Letter 260

I have read Brutus' letter and am sending it back to you. It is not at all a sensible answer to the points in which you found him wanting. But that is his look out: though in one thing it shows disgraceful ignorance on his part. He thinks Cato was the first to deliver a speech for the punishment of the conspirators, though everybody except Caesar had spoken before him: and that, though Caesar's speech, delivered from the praetorian bench, was so severe, those of the ex-consuls, Catulus, Servilius, the Luculli, Curio, Torquatus, Lepidus, Gellius, Volcacius, Figulus, Cotta, L. Caesar, C. Piso, M'. Glabrio, and even the consuls elect Silanus and Murena, were milder. Why then was the division taken on Cato's proposal? Because he had summed up the same matter in clearer and fuller words. My merit according to Brutus lay in bringing the affair non quod patefecerim, quod cohortatus sim, quod denique ante, quam consulerem, ipse iudicaverim. Quae omnia quia Cato laudibus extulerat in caelum perscribendaque censuerat, idcirco in eius sententiam est facta discessio. Hic autem se etiam tribuere multum mi putat, quod scripserit "optimum consulem." Quis enim ieiunius dixit inimicus? Ad cetera vero tibi quem ad modum rescripsit! Tantum rogat, de senatus consulto ut corrigas. Hoc quidem fecisset, etiamsi a librario admonitus esset. Sed haec iterum ipse viderit. De hortis quoniam probas, effice aliquid. Rationes meas nosti. Si vero etiam a Faberio recedit, nihil negotii est. Sed etiam sine eo posse videor contendere. Venales certe sunt Drusi, fortasse etiam Lamiani et Cassiani. Sed coram. De Terentia non possum commodius scribere, quam tu scribis. Officium sit nobis antiquissimum. Si quid nos fefellerit, illius malo me quam mei paenitere. Oviae C. Lolli curanda sunt HS ¯C¯. Negat Eros posse sine me, credo, quod accipienda aliqua sit et danda aestimatio. Vellem, tibi dixisset. Si enim res est, ut mihi scripsit, parata, nec in eo ipso mentitur, per te confici potuit. Id cognoscas et conficias velim. before the House, not in finding it out, nor in urging them to take steps, nor yet in making up my own mind before I took the House's opinion. And it was because Cato extolled those actions of mine to the skies and moved that they should be put on record, that the vote was taken on his motion. Brutus again seems to think he is giving me high praise by calling me an "excellent consul." Why, has anyone, even a personal enemy, ever used a more grudging term? To the rest of your criticisms too what a poor answer he has given! He only asks you to alter the point about the decree of the Senate. He would have done as much as that at the suggestion of a clerk. But that again is his own look out. Since you approve of the garden idea, manage it somehow. You know my resources. If I get something back from Faberius, there will be no difficulty. But I think I can manage even without that. Drusus' gardens are certainly for sale, and I think those of Lamianus and Cassianus too. But, when we meet. About Terentia I cannot say anything more suitable than you do in your letter. Duty must be my first consideration. If I have made a mistake, I would rather have to repent for her sake than for my own. C. Lollius' wife Ovia has to be paid 900 guineas. Eros says it can't be done without me, I suppose because some property has to pass between us at a valuation. I wish he had told you. For, if, as he said, the matter is arranged, and that is not precisely where he is deceiving me, it could be managed through you. Please find out and finish it. Quod me in forum vocas, eo vocas, unde etiam bonis meis rebus fugiebam. Quid enim mihi foro sine iudiciis, sine curia, in oculos incurrentibus iis, quos aequo animo videre non possum? Quod autem a me homines postulare scribis ut Romae sim neque mihi ut absim concedere, aut aliquatenus eos mihi concedere, iam pridem scito esse, cum unum te pluris quam omnes illos putem. Ne me quidem contemno meoque iudicio multo stare malo quam omnium reliquorum. Neque tamen progredior longius, quam mihi doctissimi homines concedunt; quorum scripta omnia, quaecumque sunt in eam sententiam, non legi solum, quod ipsum erat fortis aegroti, accipere medicinam, sed in mea etiam scripta transtuli, quod certe adflicti et fracti animi non fuit. Ab his me remediis noli in istam turbam vocare, ne recidam.

est hic quidem locus amoenus et in mari ipso qui et Antio et Circeus aspici possit; sed ineunda nobis ratio est quem ad modum in omni mutatione dominorum, quae innumerabiles fieri possunt in infinita posteritate, si modo haec stabunt, illud quasi consecratum remanere possit. equidem iam nihil egeo vectigalibus et parvo contentus esse possum. cogito interdum trans Tiberim hortos aliquos parare et quidem ob hanc causam maxime: nihil enim video quod tam celebre esse possit. sed quos, coram videbimus, ita tamen ut hac aestate fanum absolutum sit. tu tamen cum Apella Chio confice de columnis. [2] de Cocceio et Libone quae scribis approbo, maxime quod de iudicatu meo. de sponsu si quid perspexeris et tamen quid procuratores Cornifici dicant velim scire, ita ut in ea re te cum tam occupatus sis, non multum operae velim ponere. de Antonio Balbus quoque ad me cum Oppio conscripsit idque tibi placuisse ne perturbarer. illis egi gratias. te tamen, ut iam ante ad te scripsi, scire volo me neque isto nuntio esse perturbatum nec iam ullo perturbatum iri. [3] Pansa si hodie, ut putabas, profectus est, posthac iam incipito scribere ad me de Bruti adventu quid exspectes, id est quos ad dies. id, si scies ubi iam sit, facile coniectura adsequere. [4] quod ad Tironem de Terentia scribis, obsecro te, mi Attice, suscipe totum negotium. vides et officium agi meum quoddam cui tu es conscius et, ut non nulli putant, Ciceronis rem. me quidem id multo magis movet quod mihi est et sanctius et antiquius, praesertim cum hoc alterum neque sincerum neque firmum putem fore.