Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Furfanius Postumus|c. 48 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Sicily|Human translated
My friendship and intimacy with Aulus Caecina has always been so great that none could be greater. For I was on the closest terms with his father, a distinguished and brave man, and I have always been so fond of this man from his boyhood -- because he gave me great hope of the highest integrity and the highest eloquence, and because he lived in the closest association with me, not only through the duties of friendship but also through shared studies -- that I lived on closer terms with no one. There is no need for me to write more; you see how necessary it is for me to protect his safety and fortunes by whatever means I can. What remains is that, since I have learned from many things what you think about the fortune of good men and the calamities of the republic, I ask nothing of you except that to the goodwill which you will have toward Caecina of your own accord, as great an addition may be made by my recommendation as I understand I am valued by you. You can do nothing more pleasing to me. Farewell.
DXXVI (Fam. VI, 9) TO T. FURFANIUS (PROCONSUL IN SICILY) ROME: No intimacy or friendship could be closer than that which I have always had with Aulus Caecina . For I was constantly in the society of that illustrious and gallant man his father: and my affection for this man also from his childhood has been such as to make the intimacy between us close as it is possible to have with anyone-partly because he seemed to me to give great promise of supreme excellence, honesty, and eloquence; and partly because he lived with me in the most complete sympathy, not only from our mutual services of friendship, but also from a community of literary tastes. I need not write at greater length. How bound I am to protect his safety and property by every means in my power you see. It only remains, since I know from many circumstances what your sentiments are as to the fortune of the loyalists and the disasters to the Republic, that I should beg nothing of you except that to the goodwill, which you are sure spontaneously to entertain towards him, there may be added a supplement proportionate to the value which I know you have for me. You cannot oblige me more than by doing this. Good-bye.
IX. Scr. Romae exeunte anno u.c. 708. M. CICERO T. FURFANIO PROCOS. S
Cum A. Caecina tanta mihi familiaritas consuetudoque semper fuit, ut nulla maior esse possit; nam et patre eius, claro homine et forti viro, plurimum sum usus et hunc a puero, quod et spem magnam mihi afferebat summae probitatis summaeque eloquentiae et vivebat mecum coniunctissime non solum amicitiae officiis, sed etiam studiis communibus, sic semper dilexi, nullo ut cum homine coniunctius viverem. Nihil attinet me plura scribere; quam mihi necesse sit eius salutem et fortunas quibuscumque rebus possim tueri, vides. Reliquum est, ut, cum cognorim pluribus rebus, quid tu et de bonorum fortuna et de rei publicae calamitatibus sentires, nihil a te petam, nisi ut ad eam voluntatem, quam tua sponte erga Caecinam habiturus es, tantus cumulus accedat commendatione mea, quanti me a te fieri intelligo: hoc mihi gratius facere nihil potes. Vale.
◆
My friendship and intimacy with Aulus Caecina has always been so great that none could be greater. For I was on the closest terms with his father, a distinguished and brave man, and I have always been so fond of this man from his boyhood -- because he gave me great hope of the highest integrity and the highest eloquence, and because he lived in the closest association with me, not only through the duties of friendship but also through shared studies -- that I lived on closer terms with no one. There is no need for me to write more; you see how necessary it is for me to protect his safety and fortunes by whatever means I can. What remains is that, since I have learned from many things what you think about the fortune of good men and the calamities of the republic, I ask nothing of you except that to the goodwill which you will have toward Caecina of your own accord, as great an addition may be made by my recommendation as I understand I am valued by you. You can do nothing more pleasing to me. Farewell.
Human translation - ToposText / Shuckburgh
Latin / Greek Original
IX. Scr. Romae exeunte anno u.c. 708. M. CICERO T. FURFANIO PROCOS. S
Cum A. Caecina tanta mihi familiaritas consuetudoque semper fuit, ut nulla maior esse possit; nam et patre eius, claro homine et forti viro, plurimum sum usus et hunc a puero, quod et spem magnam mihi afferebat summae probitatis summaeque eloquentiae et vivebat mecum coniunctissime non solum amicitiae officiis, sed etiam studiis communibus, sic semper dilexi, nullo ut cum homine coniunctius viverem. Nihil attinet me plura scribere; quam mihi necesse sit eius salutem et fortunas quibuscumque rebus possim tueri, vides. Reliquum est, ut, cum cognorim pluribus rebus, quid tu et de bonorum fortuna et de rei publicae calamitatibus sentires, nihil a te petam, nisi ut ad eam voluntatem, quam tua sponte erga Caecinam habiturus es, tantus cumulus accedat commendatione mea, quanti me a te fieri intelligo: hoc mihi gratius facere nihil potes. Vale.