Letter 123

I reached Brundisium on the 24th of November, enjoying your proverbial good luck at sea: so charmingly did the gentlest Onchesmites [the southeast wind off Onchesmus] blow upon us from Epirus. This spondaic line you may sell off as your own to whichever of our new-school poets you please. [2] Your health worries me greatly, for your letter shows that you really are in distress. And since I know how brave you are, I rather suspect there is something more serious that is forcing you to give in and is all but breaking you down. Yet your Pamphilus told me that one bout of the quartan fever has passed off, and that a second, milder one is coming on. Terentia, however, who reached the gate of Brundisium at the very moment I was entering the harbor, and met me in the forum, told me that L. Pontius had said to her at Trebula that this attack too had passed off. If that is so, it is what, by Hercules, I most wish for, and I trust that you have brought it about by your good sense and self-restraint. [3] I come to your letters, of which I received six hundred [a great many] all at one time, each more delightful than the last - those, that is, in your own hand. For I loved Alexis's hand, because it came so close to a likeness of yours, but I did not love the contents, because they showed that you were unwell. And since Alexis has been mentioned: I left Tiro sick at Patrae, a young man who, as you know (and add anything you like), is honest. I never saw a better. So I feel his absence keenly, and although he did not seem seriously ill, I am still anxious, and I place my greatest hope in the attentiveness of M'. Curius, about which Tiro wrote to me and many have reported. Curius himself perceived how much you wished him to be esteemed by me, and I have been thoroughly delighted by it. And by Hercules, there is in the man a native-born urbanity [autochthon in homine urbanitas - 'a homegrown courtesy in the man'] that makes him easy to like. I am carrying home his will, sealed with the seals of three Ciceros and of the praetorian cohort. He made you heir openly to a libella [one tenth], me to a terruncius [one fortieth]. At Actium in Corcyra Alexio entertained me lavishly. Q. Cicero could not be stopped from going to see the Thyamis [river]. [4] I am glad that your little daughter delights you, and that you are satisfied that affection toward one's children is natural [phusiken esse ten pros ta tekna - 'that the disposition toward one's children is natural']. For indeed, if this is not so, there can be no natural bond of man toward man; and once that is removed, the fellowship of life is destroyed. 'Good luck to it!' says Carneades, coarsely, but still more wisely than our friend Lucius and Patron, who, since they refer everything to themselves and never suppose that anything is done for another's sake, and who, while saying that a man ought to be good so as not to come to harm rather than because goodness is right by nature, fail to understand that they are speaking of a shrewd man, not of a good man. But these matters, I think, are in those books to which you, by your praise, have given me heart. [5] I return to business. How I was waiting for the letter you had given to Philoxenus! For you had written that it contained an account of Pompey's conversation at Naples. Patron delivered it to me at Brundisium; he had received it, I think, at Corcyra. Nothing could have been more delightful. For it was about the Republic, about the opinion that great man holds of my integrity, about the goodwill he displayed in the conversation he had concerning my triumph. But still, the most delightful thing was that I understood you had gone to him in order to gauge his feeling toward me. This, I tell you, was what I found most delightful. [6] As for the triumph, no desire for one ever held me until Bibulus's utterly shameless dispatches, which were followed by a most ample thanksgiving. If the deeds he wrote of had actually been done by him, I would rejoice and support the honor. But as it is, for him - who did not set a foot outside the gate as long as the enemy was this side of the Euphrates - to be honored, while I, on whose army his army placed its hope, fail to obtain the same, is a disgrace to us - to us, I say, joining you with me. So I shall try everything, and, as I hope, I shall succeed. If you were well, certain matters would already have been settled for me; but, as I hope, you will be well. [7] For the little debt to Numerius I am much obliged to you. I am eager to know what Hortensius has done, what Cato is doing - the man who has been shamefully malevolent toward me. He gave me testimony of integrity, justice, clemency, and good faith, which I was not seeking; what I was demanding, that he refused. And so Caesar, in that letter in which he congratulates me and promises everything, how he exults over the wrong done me by Cato, who is so utterly ungrateful toward me! Yet this same man voted Bibulus twenty days. Forgive me; I cannot bear these things, nor will I bear them. [8] I long to answer all your letters, but there is no need; for I shall see you soon. Still, that business about Chrysippus - for about that other fellow I was less astonished, a mere working man; and yet even in his case there was nothing more disgraceful. But Chrysippus, whom I gladly took to because of his little bit of learning, whom I held in honor - to think that he left the boy [young Cicero] without my knowledge! I pass over the other things I hear, and there are many; I pass over the thefts; but the desertion I cannot bear, and nothing has seemed to me more wicked. And so I have invoked that old precedent of Drusus, as they tell it, the praetor, in the case of a man who, though freed, would not swear to the same terms: I have declared that I never adjudged those fellows free, especially since there was no one present by whom they might be lawfully claimed [as free]. You will take this however it seems best to you; I shall agree with you. To one of your letters, the most eloquent of all, I have not replied - the one dealing with the dangers to the Republic. What should I reply? I was deeply disturbed. But the Parthians are seeing to it that I need not fear anything greatly, for they have suddenly left Bibulus half-dead [with fright].

