Letter 74

If perhaps letters reach you less often from me than from everyone else, I ask you to attribute it not to any negligence on my part, nor even to my being busy; for though I am extremely busy, no pressure of work can ever be so great as to interrupt the course of our affection and of my obligations to you. For since I came to Rome, this is now the second time I have been informed that there was someone to whom I could give a letter, and so this is the second I have sent. In the earlier one I described to you what my homecoming had been like, what my situation was, and how all my affairs stood: in prosperity precarious, in adversity sound. [2] After that letter was sent, there followed a tremendous struggle over my house. I spoke before the pontiffs on the 29th of September. The matter was handled by me with great care, and if ever I have amounted to anything in speaking, or even if I never have on any other occasion, then surely the magnitude of my grief lent me a certain force of eloquence. And so the speech cannot be denied to the rising generation of our young men; I will send it to you soon, even if you do not ask for it. [3] When the pontiffs had decreed as follows -- THAT IF NEITHER BY ORDER OF THE PEOPLE NOR BY VOTE OF THE PLEBS THE MAN WHO CLAIMED TO HAVE PERFORMED THE DEDICATION HAD BEEN APPOINTED BY NAME TO TAKE CHARGE OF THAT MATTER, AND IF HE HAD NOT BEEN ORDERED TO DO IT BY ORDER OF THE PEOPLE OR BY VOTE OF THE PLEBS, THEN IT APPEARED THAT THAT PART OF THE SITE COULD BE RESTORED TO ME WITHOUT RELIGIOUS OBSTACLE -- congratulations were offered to me at once; for no one doubted that the house had been adjudged to me. But suddenly that fellow [Clodius] mounted the platform at a public meeting that Appius had granted him. He announced to the people that the pontiffs had already decided in his favor, but that I was attempting to take possession by force; he urged them to follow himself and Appius and to defend their Liberty by force. At this, when even those lowest sorts of people were partly astonished and partly laughing at the man's madness, I resolved not to approach the place until the consuls, in accordance with a decree of the senate, had let out the contract for restoring the Portico of Catulus. [4] On the 1st of October a crowded meeting of the senate was held. All the pontiffs who were senators were summoned. Of these Marcellinus, who was most devoted to me, being asked his opinion first, inquired what they had been guided by in making their decree. Then Marcus Lucullus replied, on behalf of the opinion of all his colleagues, that the pontiffs had been judges of the religious question, but that the senate was judge of the legal question; that he and his colleagues had decided about the religious aspect, and would decide about the legal aspect in the senate together with the senate. And so each of them, being asked his opinion in his turn, argued at length in favor of my cause. When it came to Clodius, he was eager to use up the whole day, and no end was put to his speech; but nevertheless, when he had spoken for nearly three hours, he was at last forced by the hatred and uproar of the senate to bring his speech to a close. When a decree of the senate was being passed in accordance with Marcellinus' motion, with everyone assenting except one, Serranus interposed his veto. On the question of the veto both consuls at once began to take a vote. When opinions of the weightiest kind were being delivered -- that it was the senate's pleasure that my house be restored to me, that the Portico of Catulus be contracted for, that the authority of the order be defended by all the magistrates if any violence were done, and that the senate would judge that any such act had been brought about by the doing of the man who had vetoed the decree of the senate -- Serranus took fright, and Cornicinus returned to his old play-acting: he threw off his toga and cast himself at the feet of his son-in-law. Serranus demanded a night to consider. They would not grant it, for they remembered the first of January. At last, with difficulty, the concession was made to him out of regard for my wishes. [5] On the next day the decree of the senate was passed which I have sent to you. Then the consuls let out the contract for restoring the Portico of Catulus; the contractors immediately demolished that portico, to everyone's great delight. As for me, the consuls, on the advice of an advisory