Marcus Tullius Cicero→Gaius Furnius|c. 43 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Gaul|AI-assisted
If it is important to the republic, as everyone thinks, that you should devote yourself to public service as you have begun and already done, and that you should take part in the great operations involved in extinguishing the remains of the war, then I think you can do nothing better, more praiseworthy, or more honorable. In my judgment, that service, energy, and patriotic spirit of yours should take priority over any rush toward the praetorship.
I do not want you to be unaware how much credit you have won. Believe me, your reputation stands next after Plancus', and Plancus himself says so, as do common report and the judgment of everyone. Therefore, if any task still remains for you, I think you should pursue it with all possible energy. What is more honorable? What should be preferred to honor?
But if you think you have satisfied the republic, then I think you should come quickly for the elections, since they are likely to be held early, provided only that this ambitious haste does not diminish the glory we have won. Many very distinguished men, while serving the republic, have missed the year of their candidacy. That is easier for us here, because this year was not formally marked out for you, as it would have been if, after holding the aedileship, your proper year had come two years later. As things stand, you will not seem to have neglected the customary and almost legal time for standing for office.
Besides, I could see that your campaign would be more splendid with Plancus as consul, though even without him your prospects would be clear, provided that the present business has been brought to the conclusion we want. In general, since the decision depends so much on your own judgment, I did not think it necessary to write at greater length. Still, I did not want my opinion to be unknown to you.
Here is the sum of it: I would rather you measure everything by dignity than by ambition, and place the greater reward in lasting praise rather than in a faster praetorship. I said the same thing at my house, with my brother Quintus, Caecina, and Calvisius present, all of them deeply devoted to you, and with your freedman Dardanus there as well. Everyone seemed to approve what I said. But you will judge best.
DCCCLXXVI (Fam. X, 25) TO GAIUS FURNIUS (IN GAUL WITH PLANCUS) ROME (26-30 MAY) IF it is of importance to the Republic — as is the general belief — that you should complete the work in the same spirit as you have begun to do it and have actually done it, and that you should take part in the important operations for extinguishing the last sparks of the war, I think you can do nothing better or more laudable or more to your honour: and in my opinion this labour, activity, and patriotic spirit on your part is to be preferred to any hurrying on of the praetorship. For I would not have you ignorant of the amount of reputation which you have gained. Believe me, it is second only to Plancus , and that too on the testimony of Plancus himself, as well as by the report and knowledge of everybody else. Wherefore, if there is still any labour left for you to perform, my opinion is that you should throw yourself into it with energy. What can be more to your honour? And what is to be preferred to honour? But if you think that you have done all you are bound to do for the state, I think you should come with all speed to the comitia, for they are likely to take place early: provided only that this hurry to secure office does not detract in any way from the glory which we have secured. There have been many very illustrious men who, being abroad on the public service, have missed their proper year for canvassing. And this is easier in our case, because this is not the year marked out for you, on the principle that if you had been aedile your year would have been two years later. As it is, you will appear not to omit any of the customary observance, and what is a quasi-statutory period of canvassing. Moreover, I foresee that with Plancus consul (although even without him your path would be clear) your canvass would be after all more brilliant, provided that the campaign on which you are now engaged shall have been brought to the conclusion we desire. On the whole I don't think that there is much need for me to write any more, considering your great prudence and judgment, yet nevertheless I was unwilling that you should be ignorant of my opinion: the upshot of which is that I would rather you should judge of everything by consideration for your true position than from the chance of official promotion, and should look for your reward in a lasting reputation rather than in a rapid attainment of the praetorship. This was the gist of what I said in my house at a conference with my brother Quintus , Caecina , and Calvisius — all men most devoted to you — your freedman Dardanus being also present. My speech seemed to be approved by all of them. But after all you will judge best for yourself.