I arrived at Brundisium on the 24th of November after enjoying your proverbial luck at sea: so fair for me "blew from Epirus the softest of breezes, Onchesmites." There, that verse with its spondaic ending you can pass off for your own on any of our new school of poets you like. Your health causes me great anxiety; for I see from your letter that you really suffer. But, knowing your spirit, I strongly suspect there is something serious which compels you to give in and nearly causes a breakdown, although your Pamphilus tells me that one fit of quartan has passed, and that a second and lighter attack is coming on. But Terentia (who reached Brundisium's gates as I reached the harbour, and met me in the forum) told me that L. Pontius had informed her at Trebula that the second attack also had abated. If that is so, my utmost hopes are realized, and I expect that consummation has been attained by your caution and moderate habits. I come to your letters, which have reached me in shoals, each more delightful than the last—I mean those in your own handwriting. I like Alexis' hand; it so closely resembles your own script; but there is one thing I do not like about it—it shows that you are ill. Talking of Alexis, I left Tiro sick at Patrae; he is, as you know, a young man, and you may add, if you like, an honest fellow. Nothing could be better than Tiro. So I miss him terribly, and, though he did not seem very bad, still I am anxious, and build great hopes on the care of M'. Curius, about which Tiro has written and many people have told me. Curius himself was aware of your desire that he should win my esteem: and I am greatly charmed with him. Indeed he is one of nature's gentlemen, whom it is easy to like. I carry home his will sealed with the seals of three of my family and of the praetor's staff. In the presence of witnesses he made you heir to a tenth of his estate and me to a fortieth. At Actium in Corcyra Alexio made me a splendid present. Q. Cicero could not be stopped from seeing the river Thyamis. I am glad you take delight in your baby daughter, and have satisfied yourself that a desire for children is natural. For, if it is not, there can be no natural tie between man and man; remove that tie, and social life is destroyed. "Heaven bless the consequence," says Carneades naughtily, but with more wisdom than our philosophers Lucius and Patron, who in sticking to selfish hedonism and denying altruism, and saying that man must be virtuous for fear of the consequences of vice and not because virtue is an end in itself, fail to see that they are describing a type not of goodness but of craftiness. But these points, I think, are handled in the volumes you have encouraged me by praising. I return to business. How I looked for the letter you said was entrusted to Philoxenus! For it was to contain news of Pompey's talk at Naples. Patron handed it to me at Brundisium. It was at Corcyra, I fancy, he had taken charge of it. Nothing could be more delightful. It touched on politics, the great man's opinion of my honour, the kindliness he displayed in his remarks about my triumph. But the most delightful item of all was the intelligence that you had called on him to find out his feeling towards me. This, I repeat, was what I found most delightful. As for a triumph, I had no desire for one up to the time Bibulus sent his shameless despatches and got a thanksgiving voted in the most complimentary way. Now, if he had done what he professed to have done, I should have been glad and supported the honour; but, as it is, it is a disgrace to us—to both of us: for I include you in the business—that I, on whose army his army relied, should not get the same rewards as a man who never set foot outside the city gates so long as there was an enemy this side of Euphrates. Therefore I shall make every effort, and, as I hope, shall succeed. If you were well, some points would have been settled already; but I hope you will soon be well. For that twopenny debt to Numerius I am much bounden to you. I long to know what Hortensius has done about my triumph and what Cato is doing. Cato's behaviour to me was shamefully spiteful. He gave me a character for rectitude, equity, clemency, and good faith, for which I did not ask; what I did want, that he denied me. Accordingly in his letter of congratulation and lavish assurances, how Caesar exults over the wrong Cato did me by his deep ingratitude! Yet Cato voted Bibulus a twenty days' festival. Forgive me, I cannot and I will not bear it. I long to answer all your letters; but there is no need, for soon I shall see you. Still I must tell you about Chrysippus—the conduct of that other fellow, a mere mechanic, excites my surprise less, though it could not have been more scandalous. But Chrysippus, whom I was always glad to see and held in honour, because he had a smattering of culture, fancy him deserting my son without my knowledge! I can put up with other things, though I hear of plenty, I can even put up with embezzlement; but I cannot put up with his flight. It is the most scandalous thing I ever heard of. So I have taken a leaf from Drusus' book, when, in his praetorship, as the story goes, a man, who had been manumitted, refused to take the oaths he had promised: and I have denied that those fellows ever were freed by me, especially as there were no legal witnesses to the transaction. Take it any way you will: I will abide by your decision. The only one of your letters, which I have not answered, is the most eloquent of them all, dealing with the country's peril. I have no answer to make: I am very much upset. But the Parthians, whose sudden retreat left Bibulus half dead with fright, have taught me not to be much alarmed at anything.

