, quam quisquam usus
est; quibus incredibilis videtur nostra et mansuetudo et abstinentia.
Dilectus habetur
Pacorus, a son of the Parthian king Orodes, with nearly all their
forces. There is no news of the presence of Bibulus in Syria: Cassius is
in the town of Antioch with his whole army. I am in Cappadocia near the
Taurus with my army close to Cybistra. The enemy is in Cyrrhestica, a
district of Syria adjoining my province. I have sent a despatch to the
Senate on the situation. If you are in Rome, please look at the despatch
and say whether you think it ought to be delivered: and so for my other
affairs, chief of which is lest there be, as the saying goes, any slip
between the cup and the lip,[184] I mean that I may not be burdened with
an extension of office. Considering the weakness of my army, my want of
allies, especially faithful allies, my most sure support is the winter
weather. If winter comes and the enemy have not first crossed into my
province, I am afraid the Senate may refuse to let Pompey leave Rome
owing to fear of disturbance at home. But if it sends some one else by
spring, I don’t care, provided that there be no extension of my term of
office. Those are my commissions, if you are in town. If you are out of
town, or even if you are not, the situation is this. I am in excellent
spirits; and I hope, as my plans are well laid, that I am not too
sanguine about my preparations. I have pitched camp in a safe spot, well
supplied on the score of corn, almost within sight of Cilicia,
convenient for change of quarters, with an army small but, I hope, very
loyal to me, which will be doubled by the arrival of Deiotarus with all
his forces. I have found our allies far more loyal than any of my
predecessors have found them. They cannot understand my mildness and
self-abnegation. A levy is
Footnote 184:
Lit. “Between the slaying and the offering of the victim.”
civium Romanorum; frumentum ex agris in loca tuta comportatur. Si fuerit
occasio, manu, si minus, locis nos defendemus. Quare bono animo es.
Video enim te et, quasi coram adsis, ita cerno συμπάθειαν amoris tui.
Sed te rogo, si ullo pacto fieri poterit, si integra in senatu nostra
causa ad Kal. Ianuarias manserit, ut Romae sis mense Ianuario. Profecto
nihil accipiam iniuriae, si tu aderis. Amicos consules habemus, nostrum
tribunum pl. Furnium. Verum tua est opus adsiduitate, prudentia, gratia.
Tempus est necessarium. Sed turpe est me pluribus verbis agere tecum.
Cicerones nostri sunt apud Deiotarum, sed, si opus erit, deducentur
Rhodum. Tu, si es Romae, ut soles, diligentissime, si in Epiro, mitte
tamen ad nos de tuis aliquem tabellarium, ut et tu, quid nos agamus, et
nos, quid tu agas quidque acturus sis, scire possimus. Ego tui Bruti rem
sic ago, ut suam ipse non ageret. Sed iam exhibeo pupillum neque
defendo; sunt enim negotia et lenta et inania. Faciam tamen satis tibi
quidem, cui difficilius est quam ipsi; sed certe satis faciam utrique.
being held of Roman citizens: corn is being brought from the country
into safe strongholds. Should occasion arise, I should defend myself by
force, but otherwise I shall depend on my position. So be of good cheer.
You are always in my mind’s eye. and I understand your affectionate
sympathy as if you were standing here. But I beseech you, if it can be
arranged and supposing that my case is not debated in the House up to
the first of January, to be in Rome during that month. I shall be
treated fairly, if you are there. The consuls are my friends; Furnius
the tribune of the people is devoted to me: but I want you with your
ingratiating and skilful persistence. It is a critical time. But it
would be a shame for me to press you further.
My son and nephew are staying with Deiotarus. If necessary, they shall
be sent to Rhodes. If you are in Rome, send me a message with your usual
regularity. And even if you are in Epirus, send me one of your
messengers, that you may know my proceedings, and I may know your
present and future plans. I am managing your friend Brutus’ business
better than he could himself. But I now hand my ward[185] over to the
creditors and refuse to set up any plea for him. They are an
impracticable and impecunious lot. However I shall satisfy you, which is
more difficult even than satisfying Brutus. Indeed I will satisfy you
both.
Footnote 185:
Ariobarzanes, King of Cappadocia, who owed money to Brutus.
XIX
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. in castris ad Cybistra XI K. Oct. a. 703_]
Obsignaram iam epistulam eam, quam puto te modo perlegisse scriptam mea
manu, in qua omnia continentur, cum subito Apellae tabellarius a. d. XI
Kal. Octobres septimo quadragesimo die Roma celeriter (hui tam longe!)
mihi tuas litteras reddidit. Ex quibus non dubito, quin tu Pompeium
exspectaris, dum Arimino rediret, et iam in Epirum profectus sis,
magisque vereor, ut scribis, ne in Epiro sollicitus sis non minus, quam
nos hic sumus.
De Atiliano nomine scripsi ad Philotimum, ne appellaret Messallam.
Itineris nostri famam ad te pervenisse laetor magisque laetabor, si
reliqua cognoris. Filiolam tuam tibi caram ac[186] iucundam esse gaudeo,
eamque quam numquam vidi, tamen et amo et amabilem esse certo scio.
Etiam atque etiam vale.
De Patrone et tuis condiscipulis quae de parietinis in Melita laboravi,
ea tibi grata esse gaudeo. Quod scribis libente te repulsam tulisse eum,
qui cum sororis tuae filii patruo certarit, magni amoris signum. Itaque
me etiam admonuisti, ut gauderem, nam mihi in mentem non venerat. “Non
credo,” inquis. Ut
Footnote 186:
caram ac _Müller_: iam Romae _MSS._: tam moratam _Tyrrell_.
XIX
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
[Sidenote: _In the camp at Cybistra, Sept. 20_, B.C. _51_]
I had already sealed the letter, which I fancy you must have just read,
written in my own handwriting and containing a full account of events,
when suddenly your letter was delivered to me on September 20th by a
letter carrier of Apelles, who had done a journey express from Rome in
forty-seven days. Ah, what a long way it is! It makes me sure that you
awaited Pompey’s return from Ariminum, and have now set out for Epirus,
and I fear from your tone, that you may be in as great straits in Epirus
as I am here.
