Letter 413
Brutus is expecting a letter from you. The news I brought him about
Accius' _Tereus_ was no news. He thought it was the _Brutus_. There
had, however, been some breath of rumour that at the opening of the
Greek games the audience was small, at which, indeed, I was not at all
surprised; for you know what I think of Greek games.
Now hear the most important point of all. Quintus has been with me
several days, and, if I had desired, he would have stayed longer; but,
so far as his visit went, you would not believe how pleased I was with
him in every way, and especially in that in which I used most to
disapprove of him. For he is so totally changed, partly by some works of
mine, which I have in hand, and partly by my continual advice and
exhortation, that he will in the future be as loyal as we could wish to
the constitution. After he had not only asseverated this, but convinced
me
etiam persuasisset, egit mecum accurate multis verbis, tibi ut sponderem
se dignum et te et nobis futurum; neque se postulare, ut statim
crederes, sed, cum ipse perspexisses, tum ut se amares. Quodnisi fidem
mihi fecisset, iudicassemque hoc, quod dico, firmum fore, non fecissem
id, quod dicturus sum. Duxi enim mecum adulescentem ad Brutum. Sic ei
probatum est, quod ad te scribo, ut ipse crediderit, me sponsorem
accipere noluerit, eumque laudans amicissime mentionem tui fecerit,
complexus osculatusque dimiserit. Quam ob rem, etsi magis est, quod
gratuler tibi, quam quod te rogem, tamen etiam rogo, ut, si quae minus
antea propter infirmitatem aetatis constanter ab eo fieri videbantur, ea
iudices illum abiecisse, mihique credas multum allaturam, vel plurimum
potius, ad illius iudicium confirmandum auctoritatem tuam.
Bruto cum saepe iniecissem de ὁμοπλοίᾳ, non perinde, atque ego putaram,
arripere visus est. Existimabam μετεωρότερον esse, et hercule erat et
maxime de ludis. At mihi, cum ad villam redissem, Cn. Lucceius, qui
multum utitur Bruto, narravit illum valde morari, non tergiversantem,
sed exspectantem, si qui forte casus. Itaque dubito, an Venusiam tendam
et ibi exspectem de legionibus. Si aberunt, ut quidam arbitrantur,
Hydruntem, si neutrum erit ἀσφαλές, eodem revertar. Iocari me putas?
Moriar, si quisquam me tenet praeter te. Etenim circumspice, sed
antequam erubesco. O dies in auspiciis Lepidi
of it, he was very pressing for me to go bail to you that he will come
up to your and our expectations for the future; and he did not ask you
to believe this at once, but that you should restore your affection to
him, when you had seen it for yourself. If he had not convinced me of
it, and I did not think that what I am saying is trustworthy, I should
not have done what I am going to tell you. I took the young man with me
to Brutus, and he was so convinced of what I mention that he believed it
on his own account, refusing to hold me sponsor for Quintus. He praised
him and mentioned you in the most friendly way, and dismissed him with
an embrace and a kiss. So, although there is more reason for
congratulating you than asking favours of you, still I do ask you, if
you have regarded his actions up to now as showing some of the
flightiness of youth, to believe that he has got rid of that, and to
trust me that your influence will contribute much, or rather everything,
towards making his decision permanent.
I have frequently thrown out a hint to Brutus about sailing with him,
but he does not seem to jump at it as I thought he would. He seemed to
me rather distrait, and indeed he was, especially about the games. But
when I got back home, Lucceius, who is very intimate with him, said he
was hesitating a good deal, not because he has changed his mind, but in
the hope that something may turn up. So I am wondering whether to make
for Venusia and there await news of the troops. If they are not there,
as some think, I shall go to Hydrus; if neither road is safe, I will
come back here. Do you think I am joking? Upon my life you are the only
person who keeps me here. Just look round you, but do it before I
blush. Lepidus' choice of his day
lepide descriptos et apte ad consilium reditus nostri! Magna ῥοπὴ ad
proficiscendum in tuis litteris. Atque utinam te illic! Sed ut conducere
putabis.
Nepotis epistulam exspecto. Cupidus ille meorum? qui ea, quibus maxime
γαυριῶ, legenda non putet. Et ais "μετ' ἀμύμονα"! Tu vero "ἀμύμων," ille
quidem "ἄμβροτος." Mearum epistularum nulla est συναγωγή; sed habet Tiro
instar septuaginta; et quidem sunt a te quaedam sumendae. Eas ego
oportet perspiciam, corrigam. Tum denique edentur.
Latin / Greek Original
tuas iam litteras Brutus exspectabat. cui quidem ego [non] novum attuleram de Tereo Acci. ille Brutum putabat. sed tamen rumoris nescio quid adflaverat commissione Graecorum frequentiam non fuisse; quod quidem me minime fefellit; scis enim quid ego de Graecis ludis existimem. [2] nunc audi quod pluris est quam omnia. Quintus fuit mecum dies compluris et, si ego cuperem, ille vel pluris fuisset; sed quam diu fuit, incredibile est quam me in omni genere delectarit in eoque maxime in quo minime satis faciebat. sic enim commutatus est totus et scriptis meis quibusdam quae in manibus habebam et adsiduitate orationis et praeceptis ut tali animo in rem publicam quali nos volumus futurus sit. hoc cum mihi non modo confirmasset sed etiam persuasisset, egit mecum accurate multis verbis tibi ut sponderem se dignum et te et nobis futurum; neque se postulare ut statim crederes sed, cum ipse perspexisses, tum ut se amares. quod nisi fidem mihi fecisset iudicassemque hoc quod dico firmum fore, non fecissem id quod dicturus sum. duxi enim mecum adulescentem ad Brutum. sic ei probatum est quod ad te scribo ut ipse crediderit, me sponsorem accipere noluerit eumque laudans amicissime mentionem tui fecerit, complexus osculatusque dimiserit. quam ob rem etsi magis est quod gratuler tibi quam quod te rogem, tamen etiam rogo ut, si quae minus antea propter infirmitatem aetatis constanter ab eo fieri videbantur, ea iudices illum abiecisse mihique credas multum adlaturam vel plurimum potius ad illius iudicium confirmandum auctoritatem tuam. [3] Bruto cum saepe iniecissem de o(moploi/a? , non perinde atque ego putaram adripere visus est. existimabam metewro(teron esse, et hercule erat et maxime de ludis. at mihi cum ad villam redissem, Cn. Lucceius qui multum utitur Bruto narravit illum valde morari non tergiversantem sed exspectantem si qui forte casus. itaque dubito an Venusiam tendam et ibi exspectem de legionibus. si aberunt, ut quidam arbitrantur, Hydruntem, si neutrum erit a)sfale/j , eodem revertar. iocari me putas? moriar si quisquam me tenet praeter te. etenim circumspice, sed ante quam erubesco. [4] O dies in auspicus Lepidi <lepide> descriptos et apte ad consilium reditus nostri! magna r(oph\ ad proficiscendum <in> tuis litteris. atque utinam te illic! sed ut conducere putabis. [5] Nepotis epistulam exspecto. cupidus ille meorum? qui ea quibus maxime gauriw= legenda non putet. et ais ' met' a)mu/mona '! tu vero a)mu/mwn , ille quidem a)/mbrotoj . mearum epistularum nulla est sunagwgh/ ; sed habet Tiro instar septuaginta, et quidem sunt a te quaedam sumendae. eas ego oportet perspiciam, corrigam; tum denique edentur.