Letter 235
Camillus has written to me saying that you have spoken to him on the
subject about which I suggested you should consult with him. Now I
am expecting a letter from you: only I don't see how the thing is to
be changed, if it is not as it ought to be. But, when I got a letter
from him, I looked for one from you, though I suppose you did not know
the post was going. I only hope you are well: for you said you had an
attack of some kind of illness.
A man of the name of Agusius came from Rhodes on the 8th of July.
He tells me young Quintus set out to go to Caesar on May 29th, and
Philotimus arrived at Rhodes the day before with a letter for me. You
will hear Agusius himself: but he is travelling rather slowly. So I
arranged to give this to some one who was going more quickly. What
there is in that letter, I don't know, but my brother Quintus offers
me hearty congratulations. For my part after my great mistake I cannot
even imagine anything that can possibly be endurable to me. I beg you
to
ut de hac misera cogites, et illud, de quo ad te proxime scripsi,
ut aliquid conficiatur ad inopiam propulsandam, et etiam de ipso
testamento. Illud quoque vellem antea, sed omnia timuimus. Melius
quidem in pessimis nihil fuit discidio. Aliquid fecissemus ut viri vel
tabularum novarum nomine vel nocturnarum expugnationum vel Metellae
vel omnium malorum; nec res perisset, et videremur aliquid doloris
virilis habuisse. Memini omnino tuas litteras, sed et tempus illud;
etsi quidvis praestitit. Nunc quidem ipse videtur denuntiare; audimus
enim de statua Clodi. Generumne nostrum potissimum vel hoc vel tabulas
novas! Placet mihi igitur et item tibi nuntium remitti. Petet fortasse
tertiam pensionem. Considera igitur, tumne, cum ab ipso nascetur, an
prius. Ego, si ullo modo potuero, vel nocturnis itineribus experiar,
ut te videam. Tu et haec, et si quid erit, quod intersit mea scire,
scribas velim. Vale.
think of my poor girl, both as regards the point about which I wrote
lately--making some arrangement to avoid destitution--and also as
regards the will itself. The other thing too I wish I had attended
to before; but I was afraid of everything. In this very bad business
there was nothing better than a divorce. I should have done something
like a man, either on the score of his cancelling of debts or his
night attacks on houses, or Metella or all his sins together: I should
not have lost the money, and I should have shown some manly spirit. I
remember of course your letter, but I remember the circumstances too:
still anything would have been better than this. Now he seems to be
giving notice of divorce himself; for I have heard about the statue of
Clodius. To think that a son-in-law of mine above all people should do
such a thing as that, or abolish debts! So I agree with you we must
serve a notice of divorce on him. Perhaps he will ask for the third
instalment of the dowry. So consider whether we should wait for a move
of his or act first. If I can possibly manage it, even by night
journeys, I will try to see you. Please write to me about this and
anything else it may interest me to know. Farewell.
If Dolabella started the divorce proceedings, he could not claim
the rest of the dowry, and would have to refund what had already been
paid. If Tullia began them, part at least of the dowry would remain
with him, unless she could prove misconduct.
Latin / Greek Original
[1] accepi vi Kal. Sept. litteras a te datas xii Kal. doloremque quem ex Quinti scelere iam pridem acceptum iam abieceram, lecta eius epistula gravissimum cepi. tu etsi non potuisti ullo modo facere ut mihi illam epistulam non mitteres, tamen mallem non esse missam. ad ea autem quae scribis de testamento, videbis quid et quo modo. de nummis et illa sic scripsit ut ego ad te antea, et nos, si quid opus erit, utemur ex eo de quo scribis. [2] ille ad Kal. Sept. Athenis non videtur fore. multa eum in Asia dicuntur morari, maxime Pharnaces. legio xii, ad quam primam Sulla venit, lapidibus egisse hominem dicitur. nullam putant se commoturam. illum arbitrabantur protinus Patris in Siciliam. sed si hoc ita est, huc veniat necesse est. ac mallem illum ; aliquo enim modo hinc evasissem. nunc metuo ne sit exspectandum et cum reliquis etiam loci gravitas huic miserrimae perferenda. [3] quod me mones ut ea quae (agam) ad tempus accommodem, facerem, si res pateretur et si ullo modo fieri posset. sed in tantis nostris peccatis tantisque nostrorum iniuriis nihil est quod aut facere dignum nobis aut simulare possim. Sullana confers; in quibus omnia genere ipso praeclarissima fuerunt, moderatione paulo minus temperata. haec autem eius modi sunt ut obliviscar (mei) multoque malim quod omnibus sit melius (quam) quorum utilitatem meam iunxi. tu ad me tamen velim quam saepissime scribas eoque magis quod praeterea nemo scribit ac, si omnes, tuas tamen maxime exspectarem. quod scribis illum per me Quinto fore placatiorem, scripsi ad te antea eum statim Quinto filio omnia tribuisse, nostri nullam mentionem. vale.