nothing common How would you haue men sweare by Ioueâ— if you thinke that Ioue cannot be angrie with any bodie And how shall the people of the Vlubrans doe if you be of opinion that a man must take no care of publicke things I am therefore verie sorrie if it be true that you are entred into the schoole Epicurâ—s but if you counterfeit to humor Panâ—a for your profit I excuse you so you will sometimes vvrite what you doe and what you would haue me doe or procure for you Farewell Cicero to Trebatius Ep. 13. HOw come you to conceiue that I should be so vnreasonable as to be angrie with you because you seemed so instable and desirous to returne to Rome and that for this cause I forbare long time to write vnto you It 's true that the gâ—iefe and discontentment of your minde which I percâ—iued in your first letters troubled mee verie much But I omitted to write vnto you for no other cause but because I knew not where you were and yet you complaine and accept not of my excuse Alas I pray tell me my Tribatius is it money that makes you so presumptuous or is it because Caesar so great a Captaine employes you I would I might die if I doe not thinke such is your vaine-glorie that you had rather be employed by Caesar then to bee gilded ouer with gold But be it the one and the other who will support your pride besides my selfe who am a man apt to endure euery thing But to reâ—urne to my purpose I am very glad that you remaine there so willingly and as your former discontentment was grieuous to me so now I am delighted to see you conâ—ented Onelie I am in doubt that your Art will helpe you but little For I vndâ—rstood that there Nâ— man decides his cause by law But being crost begins to drawe And you are not a man to maintaine quarrells nay I know you to bee so modest that your aduersariâ—s cannot put in this plea against you that you with armed power were the first to assaile them But â—hat I may giue you soâ—e item also of those that are not in your bookes I aduise you to take heed of the Treuiri I heare that they are â—ruell I had rather they were rich But anoâ—her time peraduenture I shall haue more leisure to iest I pray write vnto mee diligently how al matters are carried there the iiij of March Farewell Cicero to Trebatius Epist. 14. CHrysipâ—us Vettius free-man to Cyrus the Architect made me thinke that you had not yet forgotten me For hee saluted me in your name you are growne very coy that you vouchsafe noâ— to write to me who am so neere a friâ—nd vntâ— you And if you can write no more there will bee found but few hâ—ereaâ—ter whom you are like to ouerthrow in their suites But if you haue forgotten me I will endeauour to come vnto you before I be cleane razed out of your memorie If also the â—eare of the sommer debilitate you deâ—ise some excuse as you did about Britannia The foresaid Chrysippus told me to my singular contentment that you are one of Caesars intimates but certainely it would like me better and more reason there is that I should haue daily iâ—formation of your proceedings by your owne letters To which desire questionlesse you had neuer giuen cause if with as great care you had learn'd the lawes of amitie as you did those that belong to pleadâ—ng But all this I speake by way of â—est as â—ou are wont to doe and I too sometimes I beare you vnfeined affection and I desire yea verily I beleeue that you do the same Farewell Cicero to Trebatius Ep. 15. HOw hard a matter 't is to content them that loue this may teach you First you made me dispaire in that you would not remaine where you are And now I no lesse despaiâ—e iâ— that you write that you continue there willingly Then I was vextâ— becaâ—sâ— you were not contented to be recommended by my letters now I am diâ—pleas'd because you liue contented being separated from me But yet I had rather suffer the want of my pâ—esent desire then not to behold you in that state I hope to see you in I cannot vtter how glad I am that you are entred into amitie with Caius Matius a courteous and learned man Vse all meanes poâ—sible to endeare him to you Vndoubtedly in this Prouince you cannot make a greater purchasâ— See you looke vnto your health Farewell Cicero to Trebatius Ep. 16. IN the Tragedie entituled the Troiane Horse it 's written as you know towards the end The Troianes wit beâ—gins too late But you little one delayed not long to get wit In the beginning you wrote letters â—o mee full of complaints rather foolish then otherwise Afterwards you were not very â—ond to see Britannia for which I can not blame you and now I see you whollie addicted to the winter residences and you thinke not to stir a foote You must be wise euery way for â—his is the course to improue you If I did vse to sup abroad I would haue satisfied Cneius Octauius in his desire But I could not forbeare hee inuiting me so often to aske him who he was Not to iest he is an honest man I would you had taken him along with you Let me vnderstand by all meanes what you doe and whether you meane to come into Italie this winter Balbus writes to me of a certaintie that you 'le become a rich man I will not now examine whether â—ee spake after the Romane phrase that you were to hâ—ue money enough or else according to the Stoickes who affirme that all they are â—ich which enioy heauen and earth As many as come from thence aueire that you are so haughtie as you scâ—rne to answer to a demand made Neuerthelesse you haue reason to reioyce in that it is generally knowne that at Samarobrina there is not a learneder man in the laws then your selfe Farewell Cicero to Trebatius Epist. 