Letter 39

Many things trouble me, both from the great upheaval in public affairs and from the dangers that are aimed at me personally, and there are six hundred of them; but nothing is more annoying to me than the manumission of Statius: "That my authority—and I let authority pass—that not even my displeasure should make him at least return!" I do not know what to do, and the talk about the matter is greater than the thing itself. For my part, I cannot even be angry with those whom I love deeply; I can only grieve, and most extraordinarily at that. As for the rest, amid these great affairs, the threats of Clodius and the coming struggles are set before me but touch me only moderately; for I think I can either face them with the utmost dignity or avoid them without any trouble. Perhaps you will say: "You have had enough of dignity, as if it were some ancient relic—if you love me, look to your safety." Wretched me! Why are you not here? Nothing would escape your notice; I perhaps am blinded and cling too much to what is noble. Know that nothing has ever been so infamous, so disgraceful, so equally offensive to all classes, ranks, and ages as the present state of affairs—more so, by Hercules, than I would wish, not merely more than I had thought. Those populists have now taught even moderate men to hiss. Bibulus is in heaven, and I do not know why, but he is praised as though "One man by his delay restored our state." Pompey, my dear friend—and this causes me the deepest pain—has ruined himself. They hold no one by goodwill; I fear it will be necessary for them to resort to fear. For my part, I neither fight against their cause on account of that friendship, nor do I approve it, lest I condemn everything I have done before; I take the middle road. The feeling of the people was best observed in the theater and at the shows; for at the gladiatorial games, both the patron and his supporters were torn apart by hissing; at the games of Apollo, the tragic actor Diphilus made an insolent attack upon our Pompey: "By our misery you are Great"—he was forced to repeat it a thousand times; "The time will come when you will bitterly lament that same prowess" he declaimed to the roar of the entire theater, and likewise the rest. For the verses are of such a kind that they seem to have been written for the occasion by an enemy of Pompey: "If neither laws nor customs compel—" and the rest were spoken amid great uproar and shouting. When Caesar arrived, there was dead applause; young Curio followed him, and he was applauded as Pompey used to be applauded when the republic was still sound. Caesar took it hard. Letters were said to fly to Pompey at Capua. They were hostile to the equestrians who had applauded Curio while standing, hostile to everyone; they were making threats against the Roscian law and even against the grain law. The situation was thoroughly disturbed. For my part, I would have preferred that what had been undertaken by them be passed over in silence, but I fear that will not be possible. People will not endure what nevertheless seems to need enduring; but by now the voice of all is one, firmed more by hatred than by any armed support. Our friend Publius, meanwhile, threatens me and is hostile. Trouble looms, to which you will of course come flying. I think I have a very firm consular army of all good men, even of the moderately good. Pompey shows no small devotion toward me; he also assures me that that man will not say a word against me—in which he does not deceive me, but is himself deceived. On the death of Cosconius, I was invited to take his place. That was to be called to a dead man's seat. Nothing would have been more disgraceful for me in the eyes of men, nor indeed anything more contrary to that very security I seek. For they are objects of resentment among the good, and I would have kept my own unpopularity while taking on theirs. Caesar wants me to serve as his legate. This is a more honorable way of declining the danger; but I do not reject it outright. What then? I prefer to fight. But nothing is settled yet. Again I say, "If only you were here!" But still, if it becomes necessary, I will summon you. What else? What indeed? This, I think: we may be sure that everything is lost; for why do we keep hesitating so long? But I have written this in haste and, by Hercules, timidly. Hereafter I will either write everything plainly to you, if I have a thoroughly trustworthy person to carry the letter, or if I write obscurely, you will understand nonetheless. In those letters I will make myself Laelius, and you Furius; the rest will be in riddles. Here I am cultivating and attentively courting Caecilius. I hear the edicts of Bibulus have been sent to you. Our Pompey burns with grief and anger over them.