I have written to my wife’s steward not to dun Messalla for the money
due from Atilius. I am delighted you have heard reports of my official
progress, and I shall be still more delighted if you hear of my other
good deeds. I am glad that you are pleased with your little daughter. I
have never seen her, but I love her and I am sure she is lovable.
Good-bye, again good-bye.
Talking of Patro and your friends of his school, I am glad you liked my
efforts about the ruins in Melita. It is a sign of great affection on
your part, to rejoice in the defeat of a man[187] who opposed the uncle
of your sister’s son. You have put it into my head to rejoice too. It
had not occurred to me. You need not believe me, if you like: but really
I
Footnote 187:
Probably C. Hirrus, who had just failed to obtain the curule
aedileship. He had previously stood for the augurate, when Cicero had
been successful. Others, however, suggest M. Calidius, who had
criticized Cicero’s oratorical style and prosecuted Q. Gallius in 64
B.C., when Cicero defended him.
libet; sed plane gaudeo, quoniam τὸ νεμεσᾶν interest τοῦ φθονεῖν.
XX
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. in Cilicia a. 703 inter a. d. XII et IV K. Ian._]
Saturnalibus mane se mihi Pindenissitae dediderunt septimo et
quinquagesimo die, postquam oppugnare eos coepimus. “Qui, malum! isti
Pindenissitae qui sunt?” inquies; “nomen audivi numquam.” Quid ego
faciam? num potui Ciliciam Aetoliam aut Macedoniam reddere? Hoc iam sic
habeto, nec hoc exercitu nec hic tanta negotia geri potuisse. Quae
cognosce ἐν ἐπιτομῇ; sic enim concedis mihi proxumis litteris. Ephesum
ut venerim, nosti, qui etiam mihi gratulatus es illius diei
celebritatem, qua nihil me umquam delectavit magis. Inde in oppidis iis,
qua iter erat, mirabiliter accepti Laodiceam pridie Kal. Sextiles
venimus. Ibi morati biduum perillustres fuimus honorificisque verbis
omnes iniurias revellimus superiores, quod idem Colossis, dein Apameae
quinque dies morati et Synnadis triduum, Philomeli quinque dies, Iconi
decem fecimus. Nihil ea iuris dictione aequabilius, nihil lenius, nihil
gravius. Inde in castra veni a. d. VII Kalendas Septembres. A. d. III
exercitum lustravi apud Iconium. Ex his castris, cum graves de Parthis
nuntii venirent, perrexi in Ciliciam per Cappadociae partem eam, quae
Ciliciam attingit, eo consilio, ut Armenius Artavasdes et ipsi Parthi
am glad, because righteous indignation is different from malice.
XX
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
[Sidenote: _In Cilicia, between Dec. 19 and 27_, B.C. _51_]
On the morning of the 17th of December the Pindenissitae surrendered to
me, on the fifty-seventh day from the commencement of my siege. “The
Pindenissitae!” you will exclaim, “Who the deuce are they? I never heard
the name.” That is not my fault. Could I turn Cilicia into Aetolia or
Macedonia? Take this for granted that with my army and in my position
such a big business was impossible. Here is a synopsis of the affair.
You agreed to that in your last letter. You are aware of my arrival at
Ephesus, for you have congratulated me on the reception I got on the day
of arrival, which delighted me beyond words. Thence, after a marvellous
welcome in the towns on my way, I reached Laodicea on the 31st of July.
I stayed there two days in great state and with nattering speeches took
the sting out of all past injuries. I did the same at Colossae and
during a stay of five days at Apamea, three at Synnada, five at
Philomelus and ten at Iconium. Nothing could be more fair, lenient or
dignified than my legal decisions. From there I came to camp on the 24th
of August. On the 28th I reviewed the army at Iconium. On receipt of
grave news about the Parthians I left camp for Cilicia travelling
through that part of Cappadocia which borders on Cilicia, intending that
the Armenian Artavasdes and the Parthians themselves should realize they
were cut off from entering Cappadocia. After camping five
Cappadocia se excludi putarent. Cum dies quinque ad Cybistra Cappadociae
castra habuissem, certior sum factus Parthos ab illo aditu Cappadociae
longe abesse, Ciliciae magis imminere. Itaque confestim iter in Ciliciam
feci per Tauri pylas. Tarsum veni a. d. III Nonas Octobres. Inde ad
Amanum contendi, qui Syriam a Cilicia in aquarum divertio dividit; qui
mons erat hostium plenus sempiternorum. Hic a. d. III Idus Octobr.
magnum numerum hostium occidimus. Castella munitissiina nocturno
Pomptini adventu, nostro matutino cepimus, incendimus. Imperatores
appellati sumus. Castra paucos dies habuimus ea ipsa, quae contra Darium
habuerat apud Issum Alexander, imperator haud paulo melior quam aut tu
aut ego. Ibi dies quinque morati direpto et vastato Amano inde
discessimus. Interim (scis enim dici quaedam πανικά, dici item τὰ κενὰ
τοῦ πολέμου) rumore adventus nostri et Cassio, qui Antiochia tenebatur,
animus accessit, et Parthis timor iniectus est. Itaque eos cedentes ab
oppido Cassius insecutus rem bene gessit. Qua in fuga magna auctoritate
Osaces dux Parthorum vulnus accepit eoque interiit paucis post diebus.
