Cicero Letters to Atticus, Vol. 2 of 3 60

Cicero Letters to Atticus, Vol. 2 of 3 60

Consilium nostrum spero vacuum periculo fore. Nam et dissimulavimus,

et, ut opinor, non acerrime adservabimur. Navigatio modo sit, qualem

opto, cetera, quae quidem consilio provideri poterunt, cavebuntur. Tu,

dum adsumus, non modo quae scies audierisve, sed etiam quae futura

providebis, scribas velim.

 

Cato, qui Siciliam tenere nullo negotio potuit (et, si tenuisset, omnes

boni ad eum se contulissent), Syracusis profectus est ante diem VIII K.

Mai., ut ad me

 

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XVI

 

CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Cumae, May 14_, B.C. _49_]

 

I had just sent a letter to you about a number of matters, when very

early in the morning Dionysius came to my house. I should not only

have been civil to him, I should have pardoned him altogether, if he

had come in the spirit you described. For the letter I got at Arpinum

said that he was coming and would do whatever I wanted; and I wanted or

rather longed that he should be with me. It was because he had flatly

refused to do so, when he came to my villa at Formiae, I used to write

to you about him rather bitterly. However, after the first greeting,

he said, to put it shortly, that I must excuse him and that business

prevented his going with me. I said little in reply, but I was greatly

hurt, for I understood that he looked down on my fortunes. You may be

astonished, but you must know that this is one of the greatest sorrows

I have suffered in this crisis. I hope that he may be a friend to you.

When I wish that, I wish you prosperity, for just so long he will be

your friend.

 

My plan, I hope, will be free from risk, for I have kept the matter a

secret, and, as I think, I shall not be watched very keenly. Only let

the voyage be as good as I want, and all precautions that foresight can

suggest will be taken. While I am here, please write not only anything

you know or hear, but even what you foresee.

 

Cato, who could have held Sicily without any trouble--and, if he had

held it, all loyalists would have flocked to him--sailed from Syracuse

on the

 

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Curio scripsit. Utinam, quod aiunt, Cotta Sardiniam teneat! est enim

rumor. O, si id fuerit, turpem Catonem!

 

Ego, ut minuerem suspicionem profectionis aut cogitationis meae,

profectus sum in Pompeianum a. d. IIII Idus, ut ibi essem, dum,

quae ad navigandum opus essent, pararentur. Cum ad villam venissem,

relatum[160] est ad me centuriones trium cohortium, quae Pompeiis sunt,

me velle postridie convenire. Haec mecum Ninnius noster, velle eos mihi

se et oppidum tradere. At ego abii postridie a villa ante lucem, ut me

omnino illi ne viderent. Quid enim erat in tribus cohortibus? quid,

si plures? quo apparatu? Cogitavi eadem illa Caeliana, quae legi in

epistula tua, quam accepi, simul et in Cumanum veni eodem die, et simul

fieri poterat, ut temptaremur. Omnem igitur suspicionem sustuli. Sed,

dum redeo, Hortensius venerat et ad Terentiam salutatum deverterat.

Sermone erat usus honorifico erga me. Iam eum, ut puto, videbo; misit

enim puerum se ad me venire. Hoc quidem melius quam collega noster

Antonius, cuius inter lictores lectica mima portatur.

 

[160] relatum _Müller_: ventum _MSS._

 

Tu, quoniam quartana cares et novum morbum removisti, sed etiam

gravedinem, teque vegetum nobis in Graecia siste et litterarum aliquid

interea.

 

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23rd of April, as Curio has informed me by letter. I only hope Cotta

may hold Sardinia, as they say, for there is a rumour to that effect.

If that happens, what a reflection of Cato!

 

To lessen suspicion of my journey and intentions I started for my

place at Pompeii on the 12th of May to stay there while the necessary

provisions were made for my voyage. When I arrived, I was told the

centurions of the three cohorts here wished to visit me the next day.

