Cicero Letters to Atticus, Vol. 2 of 3 36

Cicero Letters to Atticus, Vol. 2 of 3 36

CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Formiae, March 13_, B.C. _49_]

 

I wrote you a letter dated the 12th of March, but on that day the man

to whom I meant to give it did not set out. However, on that very

day there arrived that "sprinter," as Salvius called him, bringing

your very full epistle which has put just a drop of life into me, for

recovered I cannot profess to be. Clearly you have done the one thing

needful. Believe me I am not acting now with a view to a lucky issue;

for I see that we can never enjoy a Republic while these two men live,

or this one alone. So I

 

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Ita neque de otio nostro spero iam nec ullam acerbitatem recuso. Unum

illud extimescebam, ne quid turpiter facerem, vel dicam iam ne fecissem.

 

Sic ergo habeto, salutares te mihi litteras misisse neque solum has

longiores, quibus nihil potest esse explicatius, nihil perfectius, sed

etiam illas breviores, in quibus hoc mihi iucundissimum fuit, consilium

factumque nostrum a Sexto probari, pergratumque mihi tu ...[84]

fecisti; a quo et diligi me et, quid rectum sit, intellegi scio.

Longior vero tua epistula non me solum, sed meos omnes aegritudine

levavit. Itaque utar tuo consilio et ero in Formiano, ne aut ad urbem

ἀπάντησις mea animadvertatur, aut, si nec hic nec illic eum videro,

devitatum se a me putet. Quod autem suades, ut ab eo petam, ut mihi

concedat, ut idem tribuam Pompeio, quod ipsi tribuerim, id me iam

pridem agere intelleges ex litteris Balbi et Oppi, quarum exempla tibi

misi. Misi etiam Caesaris ad eos sana mente scriptas quo modo in tanta

insania. Sin mihi Caesar hoc non concedat, video tibi placere illud, me

πολίτευμα de pace suscipere; in quo non extimesco periculum (cum enim

tot impendeant, cur non honestissimo depecisci velim?), sed vereor, ne

Pompeio quid oneris imponam,

 

μή μοι γοργείην κεφαλὴν δεινοῖο πελώρου

 

intorqueat. Mirandum enim in modum Gnaeus noster Sullani regni

similitudinem concupivit. Εἰδώς σοι λέγω. Nihil ille umquam minus

obscure tulit.

 

[84] _After_ tu _there is probably a lacuna which should be filled by

some such words as those suggested by Lehmann_: fecisti, quod me de

iudicio eius certiorem.

 

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have no hope of ease for myself and I do not refuse to contemplate as

possible any bitterness. The one thing I dread is doing, or, perhaps I

should say, having done, anything disgraceful.

 

[Sidenote: Odyssey xi, 663]

 

So please consider that your letter was good for me, and not only the

longer, most explicit and perfect epistle, but also the shorter, in

which the most delightful thing was to find that my policy and action

is approved by Sextus. You have done me a great kindness....[85] Of

his affection and sense of honour I am sure. But that longer letter of

yours has relieved not only me but all my friends from our sorry state:

so I will follow your advice and remain in the villa at Formiae, that

my meeting with Caesar outside the city may not excite comment, or, if

I do not meet him either here or there, I may not lead him to think

I have shunned him. As for your advice to ask him to allow me to pay

Pompey the same homage as I did to him, you will understand I have been

doing that long since, when you see the copies I forward of letters

of Balbus and Oppius. I send also a letter addressed by Caesar to

them, which is sane enough considering these mad times. But, if Caesar

should refuse my request, I see that you think I should undertake to

be a peace-maker. In that rôle I do not fear danger--for, with so many

dangers overhanging, why should I not compound by taking the most

respectable--but I fear lest I may embarrass Pompey, and he fix on me

"the Gorgon gaze of his dread eye." It is wonderful to see how Pompey

desires to imitate Sulla's reign. I know what I am saying. He has made

no secret of it. Then why

 

[85] Adopting Lehmann's suggestion "in telling me of his opinion."

 

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"Cum hocne igitur," inquies, "esse vis?" Beneficium sequor, mihi crede,

non causam, [ut in Milone, ut in.... Sed hactenus].[86] "Causa igitur

non bona est?" Immo optima, sed agetur, memento, foedissime. Primum

consilium est suffocare urbem et Italiam fame, deinde agros vastare,

urere, pecuniis locupletum non abstinere. Sed, cum eadem metuam ab hac

parte, si illim beneficium non sit, rectius putem quidvis domi perpeti.

