The Letters of Cicero Part 48

which agrees better with Homer's account of the return of Ulysses. But perhaps the exact comparison is not to be pressed.]

CLXII (F XIII, 49)

TO M. CURIUS (A PROCONSUL)

ROME

[Sidenote: B.C. 54, aeT. 52]

Q. Pompeius, son of s.e.xtus, has become my intimate friend from many causes of long standing. As he has often in the past been accustomed to defend his material interests, as well as his reputation and influence, by my recommendations, so on the present occasion a.s.suredly, with you as governor of the province, he ought to be able to feel that he has never had a warmer recommendation to anyone. Wherefore I beg you with more than ordinary earnestness that, as you ought in view of our close friends.h.i.+p to regard all my friends as your own, you would give the bearer so high a place in your regard, that he may feel that nothing could have been more to his interest and honour than my recommendation.

Farewell.

CLXIII (F XIII, 60)

TO C. MUNATIUS (IN A PROVINCE)

ROME

[Sidenote: B.C. 54, aeT. 52]

L. Livineius Trypho is to begin with a freedman of my most intimate friend L. Regulus (whose disaster makes me more than ever anxious to do him some service--for as far as feeling goes I could not be warmer): but I also am attached to his freedman on his own account, for he shewed me very great kindness at that time in my career, when I was best able to see men's real goodwill and fidelity. I recommend him to you with all the warmth that one who is grateful and not oblivious should use in recommending those who have done him good service. You will have greatly gratified me if he is made to feel that in confronting many dangers for my security, and often undertaking voyages in the depths of winter, he has also put you under an obligation in view of your kind feeling towards me.

CLXIV (F XIII, 73)

TO Q. PHILIPPUS (PROCONSUL OF ASIA)

ROME

[Sidenote: B.C. 54, aeT. 52]

I congratulate you on your safe return to your family from your province, without loss to your reputation or to the state. But if I had seen you at Rome I should also have thanked you for having looked after L. Egnatius, my most intimate friend, who is still absent, and L.

Oppius, who is here. With Antipater of Derbe I have become not merely on visiting terms, but really very intimate. I have been told that you are exceedingly angry with him, and I was very sorry to hear it. I have no means of judging the merits of the case, only I am persuaded that a man of your character has done nothing without good reason. However, I do beg of you again and again that, in consideration of our old friends.h.i.+p, you will, for my sake if for anyone's, grant his sons, who are in your power, their liberty, unless you consider that in doing so your reputation may be injured. If I had thought that, I would never have made the request, for your fame is of more importance in my eyes than any friends.h.i.+p with him. But I persuade myself--though I may possibly be mistaken--that this measure will bring you honour rather than abuse.

What can be done in the matter, and what you _can_ do for my sake (for as to your willingness I feel no doubt), I should be obliged by your informing me, if it is not too much trouble to you.

CLXV (F II, 1)

[Sidenote: B.C. 53, Coss., M. Domitius Calvinus, M. Valerius Messalla.]

This was the year in which Cra.s.sus was defeated and killed in Parthia, making thus the first break in the triumvirate, when already the ties between Pompey and Caesar were weakened by the death of Iulia in the previous year. Caesar, however, had been in great difficulties in Gaul. At the end of the previous year a fresh rising of the Nervii destroyed a Roman legion and put Q. Cicero in great danger. In the present year Quintus met with his disaster at the hands of the Sigambri. The chief event to Cicero personally was his election into the college of augurs, in place of the younger Cra.s.sus. Atticus appears to be in Rome, for there are no letters to him. There was a series of _interregna_ this year owing to partisan conflicts, lasting till July, and when the consuls were at length appointed, they failed to hold the elections for B.C. 52.

TO C. SCRIBONIUS CURIO[691] (IN ASIA)

ROME (JANUARY OR FEBRUARY)

[Sidenote: B.C. 53, aeT. 53]

Though I am sorry that you have suspected me of neglect, yet it was not so annoying to me to have my lack of attention found fault with, as delightful to have it missed by you; especially as in the particular point on which you accuse me I happen to be innocent, while in shewing that you miss a letter from me, you avow an affection for me, of which, indeed, I was fully aware, but which, nevertheless, is very soothing and gratifying to my feelings. The fact is that I have never let anyone go, so long, that is, as I thought him likely to reach you, without giving him a letter. Why, was there ever such an untiring correspondent as I?

