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THE LOEB CLASSICAL LIBRARY
FOUNDED BY JAMES LOEB, LL.D.
EDITED BY fT. E. PAGE, C.H., LITT.D.
t E. CAPPS, PH.D., LL.D. t W. H. D. ROUSE, litt.d.
L. A. POST, L.H.D. E. H. WARMINGTON, m.a., f.r.hist.sog.
CICERO
THE LETTERS TO HIS FRIENDS
III
CICERO
THE LETTERS TO HIS FRIENDS
WITH AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION BY W. GLYNN WILLIAMS, M.A.
FORMERLY FELLOW OF ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE, CAMBFIDOB AND HEADMASTER OF FRIARS SCHOOL, BANOOR
IN THREE VOLUMES
III (INCLUDING THE LETTERS TO QUINTUS)
THE LETTEKS TO BEUTUS
WITH AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION BY M. GARY, D.LiTT.
FORMERLY PROFESSOR OF ANCIEMT HI8T0RT AT THE UNIVERSITT OF LONDOtI
LONDON
WILLIAM HEINEMANN LT
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS
HARVARD UNIVERSITY PRESS
MCMLX
First printed 1929
Revised and reprinted with additions 1954
Reprinted 1960
Printed in Great Britain
CONTENTS OF VOLUME 111
Introduction. Chronoi,ooi( AL Summary
PAGB
ix xii
BOOK XIII Note on Ciceho's " Litterae Cijmmendaticiae " 2
LETTERS
I. -III. To Gaius Memmius ... 6
iv.-vi. To Q. Valerius Orca . . . \6
Vfi. To Gaius Cluvius ... 28
VIII. To Marcus Rutilius ... 34
i.\. To P. FuRius Crassipes . . 36
x.-xiv. To M. Junius Brutus . . 40
XV. -XVI. To C. Julius Caesar ... 52
xvii.-xxviii. To Servius Sulpicius Rufus . 5S
XXIX. To L. MuNATius Plancus . . 88
XXX. -XXXIX. To Manius Acilius Glabrio . 96
XL. To Q. Ancharius . . .110
XLI.-XLII. To L. CULLEOLUS . . . 110
XLIII.-XMV. To QuiNTlUS GaLLUS . . .114
V
CONTENTS
LETTERS
XLV.-xLvi. To Appuleius XLVii. To Si LI us XLviii. To Sextilius Rufus xux. To CURIUS
L. To Manius Acilius Glai LI. To p. Caesius Lii. To Q. Mahcius Rex Liii.-Lvii. To Q. MiNucius Thermus Lviii. To C. TiTius Rufus Lix. To CuRTius Peducaeanus
LX. To C. MUNATIUS LXI.-LXV. To p. SiLIUS .
Lxvi.-Lxxii. To p. Servilius Isauric Lxxiii.-Lxxiv. To Q. Philippus .
LXXV. To T. TiTIUS LXXVI. To THE QuATTUORVIRI
Decuriones Lxxvii. To p. Sulpicius Rufus Lxxviii.-Lxxix. To AuLus Allienus
AN
PAG I
118 120 120 122 124 12() 126 128 18S
uo
140 142 152 166
1(38
170 172 174
BOOK XIV
I.-IV. To TeRENTIA and his FAMILY 180
v.-vi. To Terentia and Tullia . 200
vii.-xiii. To Terentia .... 204
VI
CONTENTS
LETTERS
XIV. To Terentia and Tullia
xv.-xvii. To Terentia .
XVIII. To Terentia and Tullia
XIX.- XXIV. To Terentia .
PAGE
212 214 216
21 S
BOOK XV
Note on Cicero's Governorship of Cilicia , 225
LETTERS
i.-ii. To THE Consuls, Praetors, Tribunes
OF THE Plebs, and Senate . 228
III -IV. To M. Cato ..... 24-4-
V. The same to Cicero , . . 264
VI. To M. Cato 268
vii.-viii. To Gaius Marcellus . , . 270
IX. To Marcus Marcellus . , . 274»
x.-xi. To Gaius Marcellus . . . 276
xii.-xiii. To Lucius Aemilius Paullus . , 280
xiv.-xviii. To Gaius Cassius Longinus . . 286
XIX. The same to Cicero . . . 304
XX. -XXI. To Trebonius .... 308
BOOK XVI
i.-vii. To Tiro
viii. Quintus Cicero to Tiro ix.-xv. To Tiro
316
330
332
vii
CONTENTS
LKTTBRa PAOK
XVI. QuiNTUs Cicero to Marcus Cicero 352
XVII. -XX. To Tiro ..... 354
XXI. M. CicBRO Junior to 'I'iro. . 362
xxii.-xxiv. To Tiro .... 370
XXV. M. Cicero Junior to Tiro. . 376
xxvi.-xxvii. Quintus Cicero to 'I'iro . . 378
TO HIS BROTHER QUINTUS
A SHORT Life of Quintus Tullius Cicero
-IV. ,
.-XVI.
BOOK I BOOK II BOOK III
L-IX.
385 388 476 546
TO BRUTUS Preface .....
Introduction . , ,
LETTERS I -XXVa. .
Order of Letters
Index of Names I.
Index of Names II. , ,
Index of Names III. . ,
Viii
615 6l6
622 739 743 749
754
INTRODUCTION
This collection of Cicero's " Letters to his Friends '* was preserved and edited by his secretary Tiro. The collection is inadequately entitled, as it includes several letters, some of them of profound interest, from his friends to Cicero. There are 426 letters, divided into sixteen books, not arranged in any sort of order," chronological or otherwise, except that letters from or to particular correspondents are generally grouped together ; the third book, for instance, consists exclusively of letters from Cicero to Appius Claudius Pulclier, and the eighth book of letters from Marcus Caelius Rufus to Cicero.
The earliest letter is one from Cicero to Pompey (x. 7) dated 62 B.C., the year after Cicero's consul- ship ; the latest is one from him to Cassius (xii. 10) written in 43 b.c, the year after the assassination of Caesar, and a few months before his own.
These nineteen years from 62 to 43 b.c. cover a period of supreme importance in the history of the Roman Republic — a period more minutely described and vividly illustrated in these letters, giving us as they do the ditferent points of view of various corre- spondents, than even in the " Letters to Atticus," written by Cicero alone.
" The contusion thus caused is to some extent obviated by a summary, in ciironological order, prefixed to each volume, of the events in each year covered by the Letters.
ix
INTRODUCTION
The Letters vary greatly in interest and style ; while many of them contain matter of the highest literary or historical value — as, for instance, Cicero's explanation of his political change of front (i. 9), Sulpicius Rufus's letter of condolence to Cicero on the death of his daughter Tullia (iv. 5) and Matius's defence of his friendship for Caesar (xi. 28) — others are no more than merely formal documents.
The text is based on that of Nobbe (1849) ; but where there was an obvious call for emendation in that text I have not hesitated to adopt other readings, always with due acknowledgement.
Such universally accepted orthographical correc- tions as cum for quum, consili for consilii^ and causa for caussa I have made as a matter of course.
To Tyrrell and Purser's exhaustive (it has rightly been described as "monumental") Com- mentary on the Correspondence of Cicero^ I have made constant reference, and owe more than I can tell ; I have depended upon it, too, for the dates of the letters. Watson's Select Letters (with the recently revised edition by Mr. W. W. How), and Pritchard and Bernard's Selected Letters for the use of Schools have been of invaluable assistance to me, and I have freely consulted the admirable translations of all or some of the letters by E. S. Shuckburgh, G. E. Jeans, and S. H. Jeyes.
To all the above distinguished Ciceronians I acknowledge with gratitude my very deep indebted- ness.
« Referred to in my notes for the sake of brevity as "Tyrrell."
INTRODUCTION
The Manuscripts
The oldest and soundest ms. of the Epistulae ad Familiares is the Codex Mediceus 49. 9» now in the Laurentian Library at Florence. This is known as M. Other Mss., each giving some of the letters, are :
G, Codex Harleianus 2773, in the British Museum. R, Codex Parisianus 17812, in the Bibhothfeque Nationale. (G and R are closely connected, and both in- dependent of M.) T, Codex Turonensis 688, in the Library of Tours. H, Codex Harleianus 2682, in the British Museum. F, Codex Erfurtensis, now Berolinensis, 252, which
closely follows H. D, Codex Palatinus, originally at Heidelberg, now in the Vatican.
Of these M alone contains all the Epistulae ad Familiares, G, R, and T giving different portions of Bks. I. to Vni., and H, F, and D of Bks. IX. to XVL
A CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY
OF THE PRINCIPAL EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF CICERO
DATE B.C.
106. Cicero is born on Jan. 3 near Arpinum. 89. Serves under Cn. Pompeius Strabo in the
Marsic War. 86. Writes his De mventione.
80. DeHvers his speech Pro Sex. Roscio Amerino. 1^-1'^. Travels in Greece and Asia.
77. Returns to Rome, antl marries Terentia. 75-74«. Serves as quaestor for Lilybaeum in Sicily. 70. Accuses Verres. First Consulsliip of Pompey
and Crass us. 69. Curule aedile.
^(5. Praetor. Speech Pro lege Manilia. 6-i. Elected Consul with C. Antonius Hybrida
(the latter by a small majority over
Catiline).
63 B.C.
§ 1. Cicero, being now consul, successfully opposes the agrarian law uf tlie tribune P. Servilius Rullus, which was in the interests of Caesar and Crassus, and
CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY
intended to check the growing power of Ponipey. Caesar is elected Pontifex Maximus. Cicero carries in the Senate the proposal of a supplicatio of unusual length to Pompey in honour of his eastern triumphs.
§ 2. Having conciliated his colleague C. Antoniua by resigning to him the governorship in 62 of the rich province of Macedonia, Cicero felt himself able in the autumn of 63 to oppose the treasonable designs of L. Sergius Catilina, of which he had full information from the spy, L. Curius. In the consular elections for 62 Catiline was again defeated. On October 21 Cicero foretold the rising of the Catili- narian Manlius in Etruria on the 27th. Martial law was proclaimed, and the conspirators failed in an attempt to seize Praeneste on November 1, and another plot to murder Cicero was exposed. But Catiline had the audacity to appear in the Senate oil November 8, when Cicero so crushingly denounced him that he left Rome to take command of the insurgents in Etruria.
§ 3. Certain envoys of the Allobroges, having been approached by the conspirators to supply Catiline with cavalry, were arrested, and on the strength of incriminating letters found upon them the following five conspirators were seized and imprisoned — P. Lentulus Sura (praetor), C. Cethegus (senator), L. Statilius, P. Gabinius Cimber, and M. Caeparius ; and at a meeting of the Senate on December 5, mainly at the instance of M. Cato, though Caesar, then praetor elect, was opposed to it, a decree was carried that the five conspirators arrested should be put to death, and that same evening they were strangled under Cicero's supervision.
xiii
CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY
§ 4. On December 29 the tribune Q. Metellus Nepos vetoed Cicero's address to the people on going out of office, alleging that " he had put citizens to death without a trial " ; but Cicero's declaration that he had thereby saved his country was received with applause. This Metellus was one of Pompey's officers and was probably instigated by his general, who was chagrined that Cicero, and not he, should have quelled the conspiracy.
62 B.C. Consuls : D. Junius Silanus and L. Licinius Murena
§ 1 . Catiline, making for Cisalpine Gaul with Manlius's army, is met by Metellus Celer and thrown back on the army of C. Antonius. In a battle near Pistoria the insurgents were utterly and finally de- feated, and Catiline slain.
§ 2. Cicero resents Pompey's lukewarm apprecia- tion of liis services to the Republic (v. 7).
§ 3. In December P. Claudius Pulcher, commonly known as Clodius, " one of the most profligate char- acters of a profligate age," disguised as a female musician profaned the mysteries of the Bona Dea, which were being celebrated by Roman matrons at the house of Caesar. He was discovered and brought to trial in 61.
61 B.C.
Consuls : M. Pupius Piso and M. Valerius Messalla Niger
§ 1 . Pompey, having returned from the east and disbanded his army in the preceding December, xiv ^
CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY
addressed the Roman people in January of this year, but failed to create a good impression. He dis- approved of the bill for Clodius's prosecution, and being distrusted by the extremists in the Senate, found himself so isolated that he made overtures to Cicero.
§ 2. The consul Pupius Piso also opposed the bill for an inquiry into Clodius's affair, but the trial ulti- mately came on, with the result that by means of the grossest bribery Clodius was acquitted. Cicero had given evidence cancelling an ahbi put up by Clodius, who swore to be avenged upon him, and proved to be a formidable foe, owing to his family connexions, and his influence over the city populace.
60 B.C.
Consuls : L. Afranius and Q. Caecilius Metellus Celer
§ 1 . Led by the consul Metellus Celer, now at enmity with Pompey for having divorced his half- sister Mucia, the Senate, by obstinately opposing Pompey 's plans in Asia and grants of land to his veterans, completely alienated him, and by refusing all concessions to the publicani in Asia offended the equites from among whom the publicani were mainly drawn. Pompey was ultimately forced into a coali- tion with Caesar, who returned to Rome in June to canvass for the consulship, which by the aid of Pompey and Crassus he secured.
§ 2. The optimates, however, brought about by bribery the election as Caesar's colleague of
XV
CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY
^L C'alpurnius Bibulus, a staunch aristocrat, but a faineant consul.
§ 3. Caesar, having effected the reconciliation of Ponipey and Crassus, now invited Cicero to join them, but he preferred to retain his independence, and the coalition (incorrectly called the first triumvirate) of Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus, to which he might have belonged, was established without him.
59 B.C. Consuls : C. Julius Caesar and M. Calpurnius Bibulus
§ L Caesar, having fiiiled to carry through the Senate an agrarian law providing inter alia for Pompey 's veterans, brought another law before the assembly of the people distributing the ager Cam- panus among those veterans, and this law was carried despite the opposition of the consul Bibulus and some of the tribunes.
§ 2. P. Vatinius, one of the most unprincipled men of the time, was a humble hireling of Caesar, and now as tribune he carried the famous I^ex \'atinia, whicli gave Caesar the command of Cisalpine Gaul and lllyricum witli three legions for five years ; and the Senate, on the motion of Pompey (now, by his marriage with Julia, Caesar's son-in-law), added Transalpine Gaul to his command, with a fourth legion.
§ 3. In March Cicero, in defending his former colleague C. Antonius, who was accused of extortion as proconsul of Macedonia, attacked the triumvirate, causing grave offence to Caesar, who immediately xvi ,
CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY
retaliated by sanctioning the adoption into a plebeian family of Cicero's enemy Clodius, thus making him eligible for the tribunate, where he would be in a stronger position to wreak his vengeance on Cicero.
58 B.C.
Consuls : L. Calpurnius Piso Caesoninus and Aldus Gahinius
§ 1. Clodius, who had been elected tribune in the preceding October, having carried some very popular measures in January, further established his position in February by promulgating a law assigning to the consuls on their going out of office the provinces they most desired — Syria to Gabinius, and Macedonia with Achaia to Piso, — but he made the law contingent upon the passing of two other measures which were subsequently carried — (1) a commission giving to Cato the annexation of Cyprus, and (2) an enactment " that anyone who had put Roman citizens to death without a trial should be forbidden fire and water."
§ 2. Cicero, realizing that the enactment was aimed at himself, put on mourning and threw himself on the mercy of the people. The senators siud equites also went into mourning, but were compelled by an edict of the consuls to dress as usual. Caesar stated in public that he thought Cicero had acted illegally in putting Lentulus Sura to death, and Pompey, on being appealed to, referred Cicero to the consuls, who had already shown their hostility. Finally Cicero, at the instance of his family and Hortensius, left Rome and went into exile at the end of March. He was immediately declared an outlaw by Clodius,
CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY
and his house on the Palatine and villas at Formiae and Tiisciilum were pillaged and dismantled.
§ 3. Cicero went to Brundisium and thence to Thessalonica, where he sojourned for seven months at the house of his friend, the quaestor Cn. Plancius. As the year went on the situation at Rome became brighter for him ; Clodius had offended Pompey by aiding the escape from Rome of the Armenian prince Tigranes whom Pompey had captured, by defeating the consul Gabinius in a street riot, and even forcing Pompey to shut himself up in his house. Moreover, Lentulus Spinther, one of the consuls elected, was personally devoted to Cicero, and the other, Metellus Nepos, a friend of Pompey ; while among the new tribunes T. Annius Milo, T. Fadius, and P. Sestius strenuously advocated Cicero's recall. His son-in- law also, C. Calpurnius Piso, who had married Cicero's daughter Tullia in 63, and was now quaestor, exer- cised what influence he had in the interests of his father-in-law.
57 B.C.
Consuls : P. Cornelius Lentulus Spinther and Q. Caecilius Metellus Nepos
§ 1 . No sooner had the consul Lentulus entered into office on January 1 than he brought before the Senate, with the approval of Pompey, the question of Cicero's recall ; and despite the obstruction of two of the tribunes, the people, led by Fabricius and all the praetors (except Appius Claudius Pulcher, Clodius's brother), passed in their Assembly (the comitia ceniuriata) on January 23 a provisional decree recalling Cicero. The Senate thanked Cn. Plancius and others for sheltering Cicero in his xviii
CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY
banishment, and summoned the Italians to vote finally for his recall in the Assembly, and the bill was carried with enthusiastic unanimity on August 4, the voters being protected from Clodius and his armed ruffians by troops under the command of Milo.
§ 2. Cicero, who had come down to Dyrrachium in the preceding autumn, now crossed over to Brundisium, where he was informed by his brother Quintus of the passing of the decree for his recall, and, after a triumphal progress homeward, re-entered Rome amid universal rejoicings on September 4.
§ 3. Later on, on the motion of Cicero, Pompey is granted the impermm in the form of the control of the corn supply (curatio rei annonariae) for five years ; and on the expiry of their terms of office Lentulus receives Cilicia, and Nepos Hither Spain, as his province.
§ 4. Ptolemy Auletes (the Flute-player), king of Egypt, father of Cleopatra, having been expelled by his subjects, comes to seek the assistance of Rome, and the Senate decrees that his restoration should be entrusted to the next governor of Cilicia, i.e. the then consul, Lentulus Spinther.
bQ> B.C.
Consuls : Cn. Cornelius Lentulus Marcellinus, who sup- ported the optimates and opposed the triumvirs ; and L. Marcius Philippus, who later married Atia, widow of C. Octavius, and so became the stepfather of Augustus
§ 1. In January the question of the restoration of Ptolemy Auletes is reopened and hotly debated in the Senate, and Cicero sends Lentulus, now pro- consul of CiUcia, a full account of the voting. Pompey,
xix
CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY
though ostensibly supporting the claims of Lentulus to effect the restoration, was anxious to secure for himself a commission which would not only be highly lucrative, but would give him a fleet, an army, and a base in Egypt. Cicero felt bound to support his benefactor Lentulus, and the majority of the Senate were afraid or jealous of Pompey, when, very oppor- tunely for them, the tribune C. Cato discovered a Sibylline oracle, forbidding the restoration of Ptolemy by anyone mm viuliitiidine hominum (" with a host of men "). This is the religio referred to in Bk. i. 2 and 3. The wranglings in the Senate ended in no settlement, but Ptolemy was ultimately restored by A. Gabinius in 55.
§ 2. Clodius, who still lorded it in the streets of Rome, escaped being prosecuted by Milo by being elected curule aedile, and turned the tables on Milo by accusing him in February of vis (breach of the peace). Pompey, when defending Milo, was shouted down by Clodius's ruffians, who declared that Crassus, and not Pompey, should restore Ptolemy. This led Pompey to suspect that Crassus was aiding and abetting the rioters. The result of the trial was the closer alliance of Pompey and Milo, and the more definite support of Clodius by the extreme aristocrats — Curio, Bibulus, Favonius, and others.
§ 3. Later in February, Cicero, in defending P. Sestius, who had strongly favoured his recall, and was now accused of vis, made his speech (as Watson describes it) " a regular political manifesto," and converted his i/iterrogatio (cross-examination) of P. Vatinius, now a witness for the prosecution, into a bitter attack upon him as the author of the Lex Vatinia in 59 (see 59 b.c, § 2). The acquittal
XX
CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY
of Sestius encouraged Cicero to hope for the restora- tion of the Republic, or at any rate the dissolution of the coalition, Pompey being still at feud with Crassus (§ 2) and jealous of Caesar,
§ 4. Cicero therefore, partly with a view of widen- ing the breach between Pompey and Caesar, pro- posed the suspension of Caesar's law about the ager Campanus (see 59 B.C., § 1) on the grounds that the State could not afford any more allotments. This would not affect Pompey, whose veterans had already been provided for, whereas Caesar would be precluded from using the remaining land for his own veterans. He also saw that the repeal of the agrarian law would be followed by that of the Vatinian.
§ 5. Having therefore previously interviewed Crassus at Ravenna, Caesar took him with him to join Pompey at Luca, a town of Liguria in N. Italy ; and here tlie coalition of 60 (see 60 B.C., § 3) was not only renewed but developed into an omnipotent triumvirate who could settle the affairs of the State at their own discretion.
§ 6. This to Cicero, the Republican, and life- long advocate of concordia ordinum (" the harmony of the senatorial and equestrian orders "), was a crushing political calamity, but he had to bow to the inevitable, and the famous letter 9 in Bk. I. is his apologia for his change of front. Withdrawing his motion on the ager Campanus, he supported a motion in the Senate to provide pay for Caesar's troops and allowing him to appoint ten legati. This was followed by his brilliant speech De provinciis considarihus, practically a panegyric upon Caesar and his achievements in Gaul,
xxi
CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY
§ 7. Clodius's turbulence in 56-57 had estranged Pompey, who now leaned to the side of Milo, but the extreme optimates (including M. Cato, who was indebted to Clodius for a commission to settle the affairs of Cyprus in 58) showed such fulsome partiality for Clodius, that Cicero, being earnestly requested by Caesar, whom he could not now dis- obey, to undertake the defence of Vatinius, whom he particularly detested, adroitly converted his pre- dicament into a means of annoying the optimates saying that " if ihei/ coquetted ^vith one Publius (viz. Clodius), he would coquet with another Publius (viz. Vatinius) by way of reprisal " (i. 9- 19).
55 B.C.
Consuls (after an ** interregnum ** in January caused by the tribune C. Cato) : Cn. Pompeius and M. Licinius Crassus, both for the second time, having been consuls together in 70
§ 1 . Crassus carries his Lex Licinia for the sup- pression of sodalicia (" political combinations "). Pompey opens his new theatre with shows of un- paralleled magnificence, but his wholesale slaughter of elephants disgusts not only Cicero, but the people generally.
§ 2. Cicero finishes his De oratore. Crassus sets out for Syria, and his departure, together with the death of Pompey's wife Julia, Caesar's daughter, put an end to even the semblance of friendship between Pompey and Caesar.
§ 3. Gabinius marches into Egypt, occupies Alex- andria, and restores the ex-king Ptolemy Auletes. xxii
CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY
54 B.C.
Consuls : L. Domitius Ahenobarbus, an optimate, rvho married M. Crassus's sister Porcia, and fell at Pharsalia in 48, and Appius Claudius Pulcher
§ 1 . Cicero helps to secure the acquittal of his former enemy, P. Vatinius, who requited his kind- ness after Pharsalia and later, and at Pompey's instance defends, though unsuccessfully, his former enemy, A. Gabinius ; and also defends successfully his old friend Cn. Plancius, charged with ambitus, in his famous speech Pro Plancio.
§ 2. His brother, Q. Cicero, goes over from Pompey to Caesar as his legate, and serves him with distinction in Britain and Gaul ; and this leads to a rapprochement between Cicero and Caesar.
