Cicero Letters to Atticus, Vol. 2 of 3 65

Cicero Letters to Atticus, Vol. 2 of 3 65

video non esse, sed, si quid ex eventis, ut hoc nunc accidit. Dicebar

debuisse cum Pompeio proficisci. Exitus illius minuit eius officii

praetermissi reprehensionem. Sed ex omnibus nihil magis tamem

desideratur, quam quod in Africam non ierim. Iudicio hoc sum usus, non

esse barbaris auxiliis fallacissimae gentis rem publicam defendendam,

praesertim contra exercitum saepe victorem, Non probant fortasse;

multos enim viros bonos in Africam venisse audio et scio fuisse antea.

Valde hoc loco urgeor. Hic quoque opus est casu, ut aliqui sint ex

eis, aut, si potest, omnes qui salutem anteponant. Nam, si perseverant

et obtinent, quid nobis futurum sit, vides. Dices: "Quid illis, si

victi erunt?" Honestior est plaga. Haec me excruciant. Sulpici autem

consilium non scripsisti cur meo non anteponeres. Quod etsi non tam

gloriosum est quam Catonis, tamen et periculo vacuum est et dolore.

Extremum est eorum, qui in Achaia sunt. Ei tamen ipsi se hoc melius

habent quam nos, quod et multi sunt uno in loco, et, cum in Italiam

venerint, domum statim venerint. Haec tu perge, ut facis, mitigare et

probare quam plurimis.

 

Quod te excusas, ego vero et tuas causas nosco et mea interesse puto te

istic esse, vel ut cum eis, quibus oportebit, agas, quae erunt agenda

de nobis,

 

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but if anything does turns up, as in this present case. It used to be

said that I ought to have gone with Pompey: but now his death tends to

absolve me from blame for neglecting my duty in that case. But where I

am thought to have been most lacking is in not going to Africa. My view

was that barbarian auxiliaries drawn from a most deceitful race were

not the proper persons to defend the State, especially against an army

which had won so many victories. That view may not meet with approval;

for I hear that many patriots have arrived in Africa, and I know there

were some there before. This is a point that really bothers me: and

here again I must trust to luck, that there may be some of them, or,

if such a thing is possible, all of them, who put safety first. For,

if they hold fast and succeed, you can see what a position I shall be

in. You will say "How about it, if they are defeated?" That is a more

honourable blow. This is what tortures me. However, you have not told

me why you do not prefer Sulpicius' policy to mine. It may not be so

glorious as Cato's: but it is at any rate free from danger and regret.

The last case is that of those who stayed in Achaia. Even they are in

a better position than I am, because there are many of them together,

and, when they do come to Italy, they will go straight home. Please

continue your efforts to ameliorate my position and to win over as many

people as possible to approval.

 

You explain why you do not come. Yes, I know your reasons and think it

is to my interest that you should stay where you are, for one thing

that you may be able to carry out any necessary negotiations about me

with the proper persons, as you have done.

 

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ut ea, quae egisti. In primisque hoc velim animadvertas. Multos esse

arbitror, qui ad Caesarem detulerint delaturive sint me aut paenitere

consilli mei aut non probare, quae fiant. Quorum etsi utrumque

verum est, tamen ab illis dicitur animo a me alienato, non quo ita

esse perspexerint. Sed totum in eo est, ut hoc Balbus sustineat et

Oppius, et eorum crebis litteris illius voluntas erga me confirmetur.

Et hoc plane ut fiat, diligentiam adhibeis. Alterum est, cur te

nolim discedere, quod scribis Tulliam te flagitare. O rem miseram!

quid scribam aut quid velim? Breve faciam, lacrimae enim se subito

profunderunt. Tibi permitto, tu consule; tantum vide, ne hoc tempore

isti obesse aliquid possit. Ignosce, obsecro te. Non possum prae fletu

et dolore diutius in hoc loco commorari. Tantum dicam, nihil mihi

gratius esse, quam quod eam diligis.

 

Quod litteras, quibus putas opus esse, curas dandas, facis commode.

Quintum filium vidi qui Sami vidisset, patrem Sicyone. Quorum

deprecatio est facilis. Utinam illi qui prius illum viderent, me apud

eum velint adiutum tantum, quantum ego illos vellem, si quid possem!

 

Quod rogas, ut in bonam partem accipiam, si qua sint in tuis litteris,

quae me mordeant, ego vero in optimam, teque rogo, ut aperte, quem ad

modum facis, scribas ad me omnia idque facias quam saepissime. Vale

XIIII K. Ian.

 

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And in the first place I should like to call your attention to this

point. I think there are many who have reported or will report to

Caesar either that I am repenting of my policy or that I do not approve

of recent events. Though both are true, they say it out of spite

against me, not because they have seen it to be so. Everything rests

on the support of Balbus and Oppius, and on their confirming Caesar's

good will to me by sending him frequent letters. Please do your best

to bring this about. The other reason why I prefer you not to leave is

that you say Tullia begs for your assistance. What a misfortune? What

can I say? What can I even wish? I will cut the matter short, for tears

spring to my eyes at once. I give you a free hand: do you look to it.

