Letter 21: Cicero writes to Quintus in Gaul from Rome in October 54 BC.
Marcus Tullius Cicero→Quintus Tullius Cicero|c. 54 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Gaul|AI-assisted
familypoliticsadministration
Imported from the public-domain Shuckburgh translation with Latin text paired from The Latin Library.
Written at Rome, the fifth day before the Ides of October, in the 700th year from the founding of the City [11 October 54 BC].
Marcus to his brother Quintus, greetings.
1. On the sixth day before the Ides of October [10 October], Salvius set out in the evening on a ship for Ostia with those things which you had wanted sent to you from home. On that same day Memmius had given Gabinius a splendid roasting before the people, so thoroughly that Calidius was not permitted to say a single word on his behalf. But on the next day after that one—which was then still to come, since I am writing this before daybreak—there will be, before Cato, the formal selection of a prosecutor against Gabinius, contested among Memmius and Tiberius Nero and Gaius and Lucius Antonius, the sons of Marcus. We thought it would turn out that it would be given to Memmius, although there was a remarkable struggle on Nero's part. What more do you want? He [Gabinius] is being thoroughly pressed, unless our friend Pompey, against the will of gods and men, overturns the whole business.
2. Now learn the man's audacity, and take some delight in the midst of the ruined commonwealth. When Gabinius, wherever he came, had said that he was demanding a triumph, and then suddenly—the fine commander!—had plainly invaded the city of his enemies by night, he would not entrust himself to the Senate. Meanwhile, on the very tenth day, on which he was obliged to report the number of victims [enemy casualties] and of his soldiers, he crept in when attendance was at its thinnest. When he wanted to leave, he was held back by the consuls, and the tax-farmers [publicani, the private companies who collected provincial revenues] were brought in. The man was harried on every side, and since he was being wounded most of all by me, he could not bear it and called me, in a trembling voice, an exile. At this—O gods! nothing more honorific ever befell us—the Senate rose up as one man with such an outcry that they came right up against his body; with equal shouting and onset came the tax-farmers. What more do you want? Everyone behaved exactly as if you yourself were present. Nothing is more talked of than this in the conversation of men out of doors. I nevertheless restrain myself from prosecuting—with difficulty, by Hercules, but still I restrain myself—either because I do not wish to fight with Pompey (it is enough that the matter of Milo is pressing upon us), or because we have no jurors worthy of the name. I dread a fiasco [originally a Greek word, apoteugma]; I add too the ill-will of men, and I fear that, with me as his accuser, something may turn out to his advantage; nor do I despair that the thing can be brought off both without me and yet not without some help from me.
3. On the charge of electoral bribery, all who are seeking the consulship have been prosecuted: Domitius by Memmius; Memmius by Quintus Acutius, a good and learned young man; Messala by Quintus Pompeius; Scaurus by Triarius. The matter is in great commotion, for the reason that the destruction either of the men or of the laws is being threatened. Effort is being expended to ensure that the trials do not take place. The affair seems to be heading toward an interregnum. The consuls are eager to hold the elections; the accused do not want them, and Memmius most of all, because he hopes that, on Caesar's arrival, he will become consul—but he is sinking in an astonishing manner. Domitius, with Messala, seemed to be a sure thing; Scaurus had cooled off. Appius affirms that, even without a curiate law, he will succeed our friend Lentulus; and indeed that man [Appius] was wonderful on that day—which I almost passed over—against Gabinius: he accused him of treason [maiestas, an offense against the majesty of the Roman people]; the names were registered, while Gabinius said not a word. There you have the public news: at home all is well; the house itself is being handled by the contractors not without diligence.
