Letter 423

Don't think it is laziness that prevents my writing myself; and yet, to be sure, it is nothing but laziness, for I have no other excuse to make. However, I seem to recognize Alexis' hand in your letters too. But to come to the point. If Dolabella had not treated me most disgracefully, I should perhaps have had some doubt whether to let him down lightly or to claim my full rights. But, as it is, I am glad to have some reason for showing him and other people that I have quarrelled with him; and I will make it clear that I detest him both on my own account and on that of the Republic, because, when at my instigation illum oderim, quod, cum eam me auctore defendere coepisset, non modo deseruerit emptus pecunia, sed etiam, quantum in ipso fuerit, everterit. Quod autem quaeris, quo modo agi placeat, cum dies venerit, primum velim eius modi sit, ut non alienum sit me Romae esse; de quo ut de ceteris faciam, ut tu censueris. De summa autem agi prorsus vehementer et severe volo. Etsi sponsores appellare videtur habere quandam δυσωπίαν, tamen, hoc quale sit, consideres velim. Possumus enim, ut sponsores appellemus, procuratorem introducere; neque enim illi litem contestabuntur. Quo facto non sum nescius sponsores liberari. Sed et illi turpe arbitror eo nomine, quod satisdato debeat, procuratores eius non dissolvere et nostrae gravitatis ius nostrum sine summa illius ignominia persequi. De hoc quid placeat, rescribas velim; nec dubito, quin hoc totum lenius administraturus sis. Redeo ad rem publicam. Multa mehercule a te saepe in πολιτικῷ genere prudenter, sed his litteris nihil prudentius: "Quamquam enim potest et in praesentia belle iste puer retundit Antonium, tamen exitum exspectare debemus." At quae contio! nam est missa mihi. Iurat, ita sibi parentis honores consequi liceat, et simul dextram intendit ad statuam. Μηδὲ σωθείην ὑπό γε τοιούτου! Sed, ut scribis, certissimum esse video discrimen Cascae nostri tribunatum, de quo quidem ipso dixi Oppio, cum me hortaretur, he had begun to defend it, he not only accepted a bribe to desert it, but did his best to overthrow it. You ask how I want things to be managed when the day comes. First, I should like them to be so arranged that it may appear natural for me to come to Rome. But about that, and indeed about the rest, I will do as you advise. On the main point, however, I want really active and serious steps to be taken. Though it is counted bad form to call upon the sureties for payment, still consider how that method would do. We can bring his agents into the case in order to call upon the sureties, for the agents will not dispute the suit, though, if they do, I know of course the sureties will escape. But I think it will be a disgrace for him, if his agents do not pay up a debt for which he gave security, and my position demands that I should prosecute my case without extreme humiliation to him. Please write and tell me what you think best; I have no doubt you will carry it through with reasonable moderation. I return to public affairs. You have often said many a wise thing about politics, but never anything wiser than this letter: "For though the youth is strong and at present holds Antony well in check, still we must wait and see." But what a speech! For it has been sent to me. He swears by his hopes of attaining to the honours of his father, and at the same time stretches out his hand towards the statue. Be hanged to salvation with a saviour like that! But, as you say, I see Casca's tribuneship will afford the best criterion of his policy. It was _apropos_ of that that I said to Oppius, when he wanted me to ut adulescentem totamque causam manumque veteranorum complecterer, me nullo modo facere posse, ni mihi exploratum esset eum non modo non inimicum tyrannoctonis, verum etiam amicum fore. Cum ille diceret ita futurum, "Quid igitur festinamus?" inquam. "Illi enim mea opera ante Kal. Ian. nihil opus est, nos autem eius voluntatem ante Idus Decembr. perspiciemus in Casca." Valde mihi adsensus est. Quam ob rem haec quidem hactenus. Quod reliquum est, cotidie tabellarios habebis, et, ut ego arbitror, etiam quod scribas, habebis cotidie. Leptae litterarum exemplum tibi misi, ex quo mihi videtur Στρατύλαξ ille deiectus de gradu. Sed tu, cum legeris, existumabis. Obsignata iam epistula litteras a te et a Sexto accepi. Nihil iucundius litteris Sexti, nihil amabilius. Nam tuae breves, priores erant uberrimae. Tu quidem et prudenter et amice suades, ut in his locis potissimum sim, quoad audiamus, haec, quae commota sunt, quorsus evadant. Sed me, mi Attice, non sane hoc quidem tempore