Erat in Syria nostrum nomen in gratia. Venit interim Bibulus; credo,
voluit appellatione hac inani nobis esse par. In eodem Amano coepit
loreolam in mustaceo quaerere. At ille cohortem primam totam perdidit
centurionemque primi pili, nobilem sui generis, Asinium
days at Cybistra in Cappadocia, I got information that the Parthians
were far distant from that entrance into Cappadocia, and rather were
threatening Cilicia. So I made a forced march into Cilicia by the gates
of Taurus. I reached Tarsus on the 5th of October. Thence I hurried to
Amanus, which divides Syria from Cilicia by its watershed, a mountain
that has always been full of our enemies. Here on the 13th of October we
cut up a large body of the enemy. I captured some strongly fortified
posts by a night assault of Pomptinus and a day assault of my own: and
we burned them. I was hailed as “General.” For a few days I pitched camp
at the very spot near Issus, where Alexander had camped against Darius.
He was rather a better general than you or I. We plundered and
devastated Amanus, and after a stay of five days took our departure.
Meantime (for you know there are such words as “panic” and “the
uncertainties of war”) report of my arrival gave heart to Cassius, who
was shut up in Antioch, and it inspired fear in the Parthians. So, as
the Parthians retreated from the town, Cassius pursued them and scored a
success. In their retreat one of their leaders, Osaces, a man of high
rank, was wounded and died a few days afterwards. I was in high favour
in Syria. Meantime Bibulus came. I fancy he wanted to be my peer in the
matter of that empty title. On this same mountain Amanus he begins his
task of looking for a needle in a bottle of hay.[188] But the whole of
his first squadron was lost as well as Asinius Dento, a centurion of the
first line and of noble
Footnote 188:
Lit. “a bay leaf in a wedding cake.” They were baked on bay leaves.
Dentonem, et reliquos cohortis eiusdem et Sex. Lucilium, T. Gavi
Caepionis locupletis et splendidi hominis filium, tribunum militum. Same
plagam odiosam acceperat cum re tum tempore. Nos ad Pindenissum, quod
oppidum munitissimum Eleutherocilicum omnium memoria in armis fuit. Feri
homines et acres et omnibus rebus ad defendendum parati. Cinximus vallo
et fossa, aggere maximo, vineis, turre altissima, magna tormentorum
copia, multis sagittariis, magno labore, apparatu, multis sauciis
nostris, incolumi exercitu negotium confecimus. Hilara sane Saturnalia
militibus quoque, quibus equis exceptis reliquam praedam concessimus.
Mancipia venibant Saturnalibus tertiis. Cum haec scribebam in tribunali
res erat ad HS |¯CXX¯|. Hinc exercitum in hiberna agri male pacati
deducendum Quinto fratri dabam; ipse me Laodiceam recipiebam.
Haec adhuc. Sed ad praeterita revertamur. Quod me maxime hortaris et,
quod pluris est quam omnia, in quo laboras, ut etiam Ligurino μώμῳ satis
faciamus, moriar, si quicquam fieri potest elegantius. Nec iam ego hanc
continentiam appello, quae virtus voluptati
blood,[189] and other centurions of the same squadron, and a military
tribune. Sex. Lucilius son of T. Gavius Caepio, who has wealth and
position. It was really a mortifying reverse and inopportune. I was at
Pindenissus, the most strongly fortified town in Eleutherocilicia and
engaged in war so long as men can remember. The inhabitants were keen
warriors, thoroughly prepared to withstand a siege. We compassed it with
a stockade and ditch, with big entrenchments, penthouses, a tall tower,
a large supply of artillery and a number of archers. With much toil and
preparation I settled the business without loss of life, though many
were wounded. I am keeping a festive holiday, as also are my soldiers,
to whom I gave all the spoils except the horses. The captives were sold
on the third day of the festival of Saturn.[190] At the time of writing,
the sum realized at the auction has reached about £100,000.[191] I am
giving my army to my brother Quintus to take into winter quarters in the
more disturbed part of the province, while I am returning myself to
Laodicea.
So much for that. To recur to old topics. As for the point of your
exhortation, which is more important than anything else about which you
are concerned—that I may satisfy even my carping Ligurian
critic[192]—may I die, if conduct could be more fastidious than mine. I
am not going to talk of continence, a quality
Footnote 189:
Or “noble in his own class” (i.e. a good soldier), or “a noble of his
own kidney,” with a play on Asinius and _asinus_.
Footnote 190:
Dec. 19.
Footnote 191:
12,000,000 sesterces.
Footnote 192:
Probably P. Aelius Ligur, who sided against Cicero at the time of his
banishment.
resistere videtur. Ego in vita mea nulla umquam voluptate tanta sum
adfectus, quanta adficior hac integritate, nee me tam fama, quae summa
est, quam res ipsa delectat. Quid quaeris? fuit tanti. Me ipse non noram
nee satis sciebam, quid in hoc genere facere possem. Recte πεφύσημαι.
Nihil est praeclarius. Interim haec λαμπρά. Ariobarzanes opera mea
vivit, regnat; ἐν παρόδῳ consilio et auctoritate et, quod
insidiatoribus. eius ἀπρόσιτον me, non modo ἀδωροδόκητον praebui, regem
regnumque servavi. Interea e Cappadocia ne pilum quidem. Brutum
abiectum, quantum potui, excitavi; quem non minus amo quam tu, paene
dixi, quam te. Atque etiam spero toto anno imperii nostri terruncium
sumptus in provincia nullum fore.
Habes omnia. Nunc publice litteras Romam mittere parabam. Uberiores
erunt, quam si ex Amano misissem. At te Romae non fore! Sed est totum in
eo, quid Kalendis Martiis futurum sit. Vereor enim, ne, cum de provincia
agetur, si Caesar resistet, nos retineamur. His tu si adesses, nihil
timerem.