I have many causes for anxiety, both from the troubled state of the constitution and from the innumerable personal dangers which threaten me. But nothing annoys me more than Statius’ manumission: That my authority—nay, I let that be— That my displeasure should be counted nought! But what I am to do, I don’t know; and the matter is more talk than anything. I can never be angry with those I really love: I can only feel sorrow, and very deep sorrow too. My other cares are for important matters. Clodius’ threats and the struggle I have to face do not affect me much: for I think I can face the music with dignity or avoid the danger without unpleasantness. Perhaps you will say: “Hang dignity. It’s prehistoric. For mercy’s sake look after your safety,” Alas! Why aren’t you here? You would notice everything: while I perhaps am blinded by my passion for high ideals. Nothing was ever so scandalous, so disgraceful, and so objectionable to every rank and class of men young or old as this present state of affairs, far more so than I expected, nay upon my soul it is more so than I could wish. The popular party have taught even the modestos homines sibilare docuerunt. Bibulus in caelo est, nec, quare, scio, sed ita laudatur, quasi “Unus homo nobis cunctando restituit rem.” Pompeius, nostri amores, quod mihi summo dolori est, ipse se adflixit. Neminem tenent voluntate; ne metu necesse sit iis uti, vereor. Ego autem neque pugno cum illa causa propter illam amicitiam neque approbo, ne omnia improbem, quae antea gessi; utor via. Populi sensus maxime theatro et spectaculis perspectus est; nam gladiatoribus qua dominus qua advocati sibilis conscissi; ludis Apollinaribus Diphilus tragoedus in nostrum Pompeium petulanter invectus est: “Nostra miseria tu es magnus—” miliens coactus est dicere; “Eandem virtutem istam veniet tempus cum graviter gemes” totius theatri clamore dixit itemque cetera. Nam et eius modi sunt ii versus, uti in tempus ab inimico Pompei scripti esse videantur: “Si neque leges neque mores cogunt—,” et cetera magno cum fremitu et clamore sunt dicta. Caesar cum venisset mortuo plausu, Curio filius est insecutus. Huic ita plausum est, ut salva re publica Pompeio plaudi solebat. Tulit Caesar graviter. Litterae Capuam ad Pompeium volare dicebantur. Inimici moderate men to hiss. Bibulus is exalted to the sky, though I don’t know why. However he is as much bepraised as though “His wise delay alone did save the state.” To my infinite sorrow, my pet, Pompey, has shattered his own reputation. They have no hold on anyone by affection: and I am afraid they may find it necessary to try the effect of fear. I do not quarrel with them on account of my friendship for him, though I refrain from showing approval not to stultify all my previous actions. I keep to the high-road. The popular feeling can be seen best in the theatre and at public exhibitions. For at the gladiatorial show both the leader and his associates were overwhelmed with hisses: at the games in honour of Apollo the actor Diphilus made an impertinent attack on Pompey, “By our misfortunes thou art Great,” which was encored again and again. “A time will come when thou wilt rue that might” he declaimed amid the cheers of the whole audience, and so on with the rest. For indeed the verses do look as though they had been written for the occasion by an enemy of Pompey: “If neither law nor custom can constrain,” etc. was received with a tremendous uproar and outcry. At Caesar’s entry the applause dwindled away; but young Curio who followed was applauded as Pompey used to be when the constitution was still sound. Caesar was much annoyed: and it is said a letter flew post haste to Pompey at Capua. erant equitibus, qui Curioni stantes plauserant, hostes omnibus; Rosciae legi, etiam frumentariae minitabantur. Sane res erat perturbata. Equidem malueram, quod erat susceptum ab illis, silentio transiri, sed vereor, ne non liceat. Non ferunt homines, quod videtur esse tamen ferendum; sed est iam una vox omnium magis odio firmata quam praesidio. Noster autem Publius mihi minitatur, inimicus est. Impendet negotium, ad quod tu scilicet advolabis. Videor mihi nostrum illum consularem exercitum bonorum omnium, etiam satis bonorum habere firmissimum. Pompeius significat studium erga me non mediocre; idem adfirmat verbum de me illum non esse facturum; in quo non me ille fallit, sed ipse fallitur. Cosconio mortuo sum in eius locum invitatus. Id erat vocari in locum mortui. Nihil me turpius apud homines fuisset neque vero ad istam ipsam ἀσφάλειαν quicquam alienius. Sunt enim illi apud bonos invidiosi, ego apud improbos meam retinuissem invidiam, alienam adsumpsissem. Caesar me sibi vult esse legatum. Honestior declinatio haec periculi; sed ego hoc non repudio. Quid ergo est? pugnare malo. Nihil tamen certi. Iterum dico “utinam adesses!” Sed tamen, si erit necesse, arcessemus They are annoyed with the knights who stood up and clapped Curio, and their hand is against every man’s. They are threatening the Roscian law and even the corn law. Things are in a most disturbed condition. I used to think it would be best silently to ignore their doings, but I am afraid that will be impossible. The public cannot put up with things, and yet it looks as though they would have to put up with them. The whole people speak now with one voice, but the unanimity has no foundation but common hate. Anyhow our friend Publius is threatening me and making hostile advances: there is trouble ahead, and you must fly to the rescue. I think I have at my back the same firm bodyguard of all the sound men and even the moderately sound, as I had in my consulship. The affection Pompey shows me is more than ordinary. He declares Clodius will not say a word against me: but there he is deceiving himself not me. I have been asked to fill Cosconius’ place now he is dead. That would be stepping into a dead man’s shoes, with a vengeance! I should disgrace myself utterly in the world’s eyes: and nothing could be more opposed to the state of safety you keep talking of. For that board is unpopular with the loyal party, and so I should keep my unpopularity with the disloyal and take up another’s burden too. Caesar wants me to go as his lieutenant. That would be a more honourable way of getting out of danger. But I don’t want to shirk it, for the very good reason that I prefer fighting. However nothing is settled, I repeat, I wish you were here. However, Quid aliud? quid? Hoc opinor. Certi sumus perisse omnia; quid enim ἀκκιζόμεθα tam diu? Sed haec scripsi properans et mehercule timide. Posthac ad te aut, si perfidelem habebo, cui dem, scribam plane omnia, aut, si obscure scribam, tu tamen intelleges. In iis epistulis me Laelium, te Furium faciam; cetera erunt ἐν αἰνιγμοῖς. Hic Caecilium colimus et observamus diligenter. Edicta Bibuli audio ad te missa. Iis ardet dolore et ira noster Pompeius.