movet res publica, non quo aut sit mihi quicquam carius aut esse debeat, sed desperatis etiam Hippocrates vetat adhibere medicinam. Quare ista valeant; me res familiaris movet. Rem dico; immo vero existimatio. Cum enim tanta reliqua sint, ne Terentiae quidem adhuc quod solvam expeditum est. Terentiam dico; scis nos pridem iam constituisse Montani nomine HS ¯XXV¯ dissolvere. Pudentissime hoc Cicero petierat ut fide sua. Liberalissime, ut tibi quoque placuerat, promiseram, open my arms to the youth, the whole cause, and the troop of veterans, that I could not do anything of the kind, until I had made sure that he would not only not be an enemy, but would be a friend to the tyrannicides. He said that would be so, and I replied: "Then, what is the hurry? He does not want my assistance before the 1st of January, and we shall see what he intends before the middle of December in Casca's case." He quite agreed with me. So that's enough of that. For the rest you will have messengers every day, and I think you will have something to write every day too. I am sending a copy of Lepta's letter, and from it you will see that that toy captain has had a fall. But you will judge for yourself when you have read it. When I had already sealed this letter, I got one from you and one from Sextus. Nothing could have been pleasanter or more amiable than Sextus' letter. For yours was a short note, the earlier one having been very full. It is wise and friendly advice you give me to stay here by preference, till we hear how this disturbance is going to end. But just at this minute, my dear Atticus, it is not the Republic that I am bothered about—not that any thing is or ought to be dearer to me, but even Hippocrates admits it is useless to apply medicine in desperate cases. So let that go hang—it is my private concerns that bother me. Concerns, do I say? Nay, rather my credit; for, though I have such big balances, I have not even enough money on hand yet to pay Terentia. Do I speak of Terentia? You know we arranged long ago to pay Montanus' debt of £250. My son very considerately begged me to do it out of his credit. As you also agreed, I promised quite freely, Erotique dixeram, ut sepositum haberet. Non modo non fecit sed iniquissimo faenore versuram facere Aurelius coactus est. Nam de Terentiae nomine Tiro ad me scripsit te dicere nummos a Dolabella fore. Male eum credo intellexisse, si quisquam male intellegit, potius nihil intellexisse. Tu enim ad me scripsisti Coccei responsum et isdem paene verbis Eros. Veniendum est igitur vel in ipsam flammam. Turpius est enim privatim cadere quam publice. Itaque ceteris de rebus, quas ad me suavissume scripsisti, perturbato animo non potui, ut consueram, rescribere. Consenti hac cura, ubi sum, ut me expediam; quibus autem rebus, venit quidem mihi in mentem, sed certi constituere nihil possum, prius quam te videro. Qui minus autem ego istic recte esse possim, quam est Marcellus? Sed non id agitur, neque id maxime curo; quid curem, vides. Adsum igitur.

nihil erat plane quod scriberem. nam cum Puteolis essem, cotidie aliquid novi de Octaviano, multa etiam falsa de Antonio. ad ea autem quae scripsisti (tris enim acceperam iii Idus a te epistulas), valde tibi adsentior, si multum possit Octavianus, multo firmius acta tyranni comprobatum iri quam in telluris atque id contra Brutum fore. sin autem vincitur, vides intolerabilem Antonium, ut quem velis nescias. [2] O Sesti tabellarium hominem nequam! postridie Puteolis Romae se dixit fore. quod me mones ut pedetemptim, adsentior; etsi aliter cogitabam. nec me Philippus aut Marcellus movet. Alia enim eorum ratio <est> et, si non est, tamen videtur. sed in isto iuvene, quamquam animi satis, auctoritatis parum est. tamen vide, si forte in Tusculano recte esse possum, ne id melius sit. ero libentius; nihil enim ignorabo. an hic, cum Antonius venerit? [3] sed, ut aliud ex alio, mihi non est dubium quin quod Graeci kaqh=kon , nos 'officium.' id autem quid dubitas quin etiam in rem publicam praeclare caderet? nonne dicimus 'consulum officium, senatus officium, imperatoris officium'? praeclare convenit; aut da melius. [4] male narras de Nepotis filio. valde me hercule moveor et moleste fero. nescieram omnino esse istum puerum. Caninium perdidi, hominem, quod ad me attinet, non ingratum. Athenodorum nihil est quod hortere. misit enim satis bellum u(po/mnhma . gravedini, quaeso, omni ratione subveni. avi tui pronepos scribit ad patris mei nepotem se ex Nonis iis quibus nos magna gessimus aedem Opis explicaturum idque ad populum. videbis igitur et scribes. Sexti iudicium exspecto.