Letter 10.12

Although for the republic's sake I ought above all to rejoice that you have brought it so much protection and so much help at what was almost its final crisis, still, when the republic has been restored and I embrace you as victor, a great part of my joy will come from your standing. I see already that it is splendid, and that it will become still greater. Do not think any letter has ever been read in the Senate with greater approval than yours. That happened partly because your services to the republic were exceptionally great, and partly because your words and judgments carried such seriousness. To me this was no surprise: I knew you, remembered the promises in the letters you sent me, and had learned your deeper plans from our friend Furnius. But to the Senate they seemed greater than expected, not because it had ever doubted your goodwill, but because it did not yet know clearly how much you could do or how far you wished to go. So when Marcus Varisidius delivered your letter to me early on April 7, and I had read it, I was lifted up with incredible joy. A large crowd of excellent men and citizens was escorting me from my house, and I immediately shared my delight with them all. Meanwhile our friend Munatius came to me, as usual. I showed him your letter, for he still knew nothing; Varisidius had come to me first, and said that you had ordered him to do so. A little later Munatius himself gave me the letters you had sent to him, both the private one and the public dispatch. We decided to take the dispatch at once to Marcus Cornutus, the urban praetor, who, because the consuls were absent, was carrying out the consular duty according to ancestral custom. The Senate was summoned immediately and came in large numbers, because of the rumor and expectation surrounding your letter. After the letter had been read, a religious difficulty was raised for Cornutus when the pullarii [officials who observed the sacred chickens for omens] warned that he had not attended to the auspices carefully enough. Our college of augurs confirmed the point, so the matter was postponed to the next day. On that day I had a great struggle for your standing against Servilius. He had used his influence to have his motion announced first, but a packed Senate abandoned him and went over entirely to the other side. When my motion, announced second, was winning broad support, Publius Titius vetoed it at Servilius' request. The matter was postponed to the next day. Servilius came prepared to fight Jupiter himself, in whose temple the business was being conducted. I would rather you learn from other people's letters how I broke him and with what force I swept aside Titius' veto. From my letter take this one fact: the Senate could not have been more serious, more steadfast, or more friendly to your glory than it was then. Nor was the Senate more friendly to you than the whole citizen body. The entire Roman people, with a remarkable agreement of every class and order, has joined in the effort to free the republic. Go on, then, as you are doing, and entrust your name to immortality. Despise all those things that wear the appearance of glory but are gathered from the emptiest signs of brilliance; count them brief, fleeting, and perishable. True distinction rests in virtue, and virtue shines brightest in great services to the republic. You have the fullest opportunity for this. Since you have embraced it, hold it fast. Complete the work, so that the republic owes you no less than you owe the republic. You will find me not only a supporter of your standing, but one who enlarges it. I judge that I owe this both to the republic, which is dearer to me than my life, and to our friendship. And amid these cares, which I have devoted to your standing, I have taken great pleasure in seeing even more clearly the prudence and loyalty of Titus Munatius, already well known to me, in his extraordinary goodwill and diligence toward you.

DCCCXXXV (Fam. X, 12) TO L. MUNATIUS PLANCUS (IN GALLIA COMATA) ROME, 11 APRIL: ALTHOUGH on public grounds I ought to be extremely rejoiced that you have given the state so much protection and so much aid in what is almost a desperate crisis, yet while I shall embrace you with my whole heart as conqueror if the constitution be restored, still what causes me a great part of my joy is the position you occupy, which I perceive is and will be of the most splendid kind. For do not imagine that any despatch was ever read in the senate which gave greater satisfaction than yours. And that was the result not only of what I may call the brilliancy of your services to the Republic, but also of the loftiness of your language and sentiments. To me, indeed, it was nothing new, for I knew you, remembered the promises contained in your private letter to myself, and had a thorough acquaintance with your views from our friend Furnius . But to the senate your words seemed beyond what they had expected, not because it had ever doubted your good intentions, but because it had not thoroughly realized how much you could do nor how far you were willing to go. Accordingly, when Marcus Varisidius handed me your letter early in the morning of the 7th of April, and I had read it, I felt an amazing thrill of joy; and as a great crowd of the most distinguished men and citizens were escorting me from my house, I at once made them all sharers in my pleasure. Meanwhile our friend Munatius came as usual to see me. Well, I handed him your letter, for as yet he knew nothing about you, Varisidius having come to me before anyone else, saying that such were your orders. A little later Munatius also allowed me to read the letter you had sent him, as well as your public despatch. We decided to transmit the despatch at once to the city praetor Cornutus , who, in the absence of the consuls, was, according to traditional custom, performing the consular functions. A meeting of the senate was at once summoned and there was a large attendance, owing to the rumour and general anticipation in regard to your despatch. After your despatch had been read a religious difficulty was suggested to Cornutus , because the pullarii informed him that he had not taken the auspices with the proper formalities, and that was confirmed by our augural college. Accordingly, business was postponed to the next day. Well, on that day I had a warm debate with Servilius in defence of your position. He had exercised his influence to get his motion put first, but a large majority of senators quitted him and voted directly against it. But when my motion, which was put second, was being largely supported, at the request of Servilius it was vetoed by P. Titius . The business was deferred till the next day. Servilius came prepared “to fight Iupiter himself,” in whose temple the debate was to be held. How I crushed him, and with what fiery eloquence I brought the vetoing Titius upon his knees, I would rather you learnt from the letters of others. Take this one fact from mine. The senate could not have been more resolute and firm or better disposed to your glory than it was on this occasion. Not that the senate is a bit more friendly to you than the whole body of citizens. For there is a surprising unanimity of feeling among the entire Roman people, with the united aspiration of all conditions and classes, in favour of recovering the public liberty. Go on, then, as you have begun, to make your name immortal! And as for all those empty shows of glory, founded on the most unsubstantial badges of external splendour, despise them; and regard them as short-lived, counterfeit, and perishable. True glory rests on virtue, which is shown to the highest advantage by services done to the state. You have the most excellent opportunity for performing these. Since you have embraced it and still possess it, see that the state owes you as much as you owe the state. You will find in me not only a supporter of your high position, but a promoter of its increase. That much I think I owe both to the Republic, which is dearer to me than life itself, and to our friendship. And in these exertions, which I have consecrated to the support of your position, I have found a great pleasure in the still clearer view I have gained of the wisdom and loyalty of Titus Munatius — though I knew these before — as displayed in his extraordinary devotion and activity in your service. 11 April.