Only take care that nothing is done under the present circumstances to

offend the great man. I crave your pardon. Tears and sorrow prevent me

from dwelling any longer on this topic. I will only add that nothing

makes me feel more grateful to you than your love for her.

 

You are quite right to send letters for me to anyone to whom you think

it necessary. I have met a man who saw young Quintus at Samos and his

father at Sicyon. They will easily obtain their pardon. I only hope,

that, as they will see Caesar first, they will think fit to further my

case with him, as much as I should have furthered theirs, if I had been

able.

 

You ask me to take it in good part, if there is anything in your

letters that wounds my feelings. I promise you to take it in the best

possible part, and I beg you to write everything quite openly, as you

do, and to do so as often as possible. Farewell.

 

Dec. 17.

 

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Page 376

 

 

 

 

VIII

 

CICERO ATTICO SAL.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Scr. Brundisi XIII K. Ian. a. 706_]

 

Quantis curis conficiar, etsi profecto vides, tamen cognosces ex Lepta

et Trebatio. Maximas poenas pendo temeritatis meae, quam tu prudentiam

mihi videri vis; neque te deterreo, quo minus id disputes scribasque

ad me quam saepissime. Non nihil enim me levant tuae litterae hoc

tempore. Per eos, qui nostra causa volunt valentque apud illum,

diligentissime contendas opus est, per Balbum et Oppium maxime, ut

de me scribant quam diligentissime. Oppugnamur enim, ut audio, et a

praesentibus quibusdam et per litteras. Eis ita est occurrendum, ut

rei magnitudo postulat. Fufius est illic, mihi inimicissimus. Quintus

misit filium non solum sui deprecatorem, sed etiam accusatorem mei.

Dictitat se a me apud Caesarem oppugnari, quod refellit Caesar ipse

omnesque eius amici. Neque vero desistit, ubicumque est, omnia in me

maledicta conferre, Nihil mihi umquam tam incredibile accidit, nihil in

his malis tam acerbum. Qui ex ipso audissent, cum Sicyone palam multis

audientibus loqueretur nefaria quaedam, ad me pertulerunt. Nosti genus,

etiam expertus es fortasse. In me id est omne conversum. Sed augeo

commemorando dolorem et facio etiam tibi. Quare ad illud redeo. Cura,

ut huius rei causa dedita opera mittat

 

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Page 377

 

 

 

 

VIII

 

CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Brundisium Dec. 18_, B.C. _48_]

 

Though of course you see for yourself in what distress I am, you will

learn more about it from Lepta and Trebatius. I am paying very heavily

for my rashness, which you want to persuade me was prudence: and I

don't want to stop you arguing that it was and writing to me to that

effect as often as possible. For your letters afford me a good deal

of relief under the present circumstances. You must use your utmost

endeavour with those who are my supporters and have influence with

him--Balbus and Oppius especially--to make them write about me as

strongly as possible. For I hear that I am being attacked by some who

are with him, and also by letter. Their attack must be met, as the

importance of the matter demands. Fufius, a very bitter enemy of mine,

is there. Quintus sent his son not only to make peace for himself, but

to accuse me. He keeps saying that I am trying to set Caesar against

him, though Caesar and all his friends deny it. And he does not cease,

wherever he is, from heaping all sorts of abuse on me. It is the most

surprising thing that ever happened to me and the bitterest of all

my present sorrows. Those who reported the matter to me professed to

have heard it from his own lips, when he was slandering me at Sicyon

in the hearing of many. You know his way; indeed you may have had some

personal experience of it. Now it is all turned on me. But I increase

my own sorrow, and yours too, by speaking of it. So I return to my

first point. Take care that Balbus sends some one expressly

 

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aliquem Balbus. Ad quos videbitur, velim cures litteras meo nomine.

Vale. XIII Kal. Ian.

 

 

 

 

IX

 

CICERO ATTICO SAL.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Scr. Brundisi III Non. Ian. a. 707_]

 

Ego vero et incaute, ut scribis, et celerius, quam oportuit, feci, nec

in ulla sum spe, quippe qui exceptionibus edictorum retinear. Quae si

non essent sedulitate effectae et benevolentia tua, liceret mihi abire

in solitudines aliquas. Nunc ne id quidem licet. Quid autem me iuvat,

quod ante initum tribunatum veni, si ipsum, quod veni, nihil iuvat? Iam

quid sperem ab eo, qui mihi amicus numquam fuit, cum iam lege etiam sim

confectus et oppressus? Cotidie iam Balbi ad me litterae languidiores,

multaeque multorum ad illum fortasse contra me. Meo vitio pereo; nihil

mihi mali casus attulit, omnia culpa contracta sunt. Ego enim, cum

genus belli viderem, imparata et infirma omnia contra paratissimos,

statueram, quid facerem, ceperamque consilium non tam forte quam mihi

praeter ceteros concedendum. Cessi meis vel potius parui. Ex quibus

unus qua mente fuerit, is quem tu mihi commendas, cognosces ex ipsius

litteris, quas ad te et ad alios misit. Quas ego numquam aperuissem,

nisi res acta sic esset. Delatus est ad me fasciculus. Solvi, si quid

ad me esset litterarum. Nihil erat, epistula Vatinio et Ligurio altera. Iussi ad eos deferri. Illi ad me