Marcus Tullius Cicero→Marcus Fadius Gallus|c. 49 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome|Human translated
Of your affection, wherever I turn, I see traces -- most recently in the matter of Tigellius. For I perceived from your letter that you took great pains. I am therefore grateful for your good intention. But a few words about the matter. Cipius, I think, once said: "I do not sleep for everyone." So I, my dear Gallus, do not serve everyone. Though what servitude is this? In the old days, when I was thought to rule, I was not so much courted by anyone as I am now by all of Caesar's closest friends -- except that one. This I count as a gain: not having to endure a man more pestilential than his own country. And I think he is already condemned by the Hipponactean proclamation of Calvus Licinius. But see what he is angry about: I had taken on the case of Phamea, indeed for his own sake, for he was quite a close friend of mine. He came to me and said that the judge had arranged to give his attention on the very day when it was necessary to go into deliberation on the case of Publius Sestius. I replied that there was no way I could do it; if he chose any other day, I would not fail him. But he, knowing that he had a handsome grandson who was a flute-player and a pretty good masseur, left me, as it seemed to me, rather angry. You have your "Sardinians for sale, each worse than the last." You know my case and the unfairness of that lecher. Send me your Cato; for I long to read it. That I have not yet read it is a disgrace to both of us.
DCLXII (Fam. VII, 24) TO M. FADIUS GALLUS (AT ROME) TUSCULUM (AUGUST) I find the traces of your affection whichever way I turn: for instance, quite recently in the matter of Tigellius . I perceived from your letter that you had taken a great deal of trouble. I therefore thank you for your kind intention. But I must say a few words on the subject. Cipius I think it was who said, “I am not asleep to everybody.” Thus I too, my dear Gallus , am not a slave to everybody. Yet what, after all, is this slavery? In old times, when I was thought to be exercising royal power, I was not treated with such deference as I am now by all Caesar 's most intimate friends, except by this fellow. I regard it as something gained that I no longer endure a fellow more pestilent than his native land, and I think his value has been pretty well appraised in the Hipponactean verses of Licinius Calvus . But observe the cause of his anger with me. I had undertaken Phamea's cause, for his own sake, because he was an intimate friend. Phamea came to me and said that the arbitrator had arranged to take his case on the very day on which the jury were obliged to consider their verdict in regard to P. Sestius . I answered that I could not possibly manage it: but that if he selected any other day he chose, I would not fail to appear for him. He, however, knowing that he had a grandson who was a fashionable flutist and singer, left me, as I thought, in a somewhat angry frame of mind. There is a pair of “ Sardians -for-sale” for you, one more worthless than the other. You now know my position and the unfairness of that swaggerer. Send me your “ Cato ”: I am eager to read it: that I haven't read it yet is a reflexion on us both.
XXIV. Scr. in Tusculano (ineunte m. Oct.?) a.u.c. 709. M. CICERO S. D. M. FADIO GALLO.
Amoris quidem tui, quoquo me verti, vestigia, vel proxime de Tigellio; sensi enim ex litteris tuis valde te laborasse: amo igitur voluntatem. Sed pauca de re. Cipius, opinor, olim? "non omnibus dormio:" sic ego non omnibus, mi Galle, servio; etsi quae est haec servitus? olim, cum regnare existimabamur, non tam ab ullis, quam hoc tempore observor a familiarissimis Caesaris omnibus praeter istum: id ego in lucris pono, non ferre hominem pestilentiorem patria sua; eumque addictum iam tum puto esse Calvi Licinii Hipponacteo praeconio. At vide, quid suscenseat: Phameae causam receperam, ipsius quidem causa; erat enim mihi sane familiaris: is ad me venit dixitque iudicem sibi operam dare constituisse eo ipso die, quo de P. Sestio in consilium iri necesse erat; respondi nullo modo me facere posse; quem vellet alium diem si sumpsisset, me ei non defuturum; ille autem, qui sciret se nepotem bellum tibicinem habere et sat bonum unctorem, discessit a me, ut mihi videbatur, iratior. Habes "Sardos venales, alium alio nequiorem;" cognosti meam causam et istius salaconis iniquitatem. Catonem tuum mihi mitte; cupio enim legere: me adhuc non legisse turpe utrique nostrum est.
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Of your affection, wherever I turn, I see traces -- most recently in the matter of Tigellius. For I perceived from your letter that you took great pains. I am therefore grateful for your good intention. But a few words about the matter. Cipius, I think, once said: "I do not sleep for everyone." So I, my dear Gallus, do not serve everyone. Though what servitude is this? In the old days, when I was thought to rule, I was not so much courted by anyone as I am now by all of Caesar's closest friends -- except that one. This I count as a gain: not having to endure a man more pestilential than his own country. And I think he is already condemned by the Hipponactean proclamation of Calvus Licinius. But see what he is angry about: I had taken on the case of Phamea, indeed for his own sake, for he was quite a close friend of mine. He came to me and said that the judge had arranged to give his attention on the very day when it was necessary to go into deliberation on the case of Publius Sestius. I replied that there was no way I could do it; if he chose any other day, I would not fail him. But he, knowing that he had a handsome grandson who was a flute-player and a pretty good masseur, left me, as it seemed to me, rather angry. You have your "Sardinians for sale, each worse than the last." You know my case and the unfairness of that lecher. Send me your Cato; for I long to read it. That I have not yet read it is a disgrace to both of us.
Human translation - ToposText / Shuckburgh
Latin / Greek Original
XXIV. Scr. in Tusculano (ineunte m. Oct.?) a.u.c. 709. M. CICERO S. D. M. FADIO GALLO.
Amoris quidem tui, quoquo me verti, vestigia, vel proxime de Tigellio; sensi enim ex litteris tuis valde te laborasse: amo igitur voluntatem. Sed pauca de re. Cipius, opinor, olim? "non omnibus dormio:" sic ego non omnibus, mi Galle, servio; etsi quae est haec servitus? olim, cum regnare existimabamur, non tam ab ullis, quam hoc tempore observor a familiarissimis Caesaris omnibus praeter istum: id ego in lucris pono, non ferre hominem pestilentiorem patria sua; eumque addictum iam tum puto esse Calvi Licinii Hipponacteo praeconio. At vide, quid suscenseat: Phameae causam receperam, ipsius quidem causa; erat enim mihi sane familiaris: is ad me venit dixitque iudicem sibi operam dare constituisse eo ipso die, quo de P. Sestio in consilium iri necesse erat; respondi nullo modo me facere posse; quem vellet alium diem si sumpsisset, me ei non defuturum; ille autem, qui sciret se nepotem bellum tibicinem habere et sat bonum unctorem, discessit a me, ut mihi videbatur, iratior. Habes "Sardos venales, alium alio nequiorem;" cognosti meam causam et istius salaconis iniquitatem. Catonem tuum mihi mitte; cupio enim legere: me adhuc non legisse turpe utrique nostrum est.