Cicero Letters to Atticus, Vol. 2 of 3 51

Cicero Letters to Atticus, Vol. 2 of 3 51

"Cur autem sex?" "Quia XII nolui; nam licebat." Tum ego "Quam vellem,"

inquam, "petisse ab eo, quod audio Philippum impetrasse! Sed veritus

sum, quia ille a me nihil impetrabat." "Libenter," inquit, "tibi

concessisset. Verum puta te impetrasse; ego enim ad eum scribam, ut

tu ipse voles, de ea re nos inter nos locutos. Quid autem illius

interest, quoniam in senatum non venis, ubi sis? Quin nunc ipsum

minime offendisses eius causam, si in Italia non fuisses." Ad quae ego

me recessum et solitudinem quaerere, maxime quod lictores haberem.

Laudavit consilium. "Quid ergo?" inquam; "nam mihi cursus in Graeciam

per tuam provinciam est, quoniam ad mare superum milites sunt." "Quid

mihi," inquit, "optatius?" Hoc loco multa perliberaliter. Ergo hoc

quidem est profectum, ut non modo tuto, verum etiam palam navigaremus.

 

Reliqua in posterum diem distulit; ex quibus scribam ad to si quid

erit epistula dignum. Sunt autem, quae praeterii, interregnumne

esset exspectaturus, an, quo modo dixerit ille quidem ad se deferri

consulatum, sed se nolle in proximum annum. Et alia sunt, quae

exquiram. Iurabat ad summam, quod nullo negotio facere solet,

amicissimum mihi Caesarem esse. "Dubito equidem," inquam. "Scripsit

ad me Dolabella." "Dic, quid?" Adfirmabat eum scripsisse, quod me

cuperet ad urbem venire, illum quidem gratias agere maximas et non modo

probare, sed etiam gaudere. Quid quaeris? acquievi, Levata

 

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proceed from him." "But why six?" "Because I didn't want twelve, though

I could have had them." I said: "I wish I had asked for what I hear

Philippus has got from him: but I was afraid to ask, as he got nothing

from me." He replied: "He would willingly have given you permission.

But take it that you did get it. I will write to him just as you wish,

and say we have spoken about the matter. What does it matter to him

where you are, as you do not attend the House? If you were not in Italy

at this very moment, it would not damage his cause in the least."

I responded that I was looking for a retired and solitary retreat,

especially because I still had my lictors in attendance. He agreed

with me. "How about this then," said I. "My way through to Greece lies

through your province, as the Adriatic is guarded." "There is nothing I

should like better," he said, and added many very handsome remarks. So

something has come of it: I could sail not only in safety, but openly.

 

The rest he put off for the next day: I will write and tell you if

there is anything worth mentioning. But there are some things I omitted

to ask: whether Caesar was going to wait for an interregnum, or what

he meant by saying that he had been offered the consulship but had

refused it for the next year. And there are other points I must ask

about. Finally he swore--though to be sure he makes no bones about

swearing--that Caesar was very friendly to me. I expressed my doubt. He

said he had heard from Dolabella. I asked what he said, and he declared

he said Caesar had thanked him warmly for wanting me to go to Rome, and

not only approved but showed pleasure. Of course I felt relieved.

 

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est enim suspicio illa domestici mali et sermonis Hirtiani. Quam cupio

illum dignum esse nobis, et quam ipse me invito, quae pro illo sint, ad

suspicandum! Sed opus fuit Hirtio convento? Est profecto nescio quid,

sed velim quam minimo. Et tamen eum nondum redisse miramur. Sed haec

videbimus.

 

Tu Oppios Terentiae delegabis.[129] Iam enim urbis unum periculum est.

Me tamen consilio iuva, pedibusne Regium an hinc statim in navem, et

cetera, quoniam commoror. Ego ad te statim habebo, quod scribam, simul

ut videro Curionem. De Tirone cura, quaeso, quod facis, ut sciam, quid

is agat.

 

[129] delegabis _Wesenberg_: dabis _MSS._

 

 

 

 

V

 

CICERO ATTICO SAL.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Scr. in Cumano XV K. Mai. a. 705_]

 

De tota mea cogitatione scripsi ad te antea satis, ut mihi visus sum,

diligenter. De die nihil sane potest scribi certi praeter hoc, non ante

lunam novam. Curionis sermo postridie eandem habuit fere summam, nisi

quod apertius significavit se harum rerum exitum non videre.

