Letter 13

I have now received three letters from you: one from Marcus Cornelius, to whom you gave it at Three Taverns, I believe; a second which your host at Canusium delivered to me; and a third which, as you write, you dispatched from the boat just as you weighed anchor. All of them were, as the pupils of the rhetoricians say, at once sprinkled with the salt of refinement and marked with unmistakable tokens of affection. By these letters I am indeed provoked to write back, but I have been rather slow about it because I cannot find a trustworthy letter-carrier. For how many are there who can carry a letter of any weight without lightening it by reading it through? Added to this, I do not know whenever someone sets out for Epirus. For I imagine that after sacrificing your victims at your shrine of Amalthea, you immediately set out to lay siege to Sicyon — and yet I am not even certain of that, nor when you will go to join Antonius, nor how much time you are spending in Epirus. So I dare not entrust a somewhat outspoken letter either to people bound for Achaia or to those going to Epirus. Yet since your departure from me, things have happened that deserve a letter from us, but which must not be committed to the sort of risk where they might be lost, opened, or intercepted. First, then, know this: I was not asked my opinion first, and the pacifier of the Allobroges was placed ahead of me — and this was done while the senate murmured its disapproval, and not against my own wishes. For I am now free from the obligation of deferring to a perverse man, and I am at liberty to maintain my dignity in public affairs against his will. And that second place in speaking carries almost the authority of the first, with one's inclinations not too much bound by obligation to the consul. Third is Catulus; fourth, if you want to know that too, is Hortensius. The consul himself is petty-minded and perverse, yet a quibbler of that sour sort which raises a laugh even without any wit — ridiculous more for his face than for his jests. He does nothing for the republic, is cut off from the best men; from him you may hope for nothing good for the state, because he does not wish it, and nothing bad, because he does not dare. His colleague, however, is both most respectful toward me and a zealous supporter and defender of the good cause. At present they disagree slightly between themselves, but I fear that what is now unresolved may spread further. For I believe you have heard that when the rites for the people were being performed at Caesar's house, a man entered in women's clothing, and that when the Vestal Virgins had performed the sacrifice afresh, the matter was raised in the senate by Quintus Cornificius — he was the one who took the lead, lest you think it was one of us. Afterwards, by a decree of the senate, the matter was referred to the Vestals and the pontiffs, and they decreed it to be sacrilege. Then, by a decree of the senate, the consuls promulgated a bill, and Caesar sent his wife a notice of divorce. In this affair, Piso, led by his friendship with Publius Clodius, is working to ensure that the very bill which he himself is bringing forward — brought forward by decree of the senate and concerning a matter of religion — is voted down. Messalla has so far been acting with great severity. The good men are being scared off from the case by Clodius's entreaties; gangs are being organized. We ourselves, who had been regular Lycurguses from the start, are daily growing milder. Cato presses and pushes forward. In short, I fear that this matter, neglected by the good and defended by the wicked, may prove to be the cause of great evils for the republic. As for that friend of yours — you know whom I mean? — the one you wrote to me about: since he did not dare to criticize, he has begun to praise. He is, as he shows, exceedingly fond of us, embraces us, loves us, praises us openly, but secretly — though so transparently that it is perfectly obvious — envies us. Nothing agreeable about him, nothing straightforward, nothing distinguished in political matters, nothing honorable, nothing brave, nothing free. But I shall write to you about all this more carefully another time, for I do not yet know enough about it, and I do not dare entrust a letter on such important matters to this son of the earth, whoever he is. The praetors have not yet drawn lots for their provinces. The situation is in the same state as when you left it. The description of the scenery at Misenum and Puteoli that you ask for I shall work into my speech. I had noticed that "the third day before the Nones of December" was an error. The passages you praise from my speeches, believe me, pleased me greatly too, but I did not dare say so before. Now, however, since they have your approval, they seem to me much more Attic. To that speech against Metellus I have added some things. The book will be sent to you, since your love for me has made you a lover of eloquence. Shall I write you something new? What then? Yes indeed: the consul Messalla has bought the house of Autronius for 13,400,000 sesterces. "What is that to me?" you say.