17. I Haue giuen my brother thankes as you wrote I should and now finally I may commend you seeing at last your determinations are firme and stable In the first moneths you â—rouck't me much to anger and sometimes I'lâ— tell it yee with your patience you appeared very mutable in desiring â—o returne to Rome sometimes â— counterfeit otherwhiles timerous in thoâ—e commands that are imposed vpon souldiers and often which was not wont to be your fashion hâ—lfe preâ—umptuous and impudent For you would presentlie râ—turne full of monie as if you had gone to Caesar with a bill of exchange and not with a letter of recommendation And you remembred not how they that went to Alexandria with letters of exchange to recouer their debts haue not yet receiued â—o much as one Harrington If I had aimed at mine owne profit I would vndoubtedly haue desired to keepe you about me for your conuersation yeelded me no small contentment and your counsell and
disliked me to remaine long time farre of from the custodie of the Common-wealth For we sate in the sterne and gouerned the Rudder but now we haue scarcely any place about the pumpe Do you thinke now though I shall bee at Naples that for this cause they will forbeare to passe decrees in the Senate when being at Rome attending to publicke affaires the decrees of the Senate are registred in a friends house of thine my familiar and when they please they subscribe my name thereto as if I had beene present And I sooner heare of some decree transported into Armenia and Syria which seemes to be passed according to my minde then word is deliuered to me thereof And thinke not that I speake this in â—east Because you must note that letters are alreadie brought mee from the farthest distant Kings that are wherein they thanke me for giuing them in the Senate the title of Kings the which I had not onlie not done but scarcely knew there were any such in the world What must be done then So long as this our master of ceremonies remains heere I will neuerthelesse doe as you counsell me when he is gone I 'le come to your Mushromes If I shall haue an house the charge which the law limiteth vs for one day I 'le distribute into ten but if I cannot meet with a scare that contents me I am determined to lie with you For I know I cannot better gratifie you About Silla's house I had now almost lost all hope as I last wrote vnto you but yet I haue not altogether lost it I should be glad that you as you write had viewed it in the companie of some Masons for if there be no fault in the walles or the roofe the rest will like me well enough Farewell Cicero to Papirius Paeto Epist. 16. YOur letters pleased me and first I was glad to vnderstand that the affection you beare me induced you to write vnto me doubting lest Silius with the newes he brought mâ—e might haue put mee to some trouble of minde About which thing you wrote before vnto me twice after one manner so that I easily conceiued your dislike and I had diligently returned answer thereunto to the end that so well as in such an occasion and time I was able I might at the least in part if not altogether dispossesse you of your sorrow But seeing in these last letters also you shew what a care you haue of it be assured of this my Paeto that whatsoeuer could bee done with Art for now councell sâ—rues not the turne some new policie must bee inuented I say what by Art may bee attempted or inuented to purchase the loue of these Caesarians that hâ—ue I labouâ—ed and procured with all diligence possible and in my opinion very successefully For I am so honoured and reuerenced by them to whom Caesar wisheth well that I beleeue I am beloued of them For though I could hardly discerne true loue from fained except vpon some occasion wherein as gold by the fire so true loue may bee tried and knowne by some danger for other are but common signes neuerthelesse I build vpon this rather then any other thing to thinke that I am heartily and â—ruely beloued that both my fortune and theirs is such as there is no cause to dissemble Then as for him who is Lord of all I see not why I should feare except in that there is no security where reason hath no authority Neither can one promise any thing certaine to himselfe where on others will not to terme them appetites euery thing dependeth Notwithstanding I haue not offended his minde in any thing and therein I haue carefully vsed all my dexterity and prudence For as other whiles I thought that