Letter 372

Just after I had given Cassius' messenger a letter for you on the 11th, came my messenger, and, to my extraordinary surprise, without a letter from you. But I quickly conjectured you had been at Lanuvium. Eros however had hastened to let me have a letter from Dolabella, not about my debt (for he had not got my letter yet), but an answer, and a very good answer too, to the one of which I sent you a copy. No sooner had I got rid of Cassius' messenger than Balbus came to see me. Good God, how easy it is to see that he is afraid of peace! And you know how secretive the man is. Yet he told me Antony's plans. He is canvassing all the veterans, asking them to support Caesar's acts and to take an oath to that effect, to keep in camps, which are to be inspected every month by two officials. He grumbled too about the prejudice against himself, and everything he said seemed to show affection for Antony. In fact there is no reliability in him. To me Mihi autem non est dubium, quin res spectet ad castra. Acta enim illa res est animo virili, consilio puerili. Quis enim hoc non vidit, regni heredem relictum? Quid autem absurdius? "Hoc métuere, alterum ín metu non pónere!" Quin etiam hoc ipso tempore multa ὑποσόλοικα. Ponti Neapolitanum a matre tyrannoctoni possideri! Legendus mihi saepius est "Cato maior" ad te missus. Amariorem enim me senectus facit. Stomachor omnia. Sed mihi quidem βεβίωται; viderint iuvenes. Tu mea curabis, ut curas. Haec scripsi seu dictavi apposita secunda mensa apud Vestorium. Postridie apud Hirtium cogitabam et quidem πεντέλοιπον. Sic hominem traducere ad optumates paro. Λῆρος πολύς. Nemo est istorum, qui otium non timeat. Quare talaria videamus. Quidvis enim potius quam castra. Atticae salutem plurimam velim dicas. Exspecto Octavi contionem et si quid aliud, maxime autem, ecquid Dolabella tinniat an in meo nomine tabulas novas fecerit. there seems no doubt that things are tending towards war. For the deed was done with the courage of men, but with the blind policy of a child. For who did not see that the tyrant left an heir? And what could be more absurd than "to fear the one, and reck not of his friend"? Nay even now there are many absurdities. Think of the mother of the tyrannicide occupying Pontius' house at Naples! I must keep on reading my _Cato Major_ which is dedicated to you: for old age is beginning to make me ill-tempered. Everything puts me in a rage. However, my life is over: the young people must look out for themselves. Take care of my affairs for me, as you are doing. This I have written or rather dictated when at dessert with Vestorius. To-morrow I am thinking of paying a visit to Hirtius, the only survivor of the band of five. That is my way of trying to make him join the conservative party. It is all nonsense: there is none of Caesar's party who does not fear peace. So let us look for our sevenleague boots. Anything is better than a camp. Please pay my best respects to Attica. I am looking for Octavius' speech and any other news there may be, but especially whether we shall hear the ring of Dolabella's money or whether he repudiated his debts in my case.

saepius me iam agitas quod rem gestam Dolabellae nimis in caelum videar efferre. ego autem, quamquam sane probo factum, tamen ut tanto opere laudarem adductus sum tuis et unis et alteris litteris. sed totum se a te abalienavit Dolabella ea de causa qua me quoque sibi inimicissimum reddidit. O hominem impudentem! Kal. Ian. debuit, adhuc non solvit, praesertim cum se maximo aere alieno Faberi manu liberarit et opem ab ope petierit licet enim iocari, ne me valde conturbatum putes. atque ego ad eum viii Idus litteras dederam bene mane, eodem autem die tuas litteras vesperi acceperam in Pompeiano sane celeriter tertio abs te die. sed, ut ad te eo ipso die scripseram,satis aculeatas ad Dolabellam litteras dedi; quae si nihil profecerint, puto fore ut me praesentem non sustineat [2] Albianum te confecisse arbitror. de Patulciano nomine, quod mihi suspendiatus est , gratissimum est et simile tuorum omnium. sed ego Erotem ad ista expedienda factum mihi videbar reliquisse; cuius non sine magna culpa vacillarunt. sed cum ipso videro. [3] de Montano, ut saepe ad te scripsi, erit tibi tota res curae. Servius proficiscens quod desperanter tecum locutus est minime miror neque ei quicquam in desperatione concedo. [4] Brutus noster, singularis vir, si in senatum non est Kal. Iuniis venturus, quid facturus sit in foro nescio. sed hoc ipse melius. ego ex iis quae parari video non multum Idibus Martiis profectum iudico. itaque de Graecia cotidie magis et magis cogito. nec enim Bruto meo exsilium, ut scribit ipse, meditanti video quid prodesse possim. Leonidae me litterae non satis delectarunt. de Herode tibi adsentior. Saufei legisse vellem. ego ex Pompeiano vi Idus Mai. cogitabam.