XIX. (Fam. 9. 14.)

P. Cornelius Dolabella (born about B.C. 69) married Cicero's daughter Tullia in B.C. 5o, while her father was governor of Cilicia. When the Civil War broke out, in B.C. 49, Dolabella joined the party of Cæsar, whose favor he always retained. He fought at Pharsalia (B.C. 48) and, returning to Rome after the battle, was (like Clodius before him) adopted by a plebeian, that he might become a candidate for the tribunate. His turbulent actions in this position (B.C. 47) and his infamous private character caused a separation between him and Tullia, and in B.C 46 they were formally divorced. Cicero, however, remained on friendly terms with him and even gave him lessons in oratory.

Cæsar designated Dolabella as one of the consuls for the year B.C. 44, and he assumed that office after the dictator's assassination. He negotiated with the conspirators, suppressed the mob that threatened them, and threw down a column erected in Cæsar's honor. This conduct was enthusiastically approved by Cicero, who had shown unmeasured delight at Cæsar's death, and who cherished vain hopes of a restored republic. The present letter of congratulation was written at Cicero's Pompeian villa, May 3, B.C. 44, about six weeks after the murder, and while Dolabella was on good terms with Brutus and Cassius. Cicero praises him without stint, congratulates himself on having had him as a pupil, and exhorts him to persevere in well-doing. But Dolabella soon veered round, made friends with Antony, and received Syria as his province. He committed suicide at Cæsarea, B.C. 43, to avoid falling into the hands of Cassius.

CICERO DOLABELLAE CONSULI SUO S.

Etsi contentus eram, mi Dolābella, tuā glōria satisque ex eā māgnam laetitiam voluptātemque capiēbam, tamen nōn possum nōn cōnfitērī cumulārī mē maximō gaudiō, quod volgō hominum opinio socium mē adscribat tuis laudibus. 5 Neminem convēnī — conveniō autem cotidiē plūrimōs; sunt enim permulti optimi viri, qui valētūdinis causā in haec loca veniant, praeterea ex municipiis frequentēs necessārii mei,— quin omnes, cum tē summis laudibus ad caelum extulērunt, mihi continuō maximās grātiās agant; negant enim sẽ 10 dubitare quin tu meis praeceptis et consiliis obtemperāns

praestantissimum te civem et singularem consulem praebeās: quibus ego quamquam vērissime possum respondere tē, quae facias tuo iudicio et tua sponte facere nec cuiusquam egere consilio, tamen neque plane adsentior, në imminuam tuam laudem, si omnis à meis consiliis profecta videatur, 5 neque valdē negō-sum enim avidior etiam quam satis est gloriae; et tamen non alienum est dignitate tua, quod ipsi Agamemnoni, rēgum rēgi, fuit honestum, habere aliquem

in consiliis capiendis Nestorem; mihi vērō glōriōsum tē iuvenem consulem flōrēre laudibus quasi alumnum disci- 10 plinae meae.

L. quidem Caesar, cum ad eum aegrotum Neapolim vēnissem, quamquam erat oppressus totius corporis doloribus, tamen ante quam mē plānë salūtāvit, 'O mi Cicero,' inquit, ' gratulor tibi, cum tantum valēs apud Dolabellam quantum 15 si ego apud sorōris filium valerem, iam salvi esse possemus.

Dolabellae vērō tuō et gratulor et gratias agō; quem quidem post te consulem sōlum possumus vērē cōnsulem dicere.' Deinde multa de factō ac de rē gestā; tum nihil māgnificentius, nihil praeclarius actum umquam, nihil rei publicae 5 salutarius. Atque haec una võx omnium est.

A tē autem petō ut mẽ hanc quasi falsam herēditātem aliēnae glōriae sinās cernere mēque aliquã ex parte in societātem tuārum laudum venīre patiăre. Quamquam, mi Dolābella haec enim iocātus sum, libentius omnis meās, si Io modo sunt aliquae meae, laudēs ad tē trānsfūderim quam aliquam partem exhauserim ex tuis: nam cum te semper tantum dīlēxerim quantum tū intellegere potuisti, tum his

tuis factis sic incēnsus sum ut nihil umquam in amōre fuerit ārdentius; nihil est enim, mihi crēde, virtute formōsius, nihil 15 pulchrius, nihil amābilius.

Semper amāvi, ut scis, M. Brūtum propter ēius summum ingenium, suavissimōs mōrēs, singularem probitatem atque constantiam : tamen Idibus Martiis tantum accessit ad amōrem ut mīrārer locum fuisse augendi in eo quod mihi iam 20 pridem cumulātum etiam vidēbātur. Quis erat qui putāret ad eum amōrem quem ergā tē habēbam posse aliquid accēdere? Tantum accessit ut mihi nunc denique amāre videar,

antea dilexisse.

Qua re quid est quod ego te horter ut dignitāti et glōriae 25 serviās? Prōpōnam tibi clārōs virōs, quod facere solent, qui hortantur? Neminem habeō clāriōrem quam të ipsum; tē imitēre oportet, tecum ipse certēs nē licet quidem tibi