I have had your three letters: one from M. Cornelius, to whom you gave it, I think at the Three Taverns; another brought by your host at Canusium; and a third which you say you posted from the boat just as you got under weigh. All three of them were, as a pupil in the rhetorical schools would say, at once sprinkled with the salt of refinement and stamped with the brand of affection. They certainly provoke an answer: but I have been rather slow about sending one, for lack of a safe messenger. There are very few who can carry a letter of weight without lightening it by a perusal. Besides, I don’t hear of every traveller to Epirus. For I suppose, when you have offered sacrifice at your villa Amalthea, you will start at once to lay siege to Sicyon. I’m not certain either how or when you are going to join Antony or how long you will stay in Epirus. So I dare not trust at all outspoken letters to people going either to Achaia or to Epirus. Plenty of things have happened worth writing about since your departure, but I dared not commit them to the risk of the letters being either lost or opened or intercepted. First then let me tell you I was not asked my opinion first in the House, but had to play second fiddle to the “peace-maker” of the Allobrogum, idque admurmurante senatu neque me invito esse factum. Sum enim et ab observando homine perverso liber et ad dignitatem in re publica retinendam contra illius voluntatem solutus, et ille secundus in dicendo locus habet auctoritatem paene principis et voluntatem non nimis devinctam beneficio consulis. Tertius est Catulus, quartus, si etiam hoc quaeris, Hortensius. Consul autem ipse parvo animo et pravo tamen cavillator genere illo moroso, quod etiam sine dicacitate ridetur, facie magis quam facetiis ridiculus, nihil agens cum re publica, seiunctus ab optimatibus, a quo nihil speres boni rei publicae, quia non vult, nihil speres mali, quia non audet. Eius autem collega et in me perhonorificus et partium studiosus ac defensor bonarum. Qui nunc leviter inter se dissident. Sed vereor, ne hoc, quod infectum est, serpat longius. Credo enim te audisse, cum apud Caesarem pro populo fieret, venisse eo muliebri vestitu virum, idque sacrificium cum virgines instaurassent; mentionem a Q. Cornificio in senatu factam (is fuit princeps, ne tu forte aliquem nostrum putes); postea rem ex senatus consulto ad virgines atque ad pontifices relatam idque ab iis nefas esse decretum; deinde ex senatus consulto consules rogationem promulgasse; uxori Caesarem nuntium remisisse. In hac causa Piso amicitia P. Clodi ductus Allobroges. Nor did I mind much, though the senate murmured disapproval. It has freed me from the necessity of bowing to a crotchety individual, and sets me at liberty to preserve my political dignity in spite of him. The second place carries nearly as much weight with it as the first, and one’s actions are not so much bound by obligation to the consul. The third place fell to Catulus: the fourth, if you want to go as far, to Hortensius. The consul is petty-minded and perverse, a quibbler who used that bitter kind of sarcasm, which raises a laugh even when there is no wit in the words, on the strength of his expression rather than his expressions. He is no politician at all, he stands aloof from the conservatives: and one cannot expect him to render any good services to the state, because he does not wish to do so, nor any bad, because he does not dare. But his colleague is most polite to me, a keen politician and a bulwark of the conservative party. There is a slight difference of opinion between them at present: but I am afraid that the contagion may spread. No doubt you have heard that, when the sacrifice was taking place in Caesar’s house, a man in woman’s clothes got in; and that after the Vestal Virgins had performed the