Cicero Letters to Atticus, Vol. 2 of 3 52

Cicero Letters to Atticus, Vol. 2 of 3 52

VI

 

CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Cumae, April_, B.C. _49_]

 

So far nothing stops me beyond the weather. I am not going to play a

sharp game. Let what will happen in Spain, I have made up my mind to

go. My plans have all been unfolded to you in previous letters; so this

is a short one; also because I am in a hurry and rather busy.

 

As for young Quintus "surely I do my best,"[134] you

 

[134] Possibly a reference to Terence _Adelphi_ 44, "Fit sedulo, nihil

praetermitto, consuefacio."

 

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reliqua. Quod dein me mones, et amice et prudenter me mones, sed erunt

omnia facilia, si ab uno illo cavero. Magnum opus est, mirabilia multa,

nihil simplex, nihil sincerum. Vellem suscepisses iuvenem regendum;

pater enim nimis indulgens, quicquid ego adstrinxi, relaxat. Si sine

illo possem, regerem; quod tu potes. Sed ignosco; magnum, inquam, opus

est.

 

Pompeium pro certo habemus per Illyricum proficisci in Galliam. Ego

nunc, qua et quo, videbo.

 

 

 

 

VII

 

CICERO ATTICO SAL.

 

 

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

 

Ego vero Apuliam et Sipontum et tergiversationem istam probo, nec tuam

rationem eandem esse duco quam meam, non quin in re publica rectum idem

sit utrique nostrum, sed ea non agitur. Regnandi contentio est, in

qua pulsus est modestior rex et probior et integrior et is, qui nisi

vincit, nomen populi Romani deleatur necesse est, sin autem vincit,

Sullano more exemploque vincet. Ergo hac in contentione neutrum tibi

palam sentiendum et tempori serviendum est. Mea causa autem alia est,

quod beneficio vinctus ingratus esse non possum, nec tamen in acie me,

sed Melitae aut alio in loco simili futurum puto. "Nihil," inquies,

"iuvas eum, in quem

 

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know the rest. You go on to advise me, and you advise me like a

prudent friend; but all will be simple, if I beware of the youngster.

It is a big business; he is full of oddities and has no simplicity or

sincerity. I wish you had undertaken his training; for his father is

too kind. If I tighten the rein, he loosens it. If I could act without

his father, I could manage the youngster, as you can do. But I excuse

you. It is, as I say, a big business.

 

Pompey, I am certain, is marching through Illyricum into Gaul. By what

route and whither I am now to travel, I shall see.

 

 

 

 

VII

 

CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Cumae, April 22(?)_, B.C. _49_]

 

Yes, I think you are right to hedge, and stay in Apulia and Sipontum:

nor do I consider that your case is the same as mine. Of course in the

matter of the constitution the right course is the same for both of us:

but the constitution is not now in question. It is a struggle between

two kings, in which defeat has overtaken the more moderate king, the

one who is more upright and honest, the one whose failure means that

the very name of the Roman people must be wiped out, though, if he wins

the victory, he will use it after the manner and example of Sulla.

Therefore in a contest like this you must not openly express your

sentiments for either side, but must await the event. My case however

is different. I am under the bond of an obligation, and cannot show

ingratitude. But yet I do not fancy that I shall be found in the line

of battle, but at Malta or some other similar place. You may say I

 

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ingratus esse non vis?" Immo minus fortasse voluisset. Sed de hoc

videbimus; exeamus modo. Quod ut meliore tempore possimus, facit

Adriano mari Dolabella, Fretensi Curio.

 

Iniecta autem mihi spes quaedam est velle mecum Ser. Sulpicium

conloqui. Ad eum misi Philotimum libertum cum litteris. Si vir esse

volet, praeclara συνοδία, sin autem ----, erimus nos, qui solemus.

Curio mecum vixit, iacere Caesarem putans offensione populari

Siciliaeque diffidens, si Pompeius navigare coepisset.