Multa me sollicitant et ex rei publicae tanto motu et ex iis periculis quae mihi ipsi intenduntur et sescenta sunt; sed mihi nihil est molestius quam Statium manu missum; "nec meum imperium, ac mitto imperium, non simultatem meam Reuerteri saltem"! nec quid faciam scio neque tantum est in re quantus est sermo. ego autem ne irasci possum quidem iis quos ualde amo; tantum doleo ac mirifice quidem. cetera in magnis rebus, minae Clodii contentionesque mihi proponuntur modice me tangunt; etenim uel subire eas uideor mihi summa cum dignitate uel declinare nulla cum molestia posse. dices fortasse: 'dignitatis ἁλις tamquam Î´ÏÏ ÏŒÏ‚, saluti, si me amas, consule.' Μe miserum! cur non ades? nihil profecto te praeteriret; ego fortasse Ï„Ï Ï†Î»Ï‰Ï„Ï„Ï‰ et nimium τῳ χαλῳ προσπέπονθα. (2) Scito nihil umquam fuisse tam infame, tam turpe, tam peraeque omnibus generibus, ordinibus, aetatibus offensum quam hunc statum qui nunc est, magis me hercule quam uellem non modo quam putarem. populares isti iam etiam modestos homines sibilare docuerunt. Bibulus in caelo est nec qua re scio, sed ita laudatur quasi Vnus homo nobis cunctando restituit rem. Pompeius, nostri amores, quod mihi summo dolori est, ipse se adflixit. neminem tenent uoluntate; ne me tu necesse sit iis uti uereor. ego autem neque pugno cum illa causa propter illam amicitiam neque approbo, ne omnia improbem quae antea gessi; utor uia. populi sensus maxime theatro et spectaculis perspectus est; nam gladiatoribus qua dominus qua aduocati sibilis conscissi; ludis Apollinaribus Diphilus tragoedus in nostrum Pompeium petulanter inuectus est; nostra miseria tu es magnus - miliens coactus est dicere; Eandem uirtutem istam ueniet tempus cum grauiter gemes totius theatri clamore dixit itemque cetera. nam et eius modi sunt ii uersus uti in tempus ab inimico Pompei scripti esse uideantur: si neque leges neque mores cogunt -, et cetera magno cum fremitu et clamore sunt dicta. Caesar cum uenisset mortuo plausu, Curio filius est insecutus. huic ita plausum est ut salua re publica Pompeio plaudi solebat. tulit Caesar grauiter. Litterae Capuam ad Pompeium uolare dicebantur. inimici erant equitibus qui Curioni stantes plauserant, hostes omnibus; Rosciae legi, etiam frumentariae minitabantur. sane res erat perturbata. equidem malueram quod erat susceptum ab illis silentio transiri, sed uereor ne non liceat. non ferunt homines quod uidetur esse tamen ferendum; sed est iam una uox omnium magis odio firmata quam praesidio. (4) noster autem Publius mihi minitatur, inimicus est. impendet negotium, ad quod tu scilicet aduolabis. uideor mihi nostrum illum consularem exercitum bonorum omnium, etiam sat bonorum habere firmissimum. Pompeius significat studium erga me non mediocre; idem adfirmat uerbum de me illum non esse facturum; in quo non me ille fallit sed ipse fallitur. Cosconio mortuo sum in eius locum inuitatus. id erat uocari in locum mortui. nihil me turpius apud homines fuisset neque uero ad istam ipsam ἀσιπάλειαν quicquam alienius. sunt enim illi apud bonos inuidiosi, ego apud improbos meam retinuissem inuidiam, alienam adsumpsissem. Caesar me sibi uult esse legatum. (5) Honestior declinatio haec periculi; sed ego hoc non repudio. quid ergo est? pugnare malo. nihil tamen certi. iterum dico 'utinam adesses!' sed tamen si erit necesse, arcessemus. quid aliud? quid? hoc opinor. certi sumus perisse omnia; quid enim ἀχχιζόμεθα tam diu? sed haec scripsi properans et me hercule timide. posthac ad te aut, si perfidelem habebo cui dem, scribam plane omnia aut, si obscure scribam, tu tamen intelleges. in iis epistulis me Laelium, te Furium faciam; cetera erunt ἐν ἀινιγμοῖς. hic Caecilium colimus et obseruamus diligenter. edicta Bibuli audio ad te missa. Iis ardet dolore et ira noster Pompeius.