sacrifice afresh, the matter was mentioned in the House by Cornificius. Note that he was the prime mover and none of us. Then a resolution was passed, the matter was referred to the Virgins and the priests, and they pronounced it a sacrilege. So the consuls were directed by the House to bring in a bill about it. Caesar has divorced his wife. Piso’s friendship operam dat, ut ea rogatio, quam ipse fert et fert ex senatus consulto et de religione, antiquetur. Messalla vehementer adhuc agit severe. Boni viri precibus Clodi removentur a causa, operae comparantur, nosmet ipsi, qui Lycurgei a principio fuissemus, cotidie demitigamur, instat et urget Cato. Quid multa? Vereor, ne haec neglecta a bonis, defensa ab improbis magnorum rei publicae malorum causa sit. Tuus autem ille amicus (scin, quem dicam?), de quo tu ad me scripsisti, posteaquam non auderet reprehendere, laudare coepisse, nos, ut ostendit, admodum diligit, amplectitur; amat, aperte laudat, occulte, sed ita, ut perspicuum sit, invidet. Nihil come, nihil simplex, nihil ἐν τοῖς πολιτικοῖς illustre, nihil honestum, nihil forte, nihil liberum. Sed haec ad te scribam alias subtilius; nam neque adhuc mihi satis nota sunt, et huic terrae filio nescio cui committere epistulam tantis de rebus non audeo. Provincias praetores nondum sortiti sunt. Res eodem est loci, quo reliquisti. Τοποθεσίαν, quam postulas, Miseni et Puteolorum, includam orationi meae. “A. d. III Non. Decembr.” mendose fuisse animadverteram. Quae laudas ex orationibus, mihi crede, valde mihi placebant, sed non audebam antea dicere; nunc vero, quod a te probata sunt; multo mi ἁττικώτερα videntur. In illam orationem Metellinam for Clodius is making him do his best to have the bill shelved, though he is the person who has to bring it forward under the House’s orders—and a bill for sacrilege too! Messalla at present takes a strict view of the case. The conservatives are dropping out of it under persuasion from Clodius. Gangs of rowdies are being formed. I, who at first was a perfect Lycurgus, am daily cooling down. Cato, however, is pressing the case with energy. But enough. I am afraid that what with the lack of interest shown in the case by the conservatives, and its championship by the socialists, it may cause a lot of mischief to the state. Your friend—you know whom I mean, the man who, you say, began to praise me as soon as he feared to blame me—is now parading his affection for me openly and ostentatiously; but in his heart of hearts he is envious, and he does not disguise it very well. He is totally lacking in courtesy, candour, in brilliancy in his politics, as well as in sense of honour, resolution and generosity. But I’ll write more fully about that another time. I’ve not got hold of the facts properly yet, and I dare not trust an important letter to a man in the street like this messenger. The praetors have not drawn their provinces yet: and things are just as they were when you left. I will insert a description of Misenum and Puteoli in my speech as you suggest. I had already spotted the mistake in the date, Dec. 3. The passages in my speeches which took your fancy were, do you know, just those that I was proud of, but didn’t like to say so before: and after Atticus’ approval they look much more Attic in my eyes. I have added a addidi quaedam. Liber tibi mittetur, quoniam te amor nostri φιλορήτορα reddidit. Novi tibi quidnam scribam? quid? etiam. Messalla consul Autronianam domum emit HS ¯CXXXIIII¯. “Quid id ad me?” inquies. Tantum, quod ea emptione et nos bene emisse iudicati sumus, et homines intellegere coeperunt licere amicorum facultatibus in emendo ad dignitatem aliquam pervenire. Teucris illa lentum negotium est, sed tamen est in spe. Tu ista confice. A nobis liberiorem epistulam exspecta. VI Kal. Febr. M. Messalla, M. Pisone coss.