53 B.C.
Consuls, after disorder lasting till July : Cn. Domitius Calvinus and M. Valerius Messalla
Defeat and murder of M. Crassus in June, near Carrhae. Cicero is more deeply affected by the death, a little earlier, of M. Crassus's son, Publius (v. 8. 4). Cicero succeeds Crassus as augur, and supports Milo's candidature for the consulship, re- commending him to C. Scribonius Curio, to whom he writes a series of letters (ii. 1-7).
52 B.C.
About the middle of January Clodius is slain near Bovillae by the retainers of Milo ; his body is buried by his supporters in the forum, when the senate- house caught fire and was destroyed ; martial law
CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY
is proclaimed, and finally Ponipey is made sole consul, being allowed to retain the government of Spain. Milo is accused of vis and condemned. He goes into exile at Massilia.
51 B.C.
Consuls : Servius Sulpicius Rufus and M. Claudius Marcellus
Cicero goes to Cilicia as proconsul, succeeding Appius Claudius, who had succeeded Lentulus in 54«, and M. Calpurnius Bibuhis goes to Syria. Cicero is kept fuUv informed of what occurs in Rome by his friend M. CaeHus Rufus (Bk. VHL of these Letters).
50 B.C.
Consuls : C. Claudius Marcellus, cousin of the consul for 51. and L. Aemilius Paullns
§1. Cicero, after a satisfactory tenure of office, quits his province, leaving C. Caelius Caldus, his quaestor, in charge, and reaches Rome in December. He is anxious about the honours due to his Cilician successes, having so far only had a supplicatio voted him, but no triumph ; he is also embarrassed about the marriage of his daughter Tullia with P. Cornelius D()la])ella, w ho was prosecuting for treason Appius Claudius Pulcher, with whom Cicero desired a reconciliation.
§ 2. A motion in the Senate, that Caesar's can- didature for the consulship should be considered in his absence, having been rejected, the tribune Scribonius CmMo demands the disbanding of Pompey's army, which the Senate would have passed but for
xxiv
CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY
the opposition of the consul Marcellus. Curio openly declares for Caesar, whom he joins at Ravenna, thus, according to Lucan, turning the scales against the Pompeian party {momeiitumque fuit mutatus Curio re rum).
49 n.c.
Consuls : L. Cornelius Lentulus Cms and C. Claudius Marcellus^ cousin of his namesake, the consul for 50, and brother of the consul for 51 The tribunes NL Antonius and Q. Cassius, accom- panied by Caehus Rufus, leave Rome and join Caesar, who on January 11 crosses the Rubicon, and thereby declares war upon the Republic, and marching south- wards finally besieges Pompey in Brundisium. On March 17 Pompey escapes to Dyrrachium, whither the consuls had gone with the bulk of his army on March 4. Cicero vacillates as to his future pohcy, but finally decides to throw in his lot with Pompey.
48 B.C.
Consuls : C. Julius Caesar (for the second time) a?id P. Servilius Isauricus
Cicero spends the first half of the year in Pompey's camp at Dyrrachium, where he conceives a poor opinion of Pompey's army ; he is still there when he hears of the utter defeat of Pompey by Caesar near Pharsalus on August 7 and his flight to Egypt. Crossing with the Pompeians from Dyrrachium to Corcyra, Cicero is threatened with death by young Cn. Pompey for refusing to take the command as senior consul. In October he returns to Italy and settles in Brundisium.
XXV
CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY
47 B.C.
Consuls : Q. Fufius Calenus and P. Vatinius, hut only for Oct., Nov., and Dec.
§1. Though allowed to remain in Italy when all other Ponipeians were driven out, Cicero was not happy ; he had broken with his brother Quintus, and Terentia (he alleged) had mismanaged his finan- cial affairs in his absence ; while Dolabella, his son- in-law, was so notoriously unfaithful to Tullia as to make a divorce inevitable.
§ 2. He was consoled, however, by a reassuring letter from Caesar in Egypt, who permitted him to retain his lictors and the title of imperator ; on Caesar's return Cicero met him and was cordially received, and being given leave to live wherever he liked, he chose Tusculum, so as to be near Rome.
§ 3. Dolabella, now tribune, agitating for the aboHtion of debts, is opposed by his colleague, Trebellius, and the ensuing riots had to be quelled by troops under M. Antonius.
§ 4. Towards the end of the year, through Caesar's influence, Q. Fufius Calenus and P. Vatinius are elected consuls.
46 B.C.
Consuls : C. Julius Caesar {third time) and M. Aemilius Lepidus
§ 1 . Caesar defeats the Pompeian army under Scipio at Tha])sus in Africa, and M. Cato, preferring death to slavery, commits suicide at Utica. Return- ing to Rome and celebrating four triumphs in August xxvi
CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY
for his victories in Gaul, Egypt, Pontus, and Africa, Caesar is made Dictator for the year.
§ 2. Cicero's letters now show a more cheerful spirit ; he had now divorced Terentia, and after a short interval married his young and wealthy ward, Publilia ; the marriage, however, was an unhappy one.
§ 3. Cicero wrote this year his Partitiones oratoriae. Brutus, and Orator.
45 B.C. Consul {fourth time) : C. Julius Caesar
§ 1 . In February TuUia, shortly after her divorce from Dolabella, died in childbed. Cicero, who had loved her devotedly, refused to be comforted and sought refuge in the solitude of Astura.
§ 2. Caesar now openly aimed at monarchy, and Cicero especially resented, as an insult to the sena- torial order, the election as consul for one day of Caninius Rebilus.
44 B.C.
§ 1 . Caesar, now consul for the fifth time and dictator for the fourth, had already by his arrogance and ill-concealed ambition aroused the opposition of the republicans, and a conspiracy had long been maturing which culminated in his assassination on March 15 at the foot of Pompey's statue in the senate-house. By his will he adopted C. Octavius and made him his chief heir.
§ 2. On the 17th, at a meeting of the Senate in the temple of Tellus, Cicero proposed an amnesty, which the Senate passed, but at the same time ratified all Caesar's acts. After this he retired into private life for six months.
xxvii
CHRONOLOGICAL SUMMARY
§ 3. He had already completed his Tusculan Dis- piitafions and De natura deorum, and during the remainder of the year composed his De amicitia, De senectyfe, De officus, and several other works.
43 n.c.
Conftuls : C. Vihius Pansa and A. Hirtius
After a series of events too complicated even to summarize here," C. Octavius, by then called Octavi- anus, formed a triumvirate with Antony and Lepidus, who removed their chief opponents by proscriptio. Among the proscribed was Cicero, who was slain on December 7th, when he was approaching the end of his sixty-fourth year.
" A full note on the Cisalpine Campaign will be found at the beginning of Book X.
xxviil
CICERO'S LETTERS TO HIS FRIENDS
BOOKS XIII-XVI
WITH AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION BY W. GLYNN WILLIAMS, M.A.
FORMERLY SCHOLAR OF ST. JOHN's COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE AND HEADMASTER OF FRIARS SCHOOL, BANGOR
NOTE ON CICERO'S " LITTERAE COMMENDATICIAE " IN BOOK XIII
Letters of recommendation are to be found scattered here and there throughout Cicero's correspondence, but Book xiii. (with the single exception of Ep. 68, addressed to ServiUus Isauricus) consists of nothing else. There are seventy-nine letters in the Book, and of these seventy-eight are commendatory of either communities or individuals.
The great bulk of them were written in 46 b.c, a few in 45, and a few in previous years. Why so many of these letters should have been written in 46 is an in- teresting question, on which Cicero's position at the time may throw some light.
In 47 B.C. Cicero had received a reassuring letter from Caesar (from whom he had little to hope after the battle of Pharsalia in 48), permitting him to retain his lictors and the title of Lnperator. When Caesar landed at Tarentum about September 25, Cicero hastened to meet him, was graciously received, and allowed to choose his own place of residence ; he elected to live at Tusculum. (See Chron. Summ. for 47 B.C.)
During this and the following year Cicero was perhaps happier than he ever had been since his entry into pubhc life. He was still on good terms with Caesar, whose generosity to himself he freely ad- 2
NOTE ON " LITTERAE COMMENDATICIAE "
mitted, and who, he hoped, might yet re-estabhsh the Republic ; he had divorced Terentia, whom he sus- pected of extravagance and dishonesty ; he had married his young and wealthy ward Publilia, and had not yet tired of her ; and his beloved daughter Tullia was still living. It was at this time that he composed his Brutus and Orator, and found leisure to give informal lessons in rhetoric to Hirtius and Dolabella, and his happier mood is reflected in his jocular letters to such congenial friends as Paetus (ix. 16-20).
Moreover, in 46 b.c. Cicero, wuth his distinguished past and his assured literary eminence (though little more than a spectator in the arena of practical politics), was probably the most widely know^n and influential personality, next to Caesar himself, in the Roman world. This in itself would account for the increasing numbers of those who sought his good word ; and it is reasonable to suppose that the ease of mind and free- dom from anxiety he now enjoyed rendered him more responsive to such appeals.
We have thus two plausible explanations of the comparative frequency of his ** Litterae Commenda- ticiae " in this year — the enhanced value of his recom- mendation, and his greater accessibility to those who applied for it.
Of letters in commendation or defence of com- munities there are six, viz. : Epp. 4, advocating the claims of Volaterrae ; 7, Concerning property owned in Gaul by Atella, a municipium of which Cicero was patronus ; 9j on behalf of the Bithynian Company of the Puhlicani ; 1 1 , in defence of pro- perty ow^ned in Gaul by his native town Arpinum ; 18 B, on behalf of the Lacedaemonians ; and 40
3
CICERO
on behalf of the Cy})rians. These letters afi'ord eon- vineiiiij: proof of Cieero's extraordinary public influ- ence and authority, the variety of his interests, and the Avide scope of his sympathies.
The remaining seventy-two letters are connnen- datory of individuals. That they should generally conform to a common type is not surprising. Those who are constantly called upon for " testimonials " know how difficult it is to avoid the repetition of certain stock phrases. Cicero indeed strives, with his usual fluency and felicity, to vary his theme, but even he fails to break the monotony of these letters, of which the following may be taken as a " skeleton " specimen :
"A is a man to ivhom I am so much attached that I shall regard whatever you do for him as done for myself. I therefore entreat you frith more than ordinary earfiestness to do him this particular favour, and to befriend him in every other respect, so far as your integrity {honesty, sense of Justice) a fid your high position permit of it." [These words recall the frequent phrase in Buckingham's letters recommend- ing friends to Bacon when Lord Chancellor — " So far as fuay stand frith justice and equity.''^ Cicero goes on : " You trill f fid A an e.rcellefit fellow, worthy of your i'ricndsJtip, afid most grateful J'or any service you may do him." lie often, however, discounts the "altruism of a letter by adding, with Pepysian candour, " Pray make it quite clear to A that it ivas I who induced you to do him this kifidfiess," and he sometimes attaches to a recommendation a preconcerted private mark, indicating that it is to receive particular attention.
Insipid and monotonous, however, as these letters
4
NOTE ON " LITTERAE COMMENDATICIAE "
must appear to those who read them en masse, they are yet impressive evidence of Cicero's large-hearted bonhomie, and his unfailing readiness to do a friend, or even an acquaiiitance, a good turn ; in short, of that humajiitas which was one of his dominant characteristics.
VOL. Ill
M. TULLI CICERONIS EPISTULARUM AD FAMILIARES
LlBEll DECIMUS TERTIUS
M. CICERO S. D. C. MEMMIO
Athenis, a.u.c. 703.
1 Etsi non satis mihi constitcrat, cum aliquane animi mei molestia an potius libenter te Athenis visurus essem, quod iniuria, quam accepisti, dolore me afficeret, sapientia tua, qua fers iniuriam, laetitia,
" Gaius Memmius was of plebeian family, though that family traced its origin to Trojan times and stamped the head of Romulus on their coins. As he served as quaestor in Spain during the war with Sertorius both before and after 77 b.c, he must have been born before 104. In 66 he opposed the triumph of L. Lucullus, and as praetor in 58 he strenuously resisted Caesar's laws. In 57 he was propraetor of Bithynia, where he won the title of imperator^ but failed, according to Catullus (x. 9-13, and xxviii.), to promote the pecuniary interests of his staff, of whom Catullus was one. In 54 he sought the Consulship, and was even supported by Caesar, whose favour he again lost by dis- closing some scandal in the election, and was himself accused of bribery. To save himself he accused of bribery Metellus Scipio, father-in-law of Pompey, but was forced to drop the accusation, and went into exile at Athens. Here, by a decree
6
CICERO^S LETTERS TO HIS FRIENDS
BOOK XIII
I
CICERO GREETS GAIUS MEMMIUS ^
Athens, June or July, 51 b.c.
Though I had not quite made up my mind whether 1 I was going- to meet you at Athens with a certain feehng of distress or rather with pleasure (since, grieved as I was at the injustice you have suffered, I rejoiced at the philosophical spirit with which you
of the Areopagus, he obtained possession of a ruinous house, once Epicurus's, intending to pull it down and build on the site, but subsequently abandoned that intention. The Epicureans at Athens wished to get the house back, but Memmius refused to give it up, and quarrelled about it with Patro, the head of the Epicurean Society. When Cicero visited Athens on his way to Cilicia, Patro begged him to get the house from Memmius, who had now gone to Mitylene. Hence this letter, written, as Cicero tells Atticus, with care (accurate).
But Memmius's chief claim to distinction is that it was to him that Lucretius addressed his great poem De Rerum Natura. Munro remarks that on all the coins of the Memmii we find Venus crowned by Love, and this gives special point to Lucr. i. 26-27 :
Memmiadae iioshro, quern tu, dea, tempore in omni omnibus ornatum voluisti excellere rebus.
CICERO
tamen vidisse te mallem. Nam quod est molestiae, no?i sane niulto levins esl ,cuni te non video ; quod esse potuit voluptatis. certe, si vidisseni te, plus fuisset. Itaque non dubitabo dare operam, ut te videam, cum id satis commode facere potiicro. Interea, quod per litteras et agi tecum et, ut arbitror, confici
2 potest, agam nunc. Ac te illud primum rogabo, ne quid invitus mea causa facias ; sed id, quod mea intellcgcs, tua nullam in partem multum interesse, ita mihi des, si tibi, ut id libenter facias, ante persua-
j seris. Cum Patrone Epicureo mihi omnia sunt ; nisi quod in philosophia vehementer ab eo dissentio. Sed et initio Romae, cum te quoque et tuos onmes obser- vabat, me coluit in primis, et nuper, cum ea, quae Yoluit, de suis commodis et praemiis consecutus est, me habuit suorum defensorum et amicorum fere principem ; et iam a Phaedro, qui nobis, cum pueri essemus, antequam Philonem cognnvimus, valde ut philosophus, postea tamen, ut vir bomis et suavis et officiosus probabatur, traditus mihi commendatus(iue
3 est. Is igitur Patro cum ad me Romam litteras misisset, uti te sibi placarem peteremque, ut nescio quid illud Epicuri parietinarum sibi concederes, nihil
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. i.
bear it), for all that I should prefer to have seen you. For as far as the distress goes, it is not very much alleviated when you are out of my sight ; whereas whatever pleasure was possible would have been un- doubtedly enhanced by my having seen you. I shall not hesitate, therefore, to make every effort to see you, if I can do so with any reasonable convenience. Meanwhile, whatever business can be discussed with you and, as I believe, settled by correspondence, that I will discuss here.
And first of all I shall make this request of you — 2 to do nothing for my sake against your will ; but if you perceive that what I ask is of importance to me, while of no great importance from any point of view to yourself, not to grant me even that favour unless you have previously persuaded yourself to do so with your whole heart.
With Patro the Epicurean I am in complete accord, except that I emphatically disagree with him in philosophy. But not only in the early days at Rome, while he showed deference to you too and all your friends, did he cultivate my acquaintance in a special degree, but lately also, when he realized all his wishes in the way of privileges and rewards, he regarded me as practically the leading man among his defenders and friends ; and now again he has been introduced and recommended to me by Phaedrus, of whom, when I was a boy, before I knew Philo, I entertained a high opinion as a philosopher, but afterwards as an honest, amiable, and obliging man.
This Patro, then, sent me a letter when I was at 3 Rome, asking me to make his peace with you, and beg of you to yield possession to him of some tumble-down house or other (you know it), which once belonged to
CICERO
scrips! ad te ob earn rem, quod aedificationis tuae consilium mea commendatione nolebam impediri. Idem, ut veni Athenas, cum idem, ut ad te scriberem, rogasset, ob eam causam impetravit, quod te ab- iecisse illam aedificationem constabat inter omnes 4 amicos tuos. Quod si ita est, et si iam plane tua nihil interest, velim, si qua offensiuncula facta est animi tui perversitate aliquorum (novi enim gentem illam), des te ad lenitatem, vel propter tuam summam humanitatem vel etiam honoris mei causa. Equidem, si quid ipse sentiam quaeris, nee cur ille tanto opere contendat video, nee cur tu repugnes, nisi tamen multo minus tibi roncedi potest, quam illi, laborare sine causa. Quamquam Patronis et orationem et causam tibi cognitam esse certo scio. Honorem, officium, testamentorum ius, Epicuri auctoritatem, Phaedri obtestationem, sedem, domicilium, vestigia summorum hominum, sibi tuenda esse dicit. Totam hominis vitam rationemque, quam sequitur in philo- sophia, derideamus licet, si banc eius contentionem volumus reprehendere. Sed mehercules, quando illi ceterisque, quos ilia delectant, non valde inimici sumus, nescio an ignoscendum sit huic, si tanto opere
• Probably a clique of Epicurean extremists.
* i.e., Memniius is too important a person to be troubled with such trifles.
10
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. i.
Epicurus ; but I wrote nothing to you for the simple reason that I did not want your scheme of building to be interfered with by any recommendation of mine. But when he also asked me, on my arrival at Athens, to write to you to the same effect, he had his request granted to him for no other reason than because your friends were unanimously agreed that you had thrown to the winds all that building scheme of yours.
If that is so, and it is now of absolutely no im- portance to you, I should like you, if your feelings have been ever so slightly hurt by the wrong-headed- ness of certain persons (I know that coterie"), to allow yourself to inchne towards leniency, whether because of your own exceptional kindliness, or even as a compliment to myself.
For my part, if you ask me what my own opinion is, I fail to see either why he is so obstinately set upon it, or why you are so stoutly opposing him, except, of course, that one could far less easily allow you than him to be so needlessly troubled. **
And yet I am well aware that you know all about Patro's petition and the merits of his case. He avers that he must keep intact his own honour and respon- sibility, the sanctity of testamentary dispositions, the authority of Epicurus, the solemn injunction of Phaedrus, the residence, the domicile, the very foot- prints of the most illustrious men. If we are inclined to find fault with the object of his present efforts, we may as well make mock of the poor fellow's whole life and the principles he follows in philosophy. But, on my oath, since I bear no particular grudge against the great man and those others who are fascinated by such doctrines, I think perhaps that we ought to forgive Patro, if he is so much troubled ;
11
CICERO
laborat : in quo etiamsi peccat, magis ineptiis quam 6 iniprobitate peccat. Sed ne plura (dicendum enim aliquando est), Pomponium Atticum sic amo, ut alteram fratrem. Nihil est illo mihi nee carius nee iuciindius. Is (non quo sit ex istis ; est enim omni liberali doctrina politissimus ; sed valde diligit Patronem, valde Phaedrum amavit) sic a me hoc contendit, homo minime ambitiosus, minime in rogando molestus, ut nihil umquam magis ; nee dubitat, quin ego a te nutu hoc consequi possem, etiam si aedificaturus esses. Nunc vero, si audierit, te aedificationem deposuisse, neque tamen me a te impetrasse, non te in me illiberalem, sed me in se neglegentem putabit. Quamobrem peto a te, ut scribas ad tuos, posse tua voluntate decretum illud Areopagitarum, quem i'7ro/xj'>;/xaTtcr/xoi.' illi vocant, 6 tolli. Sed redeo ad prima. Prius velim tibi per- suadeas, ut hoc mea causa libenter facias, quam ut facias. Sic tamen habeto : si feccris, quod rogo, fore mihi gratissimum.
" viro/xvr)ixaTi(x/xoi was the recognized term for a decree of the Areopagus, which in the time of Cicero was the chief administrative bodv in Athens.
12
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. i.
even if he is mistaken in being so, it is a mistake due to lack of sense more than lack of morality.
Uut to waste no more words (I must say it sooner 5 or later), I love Pomponius Atticus as a second brother. He is to me the dearest and most deHght- ful man in the world. Now Atticus — not that he is one of that lot, being a man of most refined erudi- tion in every branch of liberal learning, but he has a great esteem for Patro, and had a great affection for Phaedrus — Atticus, I say, the least self-seeking of men, and the least importunate in making requests, entreats me to do this with as much earnestness as he has ever evinced ; and he has no doubt that I could get you to grant him this favour by a single nod, even if it were still your intention to build. Now, however, if he hears that you have abandoned that intention, and that even so I have failed to get from you what I want, he will not suspect you of shabbiness to me, but me of lack of consideration for him. And that is why I beg of you to write to your friends, sa} ing that with your full consent that decree of the Areopagites, which they themselves call a inemoire,'^ may be rescinded.
But I return to what I said at first. Before per- 6 suading yourself to do this at all, I would have you persuade yourself to do it readily, as a kindness to myself. Anyhow, let me tell you this — if you do what I ask, it will give me the greatest pleasure.
IS
CICERO II
CICERO MEMMIO S.
Laodiceae, (?) a.u.c. 704.
C. Aviano Evandro, qui habitat in tuo sacrario, et ipso multum utor, et patrono eius M. Aemilio fa- niiliarissime. Peto igitur a te in maioreni niodum, quod sine tua molestia fiat, ut ei de habitatione ac- commodes. Nam propter opera instituta multa multorum subitum est ei remigrare Kal. Quint. Impedior verecundia, ne te pluribus verbis rogem ; neque tamen dubito, quin, si tua nihil aut non multum intersit, eo sis aninio quo ego essem, si quid tu me rogares. Mihi certe gratissimum feceris.
Ill
M. T. C. S. P. D. C. MF.MMIO
Laodiceae, (?) a.u.c. 704..
A. Fufium, unum ex meis intimis, observantis- simum studiosissimumque nostri, eruditum hominem et summa humanitate tuaque amicitia dignissimum, velim ita tractes, ut mihi coram recepisti. Tam gratum mihi id erit, quam quod gratissimum. Ipsum praeterea summo officio et summa observantia tibi in perpetuum devinxcris.
« A freedman of M. Aemiliiis Avianiiis (xiii. 27). He was a distinguished sculptor, and Cicero liad dealings with him (vii. 98. 1).
** Avianius was permitted by Memmius lo work in the shrine in w iiich tlie Memmii celebrated their sacra (fentilicia.
* Nothing more is known of this man.
14
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. ii.-iii. II
CICERO TO MEMMIUS
Laodicea, May (?), 50 b.c.
I am on intimate terms with G. Avianius Evander " himself, who is lodging in your family shrine, ** and very much so with his patron M. Aemilius. I there- for beg of you, with more earnestness than usual, so far as it can be done without inconvenience to yourself, to accommodate him in the matter of his residence. For he has so many commissions on hand for a number of people that it would hurry him to have to move to his old quarters on July 1. My modesty prevents me from preferring my request at greater length, and yet I doubt not that, if it makes little or no difference to you, you will be as obliging as I should be, were you to make any request of me. At any rate you will have done me a great favour.
Ill
CICERO TO MEMMIUS
Laodicea, 50 b.c.
A. Fufius,*' one of my most intimate friends, shows me the greatest deference and devotion. He is an accomplished man and exceedingly kind-hearted, and in every way worthy of your friendship. I should be glad if you would treat him as you promised to do when we met. That will give me as much pleasure as anything in the world. You will besides bind the man himself to you for ever by the strongest ties of obligation and respect.
