Letter 1.1

Whatever duty I show you, or rather whatever devotion, may satisfy everyone else; it never satisfies me. Your services to me were so great that, since you did not rest until my case was completely settled, I count my life bitter while I cannot accomplish the same thing for you. The difficulties are these. Ammonius, the king's agent, is openly attacking us with money. The affair is being handled through the same creditors as when you were here. The few men who want the matter settled in the king's interest all want it referred to Pompey. The Senate accepts the excuse of religious scruple, not from respect for religion, but from ill will toward the king and resentment at his bribery. I keep urging Pompey, begging him, and now even warning and reproaching him more freely, to avoid so disgraceful a charge. Yet he really leaves no room for either requests or warnings from me, because both in ordinary conversation and openly in the Senate he has defended your cause with as much eloquence, gravity, zeal, and energy as anyone possibly could, while openly acknowledging your services to him and his affection for you. You know Marcellinus is angry with the king. Apart from this royal affair, he says he will support you in everything. We accept what he offers. Nothing can move him from his proposal about the religious objection, which he had decided to bring and has already brought several times before the Senate. Up to the Ides, for I am writing early that morning, the debate has gone like this. Hortensius, Lucullus, and I voted to accept the religious objection so far as an army was concerned, since otherwise there was no chance of carrying the matter through, but to order you, under the decree already passed on your own motion, to restore the king as far as you could without harm to the state. In that way the religious objection would prevent the use of an army, while the Senate would still retain you as the authorized agent. Crassus votes for sending three envoys, not excluding Pompey, since he would allow them to be chosen even from men who currently hold command authority. Bibulus wants three envoys chosen from men without such authority. The other former consuls agree with him, except Servilius, who says the king should not be restored at all; Volcatius, who on Lupus's motion votes to give the business to Pompey; and Afranius, who agrees with Volcatius. This last point increases suspicion about Pompey's wishes, since people noticed that Pompey's close associates voted with Volcatius. We are in a very difficult position, and the day seems to be going against us. The notorious plotting and eagerness of Libo and Hypsaeus, together with the zeal of Pompey's intimates, have created the impression that Pompey wants the commission. Those who do not want him to have it are also irritated that you put power into his hands. My influence is weaker because I am known to be under obligation to you. Whatever influence I might have had is also blunted by what people believe Pompey wants, since they think they are doing him a favor. We are in almost the same position as before you left: the wound has been secretly inflamed by the king himself and Pompey's friends and intimates, then openly aggravated by the former consuls, until public resentment has been stirred to the highest point. Everyone will know my loyalty. Your friends here will see my affection for you, though you are absent. If there were any good faith in the men most obliged to show it, we would have no trouble at all.

XCIV (Fam. I, 1) TO P. LENTULUS SPINTHER (IN CILICIA) ROME, 13 JANUARY: Whatever attention or affection I may show you, though it may seem sufficient in the eyes of others, can never seem sufficient in my own. For such has been the magnitude of your services to me that, inasmuch as you never rested till my affair was brought to a conclusion, while I cannot effect the same in your cause, I regard my life as a burden. The difficulties are these. The king's agent, Hammonius , is openly attacking us by bribery. The business is being carried out by means of the same money-lenders as it was when you were in town. Such people as wish it done for the king's sake — and they are few — are all for intrusting the business to Pompey . The senate supports the trumped — up religious scruple, not from any respect to religion, but from ill-feeling towards him, and disgust at the king's outrageous bribery. I never cease advising and instigating Pompey — even frankly finding fault with and admonishing him — to avoid what would be a most discreditable imputation. But he really leaves no room for either entreaties or admonitions from me. For, whether in everyday conversation or in the senate, no one could support your cause with greater eloquence, seriousness, zeal, and energy than he has done, testifying in the highest terms to your services to himself and his affection for you. Marcellinus , you know, is incensed with his flute-playing majesty. In everything, saving and excepting this case of the king, he professes the intention of being your champion. We take what he gives: nothing can move him from his motion as to the religious difficulty, which he made up his mind to bring, and has, in fact, brought several times before the senate. The debate up to the Ides (for I am writing early in the morning of the Ides ) has been as follows: Hortensius and I and Lucullus voted for yielding to the religious scruple as far as concerned the army, for otherwise there was no possibility of get ting the matter through, but, in accordance with the decree already passed on your own motion, were for directing you to restore the king, “so far as you may do so without detriment to the state”: so that while the religious difficulty prohibits the employment of an army, the senate might still retain you as the person authorized. Crassus votes for sending three legates, not excluding Pompey : for he would allow them to be selected even from such as are at present in possession of imperlum. Bibulus is for three legates selected from men without imperium. The other consulars agree with the latter, except Servilius , who says that he ought not to be restored at all: and Volcatius , who on the motion of Lupus votes for giving the business to Pompey : and Afranius , who agrees with Volcatius . This last fact increases the suspicion as to Pompey 's wishes: for it was noticed that Pompey 's intimates agreed with Volcatius . We are in a very great difficulty: the day seems going against us. The notorious colloguing and eagerness of Libo and Hypsaeus , and the earnestness displayed by Pompey 's intimates, have produced an impression that Pompey desires it; and those who don't want him to have it are at the same time annoyed with your having put power into his hands. I have the less influence in the case because I am under an obligation to you. Moreover, whatever influence I might have had is extinguished by the idea people entertain as to Pompey 's wishes, for they think they are gratifying him. We are in much the same position as we were long before your departure: now, as then, the sore has been fomented secretly by the king himself and by the friends and intimates of Pompey , and then openly irritated by the consulars, till the popular prejudice has been excited to the highest pitch. All the world shall recognize my loyalty, and your friends on the spot shall see my affection for you though you are absent. If there were any good faith in those most bound to show it, we should be in no difficulty at all.