XXV. Scr. Romae mense Maio (ante Id.) a.u.c. 711. CICERO S. D. FURNIO.
Si interest, id quod homines arbitrantur, rei publicae te, ut instituisti atque fecisti, navare operam rebusque maximis, quae ad exstinguendas reliquias belli pertinent, interesse, nihil videris melius neque laudabilius neque honestius facere posse istamque operam tuam, navitatem, animum in rem publicam celeritati praeturae anteponenda censeo; nolo enim te ignorare, quantam laudem consecutus sis, mihi crede, proximam Planco, idque ipsius Planci testimonio, praeterea fama sententiaque omnium. Quamobrem si quid operis tibi etiam nunc restat, id maximo opere censeo persequendum; quid enim honestius aut quid honesto anteponendum? sin autem satisfactum rei publicae putas, celeriter ad comitia, quoniam mature futura sunt, veniendum censeo, dum modo ne quid haec ambitiosa festinatio imminuat eius gloriae, quam consecuti sumus. Multi clarissimi viri, cum rei publicae darent operam, annum petitionis suae non obierunt; quod eo facilius nobis est, quod non est annus hic tibi destinatus, ut, si aedilis fuisses, post biennium tuus annus esset: nunc nihil praetermittere videbere usitati et quasi legitimi temporis ad petendum; videbam autem Planco consule, etsi etiam sine eo rationes expeditas haberes, tamen splendiorem petitionem tuam, si modo ista ex sententia confecta essent. Omnino plura me scribere, cum tuum tantum consilium iudiciumque sit, non ita necesse arbitrabar; sed tamen sententiam meam tibi ignotam esse nolebam, cuius est haec summa, ut omnia te metiri dignitate malim quam ambitione, maioremque fructum ponere in perpetuitate laudis quam in celeritate praeturae. Haec eadem locutus sum domi meae adhibito Quinto, fratre meo, et Caecina et Calvisio, studiosissimis tui, cum Dardanus, libertus tuus, interesset: omnibus probari videbatur oratio mea; sed tu optime iudicabis.
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If it is important to the republic, as everyone thinks, that you should devote yourself to public service as you have begun and already done, and that you should take part in the great operations involved in extinguishing the remains of the war, then I think you can do nothing better, more praiseworthy, or more honorable. In my judgment, that service, energy, and patriotic spirit of yours should take priority over any rush toward the praetorship.
I do not want you to be unaware how much credit you have won. Believe me, your reputation stands next after Plancus', and Plancus himself says so, as do common report and the judgment of everyone. Therefore, if any task still remains for you, I think you should pursue it with all possible energy. What is more honorable? What should be preferred to honor?
But if you think you have satisfied the republic, then I think you should come quickly for the elections, since they are likely to be held early, provided only that this ambitious haste does not diminish the glory we have won. Many very distinguished men, while serving the republic, have missed the year of their candidacy. That is easier for us here, because this year was not formally marked out for you, as it would have been if, after holding the aedileship, your proper year had come two years later. As things stand, you will not seem to have neglected the customary and almost legal time for standing for office.
Besides, I could see that your campaign would be more splendid with Plancus as consul, though even without him your prospects would be clear, provided that the present business has been brought to the conclusion we want. In general, since the decision depends so much on your own judgment, I did not think it necessary to write at greater length. Still, I did not want my opinion to be unknown to you.
Here is the sum of it: I would rather you measure everything by dignity than by ambition, and place the greater reward in lasting praise rather than in a faster praetorship. I said the same thing at my house, with my brother Quintus, Caecina, and Calvisius present, all of them deeply devoted to you, and with your freedman Dardanus there as well. Everyone seemed to approve what I said. But you will judge best.
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
XXV. Scr. Romae mense Maio (ante Id.) a.u.c. 711. CICERO S. D. FURNIO.
Si interest, id quod homines arbitrantur, rei publicae te, ut instituisti atque fecisti, navare operam rebusque maximis, quae ad exstinguendas reliquias belli pertinent, interesse, nihil videris melius neque laudabilius neque honestius facere posse istamque operam tuam, navitatem, animum in rem publicam celeritati praeturae anteponenda censeo; nolo enim te ignorare, quantam laudem consecutus sis, mihi crede, proximam Planco, idque ipsius Planci testimonio, praeterea fama sententiaque omnium. Quamobrem si quid operis tibi etiam nunc restat, id maximo opere censeo persequendum; quid enim honestius aut quid honesto anteponendum? sin autem satisfactum rei publicae putas, celeriter ad comitia, quoniam mature futura sunt, veniendum censeo, dum modo ne quid haec ambitiosa festinatio imminuat eius gloriae, quam consecuti sumus. Multi clarissimi viri, cum rei publicae darent operam, annum petitionis suae non obierunt; quod eo facilius nobis est, quod non est annus hic tibi destinatus, ut, si aedilis fuisses, post biennium tuus annus esset: nunc nihil praetermittere videbere usitati et quasi legitimi temporis ad petendum; videbam autem Planco consule, etsi etiam sine eo rationes expeditas haberes, tamen splendiorem petitionem tuam, si modo ista ex sententia confecta essent. Omnino plura me scribere, cum tuum tantum consilium iudiciumque sit, non ita necesse arbitrabar; sed tamen sententiam meam tibi ignotam esse nolebam, cuius est haec summa, ut omnia te metiri dignitate malim quam ambitione, maioremque fructum ponere in perpetuitate laudis quam in celeritate praeturae. Haec eadem locutus sum domi meae adhibito Quinto, fratre meo, et Caecina et Calvisio, studiosissimis tui, cum Dardanus, libertus tuus, interesset: omnibus probari videbatur oratio mea; sed tu optime iudicabis.