Marcus Tullius Cicero→Gaius Trebonius|c. 43 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Asia|AI-assisted
How I wish you had invited me to that splendid banquet on the Ides of March. We would have had no leftovers. As it is, we have so much trouble with the leftovers that your divine service to the republic has room for a little complaint.
And when I think that Antony was drawn aside by you, excellent man though you are, and that by your kindness this plague is still alive, I sometimes feel a little angry with you, though perhaps I have barely any right to do so. You have left more work for me alone than for everyone else put together. As soon as a meeting of the Senate could be held freely after Antony's disgraceful departure, I returned to that old spirit of mine which you, together with that most vigorous citizen, your father, always kept on your lips and in your affection.
When the tribunes of the plebs summoned the Senate on December 20 and brought up another matter, I took in the whole condition of the republic. I spoke with the greatest force, and I brought the Senate, already slack and exhausted, back to its ancient courage and habit, more by strength of spirit than by brilliance of intellect. That day, and my strenuous action in debate, first brought the Roman people hope of recovering their freedom. Since then I have let no time pass without not only thinking about the republic, but acting for it.
If I did not believe that city news and all public proceedings were being brought to you, I would write them out myself, though I am overwhelmed by the greatest demands. But you will learn those matters from others. From me, a few things, and only in summary: we have a brave Senate; the ex-consuls are partly timid and partly badly disposed; the loss of Servius was a great blow; Lucius Caesar has excellent principles, but because he is Antony's uncle he does not speak in the strongest terms; the consuls are outstanding; Decimus Brutus is splendid; the young Caesar [Octavian] is excellent, and I hope for the rest from him.
This, at least, you should hold as certain: if he had not quickly enrolled the veterans, if two legions from Antony's army had not transferred themselves to his authority, and if that terror had not been set against Antony, there is no crime and no cruelty Antony would have left untried. I supposed you had already heard these things, but I still wanted you to know them better. I will write more if I have more leisure.
DCCCXVI (Fam. X, 28) TO GAIUS TREBONIUS (IN ASIA) ROME, 2 FEBRUARY: How I could wish that you had invited me to that most glorious banquet on the Ides of March! We should have had no leavings! While, as it is, we are having such a trouble with them, that the magnificent service which you men then did the state leaves room for some grumbling. In fact, for Antony 's having been taken out of the way by you — the best of men — and that it was by your kindness that this pest still survives, I sometimes do feel, though perhaps I have no right to do so, a little angry with you. For you have left behind an amount of trouble which is greater for me than for everyone else put together. For as soon as a meeting of the senate could be freely held, after Antony 's very undignified departure, I returned to that old courage of mine, which along with that gallant taking over the province, as though he were “succeeding” to the governorship, without allowing his predecessor even the thirty days beyond his year given him by the Julian law. citizen, your father, you ever had upon your lips and in your heart. For the tribunes having summoned the senate for the 20th of December, and having brought a different piece of business before it, I reviewed the situation as a whole, and spoke with the greatest fire, and tried all I could to recall the now languid and wearied senate to its ancient and traditional valour, more by an exhibition of high spirit than of eloquence. This day and this earnest appeal from me were the first things that inspired the Roman people with the hope of recovering its liberty. And had not I supposed that a gazette of the city and of all acts of the senate was transmitted to you, I would have written you out a copy with my own hand, though I have been overpowered with a multiplicity of business. But you will learn all that from others. From me you shall have a brief narrative, and that a mere summary. Our senate is courageous, but the consulars are partly timid, partly disaffected. We have had a great loss in Servius . Lucius Caesar entertains the most loyal sentiments, but, being Antony 's uncle, he refrains from very strong language in the senate. The consuls are splendid. Decimus Brutus is covering himself with glory. The youthful Caesar is behaving excellently, and I hope he will go on as he has begun. You may at any rate be sure of this — that, had he not speedily enrolled the veterans, and had not the two legions transferred themselves from Antony 's army to his command, and had not Antony been confronted with that danger, there is no crime or cruelty which he would have omitted to practise. Though I suppose these facts to have been told you, yet I wished you to know them still better. I will write more when I get more leisure.