XII. Scr. Romae a. d. III. Idus Apriles a.u.c. 711. CICERO PLANCO. Etsi rei publicae causa maxime gaudere debeo tantum ei te praesidii, tantum opis attulisse extremis paene temporibus, tamen ita te victorem complectar re publica recuperata, ut magnam partem mihi laetitiae tua dignitas affert, quam et esse iam et futuram amplissimam intelligo; cave enim putes ullas umquam litteras gratiores quam tuas in senatu esse recitatas, idque contigit cum meritorum tuorum in rem publicam eximia quadam magnitudine, tum verborum sententiarumque gravitate. Quod mihi quidem minime novum, qui et te nossem et tuarum litterarum ad me missarum promissa meminissem et haberem a Furnio nostro tua penitus consilia cognita, sed senatui maiora visa sunt, quam erant exspectata, non quo umquam de tua voluntate dubitasset, sed nec, quantum facere posses, nec, quoad progredi velles, exploratum satis habebat. Itaque, cum a. d. VII. Idus Apriles mane mihi tuas litteras M. Varisidius reddidisset easque legissem, incredibili gaudio sum elatus, cumque magna multitudo optimorum virorum et civium me de domo deduceret, feci continuo omnes participes meae voluptatis. Interim ad me venit Munatius noster, ut consuerat: at ego ei litteras tuas, nihildum enim sciebat; nam ad me primum Varisidius, idque sibi a te mandatum esse dicebat. Paullo post idem mihi Munatius eas litteras legendas dedit, quas ipsi miseras, et eas, quas publice. Placuit nobis, ut statim ad M. Cornutum praetorem urbanum litteras deferremus, qui, quod consules aberant, consulare munus sustinebat more maiorum: senatus est continuo convocatus frequensque convenit propter famam atque exspectationem tuarum litterarum. Recitatis litteris oblata religio Cornuto est pullariorum admonitu, non satis diligenter eum auspiciis operam dedisse, idque a nostro collegio comprobatum est; itaque res dilata est in posterum. Eo autem die magna mihi pro tua dignitate contentio cum Servilio, qui cum gratia effecisset, ut sua sententia prima pronuntiaretur, frequens eum senatus reliquit et in alia omnia discessit, meaeque sententiae, quae secunda pronuntiata erat, cum frequenter assentiretur senatus, rogatu Servilii P. Titius intercessit: res in posterum dilata. Venit paratus Servilius, Iovi ipsi iniquus, cuius in templo res agebatur. Hunc quemadmodum fregerim quantaque contentione Titium intercessorum abiecerim, ex aliorum te litteris malo cognoscere; unum hoc ex meis: senatus gravior, constantior, amicior tuis laudibus esse non potuit, quam tum fuit, nec vero tibi senatus amicior quam cuncta civitas; mirabiliter enim populus Romanus universus et omnium generum ordinumque consensus ad liberandam rem publicam conspiravit. Perge igitur, ut agis, nomenque tuum commenda immortalitati, atque haec omnia, quae habent speciem gloriae collectam inanissimis splendoris insignibus, contemne, brevia, fugacia, caduca existima. Verum decus in virtute positum est, quae maxime illustratur magnis in rem publicam meritis: eam facultatem habes maximam; quam quoniam complexus es, tene: perfice, ut ne minus res publica tibi quam tu rei publicae debeas. Me tuae dignitatis non modo fautorem, sed etiam amplificatorem cognosces: id cum rei publicae, quae mihi vita est mea carior, tum nostrae necessitudini debere me iudico. Atque in his curis, quas contuli ad dignitatem tuam, cepi magnam voluptatem, quod bene cognitam mihi T. Munatii prudentiam et fidem magis etiam perspexi in eius incredibili erga te benevolentia et diligentia. III. Idus Apr.