15
CICERO IV
M. T. C. S. D. Q. VALERTO Q. F. OUCAE, LEG. PROPRAET. Romae, a.u.c. 709.
1 Cum miinicipibus V'olaterranis niihi siimina neces- sitiulo est. Magno enim nieo benelicio aitccti, cuimi- latissime niihi gratiam rettulenint ; nam nee in hunoribus meis nee in laboribus umquam defuerunt. Cum quibus si mihi nulla eausa intereederet, tamen, quod te vehementissime diligo, quodque me a te plurimi fieri sentio, et monerem te et hortarer, ut eorum fortunis consuleres, praesertim cum prope praecipuam causam haberent ad ius obtinendum : primum, quod Sullani temporis acerbitatem, deorum immortalium benignitate, subterfugerunt ; deinde, quod summo studio populi Romani a me in eonsulatu
2 meo defensi sunt. Cum enim^ tribuni plebis legem iniquissimam de eorum agris pronuilgavissent, facile senatui populoque Romano persuasi, ut eos cives, quibus fortuna pcpercisset, salvos esse vellcnt. Hanc actionem meam C. Caesar primo suo eonsulatu in
^ Added by Victorius.
" Orcu had been praetor in 57, and supported the recall of Cicero. In 5(j he was governor of Africa (xiii. (ja. 'J). lit- was now one of the Land Coniniissioners for carrying out ('ae.^ar's allotments of land to his veterans. This and the following letter show the difhculties which confronted the Commissioners.
*> V'oiaterrae, in Etruria, was besieged and captured by .Sulk for having j^iven shelter to some of tiiose who had been proscribed. .Sulla declared their lands contiscated and their llonian citizenship annulled, but the Roman courts
16
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. iv. IV
CICERO TO Q. VALERIUS ORCA " Rome, autumn, 45 b.c.
M. T. Cicero warmly greets Q. Valerius Orca, son of Quintus, legate with rank of Praetor.
I have the closest possible connexion with the 1 townsmen of Volaterrae. Having received some con- siderable kindness at my hands, they have proved their gratitude to me in overflowing measure ; for never once have they failed me either in my triumphs or in my troubles. And indeed, had no such relations been in existence between us, nevertheless, in view of my own warm affection for you and my apprecia- tion of your very high esteem for me, I should both advise and exhort you to promote their best interests, especially as their claim to have their rights main- tained is practically paramount, first because by the mercy of heaven they succeeded in escaping the barbarities of the days of Sulla, ^ and secondly be- cause my defence of them in my consulship was enthusiastically applauded by the people of Piome.
For when the tribunes of the plcbs ^ proposed a 2 most iniquitous law about their lands, I had no diffi- culty in persuading the Senate and people of Rome to be willing that those citizens, whom fortune had spared, should retain their rights. This policy of mine was heartily approved in the land-law of his first consulship by C. Caesar,'^ who freed the district and
refused to recognize the deprivation of citizenship, and the lands were never confiscated. Watson and Tyrrell.
■^ Rullus and Flavins.
** Caesar would favour the Volaterrans as representing the proscribed Marians.
17
CICERO
lege agraria comprobavit agrunique Volaterranum et oppidiini omni periculo in pcrpetuum liberavit, ut niihi dubium non sit, quin is, qui novas neces- situdines adiungat, Vetera sua bencficia conservari velit. Quamobrem est tuae prudcntiae aut sequi eius auctoritatem, cuius scctam atque impcrium summa cum tua dignitate secutus es, aut certe illi integram omnem causam reservare. Illud vero dubitare non debes, quin tarn grave, tarn firmum, tarn honestum municipium tibi tuo summo beneficio
3 in perpetuum obligari velis. Sed haec, quae supra scripta sunt, eo spectant, ut te horter et suadeam. Reliqua sunt, quae pertinent ad rogandum, ut non solum tua causa tibi consilium me dare putes, sed etiam, quod mihi opus sit, me a te petere et rogare. Gratissimum igitur mihi feceris, si Volaterranos omnibus rebus integros incolumesque esse volueris. Eorum ego domicilia, sedes, rem, fortunas, quae a dis immortalibus et a praestantissimis in nostra republica civibus, summo senatus populique Romani studio, conservatae sunt, tuae fidei, iustitiae bonitati-
4 que commendo. Si pro meis pristinis opibus faculta-
tem mihi res hoc tempore daret, ut ita defendere possem Volaterranos, quemadmodum consuevi tueri meos, nullum officium, nullum denique certamen, in
18
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. iv.
town of \'olaterrae from any such danger for all time ; so that I have no doubt that one who is seeking to acquire new connexions wishes that the privileges he granted long ago should be preserved. For that reason it is for you, in your wisdom, either to follow the authority of one whose party and authority you have already, with no impairment of your high personal position, followed, or at all events to keep the whole case open for Caesar's decision. Of this, how- ever, you should entertain no doubt — that it should be your desire, by bestowing upon it the highest favour in your power, to attach to yourself for all time a municipality so respectable, so staunch, and so honourable.
In what I have written above I have no other 3 object in view than to urge and persuade you. There remains what is concerned with a personal request, so that you may infer that I am not only offering you advice for your own sake, but that I am also making a petition and a request for what I have need of myself. You Mill do me the greatest possible favour therefore, if it is your pleasure to leave the people of Volaterrae in every respect untouched and their rights undiminished. Their domiciles and abodes, their property and estates, preserved to them by the immortal gods and the most eminent members of our commonwealth — all these I com- mend to your honesty, sense of justice, and goodness of heart.
Were circumstances to offer me at the present 4 moment the power, on the scale of my former re- sources, to protect the people of Volaterrae to the same extent as I have always defended my own people, there is no act of devotion, no strenuous
19
CICERO
quo illis prodesse posseni, prartermittcrem. Sed quando apud te nihilo minus hoc tempore valere me confido, quani vahierim semper apud omnes, pro nostra summa necessitudine parique inter nos et mutua benevolentia abs te peto, ut ita de Volaterranis mereare, ut existiment, eum quasi divino consilio isti negotio praepositum esse, apud quem unum nos, eorum perpetui defensores, plurimum valere possemus.
V
M. T. C. S. P. D. Q. VALERIO Q. F. ORCAE, LEG. PROPRAET.
Romac, a.u.c. 709.
1 Non moleste fero cam neecssitudinem, quae mihi tecum est, notam esse quam plurimis ; neque tamen ob earn causam (quod tu optime existimare potes) te impedio, quo minus susceptum negotium, pro tua fide et diligentia, ex voluntate Caesaris, qui tibi rem magnam difficilemque commisit, gerere possis. Nam cum multi a me petant multa, quod de tua erga me voluntate non dubitent, non committo, ut ambitione
2 mea conturbcm officium tuum. C. Curtio ab ineunte 20
EPISTULAE AD I AMILIARES, XIII. iv.-v.
effort, 1 should omit, whereby I niiu^ht be of service to them. But since I am confident that I have no less influence with you at the present moment than I have always had with everybody, I beg of you in the name of our very close connexion and our mutual goodwill, so evenly balanced between us, to serve the people of ^'^olaterrae in such a way as to give them the impres- sion that, as if by some divine providence, the man who has been put at the head of the commission on which you are now engaged is the very man of all others with whom I, their unfailing defender, could exercise the greatest possible influence.
CICERO TO VALERIUS ORCA Rome, autumn, 45 b.c.
M. T. Cicero warmly greets Q. Valerius Orca, son of Quintus, legate with rank of Praetor.
I have no objection to any number of people being 1 aware of the close relationship between us ; and yet I would not for that reason (and you can best appreciate what I say) hinder you from being able to conduct the business you have undertaken with your usual probity and thoroughness, and to the satisfaction of Caesar, who has entrusted you with a commission as im- portant as it is diflicult ; for though I am besieged by petitions from a host of men because they confidently rely upon your goodwill towards me, I am not so inconsiderate as to embarrass you in the performance of your duty by any self-seeking on my own account.
21
CICERO
aetate familiarissinie sum usus. Eius et Sullani tem- poris iniustissima calamitate dolui, et cum iis, qui similem iniuriam acccpernnt, amissis omnibus for- tunis, reditus tarnen in patriam voluntate omnium concedi vidcrctur, adiutor incolumitatis fui. Is habet in Volaterrano possessionem, cum in cam, tamquam e naufragio, reliquias contulisset. Hoc autem tem- pore eum Caesar in senatum legit, quem ordinem ille, ista possessione amissa, tueri vix potest. Gravis- simum autem est, cum superior factus sit ordine, inferiorem esse fortuna ; minimeque convenit, ex eo agro, qui Caesaris iussu dividatur, eum moveri, qui 3 Caesaris beneficio senator sit. Scd mihi minus libet multa de aequitate rei scribere, ne causa potius apud te valuisse videar, quam gratia. Quamobrem te in maiorem modum rogo, ut C. Curti rem meam putes esse ; quidquid mea causa faceres, ut, id C. Curti causa cum feceris, existimes, quod ille per me habuerit, id me habere abs te. Hoc te vehementer etiam atque etiam rogo.
• Nothing more is known of this C. Curtius.
22
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. v.
I have been on very intimate terms with C. 2 Curtius " from the days of our youth. Not only did I resent his most unjust degradation in Sulla's time, but when it appeared that those who had suffered similar wrong, though they had lost all their fortunes, were yet permitted by universal consent to return to their country, I have assisted in his rehabilitation.
Now Curtius has a holding in the territory of Volaterrae into which, just as though he had been shipwrecked, he had collected all that was left to him. But just at this moment Caesar has chosen him to be a member of the Senate — a rank, which, if he loses that holding of his, he cannot easily main- tain. Now it is very hard upon him that, though he has been raised higher as regards rank, he should be in a lower position as regards means ; and it is shockingly inconsistent that the very man who is a senator by Caesar's favour should be ejected from land that is being distributed by Caesar's order.
But I am less incHned to WTite at any length on the 3 equity of the case, for fear it should be thought that what strengthened my hands in pleading with you was not so much my personal influence as the justice of my plea. I therefore beg you, with more than usual urgency, to regard C. Curtius 's affair as my own ; and in whatever you do for my sake, although you may have done it for C. Curtius 's sake, to believe that any favour he obtains through me is a favour conferred upon me by yourself. This I beg of you again and again in all earnestness to do.
23
CICERO
VIA
M. T. C. S. P. I). Q. VALERIO Q. F. ORCAE PROtOS.
Romac, a.u.c. 698.
1 wSi vales, bene est, valeo. Creclo te nienioria tenere, ine et coram P. Ciispio tecum lociitum esse, cum te prosequerer paludatum, et item postea pluribus verbis tecum egisse, ut, (pioscumque tibi eius neces- sarios commendarem, haberes eos in numero meorum necessariorum. Id tu pro tua summa erga me bene- volentia perpetuaque observantia mihi liberalissime
2 atque humanissime recepisti. Cusj)ius, homo in omnes suos officiosissimus, mirifice quosdam homines ex ista provincia tuetur et dihi^it, propterea quod fuit in Africa bis cum raaximis societatis negotiis praeesset. Itaque hoc eius officium, quod adliibct ero;a illos, ego mea facultate et gratia soleo, quantum })ossum, adiuvare. Quare Cuspianorum omnium commendationis causam hac tibi epistuhi exponendam putavi. Reliquis epistulis tantum faciam, ut notam apponam cam, quae mihi tecum convenit, et simul
3 significem, de numero esse Cuspi amicorum. Sed banc commendationcm, quam his littcris consignare vohn'j scito esse omnium gravissimam. Nam P.
" Chronologically, this letter precedes Epp. 4 and 5, in which Cicero drops the formal opening (S.\'.B.E.) which he uses here.
*• Only mentioned in this letter and in xvi. 17. 2.
<^ It was cnsiomary for a magistrate to wear his paluda- mentum (jjeneral's cloak) when proceeding to his province. Cf. XV. 17. 8. Tyrrell.
** See Preliminary Note ad fin. 24
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. via.
VIa«
cicero to valerius orca, proconsul. Rome, about the middle of 56 n.c.
M. T. Cicero M'<armly greets Q. Valerius Orca, son of Quintus, Proconsul.
If you are well, all is right ; I am well. I believe 1 it is within your recollection that I said something to you in the presence of P. Cuspius,^ as I was escorting you when in your official uniform,'' and that afterwards also I pleaded with you at greater length, to reckon among my own connexions any whom I might recommend to you as being his. That, consistently with your sincere affection for me and the respect you have invariably shown me, you very handsomely and couiteously undertook to do for me.
Now Cuspius, a man most ready to help all those 2 associated with him, shows an amazingly benevolent interest in certain persons within your province, because he has twice been in Africa, presiding over the highly important negotiations of his society. And so I am in the habit of supporting, with such resources and influence as I can, this readiness to lielp which he displays towards them. I therefore thought it incumbent upon me to explain to you in this letter the reason why I recommend all the friends of Cuspius. In future letters I shall do no more than append the mark agreed upon between you and me, and indicate at the same time that it is one of Cuspius's friends.'^
But as for the recommendation I have been willing 3 to sign in this letter, I would have you know that it is more important than any ; for Cuspius has urged me
25
CICERO
Cuspius singular! studio contendit a me, ut tibi quam diligentissime L. lulium commendarem. Eius ego studio vix videor mihi satisfacere posse, si utar verbis iis, quibus, cum diligentissime quid agimus, uti solemus. Nova quaedam postulat, et putat me eius generis artificium quoddam tenere. Ei ego pollicitus sum me ex intima nostra arte depromp- turum mirificum genus commendationis. Id quon- iam assequi non possum, tu re velim efficias, ut ille genere mearum litterarum incredibile quiddam
4 perfectum arbitretur. Id facies, si omne genus liberalitatis, quod et ab humanitate et potestate tua proficisci poterit, non modo re, sed etiam verbis, vultu denique exprompseris ; quae quantum in provincia valeant, vellem expertus esses, sed tamen suspicor. Ipsum hominem, quem tibi commendo, perdignum esse tua amicitia, non solum, quia mihi Cuspius dicit, credo (tametsi id satis esse debebat), sed quia novi eius iudicium in hominibus et amicis
6 deligendis. Harum litterarum vis quanta fuerit, propediem iudicabo, tibique, ut confido, gratias agam. Ego, quae te velle, quaeque ad te pertinere arbitrabor, omnia studiose diligenterque curabo. Cura, ut valeas.
• Sc. " te mox experturum esse.**
"26
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. via.
with exceptional earnestness to recommend to you with the utmost possible particularity one L. JuHus. I hardly think I can satisfy his eagerness by using such w^ords as I usually do, even when dealing with anything most impressively. He insists upon some- thing out of the common, and imagines that I possess a certain artistry in that style. Well, I have promised him to fetch up from the depths of my art a style of recommendation that will amaze him. Being unable to reach that standard, I should be glad if you would so act as to give him the impression that the effect of my style of letter has been something beyond all belief.
This you will do if you exhibit every form of 4 generosity which your kindness of heart and your official opportunities can suggest, not only in deed but also in word, and, let me add, even in look. How important these things are in a province, I only wish you knew by experience — I have an inkling, how- ever, that you soon will."
As to the subject of my recommendation himself, I believe him to be thoroughly worthy of your friendship, not only because Cuspius tells me so (though that ought to be enough), but also because I know Ciispius's shrewdness in estimating men and choosing his friends.
What effect this letter has produced I shall be able 5 to judge at an early date, and I feel sure I shall have to thank you. For my part, I shall attend with zeal and assiduity to whatever I think that you desire, or that effects your interests. Mind you keep well.
27
CICERO
VIb
cicero valerio s. Romae, a.u.c. 698.
P. Cornelius, qui tibi has litteras dedit, est mihi a P. Cuspio commendatus ; cuius causa quanto opere cuperem deberemque, profecto ex me facile cognosti. Vehemcnter te rogo, ut cures, ut ex hac conimenda- tione mihi Cuspius quam rnaximas, quam primum, quam saepissime gratias agat. Vale.
VII
M. T. C. S. P. D. f LUVIO
Romae, a.u.c. 709.
1 Cum in Galliam proficiscens pro nostra necessi- tudine tuaque summa in me observantia ad me domum venisses, locutus sum tecum de agro vectigali municipi Atellani, qui esset in Gallia ; quantoque opere eius municipi causa laborarem, tibi ostendi. Post tuam autem profectionem, cum et maxima res municipi honestissimi mihique coniunctissimi, et summum meum officium ageretur, pro tuo animo in
• Not the banker at Piiteoli, who died earlier in this year {Jtt. xiii. 46), but probahly the Chivius who was Caesar's praffcctus fabruiii in Si)ain in the early part of this year.
" Atella was in Campania, between Naples and Capua. It was there that the fabulae AteUanae (popular farces or Harlequinades) were first produced.
Another instance of a Latin municipality owning property
28
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. vi6.-vii. VIb
CICERO TO VALERIUS ORCA
Rome, sometime in 56 b.c.
P. Cornelius, who delivers this letter to you, has been recommended to me by P. Cuspius ; and how much it is my desire, as it is my duty, to do for his sake, I am sure you have easily recognized from what I have said. I earnestly beg of you to see to it that the thanks I receive from Cuspius as a result of this recommendation may be as cordial, as prompt, and as frequent as possible.
VII
CICERO TO GAIUS CLUVIUS ^
Rome, aiituiim, 45 h.c.
WTien on setting out for Gaul, in accordance with 1 our intimacy and your extreme courtesy towards myself, you visited me at my house, I spoke to you about the land in Gaul which paid rent to the muni- cipality of Atella,^ and I showed you how greatly distressed I was on that municipality's account. Since your departure, however, when a question arose of vital importance to that municipality, most honour- able as it is and very closely connected with myself — a question too of the performance of my own duty in the highest sense, — I thought it incumbent on me, considering your extraordinary kindness to me, to
in a distant land is Arpinum, which held land in Gaul (xiii. 11. I).
29
CICERO
me singular! exist iniavi, me oportere ad te accuratius scribere ; etsi non sum ncscius, et quae temporum ratio, et quae tua potestas sit, tibique negotium datum esse a C. Caesare, non iudieium, praeclare intellego. Quare a te tantum peto, quantum et te facere posse, et libenter mea causa facturum esse
2 arbitror. Et primum velim existimes, quod res est, municipi fortunas omnes in isto vectigali consistere ; his autem temporibus hoc municipium maximis oneribus pressum, summis affectum esse difficultati- bus. Hoc etsi commune videtur esse cum multis, tamen mihi crede singulares huic municipio calami- tates accidisse : quas idcirco non commemoro, ne, de miseriis meorum necessariorum conquerens, homines,
3 quos nolo, videar offendere. Itaque, nisi magnam spem haberem, C. Caesari nos causam municipi probaturos, non erat causa, cur a te hoc tempore aliquid contenderem. Sed quia confido mihique persuasi, ilium et dignitatis municipi, et aequitatis, etiam voluntatis erga se habiturum esse rationem, ideo a te non dubitavi contendere, ut banc causam
4 illi integram conservares. Quod etsi nihilominus a te peterem, si nihil audivissem te tale fecisse, tamen maiorem spem impetrandi nactus sum, posteaquam
• Tyrrell thinks these must be the partisans of Caesar, who seem to have acted harshly. 30
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. vii.
write to you with greater particularity — although of course I am fully aware how you are circum- stanced and how far your powers extend, and dis- tinctly understand that what Caesar has assigned to you is not so much judicial discretion, as the trans- action of a definite business. For that reason I confine myself to asking you to do what I believe you have both the power and the will to do, for my sake.
And first of all I would have you bear in mind — 2 and it is the fact — that the rent in question comprises the whole wealth of the municipality, and moreover, that as things now are, this same municipality is op- pressed with very heavy burdens and involved in very serious difficulties. Although it would appear that such evils are shared with many others, still you must accept my assin*ance that the disasters suffered by this municipality are exceptional : and the reason I do not specify them is my fear lest by lamenting the mis- fortunes of those personally connected with me I should offend people I do not wish to offend.''
It follows that unless I had strong hopes of our 3 establishing the cause of the municipality with C. Caesar, there was no reason M'hy 1 should make any such urgent request of you at the present time. But because I feel sure and have convinced myself that he will give full consideration to the fair claims of the municipality and the justice of its plea, and also to its friendliness towards himself, for that reason, I say, I have not hesitated to urge you to keep this case open for his decision.
But although, even if I had never heard of your 4 doing anything of the kind, I should none the less make this request of you, still my hope of obtaining it has been strengthened since I was told that you had
HI
CICERO
milii dictum est, hoc idem a te Regienses impetra- visse. Qui etsi te aliqua necessitudine attingunt, tamen tuus amor in me sperare me cogit, te, quod tiiis necessariis tribueris, idem esse tributurum meis, praesertiin cum ego pro his unis petam, habeam autt'in, qui siniih causa laborent, complures neces- sarios. Hoc me non sine causa facere, neque aliqua levi ambitione commotum a te contendere, etsi te existimare arbitror, tamen mihi affirmanti credas velim, me huic municipio debere phirimum ; nullum umquam fuisse tempus neque honorum neque laborum meorum, in quo non huius municipi studium 6 in me exstiterit singulare. Quapropter a te etiam atque etiam, pro nostra summa coniunctione proque tua in me perpetua et maxima benevolentia, maiorem in modum peto atque contendo, ut, cum fortunas agi eius municipi intellegas, quod sit mihi necessi- tudine, officiis, benevolentia coniunctissimum, id mihi des ; quod erit huiusmodi, ut, si a Caesare, quod speramus, impetrarimus, tuo beneficio nos id con- secutos esse iudicemus ; sin minus, pro eo tamen id habeamus, cum a te data sit opera, ut impetraremus. PIoc cum mihi gratissimum feceris, tum viros optimos, homines honestissinios cosdemque gratissimos et
" Regium I.epidi, a Roman colony on the Via Aemilia, between Mutina and I'aiina.
'' In other words, " if we obtain what we hope for from Caesar, we shall jrive you all the credit ; if not, we shall have instead the pleasure of knowing- that you did your best, i.e., we shall be indebted to you in either case." 32
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARF:S, XIII. vir.
granted the same request to the inhabitants of Regium " ; and although they are attached to y^u by a certain connexion, yet I am impelled by your affection for me to hope that you will grant those connected with me the same favour as you have granted to those connected with yourself, especially as I am pleading for these people exclusively, whereas I have several others connected with me, who are in a similar sad plight. Now, although I credit you with believing that I am not doing this without good reason, and not pressing you under the influence of some paltry spirit of self-seeking, nevertheless I should like you to believe me when I asseverate that there is no municipality to which I am more deeply indebted ; that there has never been a time either in the days of my triumph or of my trouble when the devotion shown to me by ihis municipality did not stand out as something wholly out of the common.
And therefore, in view of our very intimate attach- 5 ment and your aifection for me, as unfailing as it is remarkable, I entreat and beseech you with more than usual urgency (since you must see that the fortunes of a municipality most closely bound to me by the ties of friendship, mutual services, and good- will, are at stake), to grant me a favour which will amount to this — I mean that, if we obtain what we hope for from Caesar, we should believe that we have secured it only by your kindness ; if we do not, then at any rate that we should have instead of that the conviction that you did your utmost to help us to succeed.''
Not only will you have given me the greatest possible pleasure by so doing, but by an inestimable service you will have laid under an everlasting obhga-
33
CICERO
tua necessitudine dignissimos, summo beneficio in perpetuum tibi tuisque devinxeris.
VJII
M. T. C. S. P. D. M. nUTlLIO
Romae, a u c. 709.
Gum et inihi conscius essem, quanti te facerem, et tuam erga me bencvolentiam expcrtus essem, non dubitavi a te petcre, quod mihi petendum esset. P. Sestium quanti faciam, ipse optime scio, quanti autem facere debcam, et tu et omnes homines sciunt. Is eum ex aliis te mei studiosissimum esse cognosset, petivit a me, ut ad te quam accuratissime scriberem de re C. Albini senatoris, cuius ex filia natus est L. Sestius, optimus adolescens, filius P. Sesti. Hoc idcirco scripsi, ut intellegeres, non solum me pro P. Sestio laborare debere, sed Sestium etiam pro Al- binio. Res autem est haec : a M. Laberio C. Albinius praedia in aestimationem accepit. quae praedia Laberius emerat a Caesare de bonis Plotianis. Ea si dicam non esse e republica dividi, docere te
" There is no other reference in these letters to this Rutihus.