board, assessed the structure of my house at two million sesterces, but everything else very illiberally: my Tusculan villa at five hundred thousand, my Formian villa at two hundred and fifty thousand sesterces. This assessment is sharply criticized not only by all the best men but even by the common people. You will say: 'What then was the reason for it?' They themselves indeed say it was my modesty -- because I neither refused nor pressed my demand too vehemently; but that is not it; for that would actually have worked in my favor. But the truth is, my dear Titus Pomponius -- those very same men, I say, whom not even you fail to recognize, who had clipped my wings, do not wish the same wings to grow back. But, as I hope, they are now growing back. Only do you come to us; I fear you may do this too slowly because of the intervention of your Varro and mine [Marcus Terentius Varro]. [6] Since you now have what has been done, learn about the rest of my thinking. I have allowed myself to be made a legate to Pompey on the condition that I be hampered by nothing. For unless I wished to keep it open to me to stand for office, in case the next consuls should hold elections for the censorship, I would have taken up a votive legation [a nominal diplomatic post to discharge a vow] to nearly all the temples and sacred groves; for this is what my calculations of my own advantage required. But I wanted to have it in my own power either to stand for office or to leave the city at the beginning of summer, and meanwhile I did not think it amiss to keep myself before the eyes of the citizens who have deserved so well of me. [7] And such, indeed, are my plans regarding public affairs; but in domestic matters they are very much hampered. My house is being built -- you know at what expense, with what trouble; my Formian villa is being restored, which I can neither bring myself to abandon nor to look at; my Tusculan place I have advertised for sale; a suburban residence I can easily do without. The generosity of my friends has been exhausted on that affair which had nothing in it but disgrace -- something which you, though absent, perceived, and I, who was present, felt; and with their zeal and their resources I would easily have achieved everything, if it had been permitted by my own defenders. On this score I am now in great difficulty. The other things that trouble me are mustikotera [too secret to put in writing]. I am loved by my brother and by my daughter. We await you.

If I am a less regular correspondent than others, please do not lay it to my carelessness or to my business either; for, though I am extraordinarily busy, no press of work could be sufficient to break the course of our affection or of my duty to you. Since I have come to Rome, this is the second time that I have heard of a messenger, and so this is the second letter I send. In my former I described the sort of return I had, my position and the state of all my affairs: After I sent that letter, there followed a great fight about my house. I delivered a speech before the pontifices on the 29th of September. I bestowed great pains on the matter, and, if ever I had any oratorical ability, or even if I never had before, on that occasion at any rate, my great indignation lent some vigour to my style. So its publication is a debt which I must not leave unpaid to the rising generation: and to you I will send it very soon, whether you want it or not. The pontifices decreed that “if the party alleging that he had dedicated had not been appointed by name either by order of the people or vote of the plebs, and if he had not been commanded to do so, either by order of the people or by vote of the plebs then it appeared that that part of the site might be restored to me without sacrilege,” I was congratulated at once, everybody thinking that the house had been adjudged to me. But all of a sudden up gets a man to speak, at Appius’ invitation, and announces that the pontifices have decided in his favour and I am trying to take possession by force: he exhorts them to follow him and Appius and defend their shrine of Liberty. Thereupon, though even those pliable persons were partly lost in wonder and partly laughing at the man’s folly, I determined not to go near the place until the consuls by decree of the Senate had given out the contract for restoring the porch of Catulus. On the first of October there was a full meeting of the Senate. All the pontifices