letters of cicero-第4章

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tter　want　of　principle　and　thc　most　consummate　treachery；　and　Q。　Arrius　helped　him　in　it：　acting　under　whose　advice；　promises；　and　injunctions；　I　was　left　helpless　to　fall　into　this　disaster。　But　this　you　will　keep　dark　for　fear　they　might　injure　you。　Take　care　alsoand　it　is　on　this　account　that　I　think　you　should　cultivate　Hortensius　himself　by　means　of　Pomponiusthat　the　epigram　on　the　irs　Aurelia　attributed　to　you　when　candidate　for　the　aedileship　is　not　proved　by　false　testimony　to　be　yours。　For　there　is　nothing　that　I　am　so　afraid　of　as　that；　when　people　understand　how　much　pity　for　me　your　prayers　and　your　acquittal　will　rouse；　they　may　attack　you　with　all　the　greater　violence。　Messahla　I　reckon　as　really　attached　to　you：　Pompey　I　regard　as　still　pretending　only。　But　may　you　never　have　to　put　these　things　to　the　test！　And　that　prayer　I　would　have　offered　to　the　gods　had　they　not　ceased　to　listen　to　prayers　of　mine。　However；　I　do　pray　that　they　may　be　content　with　these　endless　miseries　of　ours；　among　which；　after　all；　there　is　no　discredit　for　any　wrong　thing　donesorrow　is　the　beginning　and　end；　sorrow　that　punishment　is　most　severe　when　our　conduct　has　been　most　unexceptionable。　As　to　my　daughter　and　yours　and　my　young　Cicero；　why　should　I　recommend　them　to　you；　my　dear　brother？　Rather　I　grieve　that　their　orphan　state　will　cause　you　no　less　sorrow　than　it　does　me。　Yet　as　long　as　you　are　uncondemned　they　will　not　be　fatherless。　The　rest；　by　my　hopes　of　restoration　and　the　privilege　of　dying　in　my　fatherland；　my　tears　will　not　allow　me　to　write！　Terentia　also　I　would　ask　you　to　protect；　and　to　write　me　word　on　every　subject。　Be　as　brave　as　the　nature　of　the　case　admits。

Thessalonica；　13　June。

VII

To　ATTICUS　（IN　EPIRUS）

ROME　（SEPTEMBER）

DIRECTLY　I　arrived　at　Rome；　and　there　was　anyone　to　whom　I　could　safely　intrust　a　letter　for　you；　I　thought　the　very　first　thing　I　ought　to　do　was　to　congratulate　you　in　your　absence　on　my　return。　For　I　knew；　to　speak　candidly；　that　though　in　giving　me　advice　you　had　not　been　more　courageous　or　far…seeing　than　myself；　nor　considering　my　devotion　to　you　in　the　pasttoo　careful　in　protecting　me　from　disaster；　yet　that　youthough　sharing　in　the　first　instance　in　my　mistake；　or　rather　madness；　and　in　my　groundless　terrorhad　nevertheless　been　deeply　grieved　at　our　separation；　and　had　bestowed　immense　pains；　zeal；　care；　and　labour　in　securing　my　return。　Accordingly；　I　can　truly　assure　you　of　this；　that　in　the　midst　of　supreme　joy　and　the　most　gratifying　congratulations；　the　one　thing　wanting　to　fill　my　cup　of　happiness　to　the　brim　is　the　sight　of　you；　or　rather　your　embrace；　and　if　I　ever　forfeit　that　again；　when　I　have　once　got　possession　of　it；　and　if；　too；　I　do　not　exact　the　full　delights　of　your　charming　society　that　have　fallen　into　arrear　in　the　past；　I　shall　certainly　consider　myself　unworthy　of　this　renewal　of　my　good　fortune。