'' Quaestor in 03, and tribune of the plebs in 57, when he strongly supported Cicero's recall : in 56 he was accused of vis on account of the violence with which he had opposed P. Clodius in the preceding year, but was defended by Cicero {Pro Sestio) and acquitted. His son L. Sestius is the " 0 heate Sesti " in Horace's ode, i. 4.
* For aestimatio see note to ix. 16. 7.
^ Dividere here, and below, —divfndere, "to disperse by selling piecemeal," when the original ownership would disappear. 34
EPISTULAE AD FAaMILIARES, XIII. vii.-vm.
tion to yourself and yours men of excellent character, and thoroughly honourable gentlemen, who are at the same time full of gratitude, and most worthy of being connected with you.
VIII
CICERO TO MARCUS RUTILIUS <* Rome, autumn, 45 b.c.
Knowing in my heart how highly I valued you, and having learnt by experience your friendly feeling for me, I have not hesitated to ask that of you which it was my duty to ask. How highly I value P. Sestius ^ is best known to myself ; how highly I ought to do so is known both to you and to the world in general. Having been informed by others that you were my very devoted friend, he begged of me to write to you with the utmost particularity about the affair of C. Albinius the senator, whose daughter is the mother of L. Sestius, an admirable young man, son of P. Sestius. My purpose in writing you this letter was to convince you that not only is it right and proper that I should feel anxious on behalf of P. Sestius, but that he also should feel so on behalf of Albinius.
Now the circumstances are these : C. Albinius has received certain estates from M. Laberius at a valuation ^ — estates which Laberius had purchased from Caesar out of the property of one Plotius. If I were to tell you that the dispersal ^ of such properties is not to the public interest, you would think that I am not so much asking a favour of you, as proffering you
35
CICERO
vidcar, non ro^are. Seel tainen cum Caesar Sullanas venditiones et assignationes ratas esse velit, cjuo firnnorcs existinientur suae, si ea praedia dividentur, quae ipse Caesar vendidit, quae tandem in eius \ enditionibus esse poterit auetoritas ? Sed hoc quale 3 sit, tu pro tua prudentia considerabis. l^go te plane rogo, atque ita, ut maiore studio, iustiore de causa, magis ex animo rogare nihil possim, ut Albinio parcas, praedia Laberiana ne attingas. Magna me affeceris non modo laetitia, sed etiam quodammodo gloria, si P. Sestius homini maxime necessario satisfecerit per me, ut ego illi uni plurimum debeo. Quod ut facias, te vehementer etiam atque etiam rogo. Maius mihi dare benefieium nullum potes. Id mihi intelleges esse gratissimum.
IX
M. T. C. S. P. P. CRASSIPEDI
In Cilicia, ad iinein a.u.c. 703.
1 Quanupiam tibi praesens commendavi, ut potui diligentissime, soeios Bithyniae, teque cum mea com-
<» i.e., sales and allotments of property confiscafed in connexion with proscriptions of Sulla. If not "ratified," Caesar's title to his own estates would be invalidated, and he would have no power to sell them.
* The second husband of Tullia, whom he married in 56, and divorced about o.S.
^ The companies (soc'uiates) of publicani undertook State contracts for roads, buildings, etc., but especially for the collection of taxes. Each societas generally confined its
36.
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. viii.-ix.
instruction. At all events, seeing that Caesar desires the ratification of Sulla's sales and assignments,'^ so that his own may be regarded as more secure, if those very estates which Caesar himself has sold are dispersed, what possible right of property, I ask you, can his sales carry ? But you, with your usual pene- tration, will consider the matter in all its bearings.
I ask you frankly — and I could not do so with 3 more earnestness, in a more righteous cause, or more from my heart — to spare Albinius, and have nothing to do with the estate of Laberius. You will give me not only much pleasure, but also, in a sense, some- thing to boast about, if it turns out that it was I who enabled P. Sestius to satisfy the claims of one so closely connected with him, as / owe him more than any other man alive. This I beg of you again and again to do. You can grant me no greater favour, and you will find that I appreciate it most highly.
IX
r« h
CICERO TO P. FURIUS CRASSIPES
Cilicia, probably towards the end of 51 B.C.
Although when I met you I reconnnended to you 1 as particularly as I could the Bithynian company,'' and understood that not only because of my recom-
operations to a single province, or to a particular tax {decuma^ scriptura. porforla, etc.), though one societas might farm several taxes. Cicero's staunch support of the equites was one of the main features of his political life, and Xh^publicani were drawn from the eqiiHes.
VOL. Ill c 37
CICERO
mendatione, tuin ctiam tua sponte intellexi cupere ei societati, quibuscumque rebus posses, commodare, tamen, cum ii, quorum res agitur, magni sua inter- esse arbitrarentur, me etiam per litteras declarare tibi, qua essem erga ipsos voluntate, non dubitavi haec
2 ad te scribere. Volo enim te existimare, me, cum universo ordini publicanorum semper libentissime tribuerim, idque magnis eius ordinis erga me meritis facere debuerim, tum in primis amicum esse huic Bithynicae societati ; quae societas ordine ipso et hominum genere pars est maxima civitatis ; constat enim ex ceteris societatibus ; et casu pcrmulti sunt in ea societate valde mihi familiares, in primisque is, cuius praecipuum officium agitur hoc tempore, P. Rupilius, P. F. Menenia, qui est magister in ea
3 societate. Quae cum ita sint, in maiorem modum a te peto, Cn. Pupium, qui est in operis eius societatis, omnibus tuis officiis atque omni libcralitate tueare, curesque, ut eius operae (quod tibi facile factu est) quam gratissimae sint sociis, remque et utilitatem sociorum (cuius rei quantam potestatem quaestor habeat, non sum ignarus) per te quam maxime defensam et auctam vclis. Id cum mihi gratissimum
• The bidding for the contract and the furnishing of security, etc., were carried out by a manrepa at Rome, but the management was entrusted to an annually elected local director {magister)^ who had charge of the accounts and correspondence. See note 6 on Ep. 65. 1.
38
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. ix.
mendation, but also because that was your own inclination, you were anxious to accommodate that company in any way you could, still when those whose interests are in question thought it of para- mount importance to them that I should make it plain to you by letter also how I felt towards them, I have not hesitated to write to you as I do.
I would have you believe that while it has always 2 been the greatest pleasure to mo to make much of the order of puhlica?ii as a whole, and, considering the great services that order has rendered me, it has been mv duty to do so, I am in a special sense a friend to this Bithynian company — a company which by the very fact of its connexions with the order in general, and omng to the class of men of whom it is composed, made up as it is of members of all the other companies, constitutes a most important factor in the State ; and, as it happens, a large proportion of it are on very intimate terms with myself, especially the man who at this moment occupies the position of its chief, P. Rutilius to wit. son of Publius of the Menenian tribe, who is director " of that company.
Such being the case, I entreat you with more than 3 usual urgency to support with every kindness and all your generosity Cn. Pupius, who is in the company's employ, and to see to it that his services (you will find it easy to do so) are as acceptable as possible to the partners, and to show your desire (and how much it is in the power of a quaestor to effect in that connexion, I am well aware) that the property and interests of those partners should prove to have been protected and enhanced as far as possible by your efforts.
39
( K i:iu)
feceris, turn illud tibi cxpcrtus proinitto et spondeo, te socios Bithyniae, si iis commodaris, niemores esse et gratos cogniturum.
X
CICERO M. lUMO BRUTO S.
Romae, a.u.c. 708.
1 Cum ad te tuus quaestor, M. Varro, proficisceretur, conimendatione cgere euni uon putabam. Satis enini commendatum tibi euni arbitrabar ab ipso more maiorum, qui, ut te non fugit, banc quaesturae con- iunctionem liberorum necessitudini proxiniam voluit esse. Sed cum sibi ita persuasisset ipse meas de se accurate scriptas litteras maximum apud te pondus habituras, a meque contenderet, ut quam diligentis- sime scriberem, malui facere, quod meus familiaris
2 tanti sua interesse arbitraretur. Ut igitur debere me facere hoc intellegas, cum primum M. Terentius in forum venit, ad amicitiam se meam contulit. Deinde, ut se corroboravit, duae causae accesserunt, quae meam in ilium benevolentiam augerent : una, quod versabatur in hoc studio nostro, quo etiam nunc maxime delectamur, et cum ingenio, ut nosti, ncc sine industria ; deinde, quod mature se contulit in
" M. lirutus was now governor of Cisalpine Ciaul, as will appear from the next letter, § 1.
"" Not the great \'arro, but a man known as M. Terentius Varro Gibba. As tribune of the plebs in 43, when the great Varro was proscribed he was much laughed at for publishing a notice declaring that he was not that \'arro but another (Dio Cassius, xlvii. 11. 3). 40
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. ix.-x.
Not only will you greatly oblige me by so doing, but I also promise you and pledge myself as a result of my own experience, that, if you oblige them, you will find the Bithynian partners neither forgetful nor ungrateful.
X
CICERO TO M. JUXIUS BRUTUS "
Rome, early in 46 b.c.
When vour quaestor, M. Varro,^ was setting out to 1 join you, I did not think he required a recommenda- tion. I considered him sufficiently recommended by the practice of our ancestors, which assumed that a quaestor's connexion with his chief closely approxi- mated to that of a son to his father. But since he had convinced himself that a carefully written letter from me would carry the greatest weight with you and pressed me to write-with the utmost particularity, I thought it better to do what my friend imagined to be of so much importance to him.
To prove to you therefore that it is my duty to do 2 this, from the moment M. Terentius entered the forum ^ he devoted himself to winning my friendship ; afterwards, when he had established himself, I found two additional reasons for feeling more warmly dis- posed towards him ; one was that he took up the same pursuit as myself — that which even now gives me most delight — and that with ability, as you know, and with considerable industry ; the other was that at an early stage he attached himself to the companies
• i.e., began to practise in the law-courts.
41
CICERO
societates publicanorum, quod quidem nollem ; maxi- mis enim damnis afFectus est. Sed tamen causa communis ordinis mihi commendatissimi fecit amici- tiam nostram firmiorem. Deinde versatus in utrisque subselliis optima et fide et fama iam ante banc com- mutationem reipublicae petitioni sese dedit honorem- que honestissimum existimavit fructum laboris sui.
3 His autem temporibus a me Brundisio cum litteris et mandatis profectus ad Caesarem est ; qua in re et amorem eius in suscipiendo negotio perspexi, et in conficiendo ac renuntiando fidem. Videor mihi, cum separatim de probitate eius et moribus dicturus fuissem, si prius causam, cur eum tanto opere dilige- rem, tibi exposuissem, in ipsa causa exponenda satis etiam de probitate dixisse. Sed tamen separatim promitto in meque recipio, fore eum tibi et voluptati et Usui. Nam et modestum hominem cognosces, et pudentem, et a cupiditate omni remotissimum, praeterea magni laboris summaeque industriae.
4 Neque ego haec polliceri debeo, quae tibi ipsi, cum bene cognoris, iudicanda sunt ; sed tamen in omnibus novis coniunctionibus interest, qualis primus aditus sit, et qua commendatione quasi amicitiae fores aperiantur. Quod ego his htteris efficere volui, etsi id ipsa per se necessitudo quaesturae efFecisse debet.
" Either as barrister and juryman, or as counsel for the defence and for the prosecution.
*• Broiight about by Caesar's victory over the Pompeian army at Thapsus. (See Chron. Summ. for 46 b.c.)
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. x.
which manage State-contracts, and I only wish he hadn't ; for he suffered very heavy losses. Be that as it may, his sharing my interest in an order I so highly esteemed tended to strengthen our friendship. Sub- sequently, after practising as a barrister on both benches « with admirable honesty and distinction, just before this transformation of public affairs ^ he became a candidate for public office, which he re- garded as the most honourable fruit of his labours.
Moreover, at this crisis he has travelled from Brun- 3 disium with my letter and messages for Caesar ; and in that I have had clear proof of his devotion in under- taking the business at all, and of his trustworthiness in carrying it through and reporting to me. It seems to me tliat, though I had intended dwelling separ- ately on his integrity and character, if I should have fully explained to you why I was so greatly drawn to him, by giving that very explanation I should have dwelt enough upon his integrity also ; but for all that I promise and pledge my word in a separate statement that he will be a source of both pleasure and profit to you. You will find him an unassuming and modest fellow, far removed from any thought of self-seeking, and I may add, hard-working and extremely industrious.
Although it is no business of mine to make pro- 4 fessions which you can verify for yourself when you have got to know him well, still in forming any new connexions it is important to consider the details of the first approach, and the value of the recommendation that throws open, so to speak, the door of friendship. That is what I wished to effect by this letter, though indeed the bond of quaestorship should have had that effect of itself. Anyhow the latter consideration
43
CICKRO
Sed tanien niliilo iDfirniius jlliid, hoc addito. Cura igitiir, si me tanti facis, (juanti ct \^arro cxistimat, et ipse seiitio, ut quam prinium intellegam, hanc meam conimendationem tantum illi utilitatis attu- lisse, quantum et ipse sperarit nee ego dubitarim.
XI
M. T. C. S. P. n. BRUTO Ilomac, A.u.c. 708.
1 Quia semper animadverti studiose te operam dare, ut ne quid meorum tibi esset igiiotum, propterea non dubito, quin scias, non solum cuius municipi sim, sed etiam quam diligenter soleam meos muni- cipes, Arpinates, tueri. Quorum quidem omnia com- moda omnesque facultates, quibus et sacra conficere et sarta tecta aedium sacrarum locorumque com- munium tueri possint, consistunt in his vectigalibus, quae habent in provincia GalHa. Ad ea visenda pecuniasque, quae a colonis debentur, exigendas totamque rem et cognoscendam et administrandam legatos equites llomanos misimus, Q. Fufidium, Q. ¥.,
2 M. Faucium, M. ¥., Q. Mamercum, Q. F. Peto a te in maiorem modum pro nostra necessitudine, ut tibi ea res curae sit, operamque des, ut per te quam com- modissime negotium municipi administretur quam primumcpie conficiatur ; ipsosquc, quorum nomina
" See Ep. 7. 1 abtive, note b.
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. x.-xi.
will be no whit weakened by the former. Therefore, if you vahie me as highly as Varro supposes, and I feel that you do, pray see to it that I have the earliest possible intelligence that this recommendation of mine has proved of as much advantage to him as he himself has hoped, and I have never doubted.
XI
CICERO TO M. BRUTUS
Rome, some time in 16 b.c.
I have always noticed that you take the greatest 1 pains to be informed of anything that concerns my interests, and I have therefore no doubt that you are aware not only to what municipality I belong, but also how conscientiously it is my habit to support my fellow-citizens, the inhabitants of Arpinum. Now it is a fact that all their income and all the means at their disposal for the maintenance of public worship and the repairs of their sacred edifices and public buildings consist in the rents they receive from their estates in the province of Gaul." To visit those estates, to call in the moneys still owed by the tenants, and to investigate and arrange for the management of the - wliole business, we have sent a commission of Roman knights — Q. Fufidius the younger, M. Faucius the younger, and Q. Mamercus the younger.
In view of our close intimacy, I appeal to you with 2 more than ordinary urgency to charge yourself with the matter, and to do your utmost to see that the business of our town, so far as you yourself are con- cerned, is managed as happily, and settled as speedily, as possible, and to treat the gentlemen themselves,
45
CICERO
scripsi, ut quam honorificentissime pro tua natura et 3 quam liberalissime tract cs, Bonos viros ad tuam necessitudinem adiunxeris municipiunique gratissi- mum beneficio tuo devinxeris ; mihi vero etiam gratius feceris, quod cum semper tueri municipes meos consuevi, tum hie annus praecipue ad meam curam officiumque pertinet. Nam constituendi muni- cipi causa hoc anno aedilem fihum meum fieri voUii, et fratris fihum et M. Caesium, hominem mihi maxime necessarium ; is enim magistratus in nostro municipio, nee ahus ullus creari solet ; quos co- honestaris, in primisque me, si res pubh'ca municipi tuo studio, dihgentia, bene administrata erit. Quod ut facias, te vehementer etiam atxpie etiam rogo.
XII
M. T. C. S. P. D. BRUTO
Romae, a.u.c. 708.
1 Aha epistula communiter commendavi tibi legatos Arpinatium, ut potui diligentissime ; hac separatim Q. Fufidium, quocum mihi omnes necessitudines sunt, dihgentius commendo, non ut ahquid de ilia
« C/. § 1 in the next letter.
" Three aediles, one of whom apparently admlni'^tered the finances (^;/". J//, w. I j. 1), were Ihc- only rt-giilai iiia<ristiates at Arpinum. (Corpus Inscriptiunmn Latinariim, x. 5679 and 56S2, quoted by How.) 46
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. xi.-xii.
whose names I have given you, as indeed you naturally would, with all possible courtesy and generosity.
You will find that you have added some men of 3 excellent character to the list of your intimate friends, and that by your kindness you have laid under obligation a most grateful municipality, while the gratitude I shall owe you will be even greater, since not only have I always made a practice of pro- tecting the interests of my fellow-townsmen, but this year they claim in a special degree my attention and services. The fact is that this year, with a view to putting the municipality on a sound basis, I have recommended for election my son, and also my brother's son, and M. Caesius," a very intimate friend of mine, as aediles — for aediles are the magistrates, and no others, whom it is customary to elect ^ in our munici- pality. Now you will have done due honour to them and to myself in particular, if it turns out that the public business of the township has been, thanks to your zealous assiduity, well managed. And this iswhat I earnestly and again and again beg of you to do.
XII
CICERO TO M. BRUTUS
Rome, some time in 46 b.c.
In another letter I commended to you as earnestly l as I could the representatives of the Arpinates in general ; in this I commend with even greater earnestness Q. Fufidius, to whom I am bound by all sorts of ties, in particular, not so as to detract in any
47
CICERO
commendatione deminiiam, sed iit hanc addam. Nam et privignus est M. Caesi, nu-i niaxime et familiaris et necessari, et fuit in Cilicia mecum tribunus niilitum : quo in munere ita se tractavit, ut accepisse 2 ab eo bcneficium viderer, non dedisse. E.st praeterea (quod apud te valet plurimum) a nostris studiis non abhorrens. Quare velini eum quam liberalissinie coni])lectare operamque dcs, ut in ea legatione, quani suscepit contra suum commodum, secutus auctorita- tem meam, quam maxime eius excellat industria. Vult enim, id quod optimo cuique natura tributum est, quam maximam laudeni cum a nobis, qui eum impulimus, tum a niunicipio consequi ; quod ei con- tinget, si hac mea commendatione tuum erga se studiuni erit conserutus.
XIII
M. T. C. S. P. D, imuTO
Romae, a.v.c. 708.
L. Castronius Paetus, longe princeps munieipi Lucensis, est honestus, gravis, plenus oftici, bonus plane vir et cum virtutibus, tum etiam fortuna, si quid hoc ad rem pertinet, ornatus ; mens autem est familiarissimus, sic prorsus, ut nostri ordinis observet
» In I'.truria. 48
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. xii.-xiii.
way from my former recommendation, but so as to add this to it. He is the stepson of M. Caesius, my most intimate and famiHar friend, and he was with me in CiHcia as miHtary tribune ; and he so conducted himself in that capacity as to make me feel that I had received a kindness from him rather than conferred one.
He is, moreover — and this carries great weight ?- with you — no enemy to our favourite pursuits. And that is why I would have you welcome him as hand- somely as possible, and do all you can to ensure the utmost possible success of his efforts on that com- mission which he has undertaken, to the detriment of his own convenience, in deference to my authority. It is his desire — and it is the natural characteristic of all good men — to win the highest possible credit, not only for me, who pressed this service upon him, but from the municipality also ; and he will succeed in doing so, if, thanks to this recommendation of mine, he enlists your enthusiastic support.
XIII
CICERO TO M. BRUTUS
Rome, some time in 46 B.C.
L. Castronius Paetus, by far the most important member of the municipahty of Luca," is an honour- able, sterling, and most obliging man, a thoroughly good fellow, and graced not only with all the virtues, but also, if that has anything to do with the matter, with a handsome fortune. Besides he is on very familiar terms with me. so much so indeed that there
49
GICERO
neminem diligentius. Quare ut et meum amiciim et tua dignum amicitia tibi commendo. Ciii quibus- cumqiie rebus commodaveris, tibi profecto iucundum, mihi certe erit gratum. Vale.
XIV
M. T. C. S. P. D. BRUTO Romac, a.u.c. 708.
1 L. Titio Strabone, equite Romano in primis honesto et ornato, faniiliarissime iitor. Omnia mihi cum eo intercedunt iura summae necessitudinis. Huic in tua provincia pecuniam debet P. Cornelius. YjR res a Volcatio, qui Romae ius dicit, reiecta in
2 Galliam est. Peto a te hoc diligentius, quam si mea res esset, quo est honestius de amicorum pecunia laborare, quam de sua, ut negotium conficiendum cures. Ipse suscipias, transigas operamque des, quoad tibi aequum et rectum videbitur, ut quam commodissima condicione libertus Strabonis, qui eius rei causa missus est, negotium conficiat ad nummosque perveniat. Id et mihi gratissimum erit, et tu ipse L. Titium cognosces amicitia tua dignissimum. Quod ut tibi curae sit, ut omnia solent esse, quae me velle scis, te vehementer etiam atque etiam rogo.
" L. Volcatius Tullus, who became consul in 33. This year he was praetor at Rome. 50
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. xiii.-xiv.
is no member of my order to whom he pays more particular attention. I therefore commend him to you as being both my friend and worthy of your friendship ; and whatever you do to oljh'ge liim will assuredly give pleasure to yourself, and in any case be a favour to me.
XIV
CICERO TO M. BRUTUS Rome, some time in 46 B.C.
I am on the most intimate terms with L. Titius 1 Strabo, an eminently honourable and distinguished Roman knight. There is no bond of the closest relationship that does not subsist between us. A sum of money is owing to him in your province from P. Cornelius. The praetor urhayius Volcatius " has passed on the case for trial in Gaul.
I beg of you all the more earnestly than if the case 2 were my own, in proportion as it is more a point of honour to take pains in the matter of one's friends' money than one's own, to see to it that the business is carried through. Take it on your own shoulders, settle it, and do what you can consistently with what you deem right and proper, to ensure that w^trabo's freedman, who has been dispatched for the purpose, may conclude the business on the most favourable terms possible, and get at the money. Not only will that give me the greatest pleasure, but you yourself too will find L. Titius fully worthy of your friendship. That you should interest yourself in this matter, as you generally do in everything you know to be my wish, I earnestly beg of you again and again.
51
CICERO XV
M. T. C. S. P. D. C. CAESARI IMP. Asturae, a.u.c. 709.
1 Praccilium tibi coniinendo unice, tui necessari, niei faniiliarissimi, viri optinii filiuni ; quern cum adolescentem ipsum pro})ter cius modcstiam, humani- tatcm, animum et aniorem erga me singularem miri- fice diligo, turn patrem eius re doctus intellexi et didici mihi fuisse semper amicissimum. En, hie ille est [de illis]! maxime qui irridere atque obiurgare me solitus est, quod me non tecum, praesertim cum abs te honorificentissime invitarer, coniungerem.
'AW (^Jibv ov TTore dv/xbu tVi <rTr]0€craiv eiT(t.dev,
Audiebam enim nostros procercs clamitantes,
&\kl/xo$ ^(T(x\ iVa Ti's (re /cat 6\piy6uu}v ev fi'Tr?;. a>5 (pcLTO, Tov 5' a^foj ve(p(\i] (KO.Xv'pe fitXaiua.