Redeo ad urbana, quae ego diu ignorans ex tuis iucundissimis litteris a.
d. V Kal. Ianuarias denique cognovi. Eas diligentissime Philogenes,
libertus tuus, curavit perlonga et non satis tuta via perferendas.
connoting resistance of pleasure: for nothing in my life has given me
more pleasure than this rectitude. And it is not so much the enhancement
of my reputation, though that is important, as the exercise of the
virtue that delights me. I can tell you my exile has been worth while,
for I did not understand myself nor realize of what I was capable in
this line. I may well be puffed up. It is splendid. Meantime I have made
a _coup_ in this: it is thanks to me that Ariobarzanes lives and reigns
a king. In my progress through the province I have saved a king and a
kingdom by the weight of my advice and official position and by refusing
to entertain even the visits much less the bribes of conspirators
against him. Meantime from Cappadocia not the value of a hair. I stirred
up Brutus out of his dejection as much as I could. I love him as well as
you do. I had almost said as well as I do you. And I hope that during
the whole of my year of office there will not be a penny’s expense in my
province.
That is the whole story. I am now preparing to send an official despatch
to Rome. It will be richer in detail than if I had sent it from Amanus.
But fancy your not being in town! Everything hangs on what happens on
the 1st of March, for I fear, when the question of the provinces is
under debate, that I may be kept here, if Caesar refuses to give up his
province. Were you there to take part in the matter, I should have no
fears.
To revert to city news, with which I was put in touch only on the 26th
of December from your delightful letter. It was the letter which your
freedman Philogenes brought to me with scrupulous care after a long and
risky journey; for I have not received
Nam, quas Laeni pueris scribis datas, non acceperam. Iucunda de Caesare,
et quae senatus decrevit, et quae tu speras. Quibus ille si cedit, salvi
sumus. Incendio Plaetoriano quod Seius ambustus est, minus moleste fero.
Lucceius de Q. Cassio cur tam vehemens fuerit, et quid actum sit, aveo
scire.
Ego, cum Laodiceam venero, Quinto, sororis tuae filio, togam puram
iubeor dare. Cui moderabor diligentius. Deiotarus, cuius auxiliis magnis
usus sum, ad me, ut scripsit, cum Ciceronibus Laodiceam venturus erat.
Tuas etiam Epiroticas exspecto litteras, ut habeam rationem non modo
negotii, verum etiam otii tui. Nicanor in officio est et a me
liberaliter tractatur. Quem, ut puto, Romam cum litteris publicis
mittam, ut et diligentius perferantur, et idem ad me certa de te et a te
referat. Alexis quod mihi totiens salutem adscribit, est gratum; sed cur
non suis litteris idem facit, quod meus ad te Alexis facit? Phemio
quaeritur κέρας. Sed haec hactenus. Cura, ut valeas, et ut sciam, quando
cogites Romam. Etiam atque etiam vale.
Tua tuosque Thermo et praesens Ephesi diligentissime commendaram et nunc
per litteras ipsumque intellexi esse perstudiosum tui. Tu velim, quod
antea
the letter which you say was entrusted to the slaves of Laenius. It was
glad tidings that you wrote me about Caesar and the decree of the House
and your own hopes. If Caesar falls in with this, I shall be safe from
any extension of office. I am not much concerned that Seius was singed
in Plaetorius’ fire.[193] I want to know why Lucceius was so keen about
Q. Cassias and what has happened.
I am commissioned to celebrate the coming of age of Quintus, your
sister’s son, on arrival at Laodicea. I shall keep a careful hold upon
him. Deiotarus, who has been of great help to me, has written that he
will come to me at Laodicea with the two boys. I am awaiting another
letter from you from Epirus, that I may have an account not only of your
work-a-day life, but of your holiday life. Nicanor is doing his duty by
me, and is being well treated. I think I shall send him to Rome with my
official despatch, that it may be promptly delivered and at the same
time that he may bring me certain news about you and from you. I am
pleased that Alexis so often sends greetings to me; but why cannot he
put them in a letter of his own, as Tiro, who is my Alexis, does for
you. I am searching for a horn for Phemius.[194] But enough now. Keep
your health and let me know when you intend to go to town. Good-bye,
again good-bye.
I have been at pains to recommend your interests and your people to
Thermus, both personally at Ephesus and now by letter, and I have
gathered that he is very solicitous on your behalf. Please execute
Footnote 193:
M. Plaetorius Cestianus was condemned for extortion, and M. Seius as
an accessory after the fact.
Footnote 194:
A musical slave belonging to Atticus.
ad te scripsi, de domo Pammeni des operam, ut, quod tuo meoque beneficio
puer habet, cures, ne qua ratione convellatur. Utrique nostrum honestum
existimo; tum mihi erit pergratum.
XXI
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. Laodiceae Id. Febr. a. 704_]
Te in Epirum salvum venisse et, ut scribis, ex sententia navigasse
vehementer gaudeo, non esse Romae meo tempore pernecessario submoleste
fero. Hoc me tamen consolor uno, spero te istic iucunde hiemare et
libenter requiescere. C. Cassius, frater Q. Cassi, familiaris tui,
pudentiores illas litteras miserat, de quibus tu ex me requiris, quid
sibi voluerint, quam cas, quas postea misit, quibus per se scribit
confectum esse Parthicum bellum. Recesserant illi quidem ab Antiochia
ante Bibuli adventum, sed nullo nostro εὐημερήματι; hodie vero hiemant
in Cyrrhestica, maximumque bellum impendet. Nam et Orodi, regis
Parthorum, filius in provincia nostra est, nec dubitat Deiotarus, cuius
filio pacta est Artavasdis filia, ex quo sciri potest, quin cum omnibus
copiis ipse prima aestate Euphraten transiturus sit. Quo autem die Cassi
litterae victrices in senatu recitatae sunt, datae Nonis Octobribus,
eodem meae tumultum nuntiantes. Axius noster ait nostras auctoritatis
plenas fuisse, illis negat creditum. Bibuli nondum erant allatae; quas
certo scio plenas timoris fore.
my former commissions to look after Pammenes’ house, so that the boy may
not be robbed of what he owes to your kindness and mine. This I think
will redound to our honour and will please me much.
