Marcus Tullius Cicero→Appius Claudius Pulcher|c. 51 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Cilicia|AI-assisted
When I arrived at Brundisium on May 22, your legate Quintus Fabius Vergilianus was waiting for me. By your direction he laid before me what had already occurred, not merely to me, though it concerned me most, but to the whole senate: that the province you hold needed a stronger garrison. In fact, nearly all the senators supported enlisting reinforcements in Italy for my legions and Bibulus's.
When Sulpicius declared that he would not allow that measure, we protested at great length. But the senate's wish for our early departure was so unanimous that we had to yield to it, and so we did.
As matters now stand, I ask you, as I did in the letter I gave your messengers at Rome, to make it your object, in light of the very close agreement between us, to give attention and care to those details in which an outgoing governor can serve the advantage of a successor joined to him by the closest ties of interest and affection. Let everyone see that I could not have succeeded anyone more kindly disposed to me, nor you have handed over the province to a warmer friend.
From the dispatch meant to be read in the senate, of which you sent me a copy, I had gathered that a large number of soldiers had been dismissed by you. But Fabius pointed out that you had considered doing so, while at the moment he left you the number of soldiers was still intact. If that is so, you will do me a very great favor by reducing as little as possible the already scanty forces you have. I imagine the senate's decrees on this subject have been sent to you.
For my part, I hold you in such esteem that I shall approve whatever you have done. But I am confident that you too will do whatever you see to be most in my interest.
I am waiting at Brundisium for my legate Gaius Pomptinus, and I suppose he will arrive before June 1. As soon as he comes, I shall take the first opportunity to sail.
CXC (Fam. III, 3) TO APPIUS CLAUDIUS PULCHER (IN CILICIA) BRUNDISIUM, 24 MAY: UPON my arrival at Brundisium on the 22nd of May, your legate Q. Fabius Vergilianus was awaiting me, and by your direction put before me what had already occurred, not to me, whom it chiefly concerned, but to the whole Senate — that the province you are holding required a stronger garrison. In fact, nearly all the senators expressed themselves in favour of a reinforcement being enlisted in Italy for my legions and those of Bibulus . Upon Sulpicius declaring that he would not allow that measure, we protested indeed at great length, but so unanimous was the wish of the senate for our early start, that we were obliged to conform to it; and we did so accordingly. As things are now, I beg you, as I did in the letter I gave to your letter-carriers at Rome , that you will make it your object, in consideration of the very intimate union of our sentiments, to bestow attention and care on those details wherein an out-going provincial governor can consult for the advantage of a successor, who is joined to him by the closest ties of interest and affection; so that the whole world may see that I could not have succeeded anyone more kindly disposed to me, nor you have handed over the province to a warmer friend. From the despatch intended to be read in the senate, of which you have sent me a copy, I had gathered that a large number of soldiers had been dismissed by you; but this same Fabius has pointed out that you had thought of doing so, but at the moment of his leaving you, the number of soldiers was still intact. If that is so, you will be doing me a very great favour if you make as small a reduction as possible in the scanty forces you already have: and I imagine that the decrees of the senate passed on this subject have been sent to you. For myself, so highly do I esteem you, that I shall approve of whatever you have done; but I feel confident that you also will do what you will perceive to be most in my interest. I am waiting for my legate C. Pomptinus at Brundisium , and I presume that he will arrive there before the 1st of June. And as soon as he has come I shall avail myself of the first opportunity of sailing that is offered me.