Brundisium venimus vii Kalend. Decembr. usi tua felicitate navigandi; ita belle nobis flavit ab Epiro lenissimus Onchesmites. hunc spondeiazonta si cui voles ton neoteron pro tuo vendito. [2] valetudo tua me valde conturbat; significant enim tuae litterae te prorsus laborare. ego autem, cum sciam quam sis fortis, vehementius esse quiddam suspicor quod te cogat cedere et prope modum infringat. etsi alteram quartanam Pamphilus tuus mihi dixit decessisse et alteram leviorem accedere. Terentia vero, quae quidem eodem tempore ad portam Brundisinam venit quo ego in portum mihique obvia in foro fuit, L. Pontium sibi in Trebulano dixisse narrabat etiam eam decessisse. quod si ita est, (est) quod maxime me hercule opto idque spero tua prudentia et temperantia te consecutum. [3] venio ad epistulas tuas; quas ego sescentas uno tempore accepi, aliam alia iucundiorem, quae quidem erant tua manu. nam Alexidis manum amabam quod tam prope accedebat ad similitudinem tuae, litteras non amabam quod indicabant te non valere. cuius quoniam mentio facta est, Tironem Patris aegrum reliqui, adulescentem, ut nosti (et adde, si quid vis), probum. nihil vidi melius. itaque careo aegre et, quamquam videbatur se non graviter habere, tamen sum sollicitus maximamque spem habeo in M'. Curi diligentia de qua ad me scripsit Tiro et multi nuntiarunt. Curius autem ipse sensit quam tu velles se a me diligi et eo sum admodum delectatus. et me hercule est quam facile diligas autochthon in homine urbanitas. eius testamentum deporto trium Ciceronum signis obsignatum cohortisque praetoriae. fecit palam te ex libella, me ex terruncio. in Actio Corcyrae Alexio me opipare muneratus est. Q. Ciceroni obsisti non potuit quo minus Thyamim videret. [4] filiola tua te delectari laetor et probari tibi phusiken esse ten pros ta tekna. etenim si haec non est, nulla potest homini esse ad hominem naturae adiunctio; qua sublata vitae societas tollitur. 'bene eveniat!' inquit Carneades spurce sed tamen prudentius quam Lucius noster et Patron qui, cum omnia ad se referant, (numquam) quicquam alterius causa fieri putent et, cum ea re bonum virum oportere esse dicant ne malum habeat non quo id natura rectum sit, non intellegant se de callido homine loqui non de bono viro. sed haec, opinor, sunt in iis libris quos tu laudando animos mihi addidisti. [5] redeo ad rem. quo modo exspectabam epistulam quam Philoxeno dedisses! scripseras enim in ea esse de sermone Pompei Neapolitano. eam mihi Patron Brundisi reddidit; Corcyrae, ut opinor, acceperat. nihil potuit esse iucundius. erat enim de re publica, de opinione quam is vir haberet integritatis meae, de benevolentia quam ostendit eo sermone quem habuit de triumpho. sed tamen hoc iucundissimum quod intellexi te ad eum venisse ut eius animum erga me perspiceres. hoc mihi, inquam, accidit iucundissimum. [6] de triumpho autem nulla me cupiditas umquam tenuit ante Bibuli impudentissimas litteras quas amplissime supplicatio consecuta est. A quo si ea gesta essent quae scripsit, gauderem et honori faverem; nunc illum qui pedem porta quoad hostis cis Euphratem fuit non extulerit honore augeri, me in cuius exercitu spem illius exercitus habuit idem non adsequi dedecus est nostrum, nostrum, inquam, te coniungens. itaque omnia experiar et, ut spero, adsequar. quod si tu valeres, iam mihi quaedam explorata essent; sed, ut spero, valebis. [7] de raudusculo Numeriano multum te amo. Hortensius quid egerit aveo scire, Cato quid agat; qui quidem in me turpiter fuit malevolus. dedit integritatis, iustitiae, clementiae, fidei mihi testimonium quod non quaerebam; quod postulabam id negavit. itaque Caesar iis litteris quibus mihi gratulatur et omnia pollicetur quo modo exsultat Catonis in me ingratissimi iniuria! at hic idem Bibulo dierum xx. ignosce mihi; non possum haec ferre nec feram. [8] cupio ad omnis tuas epistulas, sed nihil necesse est; iam enim te videbo. illud tamen de Chrysippo— nam de altero illo minus sum admiratus, operario homine; sed tamen ne illo quidem quicquam improbius. Chrysippum vero quem ego propter litterularum nescio quid libenter vidi, in honore habui discedere a puero insciente me! Mitto alia quae audio multa, mitto furta; fugam non fero qua mihi nihil visum est sceleratius. itaque usurpavi vetus illud Drusi, ut ferunt, praetoris in eo qui eadem liber non iuraret, me istos liberos non addixisse, praesertim cum adesset nemo a quo recte vindicarentur. id tu, ut videbitur, ita accipies; ego tibi adsentiar. uni tuae disertissimae epistulae non rescripsi in qua est de periculis rei publicae. quid rescriberem? valde eram perturbatus. sed ut nihil magno opere metuam Parthi faciunt qui repente Bibulum semivivum reliquerunt.