XXI
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
[Sidenote: _Laodicea, Feb. 13_, B.C. _50_]
I am very glad that you have reached Epirus safely, and that you report
a voyage to your liking. But I am rather upset that you are absent from
Rome at a moment so critical for me. However I have one consolation: I
hope you will have a pleasant winter where you are and a nice rest. You
ask me the purport of a letter that C. Cassius, the brother of Q.
Cassius, your friend, sent me. The letter he wrote is more modest than a
subsequent epistle in which he claimed to have ended the Parthian war.
The Parthians to be sure had retired from Antioch before the arrival of
Bibulus: but it was not thanks to any _coup de main_ of our troops.
To-day the enemy is wintering in Cyrrhestica and a serious war is
imminent: for the son of Orodes the king of the Parthians is in a Roman
province, and Deiotarus, to whose son the daughter of Artavasdes is
betrothed, a very competent authority, is positive that the king himself
will cross the Euphrates with all his forces in the early summer. On the
very day on which Cassius’ despatch, dated the 7th of October,
announcing victory was read in the Senate, came mine announcing trouble.
My friend Axius says that Cassius’ despatch gained no belief and mine
was considered worthy of attention. Bibulus’ despatch had not yet
arrived: but I know for a fact that it will express alarm.
Ex his rebus hoc vereor, ne, cum Pompeius propter metum rerum novarum
nusquam dimittatur, Caesari nullus honos a senatu habeatur, dum hic
nodus expediatur, non putet senatus nos, antequam successum sit,
oportere decedere nec in tanto motu rerum tantis provinciis singulos
legates praeesse. Hic, ne quid mihi prorogetur, quod ne intercessor
quidem sustinere possit, horreo, atque eo magis, quod tu abes, qui
consilio, gratia, studio multis rebus occurreres. Sed dices me ipsum
mihi sollicitudinem struere. Cogor, ut velim ita sit; sed omnia metuo.
Etsi bellum ἀκροτελεύτιον habet illa tua epistula, quam dedisti nauseans
Buthroto: “Tibi, ut video et spero, nulla ad decedendum erit mora.”
Mallem “ut video,” nihil opus fuit “ut spero.” Acceperam autem satis
celeriter Iconi per publicanorum tabellarios a Lentuli triumpho datas.
In his γλυκύπικρον illud confirmas, moram mihi nullam fore, deinde
addis, si quid secus, te ad me esse venturum. Angunt me dubitationes
tuae; simul et vides, quas acceperim litteras. Nam, quas Hermonis
centurionis caculae ipse scribis te dedisse, non accepi. Laeni pueris te
dedisse saepe ad me scripseras. Eas Laodiceae denique, cum eo venissem,
III Idus Februar. Laenius mihi reddidit datas a. d. X Kal. Octobres.
Laenio tuas commendationes et statim verbis et reliquo tempore re
probabo. Eae litterae cetera vetera habebant, unum
This makes me fear that the Senate may pay no respect to Caesar’s
demands, refusing to let Pompey quit Rome, when revolution is imminent.
Until this trouble is unravelled, it may decline to allow me to leave
the province before my successor comes, and not be willing to entrust
such important provinces in troublous times to legates. So I shudder to
think that the term of my office may be extended without even any
tribune being able to veto it; and the more so on account of your
absence, when you might interfere in many cases with your advice,
influence and efforts. You will say I am raising imaginary alarms. I am
forced to hope that my alarms may be idle, but everything frightens me.
Though your letter written at Buthrotum in sickness had a charming
_finale_. “As I see and hope, there will be nothing to hinder your
departure,” still I should prefer the phrase “as I see” and there was no
need for the words “and hope.” I have received a letter dated just after
the triumph of Lentulus, which was brought post haste to Iconium by the
tax-farmers’ messengers. In it you repeat that bitter-sweet saying, that
there will be no delay, with a postscript, that, if anything goes wrong,
you yourself will come to me. I am tortured by the doubts you express:
and you may see which of your letters I have received, for I have not
got the letter which you say was handed to Hermo the centurion’s
orderly. You have repeatedly told me you entrusted a letter to the
slaves of Laenius. That letter, which was dated the 21st of September,
was handed to me at last by Laenius on my arrival at Laodicea on the
11th of February. I will show Laenius at once in word and in the future
in deed that your recommendation carries weight. Besides old topics the
letter had
hoc novum de Cibyratis pantheris. Multum te amo, quod respondisti M.
Octavio te non putare. Sed posthac omnia, quae recta non erunt, pro
certo negato. Nos enim et nostra sponte bene firmi et mehercule
auctoritate tua inflammati vicimus omnes (hoc tu ita reperies) cum
abstinentia tum iustitia, facilitate, clementia. Cave putes quicquam
homines magis umquam esse miratos quam nullum terruncium me obtinente
provinciam sumptus factum esse nec in rem publicam nec in quemquam
meorum praeterquam in L. Tullium legatum. Is ceteroqui abstinens, sed
Iulia lege transitans,[195] semel tamen in diem, non, ut alii solebant,
omnibus vicis (praeter eum semel nemo accepit) facit, ut mihi
excipiendus sit, cum terruncium nego sumptus factum. Praeter eum accepit
nemo. Has a nostro Q. Titinio sordes accepimus.
Ego aestivis confectis Quintum fratrem hibernis et Ciliciae praefeci. Q.
Volusium, tui Tiberi generum, certum hominem et mirifice abstinentem,
misi in Cyprum, ut ibi pauculos dies esset, ne cives Romani. pauci qui
illic negotiantur, ius sibi dictum negarent; nam evocari ex insula
Cyprios non licet. Ipse in Asiam profectus sum Tarso Nonis Ianuariis,
non mehercule dici potest qua admiratione Ciliciae civitatum maximeque
Tarsensium. Postea vero quam Taurum transgressus sum, mirifica
exspectatio Asiae nostrarum dioecesium, quae sex mensibus imperii mei
nullas meas acceperat litteras, numquam hospitem
Footnote 195:
transitans _Manutius_: transitam _M_: pransitans _Peerlkamp_: in
transitu _Tyrrell_.
one fresh one, the panthers from Cibyra. I am indebted to you for
telling M. Octavius that you thought it would be impracticable. But in
future give a direct “no” to any undesirable requests. Firm fixed in my
own determination and fired by the weight of your opinion, I have
overcome everybody as you will find by my justice, self-abnegation and
easy courtesy. People were never more astonished than to learn that not
a farthing has been spent during my tenure of office, either on public
objects or on any of my staff, except on my legate L. Tullius. He has
behaved well on the whole, but under the Julian law on one occasion _en
passage_ and for the day’s needs, and not as others would at every
hamlet, he did take something. He is the sole offender; and forces me to
add a rider to my remark that not a farthing has been spent upon us.
