Letter 12.22

Here at Rome we are waging war against that utterly worthless gladiator, our colleague Antony, but on unequal terms: we fight arms with words. He even makes public speeches against you too. He will not do that without penalty, for he will learn what sort of men he has attacked. I assume that others are writing you a full account of all public events. What you should learn from me is the likely future, and that is not hard to guess. Everything is under a cloud. The loyal citizens have no leader, and the men who killed the tyrant are far away. Pansa both thinks rightly and speaks with courage. Our friend Hirtius is rather slow in recovering his health. What will happen I do not know at all. My one hope is that the Roman people will at last prove worthy of their ancestors. I, at least, will stand by the republic, and whatever happens, so long as I have nothing to blame myself for, I will bear it with a brave heart. This, at any rate, I will do to the best of my ability: I will support your reputation and political standing. On December 20, a very full meeting of the senate supported my proposal, which, among other matters of great importance, confirmed the retention of the provinces by those who now hold them and forbade them to be handed over to any successors except those named by decree of the senate. I made this proposal in the interest of the republic, but also, I assure you, above all to sustain your position. Therefore I beg you, for the sake of our affection, and I urge you in the name of the republic, do not allow anyone to exercise jurisdiction in your province. In every respect act with an eye to your official standing, which is of the highest importance. I will speak frankly, as our friendship requires. If you had followed my letter in the case of Sempronius, everyone would have praised you very loudly. But that is past and is not very important. What matters greatly is that you keep your province obedient to the republic. I would have written more, but your letter carriers were in a hurry. Please make my excuses to our friend Chaerippus.

DCCCX (Fam. XII, 22) TO QUINTUS CORNIFICIUS (IN AFRICA) ROME (20-31 DECEMBER) HERE at Rome we are waging war with the most abandoned, gladiator in the world, our colleague Antony , but not on equal terms, for it is words against arms. Nay, he even goes so far as to make speeches against you: but he won't do that with impunity, for he will be made to feel what sort of men he has attacked. For myself, I imagine that all public occurences are detailed to you in the letters of others: what you should learn from me is the future, as to which the conjecture is not difficult. It is a scene of universal depression: the loyalists have no leader, and our tyrannicides are in remote regions. Pansa both entertains excellent sentiments and speaks with courage. Our friend Hirtius is somewhat slow in recovering his health. What will happen I do not know at all: my one hope, however, is that the Roman people will at last show itself worthy of its ancestors. I at least will stand by the Republic, and whatever happens — as long as I have nothing for which to blamee myself — I will bear with a brave heart. This at least I will do to the best of my ability: I will support your reputation and political position. On the 20th of December a very full meeting of the senate supported my motion, which among other matters of great importance confirmed the retention of the provinces by the actual holders, and prohibited their being handed over to any successors, except those nominated by a decree of the senate. This motion was made by me in the interests of the Republic, but also, I assure you, with the primary object of sustaining your position. Therefore I beg you for the sake of our affection, I exhort you in the name of the Republic, not to suffer anyone to exercise any jurisdiction in your province, and to act in all respects with an eye to your official position, which is paramount to everything. I will be frank with you, as our friendship demands. If you had obeyed my letter in the case of Sempronius , you would have received the loudest praise from everybody. But that is past and is not very important: but that you should keep your province in its obedience to the Republic is a matter of great gravity. I would have written more had not your letter-carriers been in a hurry. So please make my excuses to our friend Chaerippus .

XXII. Scr. Romae exeunte mense Decembri a.u.c. 710. CICERO CORNIFICIO SAL. Nos hic cum homine gladiatore omnium nequissimo, collega nostro, Antonio, bellum gerimus, sed non pari condicione, contra arma verbis. At etiam de te concionatur, nec impune; nam sentiet, quos lacessierit. Ego autem acta ad te omnia arbitror perscribi ab aliis; a me futura debes cognoscere, quorum quidem non est difficilis coniectura: oppressa omnia sunt, nec habent ducem boni, nostrique tyrannoctoni longe gentium absunt. Pansa et sentit bene et loquitur fortiter; Hirtius noster tardius convalescit. Quid futurum sit, plane nescio; spes tamen una est aliquando populum Romanum maiorum similem fore. Ego certe rei publicae non deero et, quidquid acciderit, a quo mea culpa absit, animo forti feram; illud profecto, quoad potero: tuam famam et dignitatem tuebor. A. d. XIII K. Ian. senatus frequens mihi est assensus quum de ceteris rebus magnis et necessariis, tum de provinciis ab iis, qui obtinerent, retinendis neque cuiquam tradendis, nisi qui ex senatus consulto successisset: hoc ego quum rei publicae casua censui, tum mehercule in primis retinendae dignitatis tuae; quamobrem te amoris nostri causa rogo, rei publicae causa hortor, ut ne cui quidquam iuris in tua provincia esse patiare atque ut omnia referas ad dignitatem, qua nihil esse potest praestantius. Vere tecum agam, ut necessitudo nostra postulat: in Sempronio, si meis litteris obtemperasses, maximam ab omnibus laudem adeptus esses; sed illud et praeteriit et levius est, haec magna res est: fac, ut provinciam retineas in potestate rei publicae. Plura scripsissem, nisi tui festinarent: itaque Chaerippo nostro me velim excuses.