Letter 234

Balbus' letter-carrier delivered the packet quite promptly. For I have got a letter from you in which you seem to doubt whether I received those letters. I wish they had never been delivered: for they increased my sorrow, and, if they had fallen into anyone's hands, they would not have told them anything new. For his hatred of me and the kind of letters he writes are common knowledge. Even Caesar, when he sent them to your friends, seems to have done it, not to show his annoyance at Quintus' disgraceful conduct, but, I suppose, to make my misfortunes better known. You say you are afraid they may do Quintus some harm, and you are trying to remedy it. Why, Caesar did not even wait to be asked about him. That does not annoy me: what is more annoying is that the favours granted to me have no sterling value. Sulla, I believe, will be here to-morrow with Messalla. They are hurrying to him, hounded away by the soldiers, who refuse to go anywhere, until they get their pay. So, though people thought he would not, he will be coming here; but not in a hurry. For he is travelling slowly, and he is stopping many days in each town. Then, however he manages things, Pharnaces must delay him. So what do you think about me? For already I am scarcely capable physically of bearing this bad climate, which adds ill-health to my troubles. Shall I commission these people, who are going to him, to make my excuses, and come nearer Rome? Please give the point your non fecisti, consilio iuva. Scio rem difficilem esse, sed ut in malis etiam illud mea magni interest, te ut videam. Profecto aliquid profecero, si id acciderit. De testamento, ut scribis, animadvertes.

[1] xvii K. Septembris venerat die xxviii Seleucea Pieria C. Treboni (libertus) qui se Antiocheae diceret apud Caesarem vidisse Quintum filium cum Hirtio; eos de Quinto quae voluissent impetrasse nullo quidem negotio. quod ego magis gauderem si ista nobis impetrata quicquam ad spem explorati haberent. sed et alia timenda sunt ab aliis (Quintis)que, et ab hoc ipso quae dantur, ut a domino, rursus in eiusdem sunt potestate. etiam Sallustio ignovit. [2] omnino dicitur nemini negare; quod ipsum est suspectum, notionem eius differri. M. Gallius Q. f. mancipia Sallustio reddidit. is venit ut legiones in Siciliam traduceret. eo protinus iturum Caesarem Patris. quod si faciet ego, quod ante mallem, aliquo propius accedam. tuas litteras ad eas quibus a te proxime consilium petivi vehementer ex specto. vale. xvi Kal. Septembris.