Besides him no one has taken a penny. That blot I owe to my friend Q.
Titinius.
When the camp was struck at the end of the summer, I put my brother
Quintus in charge of the winter camp and of Cilicia. Q. Volusius,
son-in-law of your friend Tiberius, a safe man and wonderfully
unselfish, I have sent to Cyprus, ordering him to stay a few days, that
the few Roman citizens in business there may not say they have no
facilities for legal process: the inhabitants cannot be summoned to a
court outside the island. I myself set out for Asia from Tarsus on the
fifth of January. I cannot describe how the cities in Cilicia and
especially the people of Tarsus looked up to me. After crossing the
Taurus, I found Asia, that is so far as my district extends, very keen
to welcome me. For during the six months of my administration, there had
been no requisitions and
viderat. Illud autem tempus quotannis ante me fuerat in hoc quaestu.
Civitates locupletes, ne in hiberna milites reciperent, magnas pecunias
dabant, Cyprii talenta Attica cc; qua ex insula (non ὑπερβολικῶς sed
verissime loquor) nummus nullus me obtinente erogabitur. Ob haec
beneficia, quibus illi obstupescunt, nullos honores mihi nisi verborum
decerni sino, statuas, fana, τέθριππα prohibeo, nec sum in ulla re alia
molestus civitatibus—sed fortasse tibi, qui haec praedicem de me.
Perfer, si me amas; tu enim me haec facere voluisti. Iter igitur ita per
Asiam feci, ut etiam fames, qua nihil miserius est, quae tum erat in
haec mea Asia (messis enim nulla fuerat), mihi optanda fuerit. Quacumque
iter feci, nulla vi, nullo iudicio, nulla contumelia, auctoritate et
cohortatione perfeci, ut et Graeci et cives Romani, qui frumentum
compresserant, magnum numerum populis pollicerentur. Idibus Februariis,
quo die has litteras dedi, forum institueram agere Laodiceae Cibyraticum
et Apamense, ex Idibus Martiis ibidem Synnadense, Pamphylium (tum Phemio
dispiciam κέρας), Lycaonium, Isauricum; ex Idibus Maiis in Ciliciam, ut
ibi Iunius consumatur, velim tranquille a Parthis. Quinctilis, si erit,
ut volumus, in itinere est per provinciam redeuntibus consumendus.
Venimus enim in provinciam Laodiceam Sulpicio et Marcello consulibus
pridie Kalendas Sextiles.
not a single case of billeting. Before my time this season had been
devoted every year to the pursuit of gain. The richer states used to pay
large sums to escape from having soldiers billeted on them for the
winter. The people of Cyprus used to pay nearly £50,000,[196] while
under my administration, in literal truth, not a penny will be demanded.
I will take no honours except speechifying in return for these
kindnesses which have so amazed people. I allow neither statues, nor
shrines, nor sculptured chariots: and I don’t annoy the states in any
other respects—but perhaps I may annoy you by my egotism. Bear with it
from your regard for me. It was you who wished me to act as I have. My
tour through Asia was such that even the crowning misery of famine,
which existed in my province owing to the failure of the crops, gave me
a welcome opportunity. Wherever I went, without force, without legal
process, without hard words, by my personal influence and exhortations,
I induced Greeks and Roman citizens, who had stored corn, to promise a
large quantity to the communities. On the 13th of February, the date on
which I despatch this letter, I have arranged to try cases from Cibyra
and Apamea at Laodicea; from the 15th of March, from Synnada, Pamphylia
(when I will look out for a horn for Phemius), Lycaonia and Isaurum at
the same place. After the 15th of May, I set out to spend June in
Cilicia: I hope without being troubled by the Parthians. July, if things
turn out as I hope, is to be spent on my journey back through the
province. I entered the province at Laodicea during the consulship of
Sulpicius and Marcellus on the 31st of
Footnote 196:
200 Attic talents, which were of the value of £243 15s.
Inde nos oportet decedere a. d. III Kalendas Sextiles. Primum contendam
a Quinto fratre, ut se praefici patiatur, quod et illo et me invitissimo
fiet. Sed aliter honeste fieri non potest, praesertim cum virum optimum,
Pomptinum, ne nunc quidem retinere possim. Rapit enim hominem Postumius
Romam, fortasse etiam Postumia.
Habes consilia nostra; nunc cognosce de Bruto. Familiares habet Brutus
tuus quosdam creditores Salaminiorum ex Cypro, M. Scaptium et P.
Matinium: quos mihi maiorem in modum commendavit. Matinium non novi.
Scaptius ad me in castra venit. Pollicitus sum curaturum me Bruti causa,
ut ei Salaminii pecuniam solverent. Egit gratias. Praefecturam petivit.
Negavi me cuiquam negotianti dare (quod idem tibi ostenderam. Cn.
Pompeio petenti probaram institutum meum, quid dicam Torquato de M.
Laenio tuo, multis aliis?); sin praefectus vellet esse syngraphae causa,
me curaturum, ut exigeret. Gratias egit, discessit. Appius noster turmas
aliquot equitum dederat huic Scaptio, per quas Salaminios coerceret, et
eundem habuerat praefectum; vexabat Salaminios. Ego equites ex Cypro
decedere iussi. Moleste tulit Scaptius. Quid multa? ut ei fidem meam
praestarem, cum ad me Salaminii Tarsum venissent et in iis Scaptius,
imperavi, ut pecuniam solverent. Multa de syngrapha, de Scapti iniuriis.
