Cicero Letters to Atticus, Vol. 2 of 3 37

Cicero Letters to Atticus, Vol. 2 of 3 37

BALBUS AND OPPIUS TO M. CICERO, GREETING.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Formiae, March 10 or 11_, B.C. _49_]

 

Advice--even the advice of distinguished persons, let alone nobodies

like ourselves--is generally judged by results and not by intentions.

However, relying on your kindness of heart, we will give you the

soundest advice we can on the point about which you wrote, and, even if

its wisdom may be doubted, there will be no doubt that it springs from

good faith and good feeling.

 

If we had heard from Caesar's own lips that he

 

* * * * *

 

Page 208

 

oportere existimamus, ut, simul Romam venerit, agat de reconciliatione

gratiae suae et Pompei, id eum facturum ex ipso cognovissemus,

deberemus[87] te hortari, ut velles iis rebus interesse, quo facilius

et maiore cum dignitate per te, qui utrique es coniunctus, res tota

confieret, aut, si ex contrario putaremus Caesarem id non facturum,

et etiam velle cum Pompeio bellum gerere sciremus, numquam tibi

suaderemus, contra hominem optime de te meritum arma ferres, sicuti

te semper oravimus, ne contra Caesarem pugnares. Sed, cum etiam nunc,

quid facturus Caesar sit, magis opinari quam scire possimus,[88]

non possumus nisi hoc, non videri eam tuam esse dignitatem neque

fidem omnibus cognitam, ut contra alterutrum, cum utrique sis maxime

necessarius, arma feras, et hoc non dubitamus quin Caesar pro sua

humanitate maxime sit probaturus. Nos tamen, si tibi videbitur, ad

Caesarem scribemus, ut nos certiores faciat, quid hac re acturus sit. A

quo si erit nobis rescriptum, statim, quae sentiemus, ad te scribemus,

et tibi fidem faciemus nos ea suadere, quae nobis videntur tuae

dignitati, non Caesaris actioni esse utilissima, et hoc Caesarem pro

sua indulgentia in suos probaturum putamus.

 

[87] deberemus _added by Lehmann_.

 

[88] possimus _added by Ascensius_.

 

 

 

 

VIIb

 

BALBUS CICERONI IMP. SAL.

 

 

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

 

S. V. B. Posteaquam litteras communes cum Oppio ad te dedi, ab Caesare

epistulam accepi, cuius exemplum

 

* * * * *

 

Page 209

 

was going to do, what in our opinion he ought to do, as soon as he

reaches Rome, that is to say try to effect a reconciliation with

Pompey, we should feel it our duty to exhort you to take part in

the negotiations, as the whole thing could most easily and with the

greatest dignity be carried through by you, who have ties with both

parties. If on the contrary we thought Caesar was not going to follow

that course, and knew that he even wished to wage war with Pompey,

we should never advise you to bear arms against a man who has done

you such good service, just as we have always begged you not to

fight against Caesar. But, since Caesar's intentions are still mere

guesswork, we can only say that it does not seem consonant with your

dignity or your well-known sense of honour to bear arms against either

of them, as you are intimate with both: and we have no doubt that

Caesar will be generous enough to approve of this course. If you wish

it, however, we will write to Caesar to ascertain his intentions in

this matter. If he sends us an answer, we will let you know our opinion

at once, and convince you that we are giving the advice which seems

to us to be best for your dignity, not for Caesar's policy, and, such

is Caesar's consideration for his friends, that we feel sure he will

approve of such a course.

 

 

 

 

VIIb

 

BALBUS TO CICERO, THE IMPERATOR, GREETING.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Rome, March 11 or 12_, B.C. _49_]

 

I hope you are well.[89] After sending you a letter in conjunction with

Oppius I had a note from Caesar, of which I am forwarding a copy. From

it you can

 

[89] The letters _S.V.B._ stand for _si vales bene (est)_.

 

* * * * *

 

Page 210

 

tibi misi. Ex quibus perspicere poteris, quam cupiat concordiam suam

et Pompei reconciliare, et quam remotus sit ab omni crudelitate; quod

eum sentire, ut debeo, valde gaudeo. De te et tua fide et pietate

idem mehercule, mi Cicero, sentio quod tu, non posse tuam famam et

officium sustinere, ut contra eum arma feras, a quo tantum beneficium

te accepisse praedices. Caesarem hoc idem probaturum exploratum pro

singulari eius humanitate habeo, eique cumulatissime satis facturum te

certo scio, cum nullam partem belli contra cum suscipias neque socius

eius adversariis fueris. Atque hoc non solum in te, tali et tanto viro,

satis habebit, sed etiam mihi ipse sua concessit voluntate, ne in iis

castris essem, quae contra Lentulum aut Pompeium futura essent, quorum

beneficia maxima haberem, sibique satis esse dixit, si togatus urbana

officia sibi praestitissem, quae etiam illis, si vellem, praestare

possem. Itaque nunc Romae omnia negotia Lentuli procuro, sustineo,

meumque officium, fidem, pietatem iis praesto. Sed mehercule rursus

iam abiectam compositionis spem non desperatissimam esse puto, quoniam

Caesar est ea mente, quam optare debemus.

 

Hac re mihi placet, si tibi videtur, te ad eum scribere et ab eo

praesidium petere, ut petiisti a Pompeio me quidem adprobante

temporibus Milonianis. Praestabo, si Caesarem bene novi, eum prius tuae

dignitatis quam suae utilitatis rationem habiturum.

 

Haec quam prudenter tibi scribam, nescio, sed illud

 

* * * * *

 

Page 211

 

see how eager he is for a reconciliation between himself and Pompey,

and how far removed all cruelty is from his thoughts: and I am, as in

duty bound, very glad that he takes that view. As for yourself and

your honour, and loyalty to your friends, I give you my word, my dear

Cicero, that I think as you do, that your reputation and your duty will

not admit of your bearing arms against a man, from whom you acknowledge

that you have received such favours. I have not the slightest doubt

that Caesar with his extraordinary kindness will agree, and that you

will satisfy him abundantly, by taking no part against him in the war

and not siding with his opponents. And this he will count sufficient

not only in the case of so important a personage as yourself, but even

to me of his own free will he has granted the same permission not to

enter a camp which would be opposed to Lentulus and Pompey, to whom I

am under great obligations: and he has said he is quite satisfied, if I

should perform peaceful civic functions for him, which I am at liberty

to perform for them too, if I wish. So I am acting now as Lentulus'

deputy at Rome and carrying out his business, fulfilling my duty and

maintaining my honour and loyalty to them. But really, though I had

given up hope of peace, I am no longer in despair of it, since Caesar

is in the mood in which we would wish him to be.

 

Under the circumstances I see no objection, if you think fit, to

your writing and asking for his protection, as you did for Pompey's,

with my approval, at Milo's trial. If I know anything of Caesar, I

will guarantee that he will consider your dignity more than his own

advantage.

 

How far the advice I am sending may be right, I

 

* * * * *

 

Page 212

 

certe scio, me ab singulari amore ac benevolentia, quaecumque scribo,

tibi scribere, quod te (ita incolumi Caesare moriar!) tanti facio, ut

paucos aeque ac te caros habeam. De hac re cum aliquid constitueris,

velim mihi scribas. Nam non mediocriter laboro, utrique, ut vis, tuam

benevolentiam praestare possis, quam mehercule te praestaturum confide.

Fac valeas.