Letter 412

As I told you yesterday or perhaps to-day—for Quintus said he would take two days going—I went to Nesis on the 8th: and there was Brutus. How annoyed he was about the "7th of _July_." It quite upset him. So he said he would send orders for them to advertise the beast-hunt, which is to take place on the day after the games to Apollo, as on the "13th of _Quinctilis_." Libo came in, and he intervenit. Is Philonem, Pompei libertum, et Hilarum, suum libertum, venisse a Sexto cum litteris ad consules, "sive quo alio nomine sunt." Earum exemplum nobis legit, si quid videretur. Pauca παρὰ λέξιν, ceteroqui et satis graviter et non contumaciter. Tantum addi placuit, quod erat "COSS." solum, ut esset "PRAETT., TRIBB. PL., SENATVI," ne illi non proferrent eas, quae ad ipsos missae essent. Sextum autem nuntiant cum una solum legione fuisse Karthagine, eique eo ipso die, quo oppidum Baream cepisset, nuntiatum esse de Caesare, capto oppido miram laetitiam commutationemque animorum concursumque undique; sed illum ad sex legiones, quas in ulteriore reliquisset, revertisse. Ad ipsum autem Libonem scripsit nihil esse, nisi ad larem suum liceret. Summa postulatorum, ut omnes exercitus dimittantur, qui ubique sint. Haec fere de Sexto. De Buthrotiis undique quaerens nihil reperiebam. Alii concisos agripetas, alii Plancum acceptis nummis relictis illis aufugisse. Itaque non video sciturum me, quid eius sit, ni statim aliquid litterarum. Iter illud Brundisium, de quo dubitabam, sublatum videtur. Legiones enim adventare dicuntur. Haec autem navigatio habet quasdam suspiciones periculi. Itaque constituebam uti ὁμοπλοίᾳ. Paratiorem enim offendi Brutum, quam audiebam. Nam et ipse et Domitius bona plane habet dicrota, suntque navigia praeterea luculenta Sesti, Buciliani, ceterorum. told us that Philo, a freedman of Pompey, and Hilarus, one of his own, had come from Sextus with a letter for the consuls, "or whatever they call them." He read us a copy to see what we thought of it. There were a few odd expressions, but in other respects it was sufficiently dignified and not aggressive. We only thought it better to make an addition of "Praetors, Tribunes of the People, and Senate" to the simple address to the "Consuls," for fear they should not publish a letter sent to them. They say that Sextus has been at Carthage with only one legion, and that he received the news about Caesar on the very day that he took the town of Barea. After the capture there were great rejoicings and a change of sentiment, and people flocked to him from every side, but he returned to the six legions he had left in lower Spain. He has written to Libo himself saying it is all nothing to him if he cannot get home. The upshot of his demands is, that all the armies everywhere should be disbanded. That is all about Sextus. I have been making enquiries in every direction about the Buthrotians, and discover nothing. Some say the land-grabbers were cut to pieces, others that Plancus pocketed the money and fled, leaving them in the lurch. So I don't see how I can find out what there is in it, unless I get a letter at once. The route to Brundisium, about which I was hesitating, seems to be out of the question. They say the troops are arriving there. But the voyage from here has some suspicion of danger, so I have made up my mind to sail in company with Brutus. I found him better prepared than I had heard he was. For both he and Domitius have quite good two-banked galleys, and there are also some good ships belonging Nam Cassi classem, quae plane bella est, non numero ultra fretum. Illud est mihi submolestum, quod parum Brutus properare videtur. Primum confectorum ludorum nuntios exspectat; deinde, quantum intellego, tarde est navigaturus consistens in locis pluribus. Tamen arbitror esse commodius tarde navigare quam omnino non navigare; et, si, cum processerimus, exploratiora videbuntur, etesiis utemur.

ita ut heri tibi narravi vel fortasse hodie (Quintus enim altero die se aiebat), in Nesida viii Idus. ibi Brutus. quam ille doluit de NONIS IVLIIS! mirifice est conturbatus. itaque sese scripturum aiebat ut venationem eam quae postridie ludos Apollinaris futura est proscriberent <in> III IDVS QVINTILIS. Libo intervenit. is Philonem Pompei libertum et Hilarum suum libertum venisse a Sexto cum litteris ad consules sive quo alio nomine sunt. earum exemplum nobis legit, si quid videretur. pauca para\ le/cin , ceteroqui et satis graviter et non contumaciter. tantum addi placuit, quod erat coss. solum, ut esset PRAETT., TRIBB. PL., SENATVI, ne illi non proferrent eas quae ad ipsos missae essent. [2] Sextum autem nuntiant cum una solum legione fuisse Karthagine eique eo ipso die quo oppidum Baream cepisset nuntiatum esse de Caesare, capto oppido miram laetitiam commutationemque animorum concursumque undique; sed illum ad sex legiones quas in ulteriore reliquisset revertisse. ad ipsum autem Libonem scripsit nihil esse nisi ad larem suum liceret. summa postulatorum ut omnes exercitus dimittantur qui ubique sint. haec fere de Sexto. [3] de Buthrotiis undique quaerens nihil reperiebam. Alii concisos agripetas, alii Plancum acceptis nummis relictis illis aufugisse. itaque non video sciturum me quid eius sit ni statim aliquid litterarum. [4] iter illud Brundisium de quo dubitabam sublatum videtur. legiones enim adventare dicuntur. haec autem navigatio habet quasdam suspiciones periculi. itaque constituebam uti o(moploi/a? . paratiorem enim offendi Brutum quam audiebam. nam et ipse <et> Domitius bona plane habet dicrota suntque navigia praeterea luculenta Sesti, Buciliani, ceterorum. nam Cassi classem quae plane bella est non numero ultra fretum. illud est mihi submolestum quod parum Brutus properare videtur. primum confectorum ludorum nuntios exspectat; deinde, quantum intellego, tarde est navigaturus consistens in locis pluribus. tamen arbitror esse commodius tarde navigare quam omnino non navigare; et si, cum processerimus, exploratiora videbuntur, etesiis utemur.