Marcus Tullius Cicero→Publius Cornelius Lentulus Spinther|c. 58 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Cilicia|AI-assisted
On January 15, when we were making an excellent stand in the Senate, after defeating Bibulus's motion about the three envoys the day before, and when only the contest with Volcatius's motion remained, our opponents dragged the matter out with various evasions. In a full Senate, and amid great resentment against those who were trying to transfer the royal affair away from you, we were carrying our point.
That day Curio was sharply against us, while Bibulus was much fairer, almost friendly. Caninius and Cato said they would bring forward no law before the elections. Under the Pupian law, as you know, the Senate cannot meet before February 1, nor during the whole of February unless the business of embassies has first been completed or postponed.
Still, this is the Roman people's view: your enemies and detractors introduced the name of a fictitious religious objection, not so much to block you as to prevent anyone from wanting to go to Alexandria for the sake of commanding an army. Yet everyone thinks the Senate took account of your dignity. No one is unaware that it was your opponents who prevented a formal division. If they now try anything under the name of the people, but in truth through the most criminal violence, I have taken good care that they will not be able to do it without violating the auspices or the laws, or using open force.
I do not think I need write about either my own zeal or the injuries done by certain men. Why should I display my own effort, when even if I shed my blood for your standing I would think I had repaid not a tenth of your services to me? And why complain of others' misconduct, when I cannot do so without deep pain?
I cannot make promises about the effect of open violence, especially with magistrates so weak. But if open violence is excluded, I can assure you that you will keep your high standing, if the warm affection of both the Senate and the Roman people can secure it.
XCVII (Fam. I, 4) TO P. LENTULUS SPINTHER (IN CILICIA) ROME, JANUARY: Though in the senate of the 15th of January we made a most glorious stand, seeing that on the previous day we had defeated the proposal of Bibulus about the three legates, and the only contest left was with the proposal of Volcatius , yet the business was spun out by our opponents by various obstructive tactics. For we were carrying our view in a full senate, in spite of the multifarious devices and inveterate jealousy of those who were for transferring the cause of the king from you to some one else. That day we found Curio very bitterly opposed, Bibulus much more fair, almost friendly even. Caninius and Cato declared that they would not propose any law before the elections. By thelex Pupia, as you know, no senate could be held before the 1st of February, nor in fact during the whole of February, unless the business of the legations were finished or adjourned. However, the Roman people are generally of opinion that the pretext of a trumped — up religious scruple has been introduced by your jealous detractors, not so much to hinder you, as to prevent anyone from wishing to go to Alexandria with a view of getting the command of an army. However, everyone thinks that the senate has had a regard for your position. For there is no one that is ignorant of the fact that it was all the doing of your opponents that no division took place: and if they, under the pretext of a regard for the people, but really from the most unprincipled villainy, attempt to carry anything, I have taken very good care that they shall not be able to do so without violating the auspices or the laws, or, in fact, without absolute violence. I don't think I need write a word either about my own zeal or the injurious proceedings of certain persons. For why should I make any display myself-since, if I were even to shed my blood in defence of your position, I should think that I had not covered a tithe of your services to me? Or why complain of the injurious conduct of others, which I cannot do without the deepest pain? I cannot at all pledge myself to you as to the effect of open violence, especially with such feeble magistrates but, open violence out of the question, I can assure you that you will retain your high position, if the warmest affections both of the senate and the Roman people can secure it to you.