2 Sed tamen iidem me consolantur ; et iam hominem perustum inani gloria volunt incendere ; atque ita loquuntur :
/XT] fj.av aairovbi ye Kai CK-Xficis dnoXoi/xrii', dWa fJ-(ya pe^as tl Kai iacrof-uvoiaL iriOfadai.
^ A doubtful insert ton, omitted in H. Pal.
" This letter was written within two months after Tullia's death, and Tyrrell and Purser remark that " it has a strained and unnatural tone of gaiety."
" Hom. Od. vii. 258.
'- Jh. i. 302.
^ Jh. xxiv. 315. The chieftains cried aloud to Cicero to be brave, but a cloud of woe enveloped him — his remorse for having ever opposed Caesar.
' Hom. II. xxii. 304-5. 52
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, Xlll. xv. XV
CICERO GREETS C. JULIUS CAESAR, IMPERATOR Astura, end of March, 45 b.c."
I most particularly commend to you Praecilius, the 1 son of a very excellent gentleman who is your close, and my own very intimate, friend. 1 am amazingly fond of the young man himself on account of his sobriety of conduct, his refinement, and his remark- ably affectionate feeling for myself; and his father too, as practical experience has taught me and con- vinced me beyond all doubt, was always my very sincere friend. Why, he was the man who more than anybody used to scoff at and scold me because I did not attach myself to you, especially when you invited me to do so in the most complimentary terms:
But with his words never swayed he the heart that beats in my bosom.''
For I heard our chieftains crying aloud :
"Stand thou undaunted, that men e'en in ages to come may extol thee." <= So spake he, but the other a black cloud of anguish enveloped.'^
But still those same men offer me comfort, and 2 even now they would set on fire a poor fellow already scorched with the flames of a futile ambition ; and this is the sort of thing they say :
Not without effort of mine, and not without fame, would
1 perish. But having done such a deed as will ring through the ages
for ever/
53
CICERO
Sed minus iam movent, ut vides. Itaqiie ab Homeri magniloqucntia confcro me ad vera praecepta
/ULLffU (jO(plOTrH> OffTiS Ol'x UrTU! (TO(flbs'
quem versum senex Praeciliiis laudat egre*rie, et ait, posse eumdem et ti/za Trpoaa-o) kuI oiriaio videre^ et tamen nihilominus
aiei/ dpLcrTeveiv, Kal VTreipoxo" tufievai &XKi>)v.
3 Sed, ut l-edeam ad id, unde coepi, vehementer mihi gratum feceris, si hunc adolescentem humanitate tua, quae est singularis, comprehendcris, et ad id, quod ipsorum Pracciliorum causa te velle arbitror, addideris cumulum commendationis meae. Genere novo sum litterarum ad te usus, ut intellegeres, non vulgarem esse commendationem.
XVI
M. T. C. S. P. D. C. CAESARI IMP.
Romae (?), a.u c. 709.
1 P. Crassum ex omni nobilitate adulescentem dilexi plurimum ; et de eo cum ab incunte eius aetate perbene^ speravissem, tum praeclare^ existimare * Schiiizr bene JS^ohbe. * Klotz: per me jVobbe.
« Eiir. I'rag 905, cd. Naiick, p. 652.
*> Horn. Jl. i. iU8 ; Od. xxiv. 45^2.
« Horn. Jl. vi. 208 : xi. 784. Praecilius seems to have meant that a man may be a "sage," and yet attain pre- eminence in practical Hfe.
^ Son of the triumvir. He served with distinction as a legatus of Caesar in Gaul. He fell with his father at the
54
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. xv.-xvi.
But they have less effect upon me now, as you see ; and so I turn from the grandiloquence of Homer, and betake myself to the practical precepts of Euripides :
Th? sage, no sage for his own ends, I loathe,**
a verse that Praecilius senior enthusiastically applauds, and declares that a man may be able " to see before as well as behind " ^ and yet nevertheless
Ever to prove himself best, and unrivalled to stand above others/
But to return to the point with which I began : you 3 will oblige me very greatly if you extend to this young man the courtesy you possess in so remarkable a degree, and to add to what I imagine you would like to do for the sake of the Praecilii themselves the further weight of my recommendation.
I have adopted a new style of letter in writing to you, so that you may understand that this is no stereo- typed recommendation.
XVI
CICERO TO JULIUS CAESAR
Rome (?), early in 45 b.c.
Out of all our nobility the young man for whom 1 I have the highest regard is P. Crassus ^ ; and while I had entertained great hopes of him from his earhest years, I began to have quite a brilliant impression of
battle of Carrhae. Cicero eulogized him in Brut. 282. Cf. Fam. V. 8. 4. His widow Cornelia afterwards became the wife of Pompey.
55
CICERO
coepi, exiiiiiis^ iudiciis, (juae de eo feceras,- cognitis. Eius libertum Apollonium iani tuni eqiiidcm, cum ille viveret, et niagiii faciebam ct probabam. PLrat enim et studiosiis Crassi, ct ad eius optima studia vchementer aptus ; ita(pie ab eo admodum dilige-
2 batiir. Post mortem autem Crassi eo mihi etiam dignior visus est, quem in fidem atque amicitiam mcam reciperem, quod eos a se observandos et colendos putabat, quos ille dilcxisset et quibus carus fuisset. Itaque et ad me in Ciliciam venit multisque in rebus mihi magno usui fuit et fides eius et prudentia, et, ut opinor, tibi in Alexandrino bcllo, quantum studio et fidelitate consequi potuit, non defuit.
3 Quod cum speraret te quoque ita existimare, in Hispaniam ad te, maxime ille quidcm suo consilio, sod etiam me auctore est profectus. Cui ego com- mendationem non sum pollicitus ; non quin cam vali- turam apud te arbitrarer, sed nequc mihi egere com- mendatione vidcbatur, qui et in bello tecum fuisset, et propter memoriam Crassi de tuis unus esset, et, si uti commendationibus vellet, etiam per alios eum vidcbam id consequi posse. Testimonium mei dc eo iudici, quod et ipse magni aestimabat, et ego apud te valcre eram expertus, ei libenter dedi.
4 Doctum igitur hominem cognovi et studiis optimib
^ Klotz : ex iis Nobhe. * Madvig : feceram Nohhe. 56
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. xvi.
him when the highly favourable opinions you had formed of him beeame known to me. His freedman Apollonius I used to esteem highly and think well of, even when Crassus was alive ; for he was devoted to Crassus, and adapted himself extremely well to his highest pursuits, and was therefore much beloved by him.
After Crassus 's death, however, he struck me as 2 being all the more worthy of admittance into my confidence and friendship, inasmuch as he con- sidered it incumbent upon him to pay respect and attention to those whom Crassus had been fond of, and who had won his affection. And so he joined me in Cilicia, and his loyalty and sagacity were of material service to me in many respects, and he never failed you, I imagine, in the Alexandrine war, so far as his zeal and fidelity enabled him to do so.
And, since he hoped that you thought so too, he 3 set out to join you in Spain, mainly, it is true, by your advice, but partly also at my instance. A recom- mendation, however, I did not promise him — not that I supposed it would carry no weight with you, but it seemed to me that he stood in need of no recommendation at all, seeing that he had been with you during the war, and (since you could never forget Crassus) was numbered among your intimates ; and besides, if he desired to avail himself of recommenda- tions, I saw that there were others too through whom he could get what he v/anted. This testimony to my opinion of him, which he himself values highly, and which I know by experience carries weight with you, 1 have gladly given him.
Well then, I have found him to be a man of learning 4 and devoted to the most intellectual pursuits, and
57
CICERO
deditum, idque a puero. Nam domi meae cum Diodoto Stoico, homine meo iudicio eruditissimo, multum a puero fuit. Nunc autem, incensus studio rerum tuarum, eas litteris Graecis mandare cupit. Posse arbitror ; valet ingenio ; habet usum ; iam pridem in eo genere studi litterarumque versatur ; satisfacere immortalitati laudum tuarum mirabiliter cupiebat. Habes opinionis meae testimonium ; sed tu hoc facilius multo, pro tua singulari prudentia, iudicabis. P't tamen, quod negaveram, commendo tibi eum. Quidquid ei commodaveris, erit id maiorem in modum gratum.
XVII
M. T. C. S. P. D. SER. SULPICIO
Romae, a.u.c. 708.
I M'. Curius, qui Patris negotiatur, multis et magnis de causis a me diligitur. Nam et amicitia pervetus mihi cum eo est, ut primum in forum venit, instituta, et Patris cum aliquoties antea, tum proxime hoc miserrimo bello domus eius tota mihi patuit ; qua si opus fuisset, tarn essem usus, quam mea. Maximum
" For an account of this eminent jurist and friend of Cicero see note a on iv. 1. 1. Sulpicius had recently been appointed Proconsul of Achaia by ("aesar, cf. iv. 3.
** vii. 28 is a letter from Cicero to him, and vii. 29 one from him to Cicero. 58
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. xvi.-xvii.
that from a boy. For he was constantly at my house from his boyhood in the company of Diodotus the Stoic, in my judgment the most erudite of men. At the present moment, however, fired with enthusiastic admiration of your exploits, he desires to record them in the Greek language. I think he is competent to do so, he has great ability, he has had experience, he has been engaged for some time past in that kind of literary effort, and his eagerness to do justice to the immortal glory of your achievements is quite amazing.
Here then is the considered expression of my opinion ; but such is your extraordinary penetration that you will far more easily decide the matter on your own account. And here am I, after all, doing what I said I would not do, in recommending him to you !
Whatever favour you do him will be a more than ordinary gratification to myself.
XVII
CICERO TO SERVIUS SULPICIUS RUFUS ^
Rome, some time in 46 b.c.
I have many strong reasons for my regard for 1 Manius Curius ^ who has a banking business at Patrae. A friendship of very long standing subsists between us, which began when he first entered the Forum, and at Patrae not only on several previous occasions, but also very lately, during this most lamentable war, his house has been unreservedly thrown open to me ; had there been need, I should have used it as my own.
59
CICERO
autem mihi vinculum cum eo est quasi sanctions cuiusdam necessitudinis, quod est Attici nostri fami- liarissinuis eumque unum praeter ceteros observat
2 ac diligit. Quern si tu iam forte cognosti, puto me hoc, quod facio. facere serius. Ea est enim hunianitate et o])servantia, ut cum tibi iam ipsum per se com- mendatum putem. Quod tamen si ita est, magno opere a te quaeso, ut ad earn voluntatem, si quam in ilium ante has measlitteras contulisti, quam maximus
3 postea commendatione cumulus accedat. Sin autem propter verecundiam suam minus se tibi obtulit, aut nondum cum satis habes cognitum, aut quae causa est, cur maioris commendationis indigeat, sic tibi eum commendo, ut neque maiore studio quemquam, ne(pie iustioribus de causis commendare possim. Faciamque id, quod debent facere ii, qui religiose et sine ambitione commendant. Spondebo enim tibi, vel potius spondee in meque recipio, eos esse M'. Curii mores eamque cum probitatem, tum etiam humanitatem, ut eum et amicitia tua, et tam accurata commendatione, si tibi sit cognitus, dignum sis existimaturus. Mihi certe gratissimum feceris, si intellexero, has litteras tantum, quantum scribeiis confidebam, apud te pondus habuisse.
60
EPISTUT.AE AD FAMILIARKS. XIII. xvii.
The strongest tie that binds us however is one that I may almost call a more sacred relationship — the fact that he is a most intimate friend of my dear Atticus, whom he respects and esteems more than anybody else in the world.
If you happen to have made his acquaintance 2 already, I expect I am too late in doino- what I do ; for such is his courtesy and civility, that I expect he has already been his own recommendation to you. But even if this be so, I earnestly beg you, that, whatever goodwill you may have shown him before the receipt of this letter, my recommendation, now that you have received it, may as far as possible enhance it.
If, however, his bashfulness has prevented his 3 obtruding himself upon you, or if you are not suffi- ciently acquainted with him, or if there be any reason for his requiring some stronger recommendation, well, then, I hereby recommend him to you so emphatically that I could not possibly recommend any man with greater enthusiasm or for sounder reasons ; and I shall do what those do who submit their recommendations conscientiously and dis- interestedly, that is to say, I shall pledge my word to you, or rather give you my promise and solemn under- taking, that such is M'. Curius's character, such his integrity and his kindliness combined, that if you make his acquaintance, you will assuredly deem him worthy both of your friendship and of so elaborate a recommendation. At any rate you will have done me a great favour if I have reason to know that this letter has carried as much weight with you as I felt sure it would when I wrote it.
di
CICERO XVIII
CICERO SERVIO S.
Romae, A.ti.c. 708.
1 Non concedam, lit Attico nostro, qiiem elatum laetitia vidi, iiicundiores tuae suavissime ad euin et humanissime scriptae litterae fuerint, quam niihi. Nam etsi iitrique nostrum prope aeque gratae erant, tamen ego admirabar magis te, qui, si rogatus, aut certe admonitus, liberaliter Attico respondisses^ (quod tan 1 en dubium nobis, quin ita futurum fuerit, non erat), uUro ad cum scripsisse, eique nee opinanti voluntatem tuam tantam per litteras detulisse. De quo non niodo rogare te, ut eo studiosius mea quoque causa facias, non dcbeo (nihil enim cumulatius fieri potest, quam polliceris), sed ne gratias quidem agere,
2 quod tu et ipsius causa et tua sponte feceris. Illud tamen dicam, mihi id, quod fecisti, esse gratissimum. Tale enim tuum iudicium de homine eo, quem unice diligo, non potest mihi non summe esse iucundum. Quod cum ita sit, esse gratum necesse est. Sed tamen, cum mihi pro coniunctione nostra vel peccare apud te in scribendo licet, utrumque eorum, (|uae
^ Soinethiuf/, necesNtui/ lu complete the sentence, lias /alien out after respondisses, e.g., as Lohmann suggests, gratum nobis fecisses. 62
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. xviii. XVIII
CICERO TO SERVIUS SULPICIUS Rome, some time in 46 b.c.
Never shall I admit that that most charming and 1 courteous letter you wrote to him gave our friend Atticus, who, I could see, was in an ecstasy of delight, more pleasure than it gave myself. For though the pleasure it gave us was about equally divided between us, it was I who felt the greater admiration, seeing that you, who, had you been requested or at any rate advised to do so, would have couched your reply to Atticus in handsome terms (and, of course, I had never any doubt that it would have proved so), actually wrote to him spontaneously, and laid at his feet all your abounding goodwill through the medium of a letter. And in this connexion not only ought I to refrain from requesting you to write all the more cordially because I too am interested (for nothing that can be done would exceed the overflowing measure of your promises), but even from thanking you for what you had done both in Atticus 's own interest, and of your own free will.
This much, however, I will say, that what you have 2 done is most gratifying to me. For such an opinion on your part of a man who stands alone in my aifection cannot but give me the highest degree of pleasure ; and that being so, I cannot help but be grateful. But anyhow, since our attachment is so close, that I am privileged even to blunder in a letter to you, I shall do both of the things I declared I
63
CICERO
ncgavi niihi fiicicnda esse, faciam. Nam et ad id, quod Attici causa te ostendisti esse facturum, tantum velim addas, quantum ex nostro amore aceessionis fieri potest, et, quod modo verebar tibi gratias agere, nunc plane ago, teque ita existimare volo, quibuscum- que officiis in Epiroticis reli(]uis(jue rebus Attieum c»l)strin\(Mi^. iisdtMU me tibi ohligatuni tore.
XIX
M. T. C. S. P. D. SER. SITLPTCIO
Romae, a.u.c 708.
1 Cum Lysone Patrensi est mihi quidem hospitium vetus, quam ego necessitudinem sancte colendam puto, sed ea causa etiam cum aliis compluribus, familiaritas tanta nullo cum hospite, et ea cum officiis eius multis, tum etiam consuetudine quotidiana sic est aucta, ut nihil sit familiaritate nostra con- iunctius. Is cum Romae annum prope ita fuisset, ut mecum vivcret, etsi eramus in magna spe, te meis litteris commendationeque diligentissime facturum id quod fecisti, ut eius rem et fortunas absentis tuerere, tamen, quod in unius potestate erant omnia,
" 'J'hough Cicero speaks somewliat slig^htingly of Lyso elsewhere (\vi. 4. 3), he seems to have had a very high regard for him ; and Lyso himself seems to have been some- thing more than the ordinary "hotel proprietor" which 'J'yrrell and Mahairy assume him to have been.
* J/o.spes, like the Greek i^fos, originally meant a stranger ; then it became used for a guest, and finally also for a host, and which of those two meanings it l)ears can only be inferred from its context.
llospltlum (^ci-ia) is the relationship between host and guest, for which we have no one word in English, and which we have to render by some such paraphrase as " the ties 64
EPISTULAE AD FAMILE\RES, XIIL xviii.-xix.
ought not to do. Firstly, I would have you make such an addition to what you have already shown you are about to do for Atticus's sake as it is possible, in view of our mutual affection, to make ; and secondly, though a moment ago I was afraid to thank you, I now do so in specific terms, and I would impress this upon you — that by whatever kind offices you put Atticus under an obligation in dealing with aff^iirs in Epirus and elsewhere, for those same services shall I be beholden to you myself.
XIX
CICERO TO SULPICIUS
Rome, some time in 46 b.c.
Between myself and Lyso of Patrae ^ are long- : standing ties of hospitality,^ and such ties should, I think, be religiously fostered. This is of course the case with several others, but never have I been so intimate with any other friend of that type ; and so much has that intimacy been increased, not only by many services on his part, but also by our daily inter- course, that we are on the most intimate terms in the world. When he stayed a year at Rome, which practically meant living at my house, although we were in great hopes that, in view of my letter of recommendation, you would be most assiduous in doing what, as a matter of fact, you did — I mean in protecting his estate and possessions — for all that, seeing that one man ^ was all-powerful, and that
of hospitality " or " friendship based on mutual entertain- ment."
* The reference of course is to Caesar.
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CICERO
et quod Lyso fuerat in nostra causa nostrisque praesidiis, quotidie aliquid timebamus. Effectum tamcn est et ipsius splendore et nostro reliquorumque hospitum studio, ut omnia, quae vellemus, a Caesare impetrarentur ; quod intelleges ex iis litteris, quas
2 Caesar ad te dedit. Nunc non niodo non remittimus tibi aliquid ex nostra commendatione, quasi adepti iam onniia, sed eo vehcmentius a te contendimus, ut Lysoncni in fidcni necessitudinemque tuam re- cipias, cuius dubia fortuna timidius tecum agebamus, verentes, ne quid accideret eiusmodi, ut ne tu quidem mederi posses ; explorata vero eius incolumitate, omnia a te summo studio summaque cura peto. Quae ne singula enumerem, totam tibi domum commendo ; in his adulescentem filium eius, quern C. Maenius Gemellus, cliens meus, cum in calamitate exsili sui Patrensis civis factus esset, Patrensium legibus adop- tavit ; ut eius ipsius hereditatis ius causamque tueare.
3 Caput illud est, ut Lysonem, quem ego virum optimum gratissinmmque cognovi, recipias in neces- situdinem tuam. Quod si feceris, non dubito quin in eo diligendo ceterisque postea commendando idem, quod ego, sis iudici et voluntatis habiturus. Quod cum fieri vehementer studeo, tum etiam illud vereor, ne, si minus cumulate videbere fecisse aliquid eius causa, me ille neglegenter scripsisse putet, non te 66
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. xix.
Lyso had been on our side and under our aegis, we were in daily dread of something happening. His own distinction, however, and the hearty support of myself and his other friends of that type have ended in our obtaining from Caesar all we wanted, as indeed you will infer from Caesar's letter to you.
In this letter not only do I make no abatement in the strength of my recommendation to you, as if I had now got all I wanted, but I press you all the more earnestly to admit Lyso into your confidence and intimacy. When his fortunes were in the balance, I felt a little timid in pleading with you, fearing some- thing so serious might happen that not even you could rectify it ; but now that his civil status is assured, I beg of you in all earnestness and solicitude to carry out all my requests. To avoid a detailed list of them, I commend to you his whole family, includ- ing his young son, whom my client C. Maenius Gemellus, when in the dark days of his exile he was made a citizen of Patrae, adopted according to the laws of that town ; I ask you to maintain the rights of his cause in respect of that inheritance.
The main point is that you should admit Lyso, [ whom I have found to be a most excellent and grateful person, to your close intimacy. If you do so, I have no doubt that, in making much of him and afterwards recommending him to others, you will arrive at the same opinion and conceive the same goodwill towards him as I do. But intensely anxious as I am that this should be done, I am at the same time afraid lest if it appears that in some particular respect you have failed to display a superabundance of energy on his behalf, he may suspect me of not having written warmly enough, and not i/ou of having forgotten me.
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CICERO
oblituin mei. Quanti enini me faceres, cum ex ser- monibus (luotidianis meis, turn ex epistulis etiam tuis potuit cognosccre.
XX
CICERO t^EHMO Pkomac, A.u.c. 708.
Asclapone Patrensi, medico, utor valdc familiariter, eiiisque cum consuetudo mihi iucunda fuit, turn ars etiam, quam sum expertus in valetudiiie meorum ; in qua mihi cum ipsa scientia, tum etiam fidclitate benevolentiaque satisfecit. Ilunc igitur tibi com- mendo, et a te peto, des operam, ut intcUegat, diligonter me scripsisse de sese, meamque com- mcndationcm usui magno sibi fuisse. Erit id mihi vehcmentcr gratum.
XXI
M. T. C. S. P. D. SER. SULPKIO
Ptomac, A.u.c. 708.
1 M. Acmihus Avianius ab incuntc adolcscentia me observavit sempcnjuc dilexit, vir cum bonus, tum perhumanus et in onini genere offici diligendus.
* He was a patron of the sculptor C. Avianius Evandcr mentioned in xiii. '2, and of the C. Avianius Ilaninionius mentioned in § 2 below. Freedinen generally adopted the praenomen and nomen of their patron in addition to their own, as did foreig:ners also when made citizens of Rome through the influence of some great Roman.
68
EPISTULAE AD 1 AMILIARES, XIII. xix.-xxi.
For he must have l)een able to discover how highly you esteem me, not only from my daily talks, but also from your letters.
XX
CICERO TO SULFICIU9
Rome, sonic time in 46 B.C.
I am on very familiar terms with the physician Asclapo of Patrae, and not only has my intercourse with him been a pleasure to me, but also his skill, which I have tested in the illnesses of my household ; at those times he gave me every satisfaction by his medical knowledge, as well as by his trustworthiness and goodness of heart. I therefore recommend him to you, and I beg of you to do what you can to con- vince him that I have taken special care in writing about him, and that my recommendation has been of substantial service to him. It will be a great gratifi- cation to me.
XXI
CICERO TO SULPICIUS
Rome, some time in 46 b.c.
M. Aemilius Avianius ^ has always regarded me 1 with respect and esteem from his earhest youth. He is a good, and at the same time an exceedingly courteous man, and in the performance of every kind of duty worthy of esteem. If I thought he was
VOL. Ill D 69
CICERO
Qucm si arbitrarer esse Sicyone, et nisi audirem, ibi eiim etiam nunc, ubi ego reliqiii, Cibyrae conimorari, nihil esset necesse, plura me ad te de eo scribere. Perficeret enim ipse profecto suis moribus suaque humanitate, ut sine cuiusqiiam commendatione dili- geretur abs te non minus, quam et a me et a ceteris 2 suis familiaribus. Sed cum ilium abesse putem, commendo tibi in maiorem modum domum eius, quae est Sicyone, remque familiarem, maxime Gaium Avianium Hammonium, libertum eius, quem quidem tibi etiam suo nomine commendo. Nam cum prop- terea mihi est probatus, quod est in patronum suum officio et fide singulari, tum etiam in me ipsum magna officia contulit, mihique molestissimis temporibus ita fideliter benevoleque praesto fuit, ut si a me manu- missus esset. Itaque peto a te, ut eum Hammonium et in patroni eius negotio sic tueare, ut eius pro- curatorem, quem tibi commendo, et ipsum suo nomine diligas, habeasque in numero tuorum. Ho- minem pudentem et officiosum cognosces, et dignum, qui a te diligatur.