In the evening of the 10th of October Salvius started on board ship for Ostia with the things you wished sent to you from home. On that same day Memmius gave Gabinius such a splendid warming in public meeting that Calidius couldn't say a word for him. Tomorrow (which is strictly the day after tomorrow, for I am writing before daybreak) there is a trial before Cato for the selection of his prosecutor between Memmius, Tiberius Nero, and Gaius and Lucius, sons of M. Antonius. I think the result will be in favour of Memmius, though a strong case is being made out for Nero. In short, he is in a fairly tight fix, unless our friend Pompey, to the disgust of gods and men, upsets the whole concern. Let me give you a specimen of the fellow's impudence, and extract something amusing from the public disasters. Gabinius having given out wherever he came that he was demanding a triumph, and having suddenly, the excellent general! invaded the city of his enemies by night, did not venture to enter the senate. Meanwhile, exactly on the tenth day, on which he was bound to report the number of the enemy and of his own soldiers who had been killed, he slunk into the house, which was very thinly attended. When he made as if to go out, he was stopped by the consuls. The publicani were introduced. The fellow was assailed on every side, and my words stinging him more than all, he lost patience, and in a voice quivering with anger called me "Exile." Thereupon—Heavens I never had such a compliment paid me in all my life—the senate rose up to a man with a loud shout and made a menacing movement in his direction : the publicani made an equal noise and a similar movement. In fine, they all behaved exactly as you would have done. It is the leading topic of conversation out of the house. However, I refrain from prosecuting, with difficulty, by Hercules! yet refrain I do: either because I don't want to quarrel with Pompey—the impending question of Milo is enough in that direction—or because we have no jurors worthy of the name. I fear a fiasco: besides, there is the ill-will of certain persons to me, and I am afraid my conducting the prosecution might give him some advantage: besides, I do not despair of the thing being done both without me and yet partly through my assistance. All the candidates for the consulships have had prosecutions for bribery lodged against them: Domitius Calvinus by Memmius (the tribune), Memmius (the candidate) by Q. Acutius, an excellent young man and a good lawyer, Messalla by Q. Pompeius, Scaurus by Triarius. The affair causes great commotion, because it is a plain alternative between shipwreck for the men concerned or for the laws. Pressure is being applied to prevent the trials taking place. It looks like an interregnum again. The consuls desire to hold the comitia: the accused don't wish it, and especially Memmius, because he hopes that Caesar's approach may secure him the consulship. But he is at a very low ebb. Domitius, with Messalla as his colleague, I think is a certainty. Scaurus has lost his chance. Appius declares that he will relieve Lentulus even without a curiate law, and, indeed, he distinguished himself amazingly that day (I almost forgot to mention it) in an attack upon Gabinius. He accused him of lèse majesté, and gave the names of his witnesses without Gabinius answering a word. That is all the public news. At home all is well: your house itself is being proceeded with by the contractors with fair expedition.
II. Scr. Romae a. d. V. Idus Octobres a.u.c. 700.
MARCUS QUINTO FRATRI SALUTEM.
1. A. d. VI. Idus Octobr. Salvius Ostiam vesperi navi profectus erat cum iis rebus, quas tibi domo mitti volueras. Eodem die Gabinium ad populum luculente calefecerat Memmius sic, ut Calidio verbum facere pro eo non licuerit. Postridie autem eius diei, qui erat tum futurus, cum haec scribebam ante lucem, apud Catonem erat divinatio in Gabinium futura inter Memmium et Ti. Neronem et C. et L. Antonios M. f.: putabamus fore, ut Memmio daretur, etsi erat Neronis mira contentio. Quid quaeris? probe premitur, nisi noster Pompeius dis hominibusque invitis negotium everterit. 