In　regard　to　my　political　position；　I　have　resumed　what　I　thought　there　would　be　the　utmost　difficulty　in　recoveringmy　brilliant　standing　at　the　bar；　my　influence　in　the　senate；　and　a　popularity　with　the　loyalists　even　greater　than　I　desired。　In　regard；　however；　to　my　private　propertyas　to　which　you　are　well　aware　to　what　an　extent　it　has　been　crippled；　scattered；　and　plunderedI　am　in　great　difficulties；　and　stand　in　need；　not　so　much　of　your　means　（which　I　look　upon　as　my　own）；　as　of　your　advice　for　collecting　and　restoring　to　a　sound　state　the　fragments　that　remain。　For　the　present；　though　I　believe　everything　finds　its　way　to　you　in　the　letters　of　your　friends；　or　even　by　messengers　and　rumour；　yet　I　will　write　briefly　what　I　think　you　would　like　to　learn　from　niy　letters　above　all　others。　On　the　4th　of　August　I　started　froui　Dyrrarhium；　the　very　day　on　which　the　law　about　me　was　carried。　I　arrived　at　Brundisium　on　the　5th　of　August。　There　my　dear　Tulhiola　met　me　on　what　was　her　own　birthday；　which　happened　also　to　be　the　name…day　of　the　colony　of　Brundisium　and　of　the　temple　of　Safety；　near　your　house。　This　coincidence　was　noticed　and　celebrated　with　warm　congratulations　by　the　citizens　of　Brundisium。　On　the　8th　of　August；　while　still　at　Brundisium；　I　learnt　by　a　letter　from　Quintus　that　the　law　had　been　passed　at　the　comitia　centuriata　with　a　surprising　enthusiasm　on　the　part　of　all　ages　and　ranks；　and　with　an　incredible　influx　of　voters　from　Italy。　I　then　commenced　my　journey；　amidst　the　compliments　of　the　men　of　highest　consideration　at　Brundisium；　and　was　met　at　every　point　by　legates　bearing　congratulations。　My　arrival　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　city　was　the　signal　for　every　soul　of　every　order　known　to　my　nomenclator　coming　out　to　meet　me；　except　those　enemies　who　could　not　either　dissemble　or　deny　the　fact　of　their　being　such。　On　my　arrival　at　the　Porta　Capena；　the　steps　of　the　temples　were　already　thronged　from　top　to　bottom　by　the　populace；　and　while　their　congratulations　were　displayed　by　the　loudest　possible　applause；　a　similar　throng　and　similar　applause　accompanied　me　right　up　to　the　Capitol；　and　in　the　forum　and　on　the　Capitol　itself　there　was　again　a　wonderful　crowd。　Next　day；　in　the　senate；　that　is；　the　5th　of　September；　I　spoke　my　thanks　to　the　senators。　Two　days　after　thatthere　having　been　a　very　heavy　rise　in　the　price　of　corn；　and　great　crowds　having　flocked　first　to　the　theatre　and　then　to　the　senate…house；　shouting　out；　at　the　instigation　of　Clodius；　that　the　scarcity　of　corn　was　my　doingmeetings　of　the　senate　being　held　on　those　days　to　discuss　the　corn　question；　and　Pompey　being　called　upon　to　undertake　the　management　of　its　supply　in　the　common　talk　not　only　of　the　plebs；　but　of　the　aristocrats　also；　and　being　himself　desirous　of　the　commission；　when　the　people　at　large　called　upon　me　by　name　to　support　a　decree　to　that　effect；　I　did　so；　and　gave　my　vote　in　a　carefully…worded　speech。　The　other　consulars；　except　Messalla　and　Afranius；　having　absented　themselves　on　the　ground　that　they　could　not　vote　with　safety　to　themselves；　a　decree　of　the　senate　was　passed　in　the　sense　of　my　motion；　namely；　that　Pompey　should　be　appealed　to　to　undertake　the　business；　and　that　a　law　should　be　proposed　to　that　effect。　This　decree　of　the　senate　having　been　publicly　read；　and　the　people　having；　after　the　senseless　and　new…fangled　custom　that　now　prevails；　applauded　the　mention　of　my　name；　I　delivered　a　speech。　All　the　magistrates　present；　except　one　praetor　and　two　tribunes；　called　on　me　to　speak。　Next　day　a　full　senate；　including　all　the　consulars；　granted　everything　that　Pompey　asked　for。　Having　demanded　fifteen　legates；　he　named　me　first　in　the　list；　and　said　that　he　should　regard　me　in　all　things　as　a　second　self。　The　consuls　drew　up　a　law　by　which　complete　control　over　the　corn…supply　for　five　years　throughout　the　whole　world　was　given　to　Pompey。　A　second　law　is　drawn　up　by　Messius；　granting　him　power　over　all　money；　and　adding　a　fleet　and　army；　and　an　imperium　in　the　provinces　superior　to　that　of　their　governors。　After　that　our　consular　law　seems　moderate　indeed：　that　of　Messius　is　quite　intolerable。　Pompey　professes　to　prefer　the　former；　his　friends　the　latter。　The　consulars　led　by　Favonius　murmur：　I　hold　my　tongue；　the　more　so　that　the　pontifices　have　as　yet　given　no　answer　in　regard　to　my　house。　If　they　annul　the　consecration　I　shall　have　a　splendid　site。　The　consuls；　in　accordance　with　a　decree　of　the　senate；　will　value　the　cost　of　the　building　that　stood　upon　it；　but　if　the　pontifices　decide　otherwise；　they　will　pull　down　the　Clodian　building；　give　out　a　contract　in　their　own　name　（for　a　temple）；　and　value　to　me　the　cost　of　a　site　and　house。　So　our　affairs　are