it rather appertain'd to mee then any other to speake freely as to him that had beene a preseruer of the common liberty so now seeing it is lost I thinke it not fit for me to speak any thing which may offend either Caesars minde or his friends But if I should omit the occasion of some excellent saying I should lose the opinion conceiued of my wit the which if I could I would not refuse to doe But yet Caesar himselfe hath a very good iudgement And euen as your brother Seruius whom I take to haue beene very learned would readily say this verse is not of Plâ—â—tus this is because he was accustomed to read Poets and to note their passages so I vnderstand that Caesar hauing of himselfe made volumes of worthy sayings if any thing bee presented him for mine which is not he vseth to reiect it and he doth it now much more because his most familiar friends leade their whole life almost with me Now many things fall in sundry discâ—ursâ—s which peraduenture after I haue vttered them yeeld some sauour of learning and vnderstanding these are ofâ—ered to him together with other conceipts which daily are inuented For so hee hath commanded From hence it proceeds that if afterwards hee heare any thing of me hee thinkes it not worthy to bee giuen eare vnto For which cause I make no vse of your Eâ—omaus though by way of merriment you haue added thereâ—o the verses of Accius But what enuy is there or what thing is there in me for which I should be enuied But suppose that it is as you say I see that it so pleased the Philosophers that is those that seeme alone vnto me to vnderstand the force of vertue it pleased them I say that a wise man should not bee bound to render accompt of any thing but of offence from which I perceiue my selfe free two wayes First because I alwaies had an vpright mind next in that when I saw there was no meanes to defend our opinions my concâ—it was that we ought not to contend with the more mighty I cannot thâ—refore certainely bee blamed in the office of a good Citizen It remaines that I neither doe nor say any thing rashly or foolishly against them that gouerne the Common-wealth And this also I deeme to bee a poynt of a wise man For other things that which another sayes I haue spoken or how Caesar construes my sayings or with what fidelity they liue with me which daily court and honour mee of this I cannot be secure And thus I comâ—ort my selfe partly with the memoriall of my life past and partly by liuing now moderately and that similitude which the Poet Attius makes I attribute not onely to enuie but to fortune also the which as a weake thing should be vanquished and broken by euery valâ—ant minde no otherwise then as a waue is broken by a rocke And in truth the Greeke stories making mention how wise men haue alwayes supported the dominion of Tyrants either in Athens or Siracusa hauing beene in some sort free during the seruitude of their Ciâ—ies I 'le not imagine that I can so preserue my state that it neither offâ—nd the minde of some man nor diminish mine owne honour
Caesar would rather â—ish to meete with friends like me then like themselues For my part if things fall out conformable to my desire I meane to passe so much of my life as remaines quietly at Rhodes but if it so happen that any accident disturbe me I will remaine in Rome and remaine there alwaies wishing that they may doe well I giue great thankes to our Trebatius because he plainely declared vnto me how your minde stood towards me which I discerne to be full of sinceritie and affection and because he was the occasion that I hauing euer willingly loued you should now also be further tyed both to honour and respect you Farewell Cicero to Marcus Oppius Epist. 29. I being as our Atâ—icus knowes very doubtâ—ull about this iourney In that my minde on eiâ—her side suggested many râ—asons your iudgement and counâ—â—ll greatly induced mee to deliberate and make my resolution For you both plainely wrote vnto mee what your opinion therein was and Aâ—ticus related that vnto mee which you had spoken vnto him thâ—reof I euer tooke you to bee wise in deliberating and very faithfull in aduising and I haue had good expâ—rience thereof when in the beginning of the ciuill warre I requiring you by letters that you would aduise mee what I should doe either in going to Pompeius or remaining in Italie you perswaded mee to doe that that stood best with mine honour By which I perceiued what your opinion was therein and I admired that you were of so great fideliâ—ie and in aduiâ—ing mee â—o honâ—st a man â—or you thinking that the contrarie was desired by him that was your best friend you had greater râ—spect to my office then his will or pleasure Certainely before this fell out I loued you and euer knew that my selfe was by you beloued And when I was absent and stood in great danger I remember that in my absence yoâ— defended mee with great care vsing the like humanitie to all mine that were in Rome and after my returne how domesticallie you liued with mee and what opinion I