XXII
CICERO SEllVIO S.
Romae, a.u.c. 708.
1 T. Manlium, qui negotiatur Thcspiis, vehementer diligo. Nam et semper me coluit diligentissimcque
" Situated on the river Asopus in the N.E. of the Peloponnese.
* In Phrygia ; Cicero left him there when returning home from Cilicia.
70
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. xxi.-xaii.
at Sicyon " and were not informed that he is still staying at Cibyra,^ where I left him, there would have been no necessity for my writing to you about him at any greater length. For I feel sure that he would succeed by his own character and culture, unaided by anybody's recommendation, in winning your esteem no less than mine, and that of all his other intimate friends.
But, believing him to be away, I commend to you 2 with more than customary earnestness his family (they live in Sicyon) and his private property, and particularlv Gaius Avianius Hammonius, his freed- man, whom I also commend to you on hi'i own account. For not only has he won my approval by his remark- able sense of duty and loyalty to his patron, but he has also conferred great obligations upon myself, and in the days of my greatest trouble he stood by me as faithfully and affectionately as though it were I who had manumitted him. I therefore beg of you to give that Hammonius not only your support in his patron's business, as being the agent of the man I am recom- mending to you, but also your regard on his own account, and put him on the list of your friends. You will find him a modest and obliging person, and worthy of your regard.
XXII
CICERO TO SULPICIUS Rome, some time in 46 b.c.
T. Manlius, who has a banking business at Thespiae, 1 is a man I am extremely fond of ; for he has always cultivated my acquaintance and shown me very
71
CICERO
observavit, et a studiis iiostris noii ahliurret. Accedit eo, quod \'arro Murcna inaijiio opere eius causa vult omnia ; qui taincn existiniavit, etsi suis litteris, (juibus tibi Manlium coniniendabat, valde coiifiderrt, tamen uiea commcndatione alicjuid accessiouis fore. Me quidem cum Manli familiaritas, tum \'arroiiis studium commovit, ut ad te quam accuratissime 2 scriberem. Gratissimum igitur mihi feceris, si Imic commendationi meae tantum tribueris, quantum cui tribuisti plurinuim, id est, si T. Manlium (juam niaxime, (juibuscumque rebus honcste ac pro tua dignitate poteris, iuveris at(|ue ornaveris, ex ip- siusquc praeterea gratissimis et hunianissimis jnoribus confirmo tibi. te eum. quern soles fructum a bonoruni virorum officiis exspectare, esse capturum.
XXIII
CICERO SERVIO S.
Roniac, a.u.c. 708.
1 L. Co'-sinio, amieo et tribuli tuo, valdc familiariter utor. Nam et inter nosniet ipsos vetus usus intercedit et Attieus noster maiorem etiam mihi eum Cossinio consuetudinem fecit. Itaque tota Cossini domus me diligit, in primisque libertus eius, L. Cossinius
" A. Terentius \^arro Miirena, son of L. Licinius, was adopted by A. Terentius \'arro. A partisan of I'onipey, he was pardoned by Caesar. In 22 he conspired against Augustus with Fannius Caepio, and put to death. Dio Cassius {Liv. iii. 4) describes him as being ot^'ensively and violently outspoken, and Horace appropriately addressed to him his ode on " the golden mean '* {(hi. ii. 10).
By his adoption he became brother to 'i'erentia, wife of Maecena. and also to Proculeius (Hor. Od. ii. 2. 5).
7.2
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. xxii.-xxiii.
marked respect ; and he is no enemy to our literary (>ursuits. I should add that Varro Murena ° cordially wishes him well in every respect ; and Varro, although he had every confidence in the letter he wrote commending Manlius to you, thought none the less that something further would be gained by a recommendation from myself ; and not only my intimacy with Manlius, but my anxiety on behalf of \\'\rro, has stimulated me to write to you with the utmost earnestness.
You will oblige me very greatly then if you attach to this recommendation the highest possible import- ance, in other words, if you promote the interests and honour of T. Manlius as much as possible in whatever respect you can do so consistently with what is honourable and with your own high position ; and, moreover, judging by the man's own very grateful and courteous character, I assure you that you will reap the reward you usually expect for services done to men of merit.
XXIII
CICERO TO SULPICIU9
Rome, some time in 46 b.c.
I am on very intimate terms with your friend and 1 fellow-tribesman, L. Cossinius ; for not only is there an acquaintance of long standing between us to start with, but the bond that binds me to Cossinius has been strengthened by our friend Atticus. Conse- quently Cossinius's whole family is fond of me, and especially his freedman, L. Cossinius Anchialus, a
73
CICERO
Anchialus, homo et patrono et patroni necessariis, 2 quo in numero ego sum, probatissimus. Hunc tibi ita commendo, ut, si meus libertus esset, eodemque apud me loco esset, quo est apud patronum suum, maiore studio commendare non possem. Quare per- gratum mihi fcceris, si eum in amicitiam tuam receperis, atque eum, quod sine molestia tua fiat, si qua in re opus ei fuerit, iuveris. Id et mihi ve- hementer gratum erit, et tibi postea iucundum. Hominem enim summa probitate, humanitate ob- servantiaque cognosces.
XXIV
CICERO SERVIO S.
Romae, a.u.c. 708.
1 Cum antea capiebam ex officio meo voluptatem, quod memineram, quam tibi diligenter Lysonem, hospitem et familiarem meum, commendassem, tum vero, posteaquam ex htteris eius cognovi, tibi eum falso suspectum fuisse, vehementissime laetatus sum, me tam diligentem in eo commendando fuisse. Ita enim scripsit ad me, sibi meam commendationem maximo adiumento fuisse, quod ad te delatum dice- ret, sese contra dignitatem tuam Romae de te loqui
2 solitum esse. De quo etsi pro tua facilitate et humanitate purgatum se tibi scribit esse, tamen
• See xiii. 19. 74
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. xxiii.-xxiv.
man very highly thought of by his patron and his patron's friends, of whom I am one. So warmly do I 2 commend him to you that if he were my own freed- man and stood in the same relation to me as he does to his patron, I could not commend him more enthusi- astically. You wall therefore do me a great favour if you admit him into your friendship, and, if he needs it in any way, give him such assistance as you can without inconvenience to yourself. That will be both gratifying to me and subsequently a pleasure to yourself ; for you will find him a man of the highest integrity, most courteous too, and most respectful.
XXIV
CICERO TO SULPICIU3 Rome, some time in 46 b.c.
I previously derived pleasure from an act of kind- 1 ness on my part, when I remembered how warmly I had recommended to you my host and guest and intimate friend Lyso," and now that I have gathered from his letter that he had been falsely suspected bv you, I rejoiced exceedingly that my recommendation of him had been so warmly worded. He told me in his letter that my recommendation had been of the greatest assistance to him, because (as he says) a report had reached your ears that he had been in the habit of speaking about you at Rome to the prejudice of your high position.
Now although he writes that, as might have been 2 expected from your good nature and kindliness, he has cleared himself in your eyes, still in the first place,
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CICERO
primum, ut debeo, tibi gratias ago, cum tantum litterae meae potucrunt, ut, his Icctis, omnem offen- sioncni suspicionis, quam habuoras de Lysone, de- poiieros ; deinde credas mihi aftirnianti velini, me hoc non pro Lysone magis, quam pro omnibus scribere, hominem esse neminem, qui umquam mentionem tui sine tua summa laude fecerit. Lyso vero cum mecum prope quotidie esset unaque viveret, non solum, quia me Hbenter audire arbitrabatur, sed quia hbentius ipse loquebatur, omnia mihi tua et facta et 3 dicta laudabat. Quapropter etsi a te ita tractatur, ut iam non desideret commendationem meam, unisque se htteris meis omnia consecutum putet, tamen a te peto in maiorem modum, ut eum etiam atque etiam tuis officiis et hberaHtate complectare. Scriberem ad te, qualis vir esset, ut superioribus litteris feceram, nisi eum iam perse ipsum tibi satis esse notum arbitrarer.
XXV
CICERO SERVIO 9.
Romae. a.u.c. 708.
Hegesaretus I^arissaeus, magnis meis beneficiis ornatus in consulatu meo, memor et gratus fuit, meque postea dihgentissime coluit. Eum tibi magno
" Probably the head of the Pompeian faction in Thessaly. * In Thessaly.
76
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, Xlfl. xxiv. xxv.
I express my gratitude to you that my letter has had such influence with you that on perusing it you put away from you all the feeling of offence caused by the suspicion you entertained of Lyso ; and secondly I would have you believe me when I asseverate that I am writing this not more on Lyso's than on every other man's behalf — that there is no man alive who has ever mentioned your name without praising you up to the skies. As for Lyso. when he was in my company almost every day and lived with me, he used to praise in my presence your every word and deed — not only because it was a pleasure to me to listen, but because it was an even greater pleasure to him to say so.
For that reason, although he is being so treated by 3 you that he no longer desires any recommendation of mine, and imagines that my single letter has enabled him to get all he wants, yet I beg of you with more than usual earnestness to show your appreciation of him by your kind services and generosity. I should write and tell you what sort of a man he is, as I did in previous letters, were I not convinced that he is by this time sufficiently well known to you on his own account.
XXV
CICERO TO SULPICIUS
Rome, some time in 46 b.c.
Hegesaretus " of Larissa,^ whom I honoured with some considerable kindnesses during my consulship, has proved himself neither forgetful nor ungrateful, and has subsequently paid me marked attention. I
77
CICERO
opere commendo, ut et hospitem meum et familiarem, et gratum hominem, et virum bonum, et principem civitatis suae, et tua necessitudine dignissimum. Per- gratum niihi feceris, si dederis operain, ut is intellegat hanc meam couimendatioiieni magnum apud te pondus habuisse.
XXVI
CICERO SERVIO S.
Romae, a.u.c. 708.
1 L. Mescinius ea mecum necessitudine coniunctus est, quod mihi quaestor fuit. Sed banc causam, quam ego, ut a maiorihus accepi, semper gravem duxi,, fecit virtute et humanitate sua iustiorem. Itaque eo sic utor, ut nee familiarius ullo nee libentius. Is quamquam confidere videbatur, te sua causa, quae honeste posses, libenter esse facturum, magnum esse tamen speravit apud te meas quoque litteras pondus habituras. Id cum ipse ita iudicabat, turn pro familiari consuetudine saepe ex me audierat, quam suavis esset inter nos et quanta coniunctio.
2 Peto igitur a te, tanto scilicet studio, quanto intellegis debere me petere pro homine tam mihi necessario et tam familiari, ut eius negotia, quae sunt in Achaia,
" L. Mescinius Rufus, one of Cicero's quaestors in Cilicia.
78
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. xxv.-xxvi.
strongly recommend him to you as being a guest and friend of mine with whom I am familiar, a grateful fellow of excellent character, the chief man of his State, and altogether worthy of your intimacy. You will do me a great favour if you make a point of giving him reason to know that this recommendation of mine has had great weight with you.
XXVI
CICERO TO SULPICIUS
Rome, some time in 46 b.c.
The explanation of my close connexion with L. 1 Mescinius" is that he was my quaestor. But that reason for intimacy, strong as I have always, in accordance with ancestral tradition, held it to be, he has further justified by his own merits and courtesy. It follows that there is no one with whom I am on more intimate terms, or with more pleasure. Now although he appeared to be confident that you would willingly do what you could for him, without com- promising yourself, for his own sake, at the same time he hoped that a letter from me too would have great weight with you. Not only did he think so himself, but he had also (such is the intimacy of our inter- course) often heard me say how delightful and how close is my connexion with you.
I therefore entreat you with all that earnestness, 2 believe me, with which I am bound to entreat you on behalf of one so closely connected and intimate with me, to facilitate and expedite the business affairs he has in Achaia (arising from the fact that he
79
CICERO
ex eo, quod heres est M. Mindio, fratri suo, qui Eli^ negotiatus est, explices et expedias, cum iure et potestate, quam habes, turn etiam auctoritate et consilio tuo. Sic enim praescripsinius iis, quibus ea nee^otia mandavimus, ut omnibus in rebus, quae in aliquam controversiam vocarentur, te arbitro, et, (|uod commodo tuo fieri posset, te disceptatore uterentur. Id ut honoris mei causa suscipias, vehementer te
3 etiam atque etiam rogo. Illud praeterea, si non alienum tua dignitate putabis esse, feceris mihi pergratum, si qui difficiliores erunt, ut rem sine con- troversia confici nolint, si eos, quando cum senatore res est, Romam reieceris. Quod quo minore dubi- tatione facere posses, litteras ad te a M. Lepido cbnsule, non quae te alicjuid iuberent (neque enim id tuae dignitatis esse arbitramur), sed quodam modo
4 quasi commendaticias sumpsimus. Scriberem, quam id beneficium bene apud Mescinium positurus esses, nisi et te scire confiderem et mihi peterem. Sic enim velim existimes, non minus me de ilHus re laborare, quam ipsum de sua. Sed cum ilium studeo quam facillime ad suum pervenire, tum illud laboro, ut non minimum hac mea commendatione se con- secutum arbitretur.
^ Mss.f CIS also in N.D. 59 : Elide Lambinus.
<» If a Roman citizen, especially a senator, complained against a subject or subject community, the governor could order the latter to appear either personally or by counsel (ec(iki) at Rome. The transference of tiie case to Rome, which entailed much expense, was a hardship to the pro' vincials, who {renerally preferred to compromise.
" Caesar and Lepidus were consids in 46.
80
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. xxvi.
is heir to his cousin M. Mindius, who was a banker at Ehs) by means not only of your lawful powers but also of your weighty influence and advice. For my instructions to those to whom I entrusted those business affairs were as follows : " that in anything brought forward as admitting of any dispute they should employ you to arbitrate, and (so far as it could be done without inconveniencing you) to settle the case once for all." This I press you again and again to undertake to do in the interests of my honour.
This too is another great favour you will do me, if 3 you do not consider it incompatible with your position — that if any of those concerned are so obstinately intractable as to having the matter settled without a trial, you should refer them, since a senator is involved in the case, to Rome.*^ And to enable you to do so with the less hesitation, I have in my hands a despatch to you from the consul M. Lepidus,^ no I such as to lay any injunction upon you (that, I con- sider, would be inconsistent with your position) but which conveys in a sort of way what may be called a recommendation.
I should go on to tell you how sound an investment i you would be likely to make in doing Mescinius this favour, were not I sure that you are aware of it, and were it not that this request of mine is really a selfish one ; for I would have you believe that I am no less anxious about his interests than he is himself. But while I desire that he should come by his own with the least possible difficulty, I am also anxious to give him the impression that this recommendation of mine has not been the most negligible factor in his success.
81
CICERO XXVII
CICERO SERVIO S.
Roniae, a.u.c. 708.
1 Licet eodem excniplo sarpiiis iihi hiiiiis generis litteras mittani, cum gratias agani, quod mcas com- mendationes tam diligcnter observes (quod feci in aliis, et faciam, ut video, saepius), sed tanien non parcam operae, et ut vos soletis in formulis, sic ego in
2 epistulis de eadem re alio viodo. C. Avianius igitur Hammonius incredibiles mihi gratias per litteras egit, et suo et Aemili Aviani, patroni sui, nomine, nee liberalius, nee honorificentius potuisse tractari nee se praesentem nee rem familiarem absentis patroni sui. Id mihi cum iucundum est eorum causa, quos tibi ego summa necessitudine et summa coniunctione adductus commendaveram, quod M. Aemilius unus est ex meis familiarissimis atque intimis maxime necessarius homo et magnis meis beneficiis dcvinctus, et prope omnium, qui mihi debere aliquid videntur, gratissimus, tum multo iucundius, te esse in me tali voluntate, ut plus prosis amicis meis, quam ego praesens fortasse prodessem, credo, quod magis ego dubitarem, quid illorum causa facerem, quam tu,
3 quid mea, Sed hoc non dubito, quin existimes mihi
" A formula used by lawyers, "cum ostenderent eiusdem rei consequendae vias complures esse," " when they indicated that there were several ways of obtaining the same result." Brissonius, quoted by Tyrrell.
^ This cognomen is added to distinguish him from the more celebrated C. Avianius Evander. See xiii. 21.2.
82
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. xxvii. XXVII
CICERO TO SULPICIU3
Rome, some time in 46 B.C.
It is excusable to use exactly the same terms over 1 and over again in sending you letters of this kind, thanking you for so punctiliously attending to my recommendations ; I have done so in other cases, and shall do so, I foresee, ever so often ; but for all that I shall make every effort to do in my letters what you lawyers habitually do in your formulae, and that is, " to put the same case in a different way." "
Well then, C. Avianius, I mean Hammonius,^ has 2 in a letter to me expressed himself amazingly grate- ful, in his own name as well as in that of his patron Aemilius Avianius, saying that neither he, who was on the spot, nor the personal affairs of his patron, who was away, could possibly have been dealt with either more generously or with more distinguished con- sideration. This is a joy to me, in view of the interests of those whom I had been induced by the closest bonds of familiarity and fellowship to commend to you, because M. Aemilius stands alone among all my most intimate associates as my closest friend and most beholden to me for considerable kindnesses, and perhaps the most grateful of those who, I suppose, owe me something ; but it is a far greater joy to me that you are so well disposed towards me as to be of more service to my friends than perhaps I should be myself, were I on the spot, because, I imagine, I should be in greater doubt as to what I should do in their interests, than you as to what you should do in mine. ^'- Of this, however, I have no doubt — that you believe 3
CICERO
esse gratiini. Illiul tt- rogo, ut illos tjuoque gratos homines esse putes ; quod ita esse tibi promitto atque confirmo. Quare velim, quidqiiid habent ne- goti, des operam, quod cornniodo tuo fiat, ut te 4obtinentc Achaiam conficiant. Ego cum tuo Servio iucundissime, coniunctissime vivo magnamque cum ex ingenio eius singularicjue studio, turn ex virtute et probitate voluptatem capio.
XXVI IIa
CICERO SERVIO S.
Roinae, a.u.c. 708.
1 Etsi libcnter petcre a te solco, si quid opus est meorum cuipiani, tamen multo libentius gratias tibi ago, cum fecisti aliquid commendatione mea, quod semper facis. Incredibile est enim, quas mihi gratias omnes agant, etiam mediocriter a me tibi com- mcndati, quae mihi omnia grata, sed de L. Mescinio gratissimum. Sic enim est mecum locutus, te, ut meas litteras legeris, statim procuratoribus suis pol- licitum esse omnia ; multo vero plura et maiora fecisse. Id igitur (puto enim etiam atque etiam mihi dicendum esse) velim existimes mihi te fecisse gratis-
2 simum. Quod quidem hoc vehementius laetor, quod ex ipso Mescinio te video magnam capturum vo- luptatem. Est enim in eo cum virtus et probitas 84
EPIST. AD FAMILIARES, XIII. xxvii.-xxviiid.
me to be grateful ; and I beg of you to regard them too as not ungrateful ; that such is the case I promise and assure you. I would therefore have you do your best, so far as you conveniently can, to enable them to conclude whatever business they have on hand while you are governor of Achaia.
I am living on delightful and most sociable terms 4 with your son Scrvius, whose ability and incomparable application, not to mention his excellent character and integrity, are a source of extreme pleasure to me.
XXVIIIa
cicero to sulpicius Rome, some time in 46 b.c.
Although it is always a pleasure to me to make a 1 request of you, if any of my friends want anything, it is a far greater pleasure to thank you when you have done something on my recommendation, and you are always doing so. For you could not believe how cordially they all thank me, yes, even those I have only moderately recommended ; and this is gratifying to me in every case, but most gratifying of all in the case of L. Mescinius ; for this is what he told me in conversation — that as soon as ever you read my letter you promised his agents all they wanted, but that in number and importance your deeds went far beyond vour words. I would therefore have you believe (and i think 1 ought to say so again and again) that what you have done has been a great gratification to me.
And I rejoice at this all the more heartily because 2 I foresee that you will get a great deal of enjoyment out of Mescinius himself ; you will find in him a man
85
CICERO
et summum ofHcium siimmaque observantia, turn stiidia ilia nostra, quibus antea delectabamur, nunc etiam vivimus. Quod rcliquuni est, velim augeas tua in eum beneficia omnibus rebus, quae te erunt dignae ; sed duo quidem te nominatim rogo : primum, ut, si quid satisdandum erit, amplius eo nomine non PETi, cures, ut satisdetur fide mea ; deinde, cum fere consistat hereditas in iis rebus, quas avertit Oppia, quae uxor Mindi fuit, adiuvcs, incasque rationem, quemadniodum ea mulier Romam perducatur. Quod si putarit ilia fore, ut opinio nostra est, negotium conficiemus. Hoc ut assequamur, te vehementer 3 etiam atque etiani rogo. Illud, quod supra scripsi, id in me recipio, te ca, quae fecisti Mescini causa, quaeque feceris, ita bene collocaturum, ut ipse iudices, homini te gratissimo, iucundissimo benigne fecisse. Volo enim, ad id, quod mea causa fecisti, hoc etiam accedere.
XXVIIIb
cicero servio s. Romae, a.u.c. 708.
1 Nee Lacedaemonios dubitare arbitror, quin ipsi sua maiorumque suorum auctoritate satis com- mendati sint fidei et iustitiae tuae, et ego, qui te 86
EPIST. AD FAMILIARES, XIII. xxviiia.-xxviii6.
of virtue and integrity, most willing to serve you and most respectful, and at the same time devoted to those literary pursuits w^hich were formerly my amusement, but are now my very life. For the future I would have you even increase your favours to him in any way that is worthy of you. Two requests indeed I make of you specifically : first, that if any security has to be given " against any further claims on that score," you should see to it that I am held responsible for that security ; secondly, since his in- heritance practically consists of property fraudulently appropriated by Oppia, who was the wife of Mindius, you should come to his assistance, and take steps to ensure that lady's safe-conduct to Rome. If she once realizes that it will be so, it is my opinion that the busi- ness will be settled ; and that is the object I earnestly beg of you again and again to enable us to attain.
What I wTote above I take upon myself to guar- 3 antee — that in what you have done and will do for Mescinius you will make so profitable an investment as to compel your independent conviction that the recipient of your favours is a very grateful and a very charming man. I would add this also as a sort of corollary to what you have done for me.
XXVIIIb
cicero to sulpicius
Rome, some time in 46 B.C.
I do not suppose that the Lacedaemonians are in 1 any doubt as to their having been already sufficiently recommended to your sense of loyalty and justice by their own high claims and those of their ancestors, nor
87
CICERO
optime novisseni, non dubitavi, ijuin tibi notissinia et iura et merita populoriim essent. Itacjue cum a me peteret Pliilippiis Laccdaenionius, ut tibi civi- tatem commendareni, etsi meniineram, me ei civitati omnia deberc, tamen respondi, commendatione Lace- daemoiiios apud te non egere. Itacpie sic velini existinics, me omnes Achaiae civitates arl)itrari, pro horum temporum perturbatione, felices, quod his tu praesis ; eumdemque me ita iudicasse,^ te, quod unus optime nosses non nostra solum, sed etiam Graeciae monumenta omnia, tua sponte amicum Lacedaemoniis et esse et fore. Quare tantum a te peto, ut, cum ea facies Lacedaemoniorum causa, quae tua fides, am- plitudo, iustitia postulabit, iis,^ si tibi videbitur, significcs, te non moleste ferre, quod intellegas ea, quae f\icias, mihi quoque grata esse. Pertinet enim ad officium meum, eos existimare, curae mihi suas res esse. Hoc te vehementer etiam atque etiam rogo.
XXIX
M. T. C. S. U. L, PLAN'CO
Roniae, a.u.c. 708.