XXVIII. Scr. Romae mense Februario a.u.c 711. CICERO TREBONIO SAL.
Quam vellem ad illas pulcherrimas epulas me Idibus Martiis invitasses! reliquiarum nihil haberemus: at nunc cum iis tantum negotii est, ut vestrum illud divinum in rem publicam beneficium nonnullam habeat querelam. Quod vero a te, viro optimo, seductus est tuoque beneficio adhuc vivit haec pestis, interdum, quod mihi vix fas est, tibi subirascor; mihi enim negotii plus reliquisti uni quam praeter me omnibus; ut enim primum post Antonii foedissimum discessum senatus haberi libere potuit, ad illum animum meum reverti pristinum, quem tu cum civi acerrimo, patre tuo, in ore et amore semper habuisti; nam, cum senatum a. d. XIII. Kalendas Ianuarias tribuni pl. vocavissent deque alia re referrent, totam rem publicam sum complexus egique acerrime senatumque iam languentem et defessum ad pristinam virtutem consuetudinemque revocavi magis animi quam ingenii viribus. Hic dies meaque contentio atque actio spem primum populo Romano attulit libertatis recuperandae; nec vero ipse postea tempus ullum intermisi de re publica non cogitandi solum, sed etiam agendi. Quod nisi res urbanas actaque omnia ad te perferri arbitrarer, ipse perscriberem, quamquam eram maximis occupationibus impeditus. Sed illa cognosces ex aliis; a me pauca, et ea summatim: habemus fortem senatum, consulares partim timidos, partim male sentientes; magnum damnum factum est in Servio; L. Caesar optime sentit, sed, quod avunculus est, non acerrimas dicit sententias; consules egregii, praeclarus D. Brutus, egregius puer Caesar, de quo spero equidem reliqua, hoc vero certum habeto, nisi ille veteranos celeriter conscripsisset legionesque duae de exercitu Antonii ad eius se auctoritatem contulissent atque is oppositus esset terror Antonio, nihil Antonium sceleris, nihil crudelitatis praeteriturum fuisse. Haec tibi, etsi audita esse arbitrabar, volui tamen notiora esse. Plura scribam, si plus otii habuero.
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How I wish you had invited me to that splendid banquet on the Ides of March. We would have had no leftovers. As it is, we have so much trouble with the leftovers that your divine service to the republic has room for a little complaint.
And when I think that Antony was drawn aside by you, excellent man though you are, and that by your kindness this plague is still alive, I sometimes feel a little angry with you, though perhaps I have barely any right to do so. You have left more work for me alone than for everyone else put together. As soon as a meeting of the Senate could be held freely after Antony's disgraceful departure, I returned to that old spirit of mine which you, together with that most vigorous citizen, your father, always kept on your lips and in your affection.
When the tribunes of the plebs summoned the Senate on December 20 and brought up another matter, I took in the whole condition of the republic. I spoke with the greatest force, and I brought the Senate, already slack and exhausted, back to its ancient courage and habit, more by strength of spirit than by brilliance of intellect. That day, and my strenuous action in debate, first brought the Roman people hope of recovering their freedom. Since then I have let no time pass without not only thinking about the republic, but acting for it.
If I did not believe that city news and all public proceedings were being brought to you, I would write them out myself, though I am overwhelmed by the greatest demands. But you will learn those matters from others. From me, a few things, and only in summary: we have a brave Senate; the ex-consuls are partly timid and partly badly disposed; the loss of Servius was a great blow; Lucius Caesar has excellent principles, but because he is Antony's uncle he does not speak in the strongest terms; the consuls are outstanding; Decimus Brutus is splendid; the young Caesar [Octavian] is excellent, and I hope for the rest from him.
This, at least, you should hold as certain: if he had not quickly enrolled the veterans, if two legions from Antony's army had not transferred themselves to his authority, and if that terror had not been set against Antony, there is no crime and no cruelty Antony would have left untried. I supposed you had already heard these things, but I still wanted you to know them better. I will write more if I have more leisure.
AI-assisted translation - This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.
Latin / Greek Original
XXVIII. Scr. Romae mense Februario a.u.c 711. CICERO TREBONIO SAL.
Quam vellem ad illas pulcherrimas epulas me Idibus Martiis invitasses! reliquiarum nihil haberemus: at nunc cum iis tantum negotii est, ut vestrum illud divinum in rem publicam beneficium nonnullam habeat querelam. Quod vero a te, viro optimo, seductus est tuoque beneficio adhuc vivit haec pestis, interdum, quod mihi vix fas est, tibi subirascor; mihi enim negotii plus reliquisti uni quam praeter me omnibus; ut enim primum post Antonii foedissimum discessum senatus haberi libere potuit, ad illum animum meum reverti pristinum, quem tu cum civi acerrimo, patre tuo, in ore et amore semper habuisti; nam, cum senatum a. d. XIII. Kalendas Ianuarias tribuni pl. vocavissent deque alia re referrent, totam rem publicam sum complexus egique acerrime senatumque iam languentem et defessum ad pristinam virtutem consuetudinemque revocavi magis animi quam ingenii viribus. Hic dies meaque contentio atque actio spem primum populo Romano attulit libertatis recuperandae; nec vero ipse postea tempus ullum intermisi de re publica non cogitandi solum, sed etiam agendi. Quod nisi res urbanas actaque omnia ad te perferri arbitrarer, ipse perscriberem, quamquam eram maximis occupationibus impeditus. Sed illa cognosces ex aliis; a me pauca, et ea summatim: habemus fortem senatum, consulares partim timidos, partim male sentientes; magnum damnum factum est in Servio; L. Caesar optime sentit, sed, quod avunculus est, non acerrimas dicit sententias; consules egregii, praeclarus D. Brutus, egregius puer Caesar, de quo spero equidem reliqua, hoc vero certum habeto, nisi ille veteranos celeriter conscripsisset legionesque duae de exercitu Antonii ad eius se auctoritatem contulissent atque is oppositus esset terror Antonio, nihil Antonium sceleris, nihil crudelitatis praeteriturum fuisse. Haec tibi, etsi audita esse arbitrabar, volui tamen notiora esse. Plura scribam, si plus otii habuero.