Sed ita meruisse illum de me puto, ut ἀχαριστίας crimen subire non

audeam, quamquam a te eius quoque rei iusta defensio est explicata.

 

[86] _The words in brackets are probably a gloss which has crept into

the text._

 

De triumpho tibi adsentior, quem quidem totum facile et lubenter

abiecero. Egregie probo fore ut, dum agamus, ὁ πλόος ὡραῖος obrepat.

"Si modo," inquis, "satis ille erit firmus." Est firmior etiam, quam

putabamus. De isto licet bene speres. Promitto tibi, si valebit,

tegulam illum in Italia nullam relicturum. "Tene igitur socio?" Contra

mehercule meum iudicium et contra omnium antiquorum auctoritatem, nec

tam ut illa adiuvem, quam ut haec ne videam, cupio discedere. Noli

enim putare tolerabiles horum insanias nec unius modi fore. Etsi quid

te horum fugit, legibus, iudicibus, iudiciis senatu sublato libidines,

audacias, sumptus, egestates tot egentissimorum hominum nec privatas

posse res nec rem publicam sustinere? Abeamus igitur inde qualibet

navigatione; etsi id quidem, ut tibi videbitur,

 

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do I wish to be associated with such a man? Believe me I follow

gratitude, not a cause [and I did in the case of Milo and in.... But

enough of this.] "Then the cause is not good?" Yes, the best in the

world; but remember it will be handled in the most disgraceful way. The

first plan is to throttle Rome and Italy and starve them, then to lay

waste and burn the country, and not to keep hands off the riches of

the wealthy. But, since I have the same fears on Caesar's side too, if

it were not for favours on the other side, I should think it better to

stay in Rome and suffer what comes. But so bounden do I consider myself

to Pompey that I cannot endure to risk the charge of ingratitude. But

you have said all that can be said for that course too.

 

About my triumph I agree with you. I can throw it away willingly and

with ease. I am delighted with your remark that it may be, while I am

considering, "the chance to sail" may arise. "Yes," you say, "if only

Pompey is firm enough." He is more firm than I imagined. In him you

may be confident. I promise you, if he succeeds, he will not leave a

tile in Italy. "Will you help him, then?" By heaven, against my own

judgement and against all the lessons of the past I desire to depart,

not so much that I may help Pompey, as that I may not see what is being

done here. For please do not think that the madness of these parties

will be endurable or of one kind. However, it is obvious to you that

when laws, juries, courts and Senate are abolished, neither private nor

public resources will be able to bear up against the lusts, daring,

extravagance and necessity of so many needy men. So let me depart on

any kind of voyage: be it whatever you will, only let me depart.

 

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sed certe abeamus. Sciemus enim, id quod exspectas, quid Brundisi actum

sit.

 

Bonis viris quod ais probari, quae adhuc fecerimus, scirique ab iis

nos non profectos, valde gaudeo, si est nunc ullus gaudendi locus. De

Lentulo investigabo diligentius. Id mandavi Philotimo, homini forti ac

nimium optimati.

 

Extremum est, ut tibi argumentum ad scribendum fortasse iam desit. Nec

enim alia de re nunc ulla scribi potest, et de hac quid iam amplius

inveniri potest? Sed, quoniam et ingenium suppeditat (dico mehercule,

ut sentio) et amor, quo et meum ingenium incitatur, perge, ut facis, et

scribe, quantum potes.

 

In Epirum quod me non invitas, comitem non molestum, subirascor. Sed

vale. Nam, ut tibi ambulandum, ungendum, sic mihi dormiendum. Etenim

litterae tuae mihi somnum attulerunt.

 

 

 

 

VIIa

 

BALBUS ET OPPIUS S. D. M. CICERONI.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Scr. Romae VI aut V Id. Mart. a. 705_]

 

Nedum hominum humilium, ut nos sumus, sed etiam amplissimorum virorum

consilia ex eventu, non ex voluntate a plerisque probari solent. Tamen

freti tua humanitate, quod verissimum nobis videbitur, de eo, quod ad

nos scripsisti, tibi consilium dabimus. Quod si non fuerit prudens, at

certe ab opt