I. Scripta est epistula Romae Idibus Ianuariis a.u.c. 698. M. CICERO S. D. P. LENTULO PROCOS. Ego omni officio ac potius pietate erga te ceteris satisfacio omnibus, mihi ipse numquam satisfacio; tanta enim magnitudo est tuorum erga me meritorum, ut, quoniam tu nisi perfecta re de me non conquiesti, ego, quia non idem in tua causa efficio, vitam mihi esse acerbam putem. In causa haec sunt: Ammonius, regis legatus, aperte pecunia nos oppugnat, res agitur per eosdem creditores, per quos, cum tu aderas, agebatur; regis causa si qui sunt qui velint, qui pauci sunt, omnes rem ad Pompeium deferri volunt, senatus religionis calumniam non religione, sed malevolentia et illius regiae largitionis invidia comprobat. Pompeium et hortari et orare et iam liberius accusare et monere, ut magnam infamiam fugiat, non desistimus; sed plane nec precibus nostris nec admonitionibus relinquit locum, nam cum in sermone quotidiano, tum in senatu palam sic egit causam tuam, ut neque eloquentia maiore quisquam nec gravitate nec studio nec contentione agere potuerit, cum summa testificatione tuorum in se officiorum et amoris erga te sui. Marcellinum tibi esse iratum scis: is hac regia causa excepta ceteris in rebus se acerrimum tui defensorem fore ostendit. Quod dat, accipimus: quod instituit referre de religione et saepe iam retulit, ab eo deduci non potest. Res ante Idus acta sic est—nam haec Idibus mane scripsi—: Hortensii et mea et Luculli sententia cedit religioni de exercitu— teneri enim res aliter non potest—, sed ex illo senatus consulto, quod te referente factum est, tibi decernit, ut regem reducas, quod commodo rei publicae facere possis, ut exercitum religio tollat, te auctorem senatus retineat. Crassus tres legatos decernit, nec excludit Pompeium, censet enim etiam ex iis, qui cum imperio sint; Bibulus tres legatos ex iis, qui privati sint. Huic assentiuntur reliqui consulares praeter Servilium, qui omnino reduci negat oportere, et Volcatium, qui Lupo referente Pompeio decernit, et Afranium, qui assentitur Volcatio, quae res auget suspicionem Pompeii voluntatis [,nam advertebatur Pompeii familiares assentiri VoIcatio]. Laboratur vehementer; inclinata res est: Libonis et Hypsaei non obscura concursatio et contentio omniumque Pompeii familiarium studium in eam opinionem rem adduxerunt, ut Pompeius cupere videatur, cui qui nolunt, iidem tibi, quod eum ornasti, non sunt amici; non in causa auctoritatem eo minorem habemus, quod tibi debemus, gratiam autem nostram exstinguit hominum suspicio, quod Pompeio se gratificari putant. Ut in rebus multo ante, quam profectus es, ab ipso rege et ab intimis ac domesticis Pompeii clam exulceratis, deinde palam a consularibus exagitatis et in summam invidiam adductis, ita versamur: nostram fidem omnes, amorem tui absentis praesentes tui cognoscent; si esset in iis fides, in quibus summa esse debebat, non laboraremus.