Letter 9: Cicero writes to Quintus in Sardinia from Rome in 8 April 56 BC.

Written on the sixth day before the Ides of April, in the 698th year from the founding of the city [8 April 56 BC]. Marcus to his brother Quintus, greetings. 1. I had earlier sent you a letter in which it was written that our Tullia had been betrothed to Crassipes on the day before the Nones of April [4 April], and in which I had written out in full the other matters, public and private. Since then these things have happened: on the Nones of April [5 April], by a decree of the senate, money was voted to Pompey for the grain supply, to the amount of forty million sesterces; but on the same day the question of the Campanian land was debated with great heat, amid an uproar from the senate that was almost like that of a public assembly. The scarcity of money and the high price of grain made the case more bitter. 2. Nor will I pass over even this: the Capitolini and the Mercuriales [members of two religious colleges] expelled from their college Marcus Furius Flaccus, a Roman knight, a worthless man, while he was present and lay prostrate at the feet of each one of them. On the eighth day before the Ides of April [6 April] I gave the betrothal feast for Crassipes; that excellent boy, your Quintus and mine, was absent from this banquet because he had been very slightly indisposed. On the seventh day before the Ides of April [7 April] I went to Quintus and found him entirely recovered, and he had a long and very kind conversation with me about the quarrels of our womenfolk: what more can I say? Nothing could be more agreeable. Pomponia, however, made complaints even about you; but we will deal with these matters in person. 3. As soon as I had left the boy, I came to your building-site: the work was being carried on by many builders; I urged on Longilius the contractor; he assured me that he wished to satisfy us. The house will be splendid, for it could now be more clearly made out than what we had been judging from the plan; and likewise our own house was being built quickly. On that day I dined at Crassipes' house; after dinner I was carried in a litter to Pompey's gardens. I had not been able to meet him in daylight, because he had been away; but I wished to see him, because I was going to leave Rome the next day and because he was setting out on a journey to Sardinia. I met the man and asked him to restore you to us as soon as possible. "At once," he said; he was going to set out, as he said, on the third day before the Ides of April [11 April], so as to embark either at Labro [Livorno] or at Pisae. As for you, my brother, the moment he arrives, do not let slip the first chance of sailing, provided only that the weather is suitable. 4. On the sixth day before the Ides of April [8 April], before daylight, I wrote out this letter. And I was on my journey, intending to stay that day with Titus Titius in the district of Anagnia; the next day I was thinking of being at Laterium, and from there, after I had spent five days in the district of Arpinum, of going to my place at Pompeii, and on my return of looking in on my place at Cumae, so that, since the day for Milo's trial has been set for the Nones of May [7 May], I might be at Rome on the day before the Nones, and might, as I was hoping, see you, my dearest and most delightful brother, by that day. I thought it best that the building at Arcanum be held off until your arrival. See to it, my brother, that you keep well and come as soon as possible.