From you, however, I have received two, or at the most three letters--and those extremely brief. Wherefore, if you are a harsh judge of me, I shall find you guilty on precisely the same charge. But if you don't want me to do that, you will have to be considerate to me.

However, enough about writing; for I am not afraid of failing to satiate you with my correspondence, especially if you shew a just appreciation of my zeal in that department. I have been grieved on the one hand at your long absence from us, because I have lost the advantage of a most delightful intimacy; and yet on the other hand I rejoice at it, because while on this foreign service you have gained all your objects with infinite credit to yourself, and because in all you have undertaken fortune has answered to my wishes. There is one injunction, a very short one, which my unspeakable affection for you compels me to give you. Such lofty expectations are entertained of your spirit, shall I say? or of your ability, that I cannot refrain from imploring and beseeching you to return to us with a character so finished, as to be able to support and maintain the expectations which you have excited. And since no loss of memory will ever obliterate my recollection of your services to me, I beg you not to forget that, whatever increase of fortune or position may befall you, you would not have been able to attain it, had you not as a boy obeyed my most faithful and affectionate counsels.[692] Wherefore it will be your duty to shew me such affection, that my age--now on the decline--may find repose in your devotion and youth.

[Footnote 691: The younger Curio was now quaestor to C. Clodius, brother of Publius and Appius, in Asia. He was tribune in B.C. 50, when he suddenly changed sides and joined Caesar, who purchased his adhesion by paying his immense debts.]

[Footnote 692: Curio had supported Cicero against Clodius, and had worked for his recall. He seems to have attended at Cicero's house for the study of rhetoric or legal practice, as was the fas.h.i.+on for young men to do. He presently married Fulvia, the widow of Clodius, who after his death in Africa (B.C. 48) married Antony.]

CLXVI (F VII, 11)

TO C. TREBATIUS TESTA (IN GAUL)

ROME (JANUARY OR FEBRUARY)

[Sidenote: B.C. 53, aeT. 53]

If you had not left Rome before, you certainly would have left it now.

For who wants a lawyer when there are so many _interregna_? I shall advise all defendants in civil suits to ask each _interrex_ for two adjournments for obtaining legal a.s.sistance.[693] Do you think that I have taken a pretty good hint from you as to civil procedure? But come!

How are you? What is happening? For I notice in your letter a tendency to be even jocose. These are better signs than the _signa_ in my Tusculan villa.[694] But I want to know what it means. You say, indeed, that you are consulted by Caesar, but I should have preferred his consulting _for_ you. If that is taking place, or you think it likely to take place, by all means persevere in your military service and stay on: I shall console myself for my loss of you by the hope that it will be your gain: but if, on the other hand, things are not paying with you, come back to us. For either something will turn up sooner or later here, or, if not, one conversation between you and me, by heaven, will be worth more than all the Samobrivae[695] in the world. Finally, if you return speedily, there will be no talk about it; but if you stay away much longer without getting anything, I am in terror not only of Laberius, but of our comrade Valerius also. For it would make a capital character for a farce--a British lawyer![696] I am not laughing though you may laugh, but, as usual, when writing to you, I jest on the most serious subject. Joking apart, I advise you in the most friendly spirit, that if you hold a position for yourself worthy of my introduction, you should put up with the loss of my society and farther your own career and wealth: but if things are stagnant with you there, come back to us.

In spite of everything you will get all you want, by your own good qualities certainly, but also by my extreme affection for you.

[Footnote 693: The _interregna_ lasting this year till July. No legal business could be done, as the law courts were closed during an _interregnum_. But Cicero jestingly says that he advises clients to apply to each _interrex_ (who only held office for five days) for two adjournments, whereby he would get his case postponed indefinitely: for if each adjournment was to the third day, the two would cover each _interregnum_. Of course he is only jesting, for in any case the cause would not come on.]

[Footnote 694: There is a play on the double meaning of _signa_, "signs"

and "statues." Cicero did not like the statues in his Tusculanum. See Letter CXXV.]

[Footnote 695: Samobriva (Amiens), where Trebatius was, or had been, in Caesar's camp. Caesar spells it Samarobriva.]

[Footnote 696: Laberius is a rival jurisconsult, Valerius a writer of mimes. Though Cicero jests at the supposed comic character, "a lawyer in Britain" (as we might say, "a lawyer among the Zulus"), it does not appear that Trebatius went to Britain with Caesar.]