2. Cognosce nunc hominis audaciam et aliquid in re publica perdita delectare: cum Gabinius, quacumque veniebat, triumphum se postulare dixisset subitoque bonus imperator noctu in urbem hostium plane invasisset, in senatum se non committebat. Interim ipso decimo die, quo eum oportebat hostiarum numerum et militum renuntiare, irrepsit summa infrequentia. Cum vellet exire, a consulibus retentus est, introducti publicani: homo undique atius et cum a me maxime vulneraretur, non tulit et me trementi voce exsulem appellavit. Hic—o di! nihil umquam honorificentius nobis accidit—consurrexit senatus cum clamore ad unum sic, ut ad corpus eius accederet, pari clamore atque impetu publicani. Quid quaeris? omnes, tamquam si tu esses, ita fuerunt. Nihil hominum sermone foris clarius. Ego tamen me teneo ab accusando, vix mehercule, sed tamen teneo, vel quod nolo cum Pompeio pugnare—satis est, quod instat de Milone—, vel quod iudices nullos habemus. 'ApÒteugma formido, addo etiam malevolentiam hominum, et timeo, ne illi me accusante aliquid accidat, nec despero rem et sine me et nonnihil per me confici posse. 3. De ambitu postulati sunt omnes, qui consulatum petunt: a Memmio Domitius, a Q. Acutio, bono et erudito adolescente, Memmius, a Q. Pompeio Messala, a Triario Scaurus. Magno res in motu est, propterea quod aut hominum aut legum interitus ostenditur. Opera datur, ut iudicia ne fiant. Res videtur spectare ad interregnum. Consules comitia habere cupiunt; rei nolunt et maxime Memmius, quod Caesaris adventu se sperat futurum consulem, sed mirum in modum iacet. Domitius cum Messala certus esse videbatur; Scaurus refrixerat. Appius sine lege curiata confirmat se Lentulo nostro successurum; qui quidem mirificus illo die, quod paene praeterii, fuit in Gabinium: accusavit maiestatis; nomina data, cum ille verbum nullum. Habes forensia: domi recte est; ipsa domus a redemptoribus tractatur non indiligenter.
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Written at Rome, the fifth day before the Ides of October, in the 700th year from the founding of the City [11 October 54 BC].
Marcus to his brother Quintus, greetings.
1. On the sixth day before the Ides of October [10 October], Salvius set out in the evening on a ship for Ostia with those things which you had wanted sent to you from home. On that same day Memmius had given Gabinius a splendid roasting before the people, so thoroughly that Calidius was not permitted to say a single word on his behalf. But on the next day after that one—which was then still to come, since I am writing this before daybreak—there will be, before Cato, the formal selection of a prosecutor against Gabinius, contested among Memmius and Tiberius Nero and Gaius and Lucius Antonius, the sons of Marcus. We thought it would turn out that it would be given to Memmius, although there was a remarkable struggle on Nero's part. What more do you want? He [Gabinius] is being thoroughly pressed, unless our friend Pompey, against the will of gods and men, overturns the whole business.
2. Now learn the man's audacity, and take some delight in the midst of the ruined commonwealth. When Gabinius, wherever he came, had said that he was demanding a triumph, and then suddenly—the fine commander!—had plainly invaded the city of his enemies by night, he would not entrust himself to the Senate. Meanwhile, on the very tenth day, on which he was obliged to report the number of victims [enemy casualties] and of his soldiers, he crept in when attendance was at its thinnest. When he wanted to leave, he was held back by the consuls, and the tax-farmers [publicani, the private companies who collected provincial revenues] were brought in. The man was harried on every side, and since he was being wounded most of all by me, he could not bear it and called me, in a trembling voice, an exile. At this—O gods! nothing more honorific ever befell us—the Senate rose up as one man with such an outcry that they came right up against his body; with equal shouting and onset came the tax-farmers. What more do you want? Everyone behaved exactly as if you yourself were present. Nothing is more talked of than this in the conversation of men out of doors. I nevertheless restrain myself from prosecuting—with difficulty, by Hercules, but still I restrain myself—either because I do not wish to fight with Pompey (it is enough that the matter of Milo is pressing upon us), or because we have no jurors worthy of the name. I dread a fiasco [originally a Greek word, apoteugma]; I add too the ill-will of men, and I fear that, with me as his accuser, something may turn out to his advantage; nor do I despair that the thing can be brought off both without me and yet not without some help from me.
