Marcus Caelius Rufus→Marcus Tullius Cicero|c. 50 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome|AI-assisted
I congratulate you on your connection by marriage with a man who, on my word, is excellent. That is my judgment of him. As for the other traits by which, until now, he has not been very useful to himself, age has already shaken them off; and if any remain, I trust they will quickly be removed by your company and authority, and by Tullia's modesty. He is not stubborn in his faults, nor slow to understand what is better.
And then - what matters most - I am very fond of him.
Cicero, you will want to know that our Curio had a fine outcome to his veto on the provinces. When the motion about the veto was brought forward, a motion ordered by decree of the senate, and Marcus Marcellus's opinion was announced first - that the tribunes should be dealt with - a full senate voted the other way. Clearly Pompey the Great is now in such poor temper that he can hardly find anything that pleases him. They had gone over to this: that account should be taken of a man who would hand over neither army nor provinces.
When I learn how Pompey bears this, I will write. What will happen to the republic if he either resists with arms or does not care - that is for you wealthy old men to see to. As I write this, Quintus Hortensius is dying.
CCLXX (Fam. VIII, 13) M. CAELIUS RUFUS TO CICERO (IN CILICIA) ROME (JUNE) I CONGRATULATE YOU on a son-in-law who is, on my word, the best of men: for that is my opinion of him. Some other blemishes in his character, by which he has hitherto stood in his own light, are already shaken off by age; and, if any remain, I feel sure that they will be quickly removed by your society and influence, and by the modesty of Tullia . For he is not obstinate in vice, nor blunted beyond the power of understanding the higher life. Last, but not least, I am very fond of him. You will be eager, my dear Cicero , to hear that our friend Curio had a fine conclusion to his veto of the decrees concerning the provinces. For on a motion in regard to the veto being brought before the house — a motion ordered by decree of the senate — and when M. Marcellus had proposed that the tribunes should be remonstrated with, a full senate voted a direct negative. The fact is that Pompey is now so out of sorts, that he can scarcely find anything to suit him. They have come round to this — that Caesar is to be allowed to stand for the consulship without giving up army or provinces. How Pompey is likely to endure this I will write you word as soon as I know. What is to happen to the Republic, if lie resists this in arms or ignores it, that will be the concern of you rich seniors. At the moment of my writing Hortensius is dying.
XIII. Scr. Romae inter Non. Maias et Non. Iunias a.u.c. 704. CAELIUS CICERONI SAL.
Gratulor tibi affinitatem viri medius fidius optimi; nam hoc ego de illo existimo: cetera porro, quibus adhuc ille sibi parum utilis fuit, et aetate iam sunt decussa et consuetudine atque auctoriate tua, pudore Tulliae, si qua restabunt, confido celeriter sublatum iri; non est enim pugnax in vitiis neque hebes ad id, quod melius est, intelligendum. Deinde—quod maximum est—ego illum valde amo. Voles, Cicero, Curionem nostrum lautum intercessionis de porvinciis exitum habuisse: na, cum de intercessione referretur, quae relatio fiebat ex senatus consulto, primaque M. Marcelli sententia pronuntiata esset, qui agendum cum tribunis pl. censebat, frequens senatus in alia omnia iit; stomacho est scilicet Pompeius Magnus nunc ita languenti, ut vix id, quod sibi placeat, reperiat: transierant illuc, rationem esse eius habendam, qui neque exercitum neque provincias traderet. Quemadmodum hoc Pompeius laturus sit, cum cognoro, scribam: quidem rei publicae futurum sit, si aut armis resistat aut non curet, vos senes divites videritis. Q. Hortensius, cum has litteras scripsi, animam agebat.
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I congratulate you on your connection by marriage with a man who, on my word, is excellent. That is my judgment of him. As for the other traits by which, until now, he has not been very useful to himself, age has already shaken them off; and if any remain, I trust they will quickly be removed by your company and authority, and by Tullia's modesty. He is not stubborn in his faults, nor slow to understand what is better.
And then - what matters most - I am very fond of him.
Cicero, you will want to know that our Curio had a fine outcome to his veto on the provinces. When the motion about the veto was brought forward, a motion ordered by decree of the senate, and Marcus Marcellus's opinion was announced first - that the tribunes should be dealt with - a full senate voted the other way. Clearly Pompey the Great is now in such poor temper that he can hardly find anything that pleases him. They had gone over to this: that account should be taken of a man who would hand over neither army nor provinces.
When I learn how Pompey bears this, I will write. What will happen to the republic if he either resists with arms or does not care - that is for you wealthy old men to see to. As I write this, Quintus Hortensius is dying.
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
XIII. Scr. Romae inter Non. Maias et Non. Iunias a.u.c. 704. CAELIUS CICERONI SAL.
Gratulor tibi affinitatem viri medius fidius optimi; nam hoc ego de illo existimo: cetera porro, quibus adhuc ille sibi parum utilis fuit, et aetate iam sunt decussa et consuetudine atque auctoriate tua, pudore Tulliae, si qua restabunt, confido celeriter sublatum iri; non est enim pugnax in vitiis neque hebes ad id, quod melius est, intelligendum. Deinde—quod maximum est—ego illum valde amo. Voles, Cicero, Curionem nostrum lautum intercessionis de porvinciis exitum habuisse: na, cum de intercessione referretur, quae relatio fiebat ex senatus consulto, primaque M. Marcelli sententia pronuntiata esset, qui agendum cum tribunis pl. censebat, frequens senatus in alia omnia iit; stomacho est scilicet Pompeius Magnus nunc ita languenti, ut vix id, quod sibi placeat, reperiat: transierant illuc, rationem esse eius habendam, qui neque exercitum neque provincias traderet. Quemadmodum hoc Pompeius laturus sit, cum cognoro, scribam: quidem rei publicae futurum sit, si aut armis resistat aut non curet, vos senes divites videritis. Q. Hortensius, cum has litteras scripsi, animam agebat.