Accepi tuas tres iam epistulas, unam a M. Cornelio, quam Tribus Tabernis, ut opinor, ei dedisti, alteram, quam mihi Canusinus tuus hospes reddidit, tertiam, quam, ut scribis, ancora soluta de phaselo dedisti; quae fuerunt omnes, ut rhetorum pueri loquuntur, cum humanitatis sparsae sale tum insignes amoris notis. Quibus epistulis sum equidem abs te lacessitus ad rescribendum; sed idcirco sum tardior, quod non invenio fidelem tabellarium. Quotus enim quisque est, qui epistulam paulo graviorem ferre possit, nisi eam pellectione relevarit ? Accedit eo, quod mihi non est notum ut quisque in Epirum proficiscitur. Ego enim te arbitror caesis apud Amaltheam tuam victimis, statim esse ad Sicyonem oppugnandum profectum, neque tamen id ipsum certum habeo, quando ad Antonium proficiscare, aut quid in Epiro temporis ponas. Ita neque Achaicis hominibus neque Epiroticis paulo liberiores litteras committere audeo. Sunt autem post discessum a me tuum res dignae litteris nostris, sed non committendae eius modi periculo, ut aut interire aut aperiri aut intercipi possint. Primum igitur scito primum me non esse rogatum sententiam praepositumque esse nobis pacificatorem Allobrogum, idque admurmurante senatu neque me invito esse factum. Sum enim et ab observando homine perverso liber et ad dignitatem in re publica retinendam contra illius voluntatem solutus, et ille secundus in dicendo locus habet auctoritatem paene principis et voluntatem non nimis devinctam beneficio consulis. Tertius est Catulus, quartus, si etiam hoc quaeris, Hortensius. Consul autem ipse parvo animo et pravo tamen cavillator genere illo moroso, quod etiam sine dicacitate ridetur, facie magis quam facetiis ridiculus, nihil agens cum re publica, seiunctus ab optimatibus, a quo nihil speres boni rei publicae, quia non vult, nihil speres mali, quia non audet. Eius autem collega et in me perhonorificus et partium studiosus ac defensor bonarum. Qui nunc leviter inter se dissident. Sed vereor, ne hoc, quod infectum est, serpat longius. Credo enim te audisse, cum apud Caesarem pro populo fieret, venisse eo muliebri vestitu virum, idque sacrificium cum virgines instaurrassent, mentionem a Q. Cornificio in senatu tactam (is fuit princeps, ne tu forte aliquem nostrum putes); postea rem ex senatus consulto ad virgines atque ad pontifices relatam idque ab iis nefas esse decretum; diende ex senatus consulto consules rogationem promulgasse; uxori Caesarem nuntium re misisse. In hac causa Piso amicitia P. Clodi ductus operam dat, ut ea rogatio, quam ipse fert et fert ex senatus consulto et de religione, antiquetur. Messalla vehementer adhuc agit severe. Boni viri precibus Clodi removentur a causa, operae comparantur, nosmet ipsi, qui Lycurgei a principio fuissemus, cotidie demitigamur, instat et urget Cato. Quid multa ? Vereor, ne haec neglecta a bonis, defensa ab improbis magnorum rei publicae malorum causa sit. Tuus autem ille amicus (scin, quem dicam?), de quo tu ad me scripsisti, posteaquam non auderet reprehendere, laudare coepisse, nos, ut ostendit, admodum diligit, amplectitur, amat, aperte laudat, occulte, sed ita, ut perspicuum sit, invidet. Nihil come, nihil simplex, nihil en tois politikois illustre, nihil honestum, nihil forte, nihil liberum. Sed haec ad te scribam alias subtilius; nam neque adhuc mihi satis nota sunt, et huic terrae filio nescio cui committere epistulam tantis de rebus non audeo. Provincias praetores nondum sortiti sunt. Res eodem est loci, quo reliquisti. Topothesian , quam postulas, Miseni et Puteolorum, includam orationi meae. "A. d. III Non. Decembr." mendose fuisse animadverteram. Quae laudas ex orationibus, mihi crede, valde mihi placebant, sed non audebam antea dicere; nunc vero, quod a te probata sunt, multo mi attikotera videntur. In illam orationem Metellinam addidi quaedam. Liber tibi mittetur, quoniam te amor nostri philretora reddidit. Novi tibi quidnam scribam? quid? etiam. Messalla consul Autronianam domum emit HS [+134,000+]. " Quid id ad me ?" inquies. Tantum, quod ea emptione et nos bene emisse iudicati sumus, et homines intellegere coeperunt licere amicorum facultatibus in emendo ad dignitatem aliquam pervenire. Teucris illa lentum negotium est, sed tamen est in spe. Tu ista confice. A nobis liberiorem epistulam exspecta. VI Kal. Febr. M. Messalla, M. Pisone coss.