1 Non dubito, (juin scias, in iis necessariis, cjui tibi a patre relicti sunt, me tibi esse vel coniunctissimum,
^ Wesenherg : indicare Nohbe and mss. ^ postulabit, iis Wesenberg : postulat ut his Nohbe.
" Plancus (for whom see note a on x. 1) was now serving with Caesar in Africa.
88
KPIST. AD FAMILIARKS, XIII. xxviii6.-xxix.
have I myself, because I know you so very well, ever doubted that you were thoroughly acquainted with the rights and merits of nationalities. And so, when asked by Philippus, the Lacedaemonian, to recom- mend that state to you, although I remembered that I was under every obligation to that state, yet I replied that the Lacedaemonians stood in no need of any recommendation with you.
I would therefore have you believe that I con- 2 sider all the states of Achaia, in view of the dis- turbed state of the times, happy in having you for their governor, and I have, moreover, convinced myself that you, because you are better acquainted than any living man, not only with our own history, l)ut also with the whole history of Greece, are now, and ever will be, of your own choice a friend to Lacedaemonians. For that reason I merely beg of vou, when you do for the Lacedaemonians all that your conscience, dignity, and sense of justice shall demand, to convey to them, if you please, the impres- sion that it is by no means disagreeable to you to feel that what you do will be gratifying also to myself. Indeed, it touches my sense of duty that they should be made to believe that I charge myself with their interests. This I earnestly beg of you again and again to do.
XXIX
CK'ERO TO L. MUXATIUS PLANCUS ^»
Rome, early in 46 b.c.
I have no doubt you are aware that among the 1 intimate friends bequeathed to you by your father,
89
CICERO
non his modo causis, quae speciem habent magnae coniunctionis, sed iis etiam, quae familiaritate et consuetudine tenentur, quam scis mihi iucundis- simam cum patre tuo et summam fuisse. Ab his initiis noster in te amor profectus auxit paternam necessitu(hnem, et eo magis, quod intellexi, ut primum per aetatem iudieium facere potueris, quanti quisque tibi faciendus esset, me a te in primis coeptum esse observari, coH, dihgi. Accedebat non mediocre vinculum cum studiorum, quod ipsum est per se grave, tum eorum studiorum earumque artium, quae per se ipsae eos, qui voluntate eadem sunt,
2 etiam familiaritate devinciunt. Exspectare te ar- bitror, haec tam longe repetita principia quo spectent. Id primum ergo habeto, non sine magna iustaque causa hanc a me commemorationem esse factam, G. Ateio Capitone utor familiarissime. Notae tibi sunt varietates meorum temporum. In omni genere et honorum et laborum meorum et animus et opera et auctoritas et gratia , etiam res familiaris, C. Capitonis praesto fuit et paruit et temporibus et fortunae meae.
3 Huius propinquus fuit T. Antistius ; qui cum sorte quaestor Macedoniam obtineret, neque ei successum esset, Pompeius in eam provinciam cum exercitu
• Notorious for having published prodigies of ill omen when Crassus was setting out for Syria; he was always an opponent of the Triumvirs.
90
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. xxix.
I am quite the most closely attached to you, not only on such grounds as give the appearance of close attachment, but on those also which are established by fiimiliarity and intercourse ; and my intercourse with your father was, as you are aware, in the fullest sense as agreeable as it was close. That was the orioin of my affection for you, which has enhanced this hereditary association, and all the more so because I realized that as soon as your years enabled you to form an estimate as to the regard in which you should hold each of your acquaintances, it was I who began to be the special object of your respect, esteem, and affection. Then there was added the bond (no slight one), not only of common pursuits — a bond which carries weight of itself — but also of such pursuits and accomplishments as firmly unite men of identical tastes in what becomes intimacy as well.
You are curious to know, I am sure, what is the 2 drift of a preamble that stretches so far back. Well then, let me immediately assure you that I have not entered into this recapitulation of facts without good and sufficient reason. I am on very intimate terms with C. Ateius Capito.^ The vicissitudes of my fortunes are familiar to you. In every phase of my career, whether distinguished or distressful, C. Capito has ever been at hand to help me with his courage, energy, influence, popularity, and even his purse, and to obey the call of every crisis in my fortunes.
He had a relative, one T. Antistius ; and when 3 this man was holding Macedonia as quaestor accord- ing to lot, and had not yet been succeeded, Pompey arrived in that province with an army. Antistius
91
CICERO
venit. Facere Antistius niliil potuit. Nam, si po- tuisset, nihil ei fuisset antiquius, quam ad Capitonem, quern ut parentem diligebat, revert!, praesertim cum sciret, quanti is Caesarem faceret semperque fecisset. Sed oppressus tantum attigit negoti, quan-
4 turn recusare non potuit. Cum signaretur argentum Apolloniae, non possum dicere eum praefuisse, neque possum negare adfuisse, sed non plus duobus an tribus mensibus. Deinde abfuit a castris ; fugit omne negotium. Hoc mihi ut testi velim credas ; meam enim ille maestitiam in illo bello videbat, mecum omnia communicabat. Itaque abdidit se in intimam Macedoniam, quo potuit longissime a castris, non modo ut non pracesset ulli negotio, sed etiam ut ne interesset quidem. Is post proelium se ad hominem necessarium, A. Plautium, in Bithyniam contulit. Ibi eum Caesar cum vidisset, nihil aspere, nihil acerbe dixit. Romam iussit venire. Ille in morbum continue incidit, ex quo non convaluit. Aeger Corcyram venit ; ibi est mortuus. Testamento, quod Romae Paullo et Marcello consulibus fecerat, heres ex parte dimidia et tertia est Capito ; in sextante sunt ii, quorum pars, sine ulla cuiusquam querella, publica potest esse ; ea est ad HS |xxx|. Sed de hoc Caesar
5 viderit. Te, mi Plance, pro paterna necessitudine,
'Of Pharsalia in 48 b.c. " i.e., in 50 B.C.
' i.e., 3000 sfstertin, about £27,000.
92
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. xxix.
could do nothing. Had he been able to do so, nothing would have been more to his advantage than to return to Capito, whom he loved as a father, especially as he knew how highly Capito was, and always had been, esteemed by Caesar. But, taken by surprise as he was, he only engaged in such business as he could not possible evade.
When silver was being stamped at ApoUonia, I 4 cannot say that he presided over the business, nor can I deny that he was on the spot, but it could only have been for two (or was it three ?) months. After that he absented himself from the camp, and ran away from all business. I would have you take my word for this as being that of a witness, since, seeing how despondent I was during that war, he used to talk everything over with me. So he hid himself away in the heart of Macedonia, as far from the camp as he possibly could, so as to avoid not only taking a leading part in any transaction, but even taking any part in it at all. After the battle " he retired into Bithynia, where he joined an intimate friend of his, one A. Plautius. When Caesar saw him there, he said nothing harsh, nothing bitter, but simply ordered him to Rome. Immediately after that Antistius con- tracted an illness from which he never recovered. He was a sick man when he reached Corcyra, and there he died. By a will which he had made at Rome in the consulship of PauUus and Marcellus,^ Capito was made heir to five-sixths of his estate ; those who came in for one-sixth are men whose share can be confiscated without a word of complaint from any- body ; it amounts to 3,000,000 sesterces.*' But that is for Caesar to see to.
Now I ask you, my dear Plancus, in the name of 5
93
CICERO
pro nostro amore, pro stiuliis ct omni cursu nostro totius vitae simillimo, rogo (et a te ita peto, ut maiore cura, maiore studio nullo possim), ut hanc rem sus- cipias ; meam putes esse ; emtare,contendas, efficias, ut mea commendatione, tuo studio, Caesaris bene- fk'io, hereditatem propinqui sui C. Capito obtineat. Omnia, quae potui in hac summa tua gratia ac potentia a te impetrare, si petiissem, ultro te ad me
6 detulisse putabo, si hanc rem impetravero. Illud fore tibi adiumento spero, cuius ipse Caesar esse optimus iudex potest : semper Caesarem Capito coluit et dilexit. Sed ipse huius rei testis est ; novi hominis memoriam. Itaque nihil te doceo ; tantum tibi sumito pro Capitone apud Caesarem, quantum ipsum
7 meminisse senties. Ego, quod in meipso experiri potui, ad te deferam. In eo quantum sit ponderis, tu videbis. Quam partem in republica causamque defenderim, per quos homines ordinesque steterim, quibusque munitus fuerim, non ignoras. Hoc mihi velim credas : si quid fecerim hoc ipso in bello minus ex Caesaris voluntate (quod intellexi^ scire ipsum Caesarem, me invitissimum fecisse), id fecisse ahorum
, * Tyrrell, with most editors : intellexerim Nobbe.
!f.l: :
*• i.e., the senatorial and the equestrian. 94
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. xxix.
our hereditary connexion, our mutual affection, our common pursuits, and the close resemblance of our whole lives throughout their course (and I could not make this request with more solicitude and earnest- ness than I do), to account the matter mine, to spare no effort, no endeavour, and so to bring it about that through my recommendation, your own assiduity, and the kindness of Caesar, Capito may make good his claim to his relative's legacy. If I prevail upon you to do this, I shall consider that you have be- stowed upon me unasked all the favours I might have prevailed upon you to grant me, had I but sought them, in this, the zenith of your popularity and power.
I hope that this fact will be of assistance to you — 6 a fact of which Caesar himself can best judge — that Capito has consistently respected and esteemed Caesar. But Caesar himself can testify to this ; I know what a memory he has. I have therefore no instructions to give you ; but in speaking to Caesar on Capito 's behalf you must limit what you take upon yourself to say to what you perceive to be within Caesar's own recollection.
For my own part, I shall just lay before you what I 7 have been able to prove by personal experience ; the significance of it you will see for yourself. What side and what cause I have always championed in politics, what individuals and what orders « in the State have enabled me to hold my ground, and by whom I have been protected — all that you know perfectly well. Now I would have you take my word for this — that if in this very war I did anything in the slightest degree offensive to Caesar (and I was aware that Caesar him- self knew that I did so with the utmost reluctance),
95
CICERO
consilio, hortatu, auctoritatc ; quod fuerim moderatior temperatiorque, quam in ea parte quisquam, id me fecisse maxime auctoritate Capitonis ; cuius similes si reliquos necessarios habuissem, reipublicae fortasse nonnihil, mihi certe plurimum profuissem. Hanc rem, mi Plance, si effeceris, meam de tua erga me benevoleritia spem confirmaveris, ipsum Capitonem, gratissimum, officiosissimum, optimum virum, ad tuam necessitudinem tuo surniiio l)i'n(*lici() adiunxeris.
XXX
M. T. C. S. p. D. AdLIO PROC.
Roniae(?), a.u.c. 709.
1 Ij. Manlius est Sosis. Is fuit Catinensis : sed est, una cum reliquis Neapolitanis, eivis Romanus factus decurioque Neapoli; erat enim ascriptus in id muni- cipium ante civitatem sociis et Latinis datam. Kius frater Catinae nuper mortuus est. Nullam omnino arbitramur de ea hereditate controversiam eum ha- biturum, et est hodie in bonis. Sed, cum habet praeterea negotia Vetera in Sicilia sua, et hanc heredi- tatem fraternam, et omnia eius tibi commendo, in primisque ipsum virum optimum mihique familiarissi-
" He was a legatus of Caesar, and was in command at Oricum in 48. Some time between 4-8 and 45 (it is not clear when) he was proconsul of Sicily. Cicero refers Nvith grati- tude to Acilius's kindness to him during his unhappy year at Brundisium ; but Acilius had reason to be grateful to Cicero for having twice successfully defended him de capite (vii. 30. 3).
** i.e., before 90 b.c, when the full Roman citizenship was offered them by L. Julius C aesar.
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIAllKS, XIII. xxix.-xxx.
that I did by tlie advice and at the urgent instance of others ; but in so far as I showed more moderation and self-restraint than anybody else on that side, I did so mainly at the instance of Capito ; and had the others with whom I was closely associated been like him, I should perhaps have benefited the common- wealth to some extent, and should at any rate have benefited myself very greatly.
If you succeed in doing what I ask, my dear 8 Plancus, you will confirm my anticipations of your kindlv feeling for myself, and also bind Capito, that most grateful, obliging, and excellent of men, in the bonds of friendsliip to yourself by your own signal good service.
XXX
CICERO TO MAMUS A(ILIUS GLAMUrO, PRO( ON:?UL "
Rome (?), 45 B.C.
There is a certain L. Manlius Sosis. He was for- 1 merly a citizen of Catina, but together with the other Neapolitans he was made a Roman citizen, and is in the Senate at Naples, having been enrolled in that municipality before the citizenship was granted to allies and Latins.^ This man's brother has lately died at Catina. I do not think that he will find that there is any di^})ute about the inheritance here., and he is to-day in full possession of his goods. But since he has besides business matters of Ions: standing; to at- tend to in his native Sicily, I commend to your notice both this inheritance from his brother, and all his interests, and in particular the man himself, as a most excellent fellow and a most intimate friend of mine,
97
CICERO
mum, his studiis litterarum doctrinaeque praeditum, 2 quibus ego maxime dclector. Peto igitur abs te, ut eum, sive aderit, sivc non veiierit in Siciliam, in meis intimis maximeque neccssariis scias esse, itaque trac- tes, lit intellegat, meam sibi commendationem magno adiumento fuisse.
XXXI
M. T. C. S. p. D. ACILIO PROC.
Romae (?), a.u.c. 709.
1 C. Flavio, honesto et ornato equite Romano, utor valde familiariter. Fuit cnim generi mei, C. Pisonis, pernecessarius, meque diligentissime observat et ipse et L. Flavius, frater eius. Quapropter velim honoris mei causa, quibus rebus honeste et pro tua dignitate poteris, quam honorificentissime et quam liberalis- sime C. Flavium tractes. Id mihi sic erit gratum, ut
2 gratius esse nihil possit. Sed praeterea tibi affirmo (neque id ambitione adductus fticio, sed cum fiimiliari- tate et neccssitudine, turn etiam veritate), te ex C. Flavi officio et obscrvantia, ct praeterea splendore atque inter suos gratia, magnam vohiptatem esse capturum. V^ale.
« M. Brutus's praefectus fabrum, who was killed at Philippi. It was this Flavius who suggested to Atticus that the equites should raise a fund in support of the tyrannicides, and Brutus blamed Atticus for refusing to accept the sugges- tion. See Ad Brut. i. 17. 3 and i. G. 4.
* C. Piso Frugi, Tullia's first husband.
99
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. xxx.-xxxi.
blessed too with those tastes in hterature and learn- ing which give me most pleasure.
I beg of you then to recognize that, whether he is 2 on the spot or has not yet arrived in Sicily, the man is among my most intimate and closest associates, and so to treat him as to give him reason to believe that my recommendation has been of material assistance to him.
XXXI
CICERO TO MANIUS ACILIUS GLABRIO, PROCONSUL Rome (?), 45 b.c.
I am on very famihar terms with G. Flavius,^ an 1 honourable and distinguished Roman knight ; for he was a very intimate friend of my son-in-law, C. Piso,^ and both he himself and his brother L. Flavins show me most marked respect. For that reason I should like you, as a compliment to myself, to treat G. Flavins in the most complimentary and generous manner possible, in whatever respect you can do so without prejudice to your honour and position. That will give me more pleasure than anything you could possibly do.
But I further assure you (and this I do impelled by 2 no interested motive, but by our close intimacy and friendship, and even by truth itself) that G. Flavius's obliging and respectful demeanour, and moreover his distinction and popularity among his own friends, will be a source of great pleasure to you.
99
CICERO XXXII
M. T r. S. V. I). A( ILIO PROC. Itoiiiac (?), A.f.c. TOO.
1 111 Hahsiiia civitatf tam laiita tanu]ue nobili c(»niunctisisinios habeo ct hospitio rt fainiliaritate M. ct C. Clodios, ArchagatliUMi ct Pliiloncin. Scd vcreor ne, quia coniplurcs tibi praccipue coinniciuk), cxacquarc videar anibitione qiiadam comnicndationcs mcas. Quaniquam a te quidcm cumulate satisfit ct
2 mihi et nieis omnibus. Scd vclim sic cxistimcs, haiic familiam et hos mihi maxime esse coniunctos vetu- statc, officiis, bcnevolcntia. Quamobrem pcto a te in maiorcm modum, ut his omnibus in rebus, quantum tua fides dignitasque patietur, commodes. Id si feceris, erit mihi vehemcntissime gratum.
XXXIII
M. T. C. S. p. I). ACILIO PROC.
Romae (?), a.u.c. 709.
Cn. Otaciho Nasone utor famiHarissinie, ita prorsus, ut illius ordinis nullo fjimiliarius. Nam et humanitatc eius et probitate in consuetudine (juotidiana magno opere delector. Nihil iam opus est exspectare te,
" In the middle of the N. coast of Sicih\ Having been the fii-st Sicilian state to join the Romans in the l''irst Punic War, it was favourably treated in the settlement of the island.
* i.e.f " I meant no reflection upon i/ou in what I have just said ; no, i/ou always regard my recommendations as genu- ine, and respond accordinfrly."
' i.e., the equestrian order.
100
EPIST. AD 1 AMILIARES, Xlll. xxxn.-xxxiiu XXXII
CICERO TO MAMUS ACILIUS GLABHIO, PRO( ON'SUL
Rome (?), 45 b.c.
In the community of Halcsa « — and a highly refined 1 and distinguished community it is — I am closely united by bonds of both hospitality and intimacy \vith the two Clodii, M. Archagathus and C. Philo. But I am afraid that, because I am 7nost particularly recommending so many people to you, t may be suspected of making all niy recommendations equally strong as a sort of bid for popularity — though indeed, as far as you are concerned, both I and all my friends are abundantly satisfied with what you do.^
But I would really have you believe that this 2 family, and these members of it, are very closely bound to me by long-standing friendship, and mutual services, and goodwill. For that reason I beg of you with more than ordinary earnestness to do all you can for them in every possible way, so far as your honour and position permit. If you do so, I shall be ex- tremely grateful.
XXXIII
CICERO TO MANIUS ACILIUS GLARRIO, PROCONSUL
Rome (?), 45 b.c.
I am on very familiar terms wdth Cn. Otacilius Naso — indeed as much so as with any member of that order. '^ I am immensely delighted both w ith his kindli- ness and his integrity in our daily intercourse. So now there is no need for your waiting to see what words VOL. Ill E 101
CICERO
quibiis euin verbis tibi coniinondem, quo sic utar. ut scripsi. Habet is in provincia tua ncgotia, quae procurant libcrti, Ililarus, Aiitigonus, Deniostratus, quos tibi negotiaquc omnia Nasonis non secus com- mendo, ac si mea essent. Gratissinuim mihi feceris, si intcllexero banc coumiendationem magnum apud te pondus habuisse.
XXXIV
M. T. C. S. p. D. ACILIO PROC,
Romae (?), a.u.c. 709.
Avitinii niilii bospitium est cum Lysone, Lysonis filio, Lilybitano, valdecjue ab eo observor, cognovique dignum et patre et avo ; est enim nobilissima familia. Quapropter commendo tibi maiorem in modum rem domumque eius ; magnoque opera abs te peto, cures, ut is intellegat, meam commendationem maximo sibi apud te et adiumento et ornamento fuisse.
XXXV
U. T. C. S. p. D. ACILIO PROC,
Romae (?), a.u.c. 709.
1 0. Avianius Pbiloxenus antiquus est hospes meus, et praetcr hospitium valde etiam familiaris, quern
«» Cicero was quaestor of Lilybaeum in 75 - 74 b.c. under the praetor Se\t. Peducaeiis.
** As IMiiioxenus seems to have been made a Roman citizen at Cicero's request, he should have taken the name of M. Tnllius ; but as Cicero had probably been actuated by Avianius's advice. Philoxenus preferred to take the name of the latter. (C/. xiii. 79.) 102
EPIST. AD FAMILIARES, XIII. xxxiii.-xxxv.
I use in commending to you one with whom I am on such terms as I have just set down. He has some business affairs in your province which are being attended to by his freedmen, Hilarus, Antigonus, and Demostratus ; and them I commend to you, and also all Naso's aff*airs, precisely as if they were mv own. You will have gratified me extremely if I have reason to think that this recommendation of mine has had great weight with you.
XXXIV
CICERO TO MANIUS ACILIUS GLABRIO, PROCONSUL
Rome (?), 45 b.c.
I am bound by ties of hospitality, dating from the days of his grandfather, with Lyso of Lilybaeum " ; he pays me marked attention, and I have found him worthy both of his father and of his grandfather; for he comes of a very noble family. That is why I commend him to you, and his household also, with more than ordinary earnestness, and I beg of you very particu- larly to give him reason to know that my recom- mendation has been of great assistance as well as a great compliment to him.
XXXV
CICERO TO MAMUS ACILIUS GLABRIO, PROCONSUL
Rome (?), 45 b.c.
G. Avianius Philoxenus ^ is an old friend and guest 1 of mine, and apart from the ties of hospitality, he is very intimate with me ; it was as a favour to me that
103
CICERO
Caesar meo beneficio in Novocomenses rettulit. Nomen autem Aviani scciitus est, quod h(3inine niillo plus est usus, quam I'lacco Aviano, nieo, quemadmo- diim te scire arbitror, familiarissimo. Quae ego omnia collegi, ut intcllegeres, non vulgarem esse comnicn- 2 dationem banc meam. Peto igitur abs te, ut onnii- bus rebus, quod sine molcstia tua fjicere possis, ei commodes, habcasque in numero tuorum ; perficias- que, ut intellegat has litteras meas magno sibi usui fuisse. Erit id mihi maiorem in moduni gratum.
XXXVI
M. T. C. S. p. D. A( ILIO rilOC.
Romae (?), a.u.c. 709.
1 Cum Demetrio Mega mihi vetustum hospitium est, famiharitas autem tanta, quanta cum Siculo nullo. Ei Dolabella rogatu meo civitatem a Caesare im- petravit : qua in re ego interfui. Itaque nunc P. Cornelius vocatur. Cumque propter quosdam sordi- dos homines, qui Caesaris beneficia vendebant, tabu- lam, in qua nomina civitate donatorum incisa essent, revelli iussisset, eidem Dolabellae me audiente Caesar dixit nihil esse, quod de Mega vereretur ;
" Novum Conium was a colonj^ established by Caesar, who regarded it as being specially under his protection.
** i.e.y Megas took Dolabella's name just as Philoxenus (see the preceding letter) had taken that of Avianius, and now called himself P. Cornelius Megas. 104
EPIST. AD FAMILIARES, XIII. xxxv.-xxxvi.
Caesar enrolled him amono- the citizens of Novum Comiim.'* He has however adopted the name of Avianius, because he was on more intimate terms with nobody than with Flaccus Avianius, who is, as I believe you are aware, a very dear friend of mine. I have put together all these details to convince you that this recommendation of mine is something out of the common.
I therefore beg of you to do all you can for him in 2 every respect, so far as you may without inconvenience to yourself, to count him as one of your friends, and to convince him without fail that this letter of mine has been of material service to him. Your doing so will give me more than ordinary pleasure.
XXXVI
CICERO TO MANIUS ACIMUS GLABRIO, PROCOXSUL
Rome (?), 45 b.c.
I have ties of hospitality of long standing with 1 Demetrius Megas, and I am more intimate with him than with any other Sicilian. It was for him that Dolabella, at my request, obtained the citizenship from Caesar, and I myself took part in the trans- action, so now he goes by the name of P. Cornelius.'' And when, on account of certain disreputable persons, who used to sell his favours, Caesar gave orders that the tablet on which were engraved the names of those presented with citizenship should be torn down, Caesar assured that same Dolabella in my hearing that there was no reason why he should be appre-
105
CICERO
2 beneficium suum in eo manere. Hoc te scire volui, ut eum in civium Romanorum numero haberes, ceterisque in rebus tibi eum ita commendo, ut maiore studio nemineni commendarim. Gratissimum mihi feceris, si eum ita tractaris, ut intellegat, meam commendationem magno sibi ornaniento fuisse.