who were senators were summoned: and Marcellinus, a strong partisan of mine, being called upon first for his opinion, asked them what was the purport of their decree. Then M. Lucullus speaking for all his colleagues answered, that the pontifices had to decide points of religion and the Senate points of law: he and his colleagues had settled the religious point and now in the Senate they would join the other senators in settling the legal point. Accordingly as each of them was called upon in his turn, he delivered a long speech in my favour. When it came to Clodius, he wanted to waste the whole day and spoke on endlessly, but at last, after speaking for nearly three hours, he was forced by the indignant outcry of the Senate to wind up his speech. A decree was passed in accordance with Marcellinus’ proposal with only one dissentient voice: and then Serranus put his veto on it. Both consuls at once referred the veto to the Senate, and many resolute speeches were delivered: “that the Senate approved of the restitution of my house,” “that a contract should be drawn up for the portico of Catulus,” “that the Senate’s resolution should be supported by all the magistrates,” “that if any violence occurred, the Senate would hold him responsible who had vetoed its decree.” Serranus showed the white feather and Cornicinus played the same old farce: he threw off his toga and flung himself at his son-in-law’s feet. Serranus demanded a night to think it over. They would not grant it, remembering the first of January. At last with my consent the concession was unwillingly made. On the next day the decree which I send was passed. Then the consuls gave out the contract for the restoration of the portico of Catulus; and the contractors immediately pulled down that portico of his to everybody’s satisfaction. The consuls valued my house at nearly £18,000 at their assessor’s advice: and the other things very stingily—my Tusculan villa at £4,400 and my Formian at £2,200. This estimate was violently decried not only by all the conservative party, but by the people too. If you ask me the reason, they say it was my bashfulness, as I did not refuse or make pressing demands. But that is not the reason; for that in itself would have counted for me. But the fact is, my dear Pomponius, those very same men—you know quite well who I mean—who cut my wings, do not wish them to grow again. But I hope they are growing. Do you only come to me. But I fear you may be delayed by the visit of your and my friend Varro. There you have all that has happened. Now you shall dip into my thoughts. I have let myself be appointed legate to Pompey with a reservation that it should not hamper me at all. If I did not want to have a free hand to stand for the censorship, if the next consuls hold a censorial election, I would have taken a votive commission to nearly any shrines or groves. For that was what suited my idea of my interests best. But I wanted to be free either to stand for election or to quit the city at the beginning of summer and meanwhile I thought it good policy to keep myself before the eyes of the citizens who have treated me well. As regards public affairs those are my plans: but my private affairs are in a horrible muddle. My house is being built and you know the expense and the bother it entails: my Formian villa is being restored, though I cannot bring myself either to abandon it or to look at it. My house at Tusculum I have put up for sale: I can easily do without a suburban residence. My friends’ benevolence has been exhausted in what has brought nothing but dishonour: this you saw, though you were absent, and so do I who am on the spot: and I might have obtained all I wanted easily from their efforts and their wealth, if my champions had allowed it. In this respect I am now in sore straits. My other anxieties may not be rashly mentioned. My brother and daughter are devoted to me. I am looking forward to your coming.