Negavi me audire; hortatus sum, petivi etiam pro
July. I ought to quit it on the 30th of July. First, however, I must ask
my brother Quintus to be good enough to take charge, which will be
against the grain with us both. But it will be the only fair course,
especially since even now I cannot keep that excellent fellow Pomptinus;
for Postumius is dragging him back to town, and perhaps Mrs Postumius
too.
Those are my plans. Now let me tell you about Brutus. Among his
intimates your friend Brutus has some creditors of the people of Salamis
in Cyprus, M. Scaptius and P. Matinius, whom he recommended to me
warmly. Matinius I have not met: Scaptius came to see me in camp. For
the sake of Brutus I promised that the people of Salamis should settle
their debts to him. The fellow thanked me, and asked for the post of
prefect. I informed him I always refused business men, as I have told
you. This rule Cn. Pompeius accepted when he made a similar request. So
did Torquatus, M. Laenius, and many others. However, I told Scaptius
that if he wanted the post on account of his bond, I would see that he
got paid. He thanked me and took his leave. Our friend Appius had given
him some squadrons to put pressure on the people of Salamis, and had
also given him the office of prefect. He was causing trouble to the
people of Salamis. I gave orders that his cavalry should leave the
island. That annoyed him. In short, to keep faith with him, I ordered
the people, when they came along with Scaptius to see me at Tarsus, to
pay the money. They had a good deal to say about the bond, and about the
harm that Scaptius had done them. I refused to listen. I prayed and
besought them to
meis in civitatem beneficiis, ut negotium conficerent, denique dixi me
coacturum. Homines non modo non recusare, sed etiam hoc dicere, se a me
solvere. Quod enim praetori dare consuessent, quoniam ego non acceperam,
se a me quodam modo dare, atque etiam minus esse aliquanto in Scapti
nomine quam in vectigali praetorio. Collaudavi homines. “Recte,” inquit
Scaptius, “sed subducamus summam.” Interim, cum ego in edicto
translaticio centesimas me observaturum haberem cum anatocismo
anniversario ille ex syngrapha postulabat quaternas. “Quid ais?” inquam,
“possumne contra meum edictum?” At ille profert senatus consultum
Lentulo Philippoque consulibus, VT, QVI CILICIAM OBTINERET, IVS EX ILLA
SYNGRAPHA DICERET. Cohorrui primo; etenim erat interitus civitatis.
Reperio duo senatus consulta isdem consulibus de eadem syngrapha.
Salaminii cum Romae versuram facere vellent, non poterant, quod lex
Gabinia vetabat. Tum iis Bruti familiares freti gratia Bruti dare
volebant quaternis, si sibi senatus consulto caveretur. Fit gratia Bruti
senatus consultum, VT NEVE SALAMINIIS, NEVE QVI EIS DEDISSET, FRAVDI
ESSET. Pecuniam numerarunt. At postea venit in mentem
settle the business in consideration of the good that I had done their
state. Finally, I threatened to compel them. So far from refusing to
settle, the people said that really they would be paying out of my
pocket, in the sense that I had refused to take the present usually
given to the governor, which they admitted would be more than the amount
they owed to Scaptius. I praised their attitude. “Very well,” said
Scaptius; “but let us reckon up the total.” Now in my traditionary
edict[197] I had fixed the rate of interest at 12 per cent compound
interest, reckoned by the year. But Scaptius demanded 48 per cent in
accordance with the terms of the bond. I declared that I could not break
the rule laid down in my edict. But he produced a decree of the Senate,
made in the consulship of Lentulus and Philippus,[198] ordering that the
governor of Cilicia should give judgement according to the bond. At
first I was horror stricken, for it spelled ruin to the community. I
find there are two decrees of the Senate in the same year about this
identical bond. When the people of Salamis wanted to raise a loan in
town to pay off another, they were obstructed by a law of Gabinius which
forbade lending to provincials. Then these intimates of Brutus,
depending on his support, professed willingness to lend at 48 per cent,
if they were protected by a decree of the Senate. Brutus induced the
Senate to make a decree that the transaction between the people of
Salamis and the money-lenders should be exempted from the provisions of
the law. They paid down the money. Afterwards it came into the heads of
the
Footnote 197:
The edict is called _translaticium_, because it was handed down with
alterations from governor to governor.
Footnote 198:
B.C. 56.
faeneratoribus nihil se iuvare illud senatus consultum, quod ex
syngrapha ius dici lex Gabinia vetaret. Tum fit senatus consultum, VT EX
EA SYNGRAPHA IVS DICERETVR, non ut alio iure ea syngrapha[199] esset
quam ceterae, sed ut eodem. Cum haec disseruissem, seducit me Scaptius;
ait se nihil contra dicere, sed illos putare talenta cc se debere. Ea se
velle accipere. Debere autem illos paulo minus. Rogat, ut eos ad ducenta
perducam. “Optime,” inquam. Voco illos ad me remoto Scaptio. “Quid? vos
quantum,” inquam, “debetis?” Respondent CVI. Refero ad Scaptium. Homo
clamare. “Quid? opus est,” inquam, “rationes conferatis?” Adsidunt,
subducunt; ad nummum convenit. Illi se numerare velle, urguere, ut
acciperet. Scaptius me rursus seducit, rogat, ut rem sic relinquam. Dedi
veniam homini impudenter petenti; Graccis querentibus, ut in fano
deponerent, postulantibus non concessi. Clamare omnes, qui aderant,
nihil impudentius Scaptio, qui centesimis cum anatocismo contentus non
esset; alii nihil stultius. Mihi autem impudens magis quam stultus
videbatur; nam aut bono nomine centesimis contentus non[200] erat aut
non bono quaternas centesimas sperabat.