That was what my friend Ninnius said--that they wished to hand over

themselves and the town to me. But I left the next morning before

daybreak, so that they should not see me at all: for what was the

use of three cohorts, or more indeed? And what was our equipment?

I pondered too over the matter of Caelius when I read it in your

letter, which I received on the same day as I arrived at Cumae. It was

possible too that it was a mere ruse, so I did away with all grounds

of suspicion. But, while I was on my way back, Hortensius came, and

turned out of his way to greet Terentia, and he had spoken of me with

much courtesy. I think I shall see him soon, for he has sent a servant

to announce his coming. This is better behaviour than that of my fellow

augur Antony, who carries an actress in a sedan among his lictors.

 

As you have lost your quartan fever and have not only thrown off your

new malady but also your cold, you must present yourself before me

sound and fit in Greece. Meanwhile drop me a line.

 

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XVII

 

CICERO ATTICO SAL.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Scr. in Cumano XVII K. Iun. a. 705_]

 

Pr. Idus Hortensius ad me venit seripta epistula. Vellem cetera eius!

quam in me incredibilem ἐκτένειαν! Qua quidem cogito uti. Deinde

Serapion cum epistula tua. Quam priusquam aperuissem, dixi ei te ad

me de eo scripsisse antea, ut feceras. Deinde epistula lecta[161]

cumulatissime cetera. Et hercule hominem probo; nam et doctum et probum

existimo; quin etiam navi eius me et ipso convectore usurum puto.

 

[161] lecta _Manutius_: scripta _MSS._

 

Crebro refricat lippitudo non illa quidem perodiosa, sed tamen quae

impediat scriptionem meam. Valetudinem tuam iam confirmatam esse et a

vetere morbo et a novis temptationibus gaudeo.

 

Ocellam vellem haberemus; videntur enim esse haec paulo faciliora

futura. Nunc quidem aequinoctium nos moratur, quod valde perturbatum

erat. Id si transierit,[162] utinam idem maneat Hortensius! si quidem,

ut adhuc erat, liberalius esse nihil potest.

 

[162] transierit _Ziehen_: cras erit _MSS._: ἀκραὲς erit _Bosius_.

 

De diplomate admiraris quasi nescio cuius te flagitii insimularim.

Negas enim te reperire, qui mihi id in mentem venerit. Ego autem,

quia scripseras te proficisci cogitare (etenim audieram nemini aliter

licere), eo te habere censebam, et quia pueris diploma sumpseras. Habes

causam opinionis meae. Et tamen

 

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XVII

 

CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Cumae, May 16_, B.C. _49_]

 

On the 14th of May Hortensius came to me, just as I had written my

letter. I wish his conduct were always as it is now.[163] You would

never believe how gushing he was, and I intend to take advantage of it.

Then Serapion came with a letter from you. Before I opened it, I told

him that you had written to me about him before, as you had done. Then

when I had read the letter, I told him the rest in full detail, and

upon my word I like the man; for I think him to be learned and upright.

Moreover I think I will use his ship and make him my fellow-passenger.

 

[163] Or "I wish he would always confine himself to writing." But the

passage may be corrupt.

 

Inflammation of the eyes often breaks out again, not indeed very

troublesome, but enough to prevent my writing. That your health has

recovered from your old complaint and your new attacks I am glad.

 

I wish I had Ocella here: for it looks as if things are going to be

rather easier. Just now the equinox is delaying me. It has been very

boisterous. When that is over, I only hope Hortensius may keep to the

same mind. So far he could not be more generous.

 

You wonder about the passport I mentioned, as if I hinted you were

guilty of some crime. You say you can't discover how it came into my

mind. For my part since you wrote that you meditated leaving, and I had

heard that a passport was indispensable, I decided you must have one:

and also because you had taken out a passport for the boys. That was the reason for my opinion, but please write and tell me velim scire, quid cogites, in primisque, si quid etiam nunc novi est. XVII K. Iun.