IV. Scr. Romae mense Ianuario (XV. Kal. Febr.) a.u.c. 698. M. CICERO S. D. P. LENTULO PROCOS.
A.d. XVI. Kal. Febr. cum in senatu pulcherrime staremus, quod iam illam sententiam Bibuli de tribus legatis pridie eius diei fregeramus, unumque certamen esset relictum, cum sententia Volcatii, res ab adversariis nostris extracta est variis calumniis; causam enim frequenti senatu non magna varietate magnaque invidia eorum, qui a te causam regiam alio traferebant, obtinebamus. Eo die acerbum habuimus Curionem, Bibulum multo iustiorem, paene etiam amicum; Caninius et Cato negarunt se legem ullam ante comitia esse laturos. Senatus haberi ante Kalendas Februarias per legem Pupiam, id quod scis, non potest, neque mense Februario toto nisi perfectis aut reiectis legationibus. Haec tamen opinio est populi Romani, a tuis invidis atque obtrectatoribus nomen inductum fictae religionis, non tam ut te impediret, quam ut ne quis propter exercitus cupiditatem Alexandream vellet ire. Dignitatis autem tuae nemo est quin existimet habitam esse rationem ab senatu; nemo est enim, qui nesciat, quo minus discessio fieret, per adversarios tuos esse factum: qui nunc populi nomine, re autem vera sceleratissimo latrocinio si quae conabuntur agere, satis mihi provisum est, ut ne quid salvis auspiciis aut legibus aut etiam sine vi agere possent. Ego neque de meo studio neque de nonnullorum iniuria scribendum mihi esse arbitror; quid enim aut me ostentem, qui, si vitam pro tua dignitate profundam, nullam partem videar meritorum tuorum assecutus, aut de aliorum iniuriis querar, quod sine summo dolore facere non possum? Ego tibi a vi, hac praesertim imbecillitate magistratuum, praestare nihil possum: vi excepta possum confirmare te et senatus et populi Romani summo studio amplitudinem tuam retenturum.
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On January 15, when we were making an excellent stand in the Senate, after defeating Bibulus's motion about the three envoys the day before, and when only the contest with Volcatius's motion remained, our opponents dragged the matter out with various evasions. In a full Senate, and amid great resentment against those who were trying to transfer the royal affair away from you, we were carrying our point.
That day Curio was sharply against us, while Bibulus was much fairer, almost friendly. Caninius and Cato said they would bring forward no law before the elections. Under the Pupian law, as you know, the Senate cannot meet before February 1, nor during the whole of February unless the business of embassies has first been completed or postponed.
Still, this is the Roman people's view: your enemies and detractors introduced the name of a fictitious religious objection, not so much to block you as to prevent anyone from wanting to go to Alexandria for the sake of commanding an army. Yet everyone thinks the Senate took account of your dignity. No one is unaware that it was your opponents who prevented a formal division. If they now try anything under the name of the people, but in truth through the most criminal violence, I have taken good care that they will not be able to do it without violating the auspices or the laws, or using open force.
I do not think I need write about either my own zeal or the injuries done by certain men. Why should I display my own effort, when even if I shed my blood for your standing I would think I had repaid not a tenth of your services to me? And why complain of others' misconduct, when I cannot do so without deep pain?
I cannot make promises about the effect of open violence, especially with magistrates so weak. But if open violence is excluded, I can assure you that you will keep your high standing, if the warm affection of both the Senate and the Roman people can secure it.
AI-assisted translation - This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.
Latin / Greek Original
IV. Scr. Romae mense Ianuario (XV. Kal. Febr.) a.u.c. 698. M. CICERO S. D. P. LENTULO PROCOS.
A.d. XVI. Kal. Febr. cum in senatu pulcherrime staremus, quod iam illam sententiam Bibuli de tribus legatis pridie eius diei fregeramus, unumque certamen esset relictum, cum sententia Volcatii, res ab adversariis nostris extracta est variis calumniis; causam enim frequenti senatu non magna varietate magnaque invidia eorum, qui a te causam regiam alio traferebant, obtinebamus. Eo die acerbum habuimus Curionem, Bibulum multo iustiorem, paene etiam amicum; Caninius et Cato negarunt se legem ullam ante comitia esse laturos. Senatus haberi ante Kalendas Februarias per legem Pupiam, id quod scis, non potest, neque mense Februario toto nisi perfectis aut reiectis legationibus. Haec tamen opinio est populi Romani, a tuis invidis atque obtrectatoribus nomen inductum fictae religionis, non tam ut te impediret, quam ut ne quis propter exercitus cupiditatem Alexandream vellet ire. Dignitatis autem tuae nemo est quin existimet habitam esse rationem ab senatu; nemo est enim, qui nesciat, quo minus discessio fieret, per adversarios tuos esse factum: qui nunc populi nomine, re autem vera sceleratissimo latrocinio si quae conabuntur agere, satis mihi provisum est, ut ne quid salvis auspiciis aut legibus aut etiam sine vi agere possent. Ego neque de meo studio neque de nonnullorum iniuria scribendum mihi esse arbitror; quid enim aut me ostentem, qui, si vitam pro tua dignitate profundam, nullam partem videar meritorum tuorum assecutus, aut de aliorum iniuriis querar, quod sine summo dolore facere non possum? Ego tibi a vi, hac praesertim imbecillitate magistratuum, praestare nihil possum: vi excepta possum confirmare te et senatus et populi Romani summo studio amplitudinem tuam retenturum.