retained of you and what things I diuulged all those that usuallie looke into such actions can truelie testifie But how faithfull in louing you and how constant you reputed mee you then euidently shewed when after Caesars death you betooke you whollie vnto mine acquaintance Which opinion of yours iâ— I by my dearest loue and best offices doe not acknowledge I shall not repute my selfe a man Perseuer you my Oppius in louing me although doubtlesse I write this vnto you not that I thinke you stand in neede of any such remembrance but because it is vsuall to write thus and take all my affaires into your protection Whereof that you may be fully informed I haue giuen commission to Atticus And when I shall be at better leisure I will write vnto you more at large Be carefull of your health For you cannot doe me a greater pleasure THE TWELFTH BOOKE OF THE FAMILIAR EPISTLES OF M. T. CICERO Cicero to Caius Cassius Epist. 1. BE assured Cassius that I neuer cease to think vpon you and our Brutus that is of the whole CoÌ„monwealth which hath reposed all her hope in you and Decimus Brutus And certainly from this time forward I begin to conceiue better hopes seeing may Dolabella hath performed such materiall seruice to the Common-wealth For that euill which sprung vp in the Citie continually dispersed it sâ—lfe and euerie day so encreased that for my part I held both the Citie and the peace of Citizens vtterly lost But it is so stop't that as for that reprochfull danger I suppose wee may liue for euer secure Other thâ—ngs that yet remaine to bee acted are important and many but you must be the man that must effect them al Though we are intentiue to dispatch those which are of greatest moment For touching that which hath hitherto beene done wee haue freed our selues of the King but not of the Kingdom For though the King be slaine yet we put all that in execution which the King appointed to be performed And not onely this but some things also which hee himselfe if hee had liued would not haue acted wee approue because hee designed them And of this I know not when wee shall see an end New Lawes are propounded exemptions are granted great taxes imposed banished men are restored and false decrees of the Senate are produced so as it seemes that the hatred onely of that wicked man and the greefe of seruitude is remoued but the Common-wealth is still tormentâ—d with those troubles whereinto hee brought her Of all these things you must make an end of necessitie and not suppose that the Common-wealth hath had alreadie from you what was sufficient Shee hath indeed so much as I would neuer haue hoped for but shee is not content with this and the greatnesse of your benefit and courage considered shee expects and desires froÌ„ you greater matters Hitherto with the death of the Tyrant and by your meanes she is reuenged of her iniuries but which of her ornaments hath shee recouered Take you peraduenture these for ornamenâ—s that shee obeyes him dead whom liuing shee could â—ot support or that wee defend his writings whose Lawes we ought to abrogate you 'l tell me we so determined It is true But wee did it to giue way vnto the times which in a Common-wealth are of great â—orâ—â— But some bearing themselues indiscreetly and vngratfully assume too much securitie vpon our courtesie Of which and manie other things wee will shortly discouâ—se at our meeting In the meane while perswade your selfe that I both in respect of the Common-wealth which was euer most dâ—aâ—e vnâ—o me as also for the loue we beare one another haue an especiall care of your dignity Looke vnto your heath Farewell Cicero to Caius Cassius Epist. 2. I Am verie glad that my sentence and Oration giues you content The which if I could often vse it would be no great labour to vs to re-establish the Common-wealâ—h in lâ—bertie But this foolish and debauched companion and a wickedâ—â— wretch then hee was of whom you weâ—e wonâ— to say that there was slâ—ine an impious man seâ—kes all meanes to procure a murder and hee doth for no other end charge me thâ—t I ploâ—ted Caesars death but because the old souldiers might rise vp against mee Which danger no wayes daunts me so that I may also purchase praise for that which you most gloriously haue â—ffected Aâ—d thus neither Piso who was â—he first that spake against him without anie man to second him nor I who a â—onth after did the like nor Publius Serâ—â—lius who spake after me can securâ—ly goe into the Senate For that bâ—oudie fellow vseth all meanâ—s to pâ—ocuâ—e some slaughter and the xx of Seâ—tember he thought to begin with mee And I can tell you he camâ— prouided iâ—to the Senate hauing for manie dâ—ies in Metellus villâ—ge wâ—ll consideâ—ed that which hee meant to vtter against me But what sound