si forte rarius tibi a me quam a ceteris litterae redduntur peto a te ut id non modo neglegentiae meae sed ne occupationi quidem tribuas; quae etsi summa est, tamen nulla esse potest tanta ut interrumpat iter amoris nostri et offici mei. nam ut veni Romam, iterum nunc sum certior factus esse cui darem litteras; itaque has alteras dedi. prioribus tibi declaravi adventus noster qualis fuisset et quis esset status atque omnes res nostrae quem ad modum essent, Vt in secundis fluxae, ut in advorsis bonae. [2] post illas datas litteras secuta est summa contentio de domo. diximus apud pontifices pr. Kal. Octobris. Acta res est accurate a nobis et, si umquam in dicendo fuimus aliquid aut etiam si numquam alias fuimus, tum profecto doloris magnitudo vim quandam nobis dicendi dedit. itaque oratio iuventuti nostrae deberi non potest; quam tibi, etiam si non desideras, tamen mittam cito. [3] Cum pontifices decressent ita, SI NEQVE POPVLI IVSSV NEQVE PLEBIS SCITV IS QVI SE DEDICASSE DICERET NOMINATIM EI REI PRAEFECTVS ESSET NEQVE POPVLI IVSSV AUT PLEBIS SCITV ID FACERE IVSSVS ESSET VIDERI, POSSE SINE RELIGIONE EAM PARTEM AREAE MIHI RESTITVI, mihi facta statim est gratulatio; nemo enim dubitabat quin domus nobis esset adiudicata; cum subito ille in contionem escendit quam Appius ei dedit. nuntiat iam populo pontifices secundum se decrevisse, me autem vi conari in possessionem venire; hortatur ut se et Appium sequantur et suam libertatem vi defendant. hic cum etiam illi infimi partim admirarentur partim inriderent hominis amentiam, ego statuerem illuc non accedere nisi cum consules ex senatus consulto porticum Catuli restituendam locassent Kal Octobr. habetur senatus frequens. [4] adhibentur omnes pontifices qui erant senatores. A quibus Marcellinus, qui erat cupidissimus mei, sententiam primus rogatus quaesivit quid essent in decernendo secuti. tum M. Lucullus de omnium conlegarum sententia respondit religionis iudices pontifices fuisse, legis esse senatum; se et conlegas suos de religione statuisse, in senatu de lege statuturos cum senatu. itaque sub quisque horum loco sententiam rogatus multa secundum causam nostram disputavit. Cum ad Clodium ventum est, cupiit diem consumere neque ei finis est factus, sed tamen cum horas tris fere dixisset, odio et strepitu senatus coactus est aliquando perorare. Cum fieret senatus consultum in sententiam Marcellini omnibus praeter unum adsentientibus, Serranus (intercessit. de) intercessione statim ambo consules referre coeperunt. Cum sententiae gravissimae dicerentur, senatui placere mihi domum restitui, porticum Catuli locari, auctoritatem ordinis ab omnibus magistratibus defendi si quae vis esset facta, senatum existimaturum eius opera factum esse qui senatus consulto intercessisset, Serranus pertimuit et Cornicinus ad suam veterem fabulam rediit; abiecta toga se ad generi pedes abiecit. ille noctem sibi postulavit. non concedebant, reminiscebantur enim Kal. Ianuar. vix tandem tibi de mea voluntate concessum est. [5] postridie senatus consultum factum est id quod ad te misi. deinde consules porticum Catuli restituendam locarunt; illam porticum redemptores statim sunt demoliti libentissimis omnibus. nobis superficiem aedium consules de consili sententia aestimarunt sestertio viciens, cetera valde inliberaliter, Tusculanam villam quingentis milibus, Formianum HS ducentis quinquaginta milibus. quae aestimatio non modo vehementer ab optimo quoque sed etiam a plebe reprehenditur. dices: 'quid igitur causae fuit?' dicunt illi quidem pudorem meum, quod neque negarim neque vehementius postularim; sed non est id; nam hoc quidem etiam profuisset; verum iidem, mi T. Pomponi, iidem inquam illi quos ne tu quidem ignoras qui mihi pinnas inciderant nolunt easdem renasci. sed, ut spero, iam renascuntur. tu modo ad nos veni; quod vereor ne tardius interventu Varronis tui nostrique facias. [6] quoniam acta quae sint habes, de reliqua nostra cogitatione cognosce. ego me a Pompeio legari ita sum passus ut nulla re impedirer. quod nisi vellem mihi esset integrum ut, si comitia censorum proximi consules haberent, petere possem, votivam legationem sumpsissem prope omnium fanorum, lucorum; sic enim nostrae rationes utilitatis meae postulabant. sed volui meam potestatem esse vel petendi vel ineunte aestate exeundi et interea me esse in oculis civium de me optime meritorum non alienum putavi. [7] ac forensium quidem rerum haec nostra consilia sunt, domesticarum autem valde impedita. domus aedificatur, scis quo sumptu, qua molestia; reficitur Formianum, quod ego nec relinquere possum nec videre; Tusculanum proscripsi; suburbano facile careo. amicorum benignitas exhausta est in ea re quae nihil habuit praeter dedecus, quod sensisti tu absens (nos) praesentes; quorum studiis ego et copiis, si esset per meos defensores licitum, facile essem omnia consecutus. quo in genere nunc vehementer laboratur. cetera quae me sollicitant mustikotera sunt. amamur a fratre et a filia. (te) exspectamus.