III. Scr. Brundisii exeunte mense Maio a.u.c. 703. M. CICERO S. D. AP. PULCHRO.
A. d. XI. Kalendas Iunias Brundisium cum venissem, Q. Fabius Virgilianus, legatus tuus, mihi praesto fuit eaque me ex tuis mandatis monuit, quae non mihi, ad quem pertinebant, sed universo senatui venerant in mentem, praesidio firmiore opus esse ad istam provinciam; censebant enim omnes fere, ut in Italia supplementum meis et Bibuli legionibus scriberetur: id cum Sulpicius consul passurum se negaret, multa nos quidem questi sumus, sed tantus consensus senatus fuit, ut mature proficisceremur, parendum ut fuerit, itaque fecimus. Nunc, quod a te petii litteris iis, quas Romae tabellariis tuis dedi, velim tibi curae sit, ut, quae successori coniunctissimo et amicissimo commodare potest is, qui provinciam tradit, ut ea pro nostra consociatissima voluntate cura ac diligentia tua complectare, ut omnes intelligant nec me benevolentiori cuiquam succedere nec te amiciori potuisse provinciam tradere. Ex iis litteris, quarum ad me exemplum misisti, quas in senatu recitari voluisti, sic intellexeram, permultos a te milites esse dimissos; sed mihi Fabius idem demonstravit te id cogitasse facere, sed, cum ipse a te discederet, integrum militum numerum fuisse: id si ita est, pergratum mihi feceris, si istas exiguas copias, quas habuisti, quam minime imminueris; qua de re senatus consulta quae facta sunt, ad te missa esse arbitror. Equidem pro eo, quanti te facio, quidquid feceris, approbabo, sed te quoque confido ea facturum, quae mihi intelliges maxime esse accommodata. Ego C. Pomptinum, legatum meum, Brundisii exspectabam eumque ante Kalendas Iunias Brundisium venturum arbitrabar; qui cum venerit, quae primum navigandi nobis facultas data erit, utemur.
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When I arrived at Brundisium on May 22, your legate Quintus Fabius Vergilianus was waiting for me. By your direction he laid before me what had already occurred, not merely to me, though it concerned me most, but to the whole senate: that the province you hold needed a stronger garrison. In fact, nearly all the senators supported enlisting reinforcements in Italy for my legions and Bibulus's.
When Sulpicius declared that he would not allow that measure, we protested at great length. But the senate's wish for our early departure was so unanimous that we had to yield to it, and so we did.
As matters now stand, I ask you, as I did in the letter I gave your messengers at Rome, to make it your object, in light of the very close agreement between us, to give attention and care to those details in which an outgoing governor can serve the advantage of a successor joined to him by the closest ties of interest and affection. Let everyone see that I could not have succeeded anyone more kindly disposed to me, nor you have handed over the province to a warmer friend.
From the dispatch meant to be read in the senate, of which you sent me a copy, I had gathered that a large number of soldiers had been dismissed by you. But Fabius pointed out that you had considered doing so, while at the moment he left you the number of soldiers was still intact. If that is so, you will do me a very great favor by reducing as little as possible the already scanty forces you have. I imagine the senate's decrees on this subject have been sent to you.
For my part, I hold you in such esteem that I shall approve whatever you have done. But I am confident that you too will do whatever you see to be most in my interest.
I am waiting at Brundisium for my legate Gaius Pomptinus, and I suppose he will arrive before June 1. As soon as he comes, I shall take the first opportunity to sail.
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
III. Scr. Brundisii exeunte mense Maio a.u.c. 703. M. CICERO S. D. AP. PULCHRO.
A. d. XI. Kalendas Iunias Brundisium cum venissem, Q. Fabius Virgilianus, legatus tuus, mihi praesto fuit eaque me ex tuis mandatis monuit, quae non mihi, ad quem pertinebant, sed universo senatui venerant in mentem, praesidio firmiore opus esse ad istam provinciam; censebant enim omnes fere, ut in Italia supplementum meis et Bibuli legionibus scriberetur: id cum Sulpicius consul passurum se negaret, multa nos quidem questi sumus, sed tantus consensus senatus fuit, ut mature proficisceremur, parendum ut fuerit, itaque fecimus. Nunc, quod a te petii litteris iis, quas Romae tabellariis tuis dedi, velim tibi curae sit, ut, quae successori coniunctissimo et amicissimo commodare potest is, qui provinciam tradit, ut ea pro nostra consociatissima voluntate cura ac diligentia tua complectare, ut omnes intelligant nec me benevolentiori cuiquam succedere nec te amiciori potuisse provinciam tradere. Ex iis litteris, quarum ad me exemplum misisti, quas in senatu recitari voluisti, sic intellexeram, permultos a te milites esse dimissos; sed mihi Fabius idem demonstravit te id cogitasse facere, sed, cum ipse a te discederet, integrum militum numerum fuisse: id si ita est, pergratum mihi feceris, si istas exiguas copias, quas habuisti, quam minime imminueris; qua de re senatus consulta quae facta sunt, ad te missa esse arbitror. Equidem pro eo, quanti te facio, quidquid feceris, approbabo, sed te quoque confido ea facturum, quae mihi intelliges maxime esse accommodata. Ego C. Pomptinum, legatum meum, Brundisii exspectabam eumque ante Kalendas Iunias Brundisium venturum arbitrabar; qui cum venerit, quae primum navigandi nobis facultas data erit, utemur.