or dismembred after conferring these as sufficient and carefull obseruers of our Authour amongst themselues and all with the text I haue followed the most seeming probable interpretation Neither haue I neglected the precept that in this case Horace gaue me Nec verbum verbo curabis reddere fidus Interpres Faithfull Translator thou shalt not afford Exchange of languages made word for word Leâ—t I might erre with that English Gentle-man who being demanded by an Italian what was become of his foot-boy made answer Ha preso i suoi calcagni Which sounded almost as well to the Italian as this other to an English man from the mouth of a great Trâ—ueller who being asked when hee saw his friend replied It maketh a little that hee was here Both these answers as manie oâ— the like though they haue good words yet for the sense being word for word translated the first is but English-Italianâ— and the last Italian-English Which how far they are different from the puritie of speech in either language let their Boccace and our Sr. Philip teach vs. Keeping therefore sense for sense lest I might offend mine owne language or wrong mine Author I haue endeuoured within the compasse of my capacitie to giue thee some though not all manner of satisfaction For not alone the profit of younglings is to bee respected but theirs also that are desirous to read matters of historie negotiations war and secret passages of policie and gouernment of which these little bookes are full as being written by the greatest wit and most industrious and frequented Orator in the weightiest businesses and quickest times of the Romane Commonâ—wealth An Abstract of that part of the Historie of Ptolâ—maeus King of Aegypt which is vsually put before these Epistles for the better vnderstanding of the first booke PTolemaeus king of Aegypt father to Ptolemaeus that slue Pompeius and to that well-knowne Cleopatra abusing his royall dignitie by his leuitie as playing the minstrell while others danced from whence hee was surnam'd Auletes and being otherwise in life lycentious gaue daily new occasions to his subiects to withdraw their loue and loyalty But falling into th'-acquaintance of Pompeius in the warre against Mithridates and ambitious of Societie and amitie with the people of Rome as was vsuall with other Kings and his owne predecessâ—rs hee gaue to Caesar then Consull and Pompeius his sonne in law sixe thousand talents to effect it Hee also sent an ayde vnto Pompeius in his imployments in Iudaea of eight thousand horse without any charge vnto the Commonwealth Hee kept a sumptuous table for a thousand personages and bore the charges of as many seruitors to attend them These and the like profus'd expences daily encreasing and surmounting his annuall reuenue of twelue thousand and fiue hundred Talents being inforced to borrow of Caius Rabirius Posthumius and other friends and Vsurers and after to taxe his subiects for the payment they growing at length to dislike his proceedings not able further to tollerate so heauy burdens expell'd him the kingdome Whereupon about the end of the Consulship of Publius Lentulus and Q. Metellus he repaires to Rome complaines to the Senateâ— vrgeth the Societie and Amitie of himselfe and Ancestors with the Senate and people gets Pompeius to backe him and plead his deserts and so effectually followes his businesse that it was thought not onely iust but for example-sake vsefull and proâ—itable to reuâ—nge the iniuries of that King whom the Senate and people of Rome had not long before graced with those attributes of Friend and Companion A decree of the Senate was forthwith enacted That the Consulls should cast lots which of them should restore him to his Countrie The first lot fell to Lentulus together with the gouernment of Cilicia and Cyprus For Spaine that fell to his Colleague Metellus was too remote from Aegypt and not to be annexed to the reducement of the King of Alexandria Against this decree and ballottation C. Cato Tribune of the people opposed obiecting religion and alleadging an Oracle out of the Sibyline verses That if the King were reduced by a multitude it would prooue dangerous to the Common-wealth Then they deliberated who should reduce him without an armie Some stucke to Lentulus whom they had formerly aswell by decree as lot receiued some thought it fit to send Pompeius some otherwise The varietie of opinions prolonged the businesse but Cato's audacitie ouerthrew it For from the beginning of his Tribuneship hee by dayly detractions prouoked enuie both against the King and Lentulus At length a law being diuulged to abrogate the gouernment of Lentulus in Cilicia his friends withdrew their thoughts from a lesser care to a greater feare And Pompeius waâ— by the same Cato so bitterly accused to the Senat that he gaue ouer al pretence in that reducemeÌ„t The King dispayring of the Senates ayde fled to Gabinius Pro-Consull in Syria By whom through the promise of ten thousand talents and the assistance of Pompeius then Consull hee was restored about twenty fiue yeares before the beginning of our Christian Computation Hee found his kingdome vnder the Dominion of Archelaus friend to Gabinius in the right of his wife Berenice eldest of the three daughters of the said Ptolemaeus but he slue them both in his restoring Gabinius being after call'd in questioÌ„ for violating the prerogatiue of the CoÌ„monwealth in that he had passed the bounds of his Prouince against the Law Cornelia de Maiestate was by corruptioÌ„ of Iudges absolued The detestation whoreof was cause that hee was shortly after accused of extortion condemned and with conâ—iscation of goods banished Our Cicero was in the first accusation Playntife in the last at the request of Pompeius defendant Read Cicero's Oration in defence of Caius Rabirius Posthumius THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE FAMILIar Epistles of M. T. Cicero Cicero to Publius Lentulus Vice-consul Epist. 