3. On the charge of electoral bribery, all who are seeking the consulship have been prosecuted: Domitius by Memmius; Memmius by Quintus Acutius, a good and learned young man; Messala by Quintus Pompeius; Scaurus by Triarius. The matter is in great commotion, for the reason that the destruction either of the men or of the laws is being threatened. Effort is being expended to ensure that the trials do not take place. The affair seems to be heading toward an interregnum. The consuls are eager to hold the elections; the accused do not want them, and Memmius most of all, because he hopes that, on Caesar's arrival, he will become consul—but he is sinking in an astonishing manner. Domitius, with Messala, seemed to be a sure thing; Scaurus had cooled off. Appius affirms that, even without a curiate law, he will succeed our friend Lentulus; and indeed that man [Appius] was wonderful on that day—which I almost passed over—against Gabinius: he accused him of treason [maiestas, an offense against the majesty of the Roman people]; the names were registered, while Gabinius said not a word. There you have the public news: at home all is well; the house itself is being handled by the contractors not without diligence.
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
II. Scr. Romae a. d. V. Idus Octobres a.u.c. 700. MARCUS QUINTO FRATRI SALUTEM.
1. A. d. VI. Idus Octobr. Salvius Ostiam vesperi navi profectus erat cum iis rebus, quas tibi domo mitti volueras. Eodem die Gabinium ad populum luculente calefecerat Memmius sic, ut Calidio verbum facere pro eo non licuerit. Postridie autem eius diei, qui erat tum futurus, cum haec scribebam ante lucem, apud Catonem erat divinatio in Gabinium futura inter Memmium et Ti. Neronem et C. et L. Antonios M. f.: putabamus fore, ut Memmio daretur, etsi erat Neronis mira contentio. Quid quaeris? probe premitur, nisi noster Pompeius dis hominibusque invitis negotium everterit. 2. Cognosce nunc hominis audaciam et aliquid in re publica perdita delectare: cum Gabinius, quacumque veniebat, triumphum se postulare dixisset subitoque bonus imperator noctu in urbem hostium plane invasisset, in senatum se non committebat. Interim ipso decimo die, quo eum oportebat hostiarum numerum et militum renuntiare, irrepsit summa infrequentia. Cum vellet exire, a consulibus retentus est, introducti publicani: homo undique atius et cum a me maxime vulneraretur, non tulit et me trementi voce exsulem appellavit. Hic—o di! nihil umquam honorificentius nobis accidit—consurrexit senatus cum clamore ad unum sic, ut ad corpus eius accederet, pari clamore atque impetu publicani. Quid quaeris? omnes, tamquam si tu esses, ita fuerunt. Nihil hominum sermone foris clarius. Ego tamen me teneo ab accusando, vix mehercule, sed tamen teneo, vel quod nolo cum Pompeio pugnare—satis est, quod instat de Milone—, vel quod iudices nullos habemus. 'ApÒteugma formido, addo etiam malevolentiam hominum, et timeo, ne illi me accusante aliquid accidat, nec despero rem et sine me et nonnihil per me confici posse. 3. De ambitu postulati sunt omnes, qui consulatum petunt: a Memmio Domitius, a Q. Acutio, bono et erudito adolescente, Memmius, a Q. Pompeio Messala, a Triario Scaurus. Magno res in motu est, propterea quod aut hominum aut legum interitus ostenditur. Opera datur, ut iudicia ne fiant. Res videtur spectare ad interregnum. Consules comitia habere cupiunt; rei nolunt et maxime Memmius, quod Caesaris adventu se sperat futurum consulem, sed mirum in modum iacet. Domitius cum Messala certus esse videbatur; Scaurus refrixerat. Appius sine lege curiata confirmat se Lentulo nostro successurum; qui quidem mirificus illo die, quod paene praeterii, fuit in Gabinium: accusavit maiestatis; nomina data, cum ille verbum nullum. Habes forensia: domi recte est; ipsa domus a redemptoribus tractatur non indiligenter.