Letter 207

My daughter was confined on the 19th of May: a boy, a seven months' child. I am glad she had a safe delivery. As for the thing that has been born, it is a very poor specimen. So far I have been detained by an astonishing calm, which has been a greater hindrance than the watch kept on me. For all that gush of Hortensius proved child's talk. So it will be found. The villain has been corrupted by Salvius his freeman. Accordingly hereafter I shall write to you, not what I intend to do but what I have done. For every eavesdropper seems to be listening to what I say. The people of Corycus in Pamphylia spied on merchant vessels and betrayed them to pirates. Hence their name became a proverbial term for spies and eavesdroppers. However if you have any news about Spain or any other topic, please write, but do not count on a letter from me, till I have reached the desired haven; or possibly I may write something on the voyage. But even this much I write in fear. How sluggishly and draggingly everything has gone! The foundation was badly laid and the rest is of a piece. Just now I am going to Formiae; perhaps there too the Furies will follow me. However according to Balbus' conversation with you my idea of going to Malta does not win approval. Can you doubt then that Caesar regards me as an enemy? To be sure I have written to Balbus telling him that you had informed me of his kindness and his suspicion. I suspicione. Egi gratias; de altero ei me purga. Ecquem tu hominem infeliciorem? Non loquor plura, ne te quoque excruciem. Ipse conficior venisse tempus, cum iam nec fortiter nec prudenter quicquam facere possim. thanked him for his kindness: as regards the suspicion, clear me. Is there a more unlucky man living? I won't say more for fear of hurting you too. I am tortured by the thought that the time has come when I can no longer act either with boldness or discretion. M. TULLI CICERONIS EPISTULARUM AD ATTICUM LIBER UNDECIMUS

[1] epistula tua gratissima fuit meae Tulliae et me hercule mihi. semper speculam aliquam adferunt tuae litterae. scribes igitur ac si quid ad spem poteris ne dimiseris. tu Antoni leones pertimescas cave. nihil est illo homine iucundius. attende praxin politikou. evocavit litteris e municipiis decem primos et iiiiviros. venerunt ad villam eius mane. primum dormiit ad h. Iii, deinde, cum esset nuntiatum venisse Neapolitanos et Cumanos (his enim est Caesar iratus), postridie redire iussit; lavari se velle et peri koiliolusian ginesthai. hoc here effecit. hodie autem in Aenariam transire constituit (ut) exsulibus reditum polliceretur. sed haec omittamus, de nobis aliquid agamus. [2] ab Axio accepi litteras. de Tirone gratum. Vettienum diligo. Vestorio reddidi. Servius pr. Nonas Maias Menturnis mansisse dicitur, hodie in Liternino mansurus apud C. Marcellum. cras igitur nos mature videbit mihique dabit argumentum ad te epistulae. iam enim non reperio quod tibi scribam. illud admiror quod Antonius ad me ne nuntium quidem, cum praesertim me valde observarit. videlicet aliquid atrocius de me imperatum est. Coram negare mihi non vult, quod ego nec rogaturus eram nec, si impetrassem, crediturus. nos tamen aliquid excogitabimus. [3] tu, quaeso, si quid in Hispaniis. iam enim poterit audiri et omnes ita exspectant ut, si recte fuerit, nihil negoti futurum putent. ego autem nec retentis iis confectam rem puto neque amissis desperatam. Silium et Ocellam et ceteros credo retardatos. te quoque a Curione impediri video. etsi, ut opinor, habes + EKITAONON.