1. IN all my endeuours on your behalfe and especially in my deuoted affection towards you I satisfie all other men yet neuer satisfie my selâ—e For you haue so well deserued of me because you neuer left my businesse â—ill 't was effected that I not hauing the like successe in yours finde my life diâ—tastfull to me The reasons are these Ammonius the Kings Ambassadour manifestly withstands vs by money And the businesse is carried by those Creditors who had the managing thereof while you were present There are but few if any that are inclining to the Kings suite and they all will haue the businesse referred to Pompeius The Senate giues way to the brute raised of the Religion not for the Religion but for iust disdaine and hatred taken against the Kinges briberie or corruption We cease not to exhort and intreat Pompeius and in conclusion freely to reprehend him and to admonish him that he draw not on him so great an infamie But my entreaties and aduertisements are needlesse for as well in his priuate discourses as openly in the Senate he hath so carried
in all other occasions that he may thereby gather that I haue effectuallie recommended him Farewell Cicero to Lentulus Ep. 4. VPon the fifteenth of Ianuarie when we had the better hand in the Senate for that the daie before we had broken the neck of that opinion of Bibulus concerning thâ— three Ambassadors and that there was now onely resting the opinion of Volcatius to contend withall the businesse was with diuerse cauills pâ—olonged by our aduersaries who could not endure that we amongst so manie and so great varietie of opinions should carrie away the glorie of the dayâ— Curio was at that time a bitter enemie vnto vs Bibulus much more milde and raâ—her a friend than otherwise Caniniuâ— and Catâ— had resolued â—o propose no law before the next creation of Magistrates The Senate as you know by the inteâ—dict of the law Pupia cannot be reduced before the Calends of Februarie nor for all that moneth vnlesse the Ambassages be either dispatched or put off But the people of Rome are possest that those that enuie and hate you haue brought vp this brute of an inuented Religion not so much to hinder you as to keepe euery man else from seeking for credits sake to goe that iourney with the armie into Alexandria And no man can report other than that the Senate hath had good respect of you for it is well knowne that your aduersaries haue hindred the dispatch of your cause but if they shall attempt now any thing by wicked and trecherous proceedings as they haue done vnder pretence or name of the people of Rome it is sufficiently prouided â—â—at they can passe nothing vnlesse they will withstand authoritie and the lawes or else bring their intent about by violence I will omit to speake either oâ— mine owne faithfulnesse or other mens ingratitude For it were but a follie to make any ostâ—ntaâ—ion of my selfe considering that if I should spend my life for you I cannot counteruaile your courtesies And to complaine of other mens iniuries were but to renew my old troubles If in this time of weake Magistrates any thing shall be attempted by force I can make no resistance but if no violence shall be offered I can assure you that the Senate and people of Rome will doe what in them lyeth to support your reputation Farewell Cicero to Publius Lentulus Vice-consul Ep. 5. THough I desire nothing more than to be knowne first of your selfe and then to all the world for a most thankful man and one that cannot forget the good turnes you haue done me yeâ— it grieues me to the heart that the times since your departure are such as inforce you to make triall as well of mine as other mens trust and affection towards you For I vnderstand by your letters that you haue had the same proofe oâ— your friends in your authoritie that I haue had of mine in my health and prosperitie I endeuoured with all my vnderstanding care and poâ—er to bring about the cause of the king when on the sodaine Cato beyond all imagination proposed a wicked law which did not onely hinder the cause but hath made that businesse which was before light and easie to be very difficult and desperate But though in so crosse an accident we are to expect all mischiefe yet wee feare nothing more than treacherie Come what will come let Cato be wel assured we will resist him About the restoring of