 

Quintum puerum accepi vehementer. Avaritiam video fuisse et spem magni

congiarii. Magnum hoc malum est, sed scelus illud, quod timueramus,

spero nullum fuisse. Hoc autem vitium puto te existimare non a nostra

indulgentia, sed a natura profectum. Quem tamen nos disciplina regemus.

 

De Oppiis Veliensibus quid placeat, cum Philotimo videbis. Epirum

nostram putabimus, sed alios cursus videbamur habituri.

 

 

 

 

VIII

 

CICERO ATTICO SAL.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Scr. in Cumano VI Non. Mai. a. 705_]

 

Et res ipsa monebat, et tu ostenderas, et ego videbam de iis rebus,

quas intercipi periculosum esset, finem inter nos scribendi fieri

tempus esse. Sed, cum ad me saepe mea Tullia scribat orans, ut, quid in

Hispania geratur, exspectem, et semper

 

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do not help the man to whom I am loth to show ingratitude. No. Perhaps

he would have been glad if I had helped him less. But that we shall

see. Let me only get away. A fair opportunity is offered now that

Dolabella is in the Adriatic and Curio in the straits of Sicily.

 

I have conceived some hope that Servius Sulpicius wishes to see me. I

have dispatched Philotimus, my freedman, to him with a letter. If he

wishes to play the man, we shall have a fine time together. But if not,

well, I shall be my own old self. Curio stayed with me. He thinks that

Caesar is falling in popular esteem and he is mistrustful about going

to Sicily, if Pompey should begin a naval action.

 

The boy Quintus got it hot when he came. I see it was greed and the

hope of a large bounty. This is a great evil; but disloyalty, which I

feared, there was I hope none. But this flaw, I fancy you will gather,

did not proceed from my spoiling him, but from his own temperament.

Still, I must teach him discipline.

 

As to the Oppii of Velia, you will arrange with Philotimus as you think

fit. Your place in Epirus I shall regard as my own; but it seems I

shall go on another tack.

 

 

 

 

VIII

 

CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Cumae, May 2_, B.C. _49_]

 

Circumstances advise, you have pointed out, and I see for myself, that

it is time there was an end to our correspondence on topics which it

is dangerous to have intercepted: but since my daughter often writes

beseeching me to await the issue in Spain and

 

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adscribat idem videri tibi, idque ipse etiam ex tuis litteris

intellexerim, non puto esse alienum me ad te, quid de ea re sentiam,

scribere.

 

Consilium istud tunc esset prudens, ut mihi videtur, si nostras

rationes ad Hispaniensem casum accommodaturi essemus; quod fieri non

debet.[135] Necesse est enim aut, id quod maxime velim, pelli istum

ab Hispania, aut trahi id bellum, aut istum, ut confidere videtur,

apprehendere Hispanias. Si pelletur, quam gratus aut quam honestus tum

erit ad Pompeium noster adventus, cum ipsum Curionem ad eum transiturum

putem? Si trahitur bellum, quid exspectem aut quam diu? Relinquitur,

ut, si vincimur in Hispania, quiescamus. Id ego contra puto. Istum

enim victorem magis relinquendum puto quam victum, et dubitantem

magis quam fidentem suis rebus. Nam caedem video, si vicerit, et

impetum in privatorum pecunias et exsulum reditum et tabulas novas et

turpissimorum honores et regnum non modo Romano homini, sed ne Persae

quidem cuiquam tolerabile. Tacita esse poterit indignitas nostra? pati

poterunt oculi me cum Gabinio sententiam dicere, et quidem illum rogari

prius? praesto esse clientem tuum Clodium, C. Atei Plaguleium, ceteros?

Sed cur inimicos conligo, qui meos necessarios a me defensos nec videre

in curia sine dolore nec versari inter eos sine dedecore potero? Quid,

si ne id quidem est exploratum fore ut mihi liceat? Scribunt enim ad me

amici eius me illi nullo modo satis

 

[135] non debet _is omitted by the best MSS. and is probably only supplied by conjecture in P_.