letters of cicero-第11章
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n； but I cannot finish them for some days yet。 The speeches for Scaurus and Plancius which you clamour for I have finished。 The poem to Caesar； which I had begun； I have cut short。 I will write what you ask me for； since your poetic springs are running dry； as soon as I have time。
Now for the third letter。 It is very pleasant and welcome news to hear from you that Balbus is soon coming to Rome； and so well accompanied！ and will stay with me continuously till the 15th of May。 As to your exhorting me in the same letter； as in many previous ones； to ambition and labour； I shall； of course； do as you say： but when am I to enjoy any real life？
Your fourth letter reached me on the 13th of September； dated on the ioth of August from Britain。 In it there was nothing new except about your Erigona； and if I get that from Oppius I will write and tell you what I think of it。 I have no doubt I shall like it。 Oh yes！ I had almost forgotten to remark as to the man who； you say in your letter； had written to Qesar about the applause given to Milo I am not unwilling that Caesar should think that it was as warm as possible。 And in point of fact it was so； and yet that applause； which is given to him； seems in a certain sense to be given to me。
I have also received a very old letter； but which was late in coming into my hands； in which you remind me about the temple of Tellus and the colonnade of Catulus。 Both of these matters are being actively carried out。 At the temple of Tellus I have even got your statue placed。 So； again； as to your reminder about a suburban villa and gardens； I was never very keen for one； and now my town house has all the charm of such a pleasure…ground。 On my arrival in Rome on the 18th of September I found the roof on your house finished： the part over the sitting…rooms； which you did not wish to have many gables； now slopes gracefully towards the roof of the lower colonnade。 Our boy； in my absence； did not cease working with his rhetoric master。 You have no reason for being anxious about his education； for you know his ability； and I see his application。 Everything else I take it upon myself to guarantee； with full consciousness that I am bound to make it good。
As yet there are three parties prosecuting Gabinius： first； L。 Lentulus； son of the flainen； who has entered a prosecution for l？se majest？； secondly； Tib。 Nero with good names at the back of his indictment； thirdly； C。 Memmius the tribune in conjunction with L。 Capito。 He came to the walls of the city on the 19th of September； undignified and neglected to the last degree。 But in the present state of the law courts I do not venture to be confident of anything。 As Cato is unwell； he has not yet been formally indicted for extortion。 Pompey is trying hard to persuade me to be reconciled to him； but as yet he has not yet succeeded at all； nor； if I retain a shred of liberty； will he succeed。 I am very anxious for a letter from you。 You say that you have been told that I was a party to the coalition of the consular candidatesit is a lie。 The compacts male in that coalition afterwards made public by Memmius； were of such a nature that no loyal man ought to have been a party to them； nor at the same time was it possible for me to be a party to a coalition from which Messalla was excluded； who is thoroughly satisfied with my conduct in every particular； as also； I think； is Memmius。 To Domitius himself I have rendered many services which he desired and asked of me。 I have put Scaurus under a heavy obligation by my defence of him。 It is as yet very uncertain both when the elections will be and who will be consuls。
Just as I was folding up this epistle letter…carriers arrived from you and Caesar （20th September） after a journey of twenty days。 How anxious I was！ How painfully I was affected by Caesar's most kind letter！ But the kinder it was； the more sorrow did his loss occasion me。 But to turn to your letter。 To begin with； I reiterate my approval of your staying on； especially as； according to your account； you have consulted Caesar on the subject。 I wonder that Oppius has anything to do with Publius for I advised against it。 Farther on in your letter you say that I am going to be made legatus to Pompey on the 13th of September： I have heard nothing about it； and I wrote to Caesar to tell him that neither Vibullius nor Oppius had delivered his message to Pompey about my remaining at home。 Why； I know not。 However； it was I who restrained Oppius from doing so； because it was Vibullius who should take the leading part in that matter： for with him Caesar had communicated personally； with Oppius only by letter。 I indeed can have no 〃second thoughts〃 in matters connected with Caesar。 He comes next after you and our children in my regard； and not much after。 I think I act in this with deliberate judgment； for I have by this time good cause for it； yet warm personal feeling no doubt does influence me also。
Just as I had written these last wordswhich are by my own handyour boy came in to dine with me； as Pomponia was dining out。 He gave me your letter to read； which he had received shortly beforea truly Aristophanic mixture of jest and earnest； with which I was greatly charmed。 He gave me also your second letter； in which you bid him cling to my side as a mentor。 How delighted he was with those letters！ And so was I。 Nothing could be more attractive than that boy； nothing more affectionate to me ！This； to explain its being in another handwriting； I dictated to Tiro while at dinner。
Your letter gratified Annalis very much； as shewing that you took an active interest in his concerns； and yet assisted him with exceedingly candid advice。 Publius Servilius the elder； from a letter which he said he had received from Caesar； declares himself highly obliged to you for having spoken with the greatest kindness and earnestness of his devotion to Caesar。 After my return to Rome from Arpinum I was told that Hippodamus had started to join you。 I cannot say that I was surprised at his having acted so discourteously as to start to join you without a letter from me： I only say that； that I was annoyed。 For I had long resolved； from an expression in your letter； that if I had anything I wished conveyed to you with more than usual care； I should give it to him： for； in truth； into a letter like this； which I send you in an ordinary way； I usually put nothing that； if it fell into certain hands； might be a source of annoyance。 I reserve myself for Minucius and Salvius and Labeo。 Labeo will either be starting late or will stay here altogether。 Hippodamus did not even ask me whether he could do anything for me。 T。 Penarius sends me a kind letter about you： says that he is exceedingly charmed with your literary pursuits； conversation； and above all by your dinners。 He was always a favourite of mine； and I see a good deal of his brother。 Wherefore continue； as you have begun； to admit the young man to your intimacy。
From the fact of this letter having been in hand during many days； owing to the delay of the letter…carriers； I have jotted down in it many various things at odd times； as； for instance； the following： Titus Anicius has mentioned to me more than once that he would not hesitate to buy a suburban property for you； if he found one。 In these remarks of his I find two things surprising： first； that when you write to him about buying a suburban property； you not only don't write to me to that effect； but write even in a contrary sense； and； secondly； that in writing to him you totally forget his letters which you shewed me at Tusculum； and as totally the rule of Epicharmus； 〃Notice how he has treated another〃： in fact； that you have quite forgotten； as I think； the lesson conveyed by the expression of his face； his conversation； and his spirit。 But this is your concern。 As to a suburban property； be sure to let me know your wishes； and at the same time take care that that fellow doesn't get you into trouble。 What else have I to say？ Anything？ Yes； there is this： Gabinius entered the city by night on the 27th of September； and today； at two o clock； when he ought to have appeared on his trial for l？se niajest？； in accordance with the edict of C。 Alflus； he was all but crushed to