XXXVII
H. T. C. S. p. D. ACILIO PROG.
Roniae (?), a.u.c. 709.
Hippiam, Philoxeni filium, Calactinum, hospitem et necessarium meum, tibi commendo in maiorem modum. Eius bona, quemadmodum ad me delata res est, publice possidentur alieno nomine, contra leges Calactinorum. Id si ita est, etiam sine mea commendatione ab aequitate tua res ipsa impetrare debet, ut ei subvenias. Quoquo modo autem se res habet, peto a te, ut honoris mei causa eum expedias, tantumque ei commodes et in hac re et in ceteris, quantum tua fides dignitasque patletur. Id mihi vehementer gratum erit.
• Ka\7j Wkt^ on the N. coast of Sicily, east of Halesa.
106
EPIST. AD FAMILIARES, XIII. xxxvi.-xxxvii.
hensive about Megas, adding that the favour he had conferred upon him held good.
I was anxious that you should know this, so that you 2 might count him among the citizens of Rome, and in all other respects I commend him to you with as much earnestness as I have ever commended anybody. You will give me extreme pleasure if you so treat him as to make him feel that my recommendation has conferred great distinction upon him.
XXXVII
CICERO TO MAXIUS ACILIUS GLABRIO, PROCONSUL
Rome (?), 45 b.c.
I commend to you with more than ordinary warmth Hippias of Calacte,'^ son of Philoxenus, as being closely bound to me by ties of hospitality. His property, as the matter has been reported to me, is l3f'ing held by the State, in contravention of the laws of Calacte, on account of a debt for which he is not responsible. If that is so, the circumstances them- selves, even without any recommendation of mine, ought to prevail upon a man with your sense of justice to give him your assistance. But howsoever the matter stands, I beg of you for my credit's sake to release him from his difficulties, and to oblige him both in this and in every other respect so far as is compatible with your honour and position. Your doing so will give me extreme pleasure.
107
CICERO XXXVIII
M. T. C. S. P. I). ACILIO PROC.
Romae (?), a.u.c. 709.
L. Brutliiis, eques Romanus, adulescens omnibus rebus oruatus, in meis familiarissiniis est meque observat diligentissinie, cuius ciini patrc maona niihi fuit amicitia iam inde a quaestura mca Siciliensi. Omnino nunc ipse Bruttius Romae mecum est ; sed tamen domum eius et rem familiarem et procuratores tibi sic commendo, ut maiore studio commendare non possim. Gratissimum mihi feceris, si curaris, ut intellegat Bruttius — id quod ei recepi — banc meam oommendationem sibi magno adiumento fuisse.
XXXIX
M. T. C. S. p. D. ACILIO PROC.
Romae (?), a.u.c. 709.
Cum familia Titurnia necessitudo mihi intercedit vetus, ex qua reliquus est M. Titurnius Rufus, qui mihi omni dih'gentia atque officio est tuendus. Est igitur in tua potestate, ut ille in me satis sibi praesidi putet esse. Quapropter eum tibi commendo in maiorem modum, et abs te peto, efficias, ut is com- rnendationeni banc intellegat sibi majrno adiumento
fuisse. Krit id mihi vehementer gratum.
" See note a on 'U above. 108
EPIST. AD FAMILIARES, XIII. xxxviii.-xxxix. XXXVIII
CICERO TO MANIUS ACILIUS GLABRIO, PROCONSUL
Rome (?), 45 n.c.
L. Bruttius, a Roman knight and in every respect a distinguished young man, is among my most intimate friends, and is most punctihous in his atten- tions to me ; and I have been great friends with his father ever since my Sicilian quaestorsliip.'* To be sure Bruttius himself is at Rome with me, but I none the less commend to you him, his house, his estate, and his agents, with as much warmth as I could put into any recommendation. It will give me extreme pleasure if you make a point of convincing Bruttius (and I have pledged my word to him that it will be so) that this recommendation of mine has been of material assistance to him.
XXXIX
CICERO TO MANIUS ACILIUS GLABRIO, PROCONSUL
Rome (.^), 45 B.C.
I have a close connexion of long standing with the Titurnian family, and the only survivor of that family is M. Titurnius Rufus, whom it is my duty to support with all the assiduity and civility I possibly can. It is within your power then to make him believe that the protection he looks for in me is adequate. For that reason I recommend him to you with more than ordinary warmth, and beg of you so to act as to con- vince him that this recommendation of him has been of material assistance to him. Your doing so will give me no little pleasure.
109
CICERO
XL
M. T. C. S. P. D. Q. AN( IIARIO Q. F. PROC.
Romae, a.u.c. 609.
L. et C. Aurelios, L. filios, quibus et ipsis et patre eorum, viro optimo, familiarissime utor, commendo tibi maiorem in moduni, adulescentes omnibus opti- mis artibus ornatos, meos pernecessarios, tua amicitia dignissimos. Si iilla mea apud te commendatio valuit — quod scio multas plurimum valuisse — haec ut valeat, rogo. Quod si eos honorifice liberaliterque tractaris, et tibi gratissimos optimosque adulescentes adiunxeris, et milii gratissimum feceris.
XLI
M. T. C. S. P. D. L. CULLEOLO
Romae, a.u.c. Gf)5.
1 Quae feri'^ti L. Luccei causa, scire te plane volo te homini gratissimo commodasse, et cum ipsi, quae fecisti, pergrata sunt, tum Pompeius, quotiescumque me videt (videt autem saepe), gratias tibi agit singu- lares. Addo etiam illud, quod tibi iucundissimum
« Tribune of the plebs in 59, when he opposed Caesar. He was praetor in 56, and proeonsul of Macedonia in .55.
'' Tyrrell remarks that the title of proconsul does not necessarily imply that Culleolus had been consul. It was sometimes given to a provincial governor in command of an army.
« This is the Lucceius whom Cicero urged to write an account of the Catilinian conspiracy (v. 1:2).
no
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. xl.-xli. XL
CICERO TO Q. ANCHARIUS,^ PROCONSUL
Rome, 55 b.c.
I recommend to you with more than ordinary warmth Lucius and Gaius Aurehus, the sons of Lucius, with whom, as with their father, a most excellent man, I am exceedingly intimate ; they are young men distinguished in all the best accomplishments, very closely associated with myself, and in every way worthy of your friendship. If any recommendation of mine has ever had any influence with you — and, as to that, I know that many have had the greatest influence — I ask you to let this do so. If you treat them honourably and handsomely, you will not only win the attachment of two very grateful and excellent young men, but you will also give me the greatest possible pleasure.
XLI
CICERO TO L. CULLEGLUS, PROCONSUL*
Rome, 59 (?) b.c.
As regards what you have done for L. Lucceius,'' 1 I wish you distinctly to understand that you have obliged the most grateful of men ; and while all you have done gives great pleasure to Lucceius himself, Pompey also, whenever he sees me (and he sees me often), thanks you with quite unusual warmth. This much too I may add — and I am perfectly sure you
111
CICERO
esse certo scio, me ipsuni ex tua erga Lucceium be- 2 nignitate, maxima voluptate affici. Quod superest, quamquam mihi non est dubium, quin cum antea nostra causa, nunc iam etiam tuae constantiae gratia, mansurus sis in eadem ista libcralitate, tamen abs le vehementer etiam atque etiam peto, ut ea, quae initio ostendisti deincepsque fecisti, ad exitum augeri et cumulari per te velis. Id et Lucceio et Pompeio valde gratum fore, teque apud eos praeclare positu- rum confirmo et spondeo. De rcpublica, deque his ncgotiis cogitationibusque nostris perscripseram ad te diligenter paucis ante diebus, easque litteras dederam pueris tuis. Vale.
XLII
M. T. C. S. P. D. L. rULLEOLO PROC. Roniae, a.u.c. 695.
1 L. Lurceius meus, homo omnium gratissimus, niirificas tibi apud me gratias egit, cum diceret, omnia te cumulatissime et liberalissime procuratoribus suis polHcitum esse. Cum oratio tua tam ei grata fuerit, quam gratam rem ipsani existimas fore, cum, ut spero, quae pollicitus es, feceris ? Omnino os- tenderunt Bulliones, sese Lucceio Pompei arbitratu
" It appears that the inhabitants of Biillis (a town on the coast of lllyria, S. of Apollonia) owed money to Liicceius, and iuid promised to pay it, hut Culleolus's ottieiai authority would increase the prospects of its being paid.
J12
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARKS. XIII. .xli.-xlii.
\vill be delighted to hear it — that your generosity to Lucceius is a very great pleasure to myself.
As to what remains, although I have no doubt 2 that as previously for my sake, so now on behalf of your own consistency also you will persevere in the same generosity, none the less I earnestly beg of you again and again to prove your desire that the promises you originally made, and in due course fulfilled, should by your instrumentality be even improved upon and brought to a completely successful issue. That this will be highly gratifying to both Lucceius and Pompey, and that you will be making a brilliant investment in them, I solemnly pledge my word. As to the political situation and the business going on here, and our reflections thereon, I wrote to you fully and painstakingly a few days ago, and handed the letter to vour servants. Farewell.
XLII
CKKRO TO L. CULLEOLUS, PROCONSUL
Rome, 59 b.c.
My friend L. Lucceius, the most grateful of men, 1 expressed to me his amazingly cordial gratitude to you when he told me that you had promised every- thing to his agents with quite unbounded generosity. Seeing that your words gave him such pleasure, what pleasure do you suppose your acts will give him, when, as I hope, you have fulfilled your promises ? The inhabitants of Bullis at all events have indicated that they will satisfy Lucceius 's claims according to Pompey 's a ward. ^
113
CICERO
2 satisfacturos. Sed vehementer opus est nobis, et voluntatcni et aiictoritatem et impcriiim tiium ac- ccdere. Quod ut facia'^, te etiam atque etiam rogo. Illudquc mihi gratissimum est, quod ita sciunt Luccei procuratores, et ita I.ucceius ipse ex litteris tuis, quas ad cum misisti, intellcxit, hominis nullius apud te auctoritatcm aut gratiani valere plus, quam meam. Id ut re experiatur, iteruni et saepius te rogo.
XLIII
M. T. C. S. P. D. QUIXTIO GALLO
Romae, a.u.c. 696 (?).
1 Etsi plurimis rebus spero fore, ut pcrspiciam, quod tamen iampridem perspicio, me a te amari, tamen nunc ea causa tibi datur, in qua facile declarare possis tuam erga me benevolentiam. L. Oppius, M. F., Philomeli negotiatur, homo mihi familiaris. Eum tibi unice commendo, eoque magis, quod cum ipsum diligo, tum quod ncgotia procurat L. Egnati Rufi, quo ego uno equite Romano famiUarissime utor, et qui cum consuetudine quotidiana, tum officiis
2 plurimis maximisque mihi coniunctus est. Oppium igitur praesentem ut diligas, Egnati absentis rem ut tueare, aeque a te peto ac si mea negotia essent.
" Probably a hgatus of Marcius Philippus, who seems to have been governor of Asia, but in what vear it is not known.
*• See ii. 16. 7.
* A tow n between Synnada and Iconiuin.
** Hoth Marcus and Quintus Cicero had money dealings with Egnatius. {Ait. vii. 18. 4.) 114
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. alii.-xliii.
But there is pressing need for our liaving the addi- 2 tional advantage of your goodwill, and of your personal and official influence, and I beg you again and again not to refuse us that. It is also extremely gratifying to me that Lucceius's agents have learnt, and Lucceius himself has inferred from the letter you sent him, that there is nobody in the world who carries more weight with you, or is personally more acceptable to you, than myself. I beg you once more, and repeatedly, to give him practical proof of that.
XLIII
CICERO TO QUIN'TIUS GALLUS <* Rome, 58 (?) b.c.
Although there are numberless circumstances in 1 which I hope I may have clear proof — and indeed I have long since had proof enough— of your affection for me, yet here you have a case offered you in which you can easily make manifest your kindly feeling for me. Lucius Oppius,^ the son of Marcus, is a banker at Philomelium'^ and an intimate friend of mine. I com- mend him to you most particularly, and all the more because not only do I esteem him for himself, but he is also in charge of the affairs of L. Egnatius Rufus, a man with whom I am on more familiar terms than with any other single Roman knight, and who is closely associated with me both by daily intercourse and by services as numerous as they are important.
I therefore beg of you to make much of Oppius. 2 who is with you, and to protect the interests of Egnatius,'^ who is not, just as much as if his affairs
115
CICERO
Velini, memoriae tuae causa, des litterarum alicjuid, quae tibi in provincia rcddantur ; scd ita conscribas, ut tum, cum cas leges, facile recordari possis huius meae conmiendationis diligentiam. Hoc te vehe- menter etiam atque etiam rogo.
XLIV
CICERO GALLO S.
Romae, a.u.c. 696 (?).
Etsi ex tuis et ex L. Oppi, familiarissimi mei, litteris cognovi, te memorem conmiendationis meae fuisse, idque, pro tua summa erga me benevolentia proque nostra necessitudine, minime sum admiratus, tamen etiam atque etiam tibi L. Oppium praesentem et L. Egnati, mei familiarissimi, absentis negotia commendo. Tanta mihi cum eo necessitudo est familiaritasque, ut, si mea res esset, non magis laborarem. Quapropter gratissimum mihi feceris, si curaris, ut is intellegat, me a te tantum amari, quantum ipse existimo. Hoc mihi gratius faccre nihil potes. Idque ut facias, vehementer te rogo.
*» Sc. Oppius.
116
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, Xlll. xliii.-xliv.
were my own. To assist your memory, I should be glad if you would send him ^ somethin^r in the shape of a letter to be handed back to you in the province, but please draw it up in such a way that, when you read it, you can at once recall the care I have taken in writing this recommendation. This I earnestly beg of you again and again to do.
XLIV
CICERO TO QUIXTIUS GALLUS
Rome, 59 (?) b.c.
Although your own letter and that of my very dear friend L. Oppius have convinced me that you have not been forgetful of my recommendation (and 1 am not in the least surprised at that, considering your extremely kind feeling for me and the closeness of our connexion), still I commend to you again and again L. Oppius, who is with you, and the affairs of my very dear friend L. Egnatius, who is not. vSo close is my connexion and intimacy with him that I should not feel more anxious if the business were my own. That is why you will do me a very great favour if you make a point of giving him reason to know that your affection for me is as sincere as I myself believe it to be. Nothing that you can do would give me greater pleasure, and I earnestly beg of you to do so.
117
CICERO XLV
M. T. C. S. P. D. APPILKIO PROQUAESTORI
Romae, a.u.c. 096 (?).
L. Egnatio uno equite Romano vel faniiliarissime utor. Eius Anchialum servum negotiaque, quae habet in Asia, tibi commendo non minorc studio, qiiam si rem meam eommendarem. Sic enim ex- istimes velim, mihi cum eo non modo quotidianam consuetudinem summam intercedere, sed etiam officia magna et mutua nostra inter nos esse. Quamobrem ctiam atque etiam a te peto, ut cures, ut intellega t me ad te satis diligenter scripsisse. Nam de tua erga me voluntate non dubitabat. Id ut facias, te etiam atque etiam rogo.
XLVI
M. T. C. S. P. D. APPULEIO PROQUAESTORI
Romae, a.u.c. 696 (?).
L. Nostius Zoilus est coheres meus, heres aut-em patroni sui. Ka re utrumque scripsi, ut et milii cum illo causam amicitiae scires esse, et hominem probum existimarcs. qui patroni iudicio ornatus cssct. Eum tibi igitur sic commendo ut unum ex nostra domo.
• i.e., to Marcius Philippus (see Ep. 43, note a).
* Zoilus was a freedman of L. Nostius, whose name he took accordin.fr to the usual practice.
118
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. xlv.-xlvi. XLV
CICERO TO APPULEIUS, PROQUAESTOR *
Rome, 58 (?) b.c.
Of all the Roman knights the one man I am most intimate with is L. Egnatius. It is his slave Anchialus, together with his banking business in Asia, that I commend to you with no less warmth than if the business I commend to you were my very own. For I would have you believe not only that our daily intercourse is of the closest nature, but that we are bound together by important mutual services. For that reason I beg of you again and again to make a point of satisfying him that I have written to you with no lack of careful elaboration ; for of your goodwill towards me he has never entertained a doubt. I ask you again and again to do so.
XLVI
CICERO TO APPULEIUS, PROQUAESTOB
Rome, 58 (?) b.c.
L. Nostius Zoilus ^ is co-heir with me, but also the heir of his patron. My reasons for telling you these two facts are firstly, to let you know that there are grounds for my friendship with him, and secondly, to convince you that he is a man of integrity, seeing that he has been so complimented by the deliberate act of his patron. I therefore commend him to you as warmly as if he were of my own household. It will
119
CICERO
Valde niihi «xratimi crit, si ciiraris, ut intellegat, banc comniendationem sibi apud te magno adiumento fuisse.
XLVII
M. T. C. S. P. I). SILIO
Roinae, a.u.c. 703 (?).
Quid ego tibi commendem eum quern tu ipse diligis ? Sed tamen, ut scires, eum a me non diligi solum, verum etiam amari, ob earn rem tibi haec scribo. Omnium tuorum ofticiorum, quae et multa et magna sunt, mihi gratissimum fuerit, si ita trac- taris Egnatium, ut scntiat, et se a me, et me a te amari. Hoc te vebementcr etiam atfjue etiam rogo. Ilia nostra scilicet ceciderunt. Utamur igitur vulgari consolatione, quid si /toe melius ?■ Sed haec coram. Tu fac, quod facis, ut me ames, teque amari a me scias.
XLVIII
M. T. C. S. P. D. C. SEXTILIO RUFO QUAEST.
Roniae, a.u.c. 704-707.
Omnes tibi commcndo Cyprios, sed magis Paphios ; quibus tu quaecumque commodaris, erunt mihi gratis- sima. Eoque facio libcntius, ut eos tibi commendem,
» Probably P. Silius Kerva, propraetor of Bithynia and Pont us in 51.
" Probably some efforts of Cicero to escape from provincial government.
* Rufns seems (o have been sent out to Cyprus as pro- quaestor by Caesar in 49. We hear of him later as com- mander of the fleet of Cassius jn 43.
120
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. xlvi.-xlviii.
give me great pleasure if you make a point of satis- fying him that my recommendation has been of material assistance to him.
XLVII
Clf'ERO TO SILTUS "
Rome, 51 (?) b.c.
Why should I commend to you a man M'hom you like on your own account ? But anyhow the reason I write thus to you is to let you know that I not only like but even love him. Of all your services to me (and they are many and great) what will give me most pleasure is your so treating Egnatius as to make him feel that I love him and you love me. This I earnestly beg of you again and again to do. Oh yes, those plans of ours have fallen through.^ Let us then comfort ourselves with the well-known formula " Perhaps it is all for the best." But of this when we meet. It is for you to see to it (and you do) that you love me, and are assured that I love you.
XLVIII
CICERO TO GAIUS SEXTILIUS RUFUS, QUAESTOR *
Rome, betw een 50 and 47 b.c.
I commend to you all the inhabitants of Cyprus, and more particularly those of Paphos, and whatever favours you bestow upon them will be most gratify- ing to myself ; and I do so with all the more pleasure — I mean commend them to you — because I think
121
CICERO
quod et tiiae laiidi, cuius ego fjiutor sum, conducere arbitror, cum primus in cam insulam quaestor veneris, ea te instituerc, quae sequantur alii ; quae, ut s])erD, facilius consequere, si et P. Lentuli, necessari tui, leij^em, et ea, quae a me constituta sunt,sequi volueris. Qiiam rem tibi confido magnae laudi fore.
XLIX
CICERO S. P. D. CURIO PROC.
(Anno incerto.)
Q. Pompeius, Sext. F., multis et veteribus causis necessitudinis mihi coniunctus est. Is, cum antea meis commendationibus et rem et gratiam et auc- toritatem suam tueri consuerit, nunc profecto, te provinciam obtinente, meis litteris assequi debet, ut nemini se intellegat commendatiorem umquam fuisse. Quamobrem a te maiorem in modum peto, ut, cum omnes meos aeque ac tuos observare, pro nostra ne- cessitudine, debeas, hunc in primis ita in tuam fidem recipias, ut ipse intellegat, nullam rem sibi maiori Usui aut ornamento quam meam commendationem esse potuisse. Vale.
<» P. Lentulus Spinther, governor of Cilicia 56-53 (i. 1. 1, note a).
" When governor of Cilicia (in 51 and 52), for at that time Cyprus was part of the province of Cilicia, and remained so luitil 47, when it was handed over to Arsinoe and Ptolemy, son of Ptolemy Auletes (Dio Cass. xiii. 35. 5).
^22
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. xlviii. xlix.
that it will conduce to your own reputation also (which I always have at heart), if when you reach that island as its first quaestor, you set precedents for others to follow ; and this I hope you will the more easily accomplish if you decide to follow the code of your relative P. Lentulus,'^' and the regulations I in- stituted myself.^ Such a policy will, I am confident, do you much credit.
XLIX
CICERO TO CURIUS ^
(Date uncertain.)
There are many reasons of long standing for the close attachment of Q. Pompeius, son of Sextus, to myself. As in the past it is in my recommendations that he has got into the habit of finding support for his fortunes, his reputation, and influence, he cer- tainly ought just now, when you are governor of the province, to profit by my letter so far as to be assured that there is nobody to whom he has ever been more highly commended. For that reason I beg of you with exceptional earnestness, since in view of our close association it is incumbent upon you to show my friends as much respect as your own, to admit this gentleman to your special friendship in such a way as to convince him that nothing could possibly have been of more service or more of a distinction to him than my recommendation. Farewell.
* See ii. 19. 2. It is not known what province he governed, or when.
123
CICERO
M. T. C. S. D. ACILTO PROC. Romao (?), a.u.c. 710.
1 Sumpsi hoc mihi, pro tua in me observantia, quam penitus perspexi, quamdiu Brundisi fuimus, ut ad te faniiliariter et quasi pro meo iure scriberem, si quae res esset de qua valde laborarem. M'. Curius, qui Patris negotiatur, ila mihi familiaris est, ut nihil possit esse coniunctius. Multa illius in me officia, multa in ilium mea, quodque maximum est, summus
2 inter nos amor et mutuus. Quae cum ita sint, si uUam in amicitia mea spem habes, si ea, quae in me officia et studia Brundisi contulisti, vis mihi etiam gratiora efficere (quam(|uam sunt gratissima), si me a tuis omnibus amari vides, hoc mihi da atque largire, ut M'. Curium sartum et tectum, ut aiunt, ab omnique incommodo, detrimento, molestia sincerum integrum- que conserves. Et ipse spondeo, et omnes hoc tibi tui pro me recipient, ex mea amicitia et ex tuo in me officio maximum te fructum summamque voluptatem esse capturum.
" See note a to Ep. 30 above. ' The stock phrase for a building in good repair.
124
EPISTULAE AD FAMILIARES, XIII. l.
CICERO TO MAMUS ACILIUS GLABRIO," PROCONSUL Rome (?), Jannnry, 44 h.c.
In view of your respect for me, of wliich I had con- 1 vincing proof all the time I was at Brundisium, I have presumed so far as to address you with familiarity, and as though I had the right to do so, if there were anything that caused me serious anxiety.
M'. Curius, who has a banking business at Patrae, is so intimate with me that no association could possibly be closer. His services to me have been many, and so have mine been to him, and (what is most important of all) our affection for each other is as sincere as it is mutual.
That being so, if you have anything to hope for 2 from my friendship, if you Mould even enhance my gratitude, profound as it already is, for the cordial kindnesses you heaped upon me at Brundisium, if you observe that all your friends regard me with affection, then 1 say, grant me of your bounty this one favour — keep M'. Curius " water-tight and weather- proof " ** as they say, free from the slightest taint and touch of disaster, damage, or distress. I myself guarantee, and all your friends will pledge