Habes meam causam. Quae si Bruto non probatur, nescio, cur illum amemus.
Sed avunculo eius certe probabitur, praesertim cum senatus consultum
modo factum sit, puto, postquam tu es profectus, in
Footnote 199:
IVS—syngrapha _is added by Boot_.
Footnote 200:
non _is added by Ernesti_.
money-lenders that the decree would be futile, because Gabinius’ law
forbade any legal process on the bond. Then the Senate passed a decree
that the bond should be good at law, giving this bond the same validity
as other bonds and nothing more. When I pointed this out, Scaptius took
me aside. He said that he had no objection to my ruling; but that the
people of Salamis imagined they owed him nearly £50,000. That he wanted
to get that sum, but that they owed rather less. He begged me to induce
them to fix it at that amount. “Very well,” said I. I sent Scaptius
away, and summoned the people and asked them the amount of the debt.
They replied something over £25,000. I consulted Scaptius again. He was
loud in his protests. I said that the only plan was for them to check
their accounts. They sat down and made out the account. It agreed to a
penny with their statement. They wanted to pay, and begged him to
receive the money. Again Scaptius led me aside, and asked me to let the
matter stand over. The request was impertinent, but I consented. I would
not listen to the complaints of the Greeks and their demand to deposit
the sum in the temple treasury. The bystanders all declared that the
conduct of Scaptius was outrageous in refusing 12 per cent with compound
interest. Others said he was a fool. He seemed to me to be more of a
knave than a fool: for either he was not content with 12 per cent on
good security, or he hoped for 48 per cent on very doubtful security.
There is my case. If Brutus does not approve, there is no reason why I
should be friendly with him. Certainly his uncle will approve,
especially since a decree of the Senate has been passed (after you left
creditorum causa ut centesimae perpetuo faenore ducerentur. Hoc quid
intersit, si tuos digitos novi, certe babes subductum. In quo quidem,
ὁδοῦ πάρεργον, L. Lucceius M. f. queritur apud me per litteras summum
esse periculum, ne culpa senatus his decretis res ad tabulas novas
perveniat; commemorat, quid olim mali C. Iulius fecerit, cum dieculam
duxerit: numquam rei publicae plus. Sed ad rem redeo. Meditare adversus
Brutum causam meam, si haec causa est, contra quam nihil honeste dici
potest, praesertim cum integram rem et causam reliquerim.
Reliqua sunt domestica. De ἐνδομύχω probo idem quod tu Postumiae filio,
quoniam Pontidia nugatur. Sed vellem adesses. A Quinto fratre his
mensibus nihil exspectaris; nam Taurus propter nives ante mensem Iunium
transiri non potest. Thermum, ut rogas, creberrimis litteris fulcio. P.
Valerium negat habere quicquam Deiotarus rex eumque ait a se sustentari.
Cum scies, Romae intercalatum sit necne, velim ad me scribas certum, quo
die mysteria futura sint. Litteras tuas minus paulo exspecto, quam si
Romae esses, sed tamen exspecto.
Rome, I think) in the matter of money-lenders, that 12 per cent simple
interest shall be the rate. The difference between the two totals you
will already have arrived at, if I do not belie your skill as a
ready-reckoner. _Apropos_ of this, by the way, L. Lucceius, son of
Marcus, writes me a petulant letter that there is great danger of a
general repudiation of debts resulting from these decrees. He recalls
the harm that C. Julius did once when he allowed a little postponement
of the day of payment: public credit never received a worse blow. But to
return to my point. Think over my case against Brutus, if it is a case,
when there are no fair arguments on the other side, especially as I have
left the matter as it stood.
To wind up with family matters. As to my _boudoir_ business, I agree
with you in preferring Postumia’s son,[201] since Pontidia is playing
the fool. But I wish you were there. You must expect no letters from
Quintus at this season. The snows prevent passage of the Taurus until
June. I am supporting Thermus, as you request, by frequent letters. As
for P. Valerius, Deiotarus says that he has nothing and is his
pensioner. When you know whether there are to be additions to the
calendar at Rome or not, please write me positive news as to the date of
the Mysteries. I look forward to your letters rather less eagerly than
if you were in town; still I do look forward to them.
Footnote 201:
Servius Sulpicius, as a husband for Tullia.
M. TULLI CICERONIS
EPISTULARUM AD ATTICUM
LIBER SEXTUS
I
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
[Sidenote: _Scr. Laodiceae VI K. Mart a. 704_]
Accepi tuas litteras a. d. quintum Terminalia Laodiceae; quas legi
libentissime plenissimas amoris, humanitatis, officii, diligentiae. Iis
igitur respondebo [Sidenote: Iliad, vi, 235] non χρύσεα χαλκείων (sic
enim postulas) nec οἰκονομίαν meam instituam, sed ordinem conservabo
tuum. Recentissimas a Cybistris te meas litteras habere ais a. d. X
Kalendas Octobres datas et scire vis, tuas ego quas acceperim. Omnes
fere, quas commemoras, praeter eas, quas scribis Lentuli pueris et
Equotutico et Brundisio datas. Quare non οἴχεται tua industria, quod
vereris, sed praeclare ponitur, si quidem id egisti, ut ego delectarer.
Nam nulla re sum delectatus magis.
Quod meam βαθύτητα in Appio tibi, liberalitatem etiam in Bruto probo,
vehementer gaudeo; ac putaram paulo secus. Appius enim ad me ex itinere
bis terve ὑπομεμψιμοίρους litteras miserat, quod quaedam a se constituta
rescinderem. Ut si medicus, cum aegrotus alii medico traditus sit,
irasci velit ei medico, qui sibi successerit, si, quae ipse in curando
constituerit, mutet ille, sic Appius, cum ἐξ ἀφαιρέσεως provinciam
curarit, sanguinem miserit, quicquid potuit, detraxerit, mihi tradiderit
enectam,
CICERO’S LETTERS
TO ATTICUS