〃For　happy　though　but　ill；　for　ill　not　worst。〃

In　regard　to　money　matters　I　am；　as　you　know；　much　embarrassed。　Besides；　there　are　certain　domestic　troubles；　which　I　do　not　intrust　to　writing。　My　brother　Quintus　I　love　as　he　deserves　for　his　eminent　qualities　of　loyalty；　virtue；　and　good　faith。　I　am　longing　to　see　you；　and　beg　you　to　hasten　your　return；　resolved　not　to　allow　me　to　be　without　the　benefit　of　your　advice。　I　am　on　the　threshold；　as　it　were；　of　a　second　life。　Already　certain　persons　who　defended　me　in　my　absence　begin　to　nurse　a　secret　grudge　at　me　now　that　I　am　here；　and　to　make　no　secret　of　their　jealousy。　I　want　you　very　much。

VIII

To　HIS　BROTHER　QUINTUS　（IN　SARDINIA）

ROME；　12　FEBRUARY

I　HAVE　already　told　you　the　earlier　proceedings；　now　let　me　describe　what　was　done　afterwards。　The　legations　were　postponed　from　the　1st　of　February　to　the　13th。　On　the　former　day　our　business　was　not　brought　to　a　settlement。　On　the　2nd　of　February　Milo　appeared　for　trial。　Pompey　came　to　support　him。　Marcellus　spoke　on　being　called　upon　by　me。　We　came　off　with　flying　colours。　The　case　was　adjourned　to　the　7th。　Meanwhile　（in　the　senate）；　the　legations　having　been　postponed　to　the　13th；　the　business　of　allotting　the　quaestors　and　furnishing　the　outfit　of　the　praetors　was　brought　before　the　house。　But　nothing　was　done；　because　many　speeches　were　interposed　denouncing　the　state　of　the　Republic。　Gaius　Cato　published　his　bill　for　the　recall　of　Lentulus；　whose　son　thereon　put　on　mourning。　On　the　7th　Milo　appeared。　Pompey　spoke；　or　rather　wished　to　speak。　For　as　soon　as　he　got　up　Clodius's　ruffians　raised　a　shout；　and　throughout　his　whole　speech　he　was　interrupted；　not　only　by　hostile　cries；　but　by　personal　abuse　and　insulting　remarks。　However；　when　lie　had　finished　his　speechfor　he　shewed　great　courage　in　these　circumstances；　he　was　not　cowed；　he　said　all　he　had　to　say；　and　at　times　had　by　his　commanding　presence　even　secured　silence　for　his　wordswell；　when　he　had　finished；　up　got　Clodius。　Our　party　received　him　with　such　a　shoutfor　they　had　determined　to　pay　him　outthat　he　lost　all　presence　of　mind；　power　of　speech；　or　control　over　his　countenance。　This　went　on　up　to　two　o　clockPompey　having　finished　his　speech　at　noonand　every　kind　of　abuse；　and　finally　epigrams　of　the　most　outspoken　indecency　were　uttered　against　Clodius　and　Clodia。　Mad　and　livid　with　rage　Clodius；　in　the　very　midst　of　the　shouting；　kept　putting　questions　to　his　claque：　〃Who　was　it　who　was　starving　the　commons　to　death？〃　His　ruffians　answered；　〃Pompey。〃　〃Who　wanted　to　be　sent　to　Alexandria　？〃　They　answered；　〃Pompey。〃　〃Who　did　they　wish　to　go　？〃　They　answered；　〃Crassus。〃　The　latter　was　present　at　the　time　with　no　friendly　feelings　to　Milo。　About　three　o　clock；　as　though　at　a　given　signal；　the　Clodians　began　spitting　at　our　men。　There　was　an　outburst　of　rage。　They　began　a　movement　for　forcing　us　from　our　ground。　Our　men　charged：　his　ruffians　turned　tail。　Clodius　was　pushed　off　the　rostra：　and　then　we　too　made　our　escape　for　fear　of　mischief　in　the　riot。　The　senate　was　summoned　into　the　Curia：　Pompey　went　home。　However；　I　did　not　myself　enter　the　senate…house；　lest　I　should　be　obliged　either　to　refrain　from　speaking　on　matters　of　such　gravity；　or　in　defending　Pompey　（for　he　was　being　attacked　by　Bibulus；　Curio；　Favonius；　and　Servilius　the　younger）　should　give　offence　to　the　loyalists。　The　business　was　adjourned　to　the　next　day。　Clodius　fixed　the　Quirinalia　（17th　of　February）　for　his　prosecution。　On　the　8th　the　senate　met　in　the　temple　of　Apollo；　that　Pompey　might　attend。　Pompey　made　an　impressive　speech。　That　day　nothing