I have already sent you a letter containing the information of my daughter Tullia having been betrothed to Crassipes on the 4th of April, and other intelligence public and private. The following are the events since then. On the 5th of April, by a decree of the senate, a sum of money amounting to 40,000 sestertia (about £320,000) was voted to Pompey for the business of the corn-supply. But on the same day there was a vehement debate on the Campanian land, the senators making almost as much noise as a public meeting. The shortness of money and the high price of corn increased the exasperation. Nor will I omit the following: the members of the colleges of the Capitolini and the Mercuriales expelled from their society a Roman knight named M. Furius Flaccus, a man of bad character: the expulsion took place when he was at the meeting, and though he threw himself at the feet of each member. On the 6th of April, the eve of my departure from town, I gave a betrothal party to Crassipes. That excellent boy, your and my Quintus, was not at the banquet owing to a very slight indisposition. On the 7th of April I visited Quintus and found him quite restored. He talked a good deal and with great feeling about the quarrels between our wives. What need I say more? Nothing could have been pleasanter. Pomponia, however, had some complaints to make of you also: but of this when we meet. After leaving your boy I went to the site of your house: the building was going on with a large number of workmen. I urged the contractor Longilius to push on. He assured me that he had every wish to satisfy us. The house will be splendid, for it can be better seen now than we could judge from the plan: my own house is also being built with despatch. On this day I dined with Crassipes. After dinner I went in my sedan to visit Pompey at his suburban villa. I had not been able to call on him in the daytime as he was away from home. However, I wished to see him, because I am leaving Rome tomorrow, and he is on the point of starting for Sardinia. I found him at home and begged him to restore you to us as soon as possible. "Immediately," he said. He is going to start, according to what he said, on the 11th of April, with the intention of embarking at Livorno or Pisa. Mind, my dear brother, that, as soon as he arrives, you seize the first opportunity of setting sail, provided only that the weather is favourable. I write this on the 8th of April before daybreak, and am on the point of starting on my journey, with the intention of stopping today with Titus Tititis at Anagnia. Tomorrow I think of being at Laterium, thence, after five days in Arpinum, going to my Pompeian house, just looking in upon my villa at Cumae on my return journey, with the view—since Milo's trial has been fixed for the 7th of May—of being at Rome on the 6th, and of seeing you on that day, I hope, dearest and pleasantest of brothers. I thought it best that the building at Arcanum should be suspended till your return. Take good care, my dear brother, of your health, and come as soon as possible.

V. Scr. a. d. VI. Idus Apriles a.u.c. 698. MARCUS QUINTO FRATRI SALUTEM. 1. Dederam ad te litteras antea, quibus erat scriptum Tulliam nostram Crassipedi pr. Non. April. esse desponsam ceteraque de re publica privataque perscripseram. Postea sunt haec acta: Non. Apr. senatus consulto Pompeio pecunia decreta in rem frumentariam ad HS. CCCC; sed eodem die vehementer actum de agro Campano clamore senatus prope concionali: acriorem causam inopia pecuniae faciebat et annonae caritas. 2. Non praetermittam ne illud quidem: M. Furium Flaccum, equitem Romanum, hominem nequam, Capitolini et Mercuriales de collegio eiecerunt praesentem, ad pedes unius cuiusque iacentem. A. d. VIII. Idus Apriles sponsalia Crassipedi praebui: huic convivio puer optimus, Quintus tuus meusque, quod perleviter commotus fuerat, duit. A. d. VII. Idus Apriles veni ad Quintum eumque vidi plane integrum, multumque is mecum sermonem habuit et perhumanum de discordiis mulierum nostrarum: quid quaeris? nihil festivius; Pomponia autem etiam de te questa est; sed haec coram agemus. 3. A puero ut discessi, in aream tuam veni: res agebatur multis structoribus; Longilium redemptorem cohortatus sum; fidem mihi faciebat se velle nobis placere. Domus erit egregia, magis enim cerni iam poterat, quam quantum ex forma iudicabamus; itemque nostra celeriter aedificabatur. Eo die coenavi apud Crassipedem; coenatus in hortos ad Pompeium lectica latus sum. Luci eum convenire non potueram, quod afuerat; videre autem volebam, quod eram postridie Roma exiturus et quod ille in Sardiniam iter habebat. Hominem conveni et ab eo petivi, ut quam primum te nobis redderet. Statim, dixit; erat autem iturus, ut aiebat, a. d. III. Id. April., ut aut Labrone aut Pisis conscenderet. Tu, mi frater, simul et ille venerit, primam navigationem, dummodo idonea tempestas sit, ne omiseris. 4. A. d. VI. Idus April. ante lucem hanc epistulam conscripsi. Eram[que] in itinere, ut eo die apud T. Titium in Anagnino manerem; postridie autem in Laterio cogitabam, inde, cum in Arpinati quinque dies fuissem, ire in Pompeianum, rediens aspicere Cumanum, ut, quoniam in Nonas Maias Miloni dies prodicta est, pridie Nonas Romae essem teque, mi carissime et suavissime frater, ad eam diem, ut sperabam, viderem. Aedificationem Arcani ad tuum adventum sustentari placebat. Fac, mi frater, ut valeas quam primumque venias.