as sure a pledge of good faith as of victory. Excuse my being somewhat importunate, though with a man like you there can hardly be any pretext for it— however, I feel that it will be allowed to pass. Be careful of your health and continue to love me as ever. TO HIS BROTHER QUINTUS, IN GAUL (Q. Fr. III., 7.) TUSCULUM,1 B. c. 54. AT Rome, and especially on the Appian road as far as the temple of Mars, there is a remarkable flood. The promenade of Crassipes has been washed away, pleasure grounds, a great number of shops. There is a great sheet of water right up to the public fishpond. That doctrine of Homer's is in full play: "The days in autumn when in violent flood Zeus pours his waters, wroth at sinful men : for it falls in with the acquittal of Gabinius "Who wrench the law to suit their crooked ends And drive out justice, recking naught of Gods." But I have made up my mind not to care about such things. When I get back to Rome I will write and tell you my observations, and especially about the dictatorship, and I will also send a letter to Labienus and one to Ligurius. I write this before daybreak by the carved wood lampstand, in which I take great delight, because they tell me that you had it made when you were at Samos. Good-bye, dearest and best of brothers. 1 About ten miles southeast of Rome. Cicero had a villa there. TO C. TREBATIUS TESTA, IN GAUL (Fam. VII., 16.) ROME, B. C. 54. IN the "Trojan Horse," 1 just at the end, you remember the words, "Too late they learn wisdom." You, however, old man, were wise in time. Those first snappy 2 letters of yours were foolish enough, and then... I don't at all blame you for not being over-curious in regard to Britain.3 For the present, however, you seem to be in winter quarters somewhat short of warm clothing, and therefore not caring to stir out: "Not here and there, but everywhere, Be wise and ware: No sharper steel can warrior bear." If I had been by way of dining out, I would not have failed your friend Cn. Octavius; to whom, however, I did remark upon his repeated invitations, "Pray, who are you?" But, by Hercules, joking apart, he is a pretty fellow: I could have wished you had taken him with you! Let me know for certain what you are doing and whether you intend coming to Italy at all this winter. Balbus has assured me that you will be rich. Whether he speaks after the simple Roman fashion, meaning that you will be well supplied with money, or according to the Stoic dictum, that "all are rich who can enjoy the sky and the earth," I shall know here 1 A play by one of the earlier Roman dramatists, either Livius or Naevius. 2 The first letters written by Trebatius after going to Gaul seem to have been full of complaints. 3 Trebatius did not cross the Channel. of after. Those who come from your part accuse you pride, because they say you won't answer men who put questions to you. However, there is one thing that will please you: they all agree in saying that there is no better lawyer than you at Samarobriva ! TO ATTICUS IN ROME (Att. V., 1.) MINTURNAE, B. c. 51. YES, I saw well enough what your feelings were as I parted from you; what mine were I am my own witness. This makes it all the more incumbent on you to prevent an additional decree being passed, so that this mutual regret of ours may not last more than a year. As to Annius Saturninus, your measures are excellent. As to the guarantee,2 pray, during your stay at Rome, give it yourself. You will find several guarantees on purchase, such as those of the estates of Mennius, or rather of Attilius. As to Oppius,3 that is exactly what I wished, and especially your having engaged to pay him the 800 sestertia, which I am determined shall be paid in any case, even if I have to borrow to do so, rather than wait for the last day of getting in my own debts. I now come to that last line of your letter written crossways, in which you give me a word of caution about your sister.5 The facts of the matter are these. On arriving at my place at Ar1 In Latium, on the Via Appia. The letter was written by Cicero on his way to Cilicia, whither he was going as proconsul. 2 of the title to some property that Cicero was selling. 3 The agent of Caesar. 4 About $34,000. 5 Atticus' sister Pomponia was the wife of Cicero's brother Quintus. pinum, my brother came to see me, and our first subject of conversation was yourself, and we discussed it at great length. After this I brought the conversation round to what you and I had discussed at Tusculum, on the subject of your sister. I never saw anything so gentle and placable as my brother was on that occasion in regard to your sister: so much so, indeed, that if there had been any cause of quarrel on the score of expense, it was not apparent. So much for that day. Next day we started from Arpinum. A country festival caused Quintus to stop at Arcanum; I stopped at Aquinum; but we lunched at Arcanum. You know his property there. When we got there Quintus said, in the kindest manner, "Pomponia, do you ask the ladies in I will invite the men." ; Nothing, as I thought, could be more courteous, and that, too, not. only in the actual words, but also in his intention and the expression of face. But she, in the hearing of us all, exclaimed, "I am only a stranger here!" The origin of that was, as I think, the fact that Statius had preceded us to look after the luncheon. Thereupon Quintus said to me, "There, that's what I have to put up with every day!" You will say, " Well, what does that amount to?" A great deal; and, indeed, she had irritated even me her answer had been given with such unnecessary acrimony, both of word and look. I concealed my annoyance. We all took our places at table except her. However, Quintus sent her dishes. from the table, which she declined. In short, I thought I never saw anything better-tempered than my brother, or crosser than your sister: and there were many particulars which I omit that raised my bile more than they did that of Quintus himself. I then went on to Aquinum; Quintus stopped at Arcanum, and joined me early the next day at Aquinum. He told me that she had refused to sleep with him, and when on the point of leaving, she behaved just as I had seen her. Need I say more? You may tell her herself that in my judgment she showed a marked want of kindness on that day. I have told you this story at greater length, perhaps, than was necessary, to convince you that you, too, have something to do in the way of giving her instruction and advice. There only remains for me to beg you to complete all my commissions before leaving town; to give Pomptinus1 a push, and make him start; to let me know as soon as you have left town, and to believe that, by heaven, there is nothing I love and find more pleasure in than yourself. I said a most affectionate good-bye to that best of men, A. Torquatus, at Minturnae, to whom I wish you would remark, in the course of conversation, that I have mentioned him in my letter. CICERO AND HIS SON TO TERENTIA AND (Fam. XIV., 14.) MINTURNAE, B. C. 49. TULLIUS to Terentia, her father to Tullia, his two sweethearts, and Cicero to his excellent mother and darling sister, send warm greetings. If you are well, we are so too. It is now for you to consider, and not 1 An old friend of Cicero's, who was to be one of his lieutenants in Cilicia. 2 Cicero had taken part in the general flight from Rome that followed the news of Caesar's having crossed the Rubicon. |