 

Quod mihi mandas de Quinto regendo, Ἀρκαδίαν

 

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The suspicion of domestic treachery and of the talk with Hirtius has

been removed. How I hope young Quintus is worthy of his family, and how

I keep urging myself to note the points in his favour! But need he have

visited Hirtius? There is something in the tale, but I hope it may not

prove of much consequence. Still I wonder he is not back yet. But we

shall see about this.

 

Please introduce Terentia to the Oppii: for there is only one danger

in Rome now.[130] As for me, give me the benefit of your advice as to

whether I am to go to Regium on foot or to embark straight from here,

and on all the other points too, as I am staying here. I shall have

something to write as soon as I have seen Curio. Please keep me posted

up in news about Tiro's condition, as you have done.

 

[130] The Oppii were moneylenders, and, if the reading _unum_ is right,

Cicero must mean that lack of obtaining ready money was the only danger

in Rome.

 

 

 

 

V

 

CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Cumae, April 16_, B.C. 49]

 

About the whole of my plans I have written to you before, as I think,

exactly. Of the day I can say no more for certain than this, that it

will not be before the new moon. Curio's conversation on the next day

had practically the same gist, except that he showed still more frankly

that he could not see an end to this state of things.

 

[Sidenote: 50,000 sesterces]

 

[Sidenote: 30,000 sesterces]

 

As for your commission about the control of Quintus, you are asking for

the moon.[131] However I

 

[131] Cf. the answer of the Delphic oracle to a Spartan envoy in

Herodotus I, 66, Ἀρκαδίαν μ'αἰτεῖς, μέγα μ'αἰτεῖς, οὖτοι δώσω. "Thou

askest for Arcadia. 'Tis much thou askest for. I will not give it."

 

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Tamen nihil praetermittam. Atque utinam tu ----, sed molestior non

ero. Epistulam ad Vestorium statim detuli, ac valde requirere solebat.

Commodius tecum Vettienus est locutus, quam ad me scripserat. Sed

mirari satis hominis neglegentiam non queo. Cum enim mihi Philotimus

dixisset se HS L̅ emere de Canuleio deversorium illud posse, minoris

etiam empturum, si Vettienum rogassem, rogavi, ut, si quid posset,

ex ea summa detraheret. Promisit. Ad me nuper se HS X̅X̅X̅ emisse;

ut scriberem, cui vellem addici; diem pecuniae Idus Novembr. esse.

Rescripsi ei stomachosius, cum ioco tamen familiari. Nunc, quoniam agit

liberaliter, nihil accuso hominem, scripsique ad eum me a te certiorem

esse factum. Tu, de tuo itinere quid et quando cogites, velim me

certiorem facias. A. d. XV K. Maias.

 

 

 

 

VI

 

CICERO ATTICO SAL.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Scr. in Cumano medio m. Apr. a. 705_]

 

Me adhuc nihil praeter tempestatem moratur. Astute nihil sum acturus.

Fiat in Hispania quidlibet; et tamen ire certum est.[132] Meas

cogitationes omnis explicavi tibi superioribus litteris. Quocirca hae

sunt breves, etiam[133] quia festinabam eramque occupatior.

 

[132] ire certum est _Wesenberg_: recitet et _MZ_ᵇ: reticeret _Z_ˡ.

 

[133] etiam _Malaspina_: et tamen _MSS._

 

De Quinto filio fit a me quidem sedulo; sed nosti

 

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shall be guilty of no omission and would that you----. But I will

not be too troublesome. The letter I forwarded at once to Vestorius;

he kept asking why it was not sent. Vettienus has spoken with you in

a tone more accommodating than his letter to me: but I am greatly

astonished at the man's carelessness. Philotimus informed me that he

could buy that lodge of Canuleius for 400 guineas, and could get it

even for less, if I asked Vettienus to act as purchaser. So I did ask

Vettienus to get a deduction from that sum, if he could. He promised.

Lately he has informed me that he bought it for about £250, and asked

me to inform him to whom I wished to convey it, adding that the day for

payment was the 13th of November. My reply was somewhat cross, but yet

in a familiar joking vein. Now, as he is acting handsomely, I have no

charge against him, and I have written to him that you have informed

me. Please let me know about your journey, what you intend to do and when.