the king I promise you thus much that I will so bestur me that you shall rest fully satisfied Yet I doubt that either the businesse may be taken out of our hands or that there will be no further proceeding in it and I cannot well determine which of these two courses will leaft content me But if it come to this passe there is a third way which neither Selicius nor I dislike That we neither suffer the King to be abandoned nor let him be put ouer vnto that man for his restoring who is alreadie thought to haue obteined him We will doe the best we can that things may goe as we would haue them if not we will so leaue off that we may suffer no disgrace thereby It is for a man of your wisedome vnderstanding and valour to be well assured that all your greatnesse and honour proceedes from your owne vertue your noble actions and graue proceâ—dings which will neuer faile you and to set light by that that the perfidiousnesse of any man can detract from you in any thing wherein fortune hath inriched you Knowing for certaine that whatsoeuer is done in that kind will turne to them more hurtfull than to you hereafter There is not an houre passes but I am either doing something in your businesse or contriuing how to doe it And in euery thing I vse the helpe of Quintus Selicius whom I esteeme as discreete faithfull and louing vnto you as any of your other friends I make accompt that you haue vnderstood both by frequent letters and messengers aswell what we haue now in hand as that that hath beene hitherto effected Of that that is expected I hold none fitter then my selfe to send you mine opinion I haue seene Pompeius vpon two occasioÌ„s terribly troubled First for that on the â—â—xt of Februarie speaking to the people in the fauour of Milo they gaue not onely a negligent eare vnto him but often interrupted him with exclamations and villanies secondly because Cato speaking ill of him in the Senate and sharply accusing him had a moâ—t quiet audience so thaâ— it seemes he altogether shrinketh from this cause of restoring the king in which we haue alwayes held our owne the Senate not hauing taken any thing from you herein but that which by the Religion it cannot giue vnto another man Our hope therefore at this present is that the King finding himselfe deceiâ—ed in his opinion of thinking to be â—estored by Pompeius and being depriued of all other hopes herein will necessarilie applie himselfe vnto you In the effecting hereof wee will vse all diligence and he will doubtlesse be most willing so that Pâ—mpeius make but the least shew to be content therewith But you know how slow he is and â—lâ—o how silent in all his actions yet there is nothing that may be done herein by vs omitted The other iniuries that Cato threaâ—neth to doe vs shall need I hope but easie resistance Of the Conâ—ulars I find none to fauour you but Hortentius and Lucullus The rest are partly â—ecâ—et partly open enemies But be of good courage And wiâ—hout al doubâ— the rash attempt of this phantasticall â—ellow will come to nothing and you shall recouer your former honour and reputation Fare you well Cicero to Lentulus Ep. 6. HOw matteâ—s haue beene carried you may â—nforme your selfe of Pâ—llio who was not onely present at them but imployed in them In the depth of the trouble I suffer about your businesse my comfort is that I hope assuredly that the good Councell of your friends and time it selfe which discouereth
the Senate and euery honest man would as yet bee patient and that it was not possible that any man should dare to denounce Dolabellaâ—or â—or a rebell Finally whatsoeuer was â—alsely auer'd by these knaues they held more true then in eâ—fect it was or then that which wee could beate into themâ— Out of the same peruersitie also before our comming and after Trebâ—nius was so vnworthily murdred and so many other wicked actions two Embassies of theirs went to Dolabella and certainely without any presidenâ— contrary to their lawes yea and though they were prohibited by their Magistrates Whether they did these things for feare as they affirme of certaine territories which they hold within the continenâ— or out of a bad intention or through the ouerswaying power of some few which had also heeretofore vsed the same vilâ—anie to renowned men and being at this present in highest dignities would not by any example either on your part or ours that were prâ—sent though easily they might neither prâ—uent our present perill nor that which menaced all Italie and our citie if that Traytor together with his thâ—â—uish associates being â—xpelled out of Asia and Syria had there arriued Some also were â—uspicious that the said Magistrates did but entertaine time and delaie vs while Dolabella's Fleet might bee aduertised of our comming Which suspicion was the more confirmed by some particulars which succeeded especially because Seâ—tus Marius and Caius Titius Dolabâ—lla's Legates departed suddainlie out of Lyciâ— from the Nauie and in a Fust fled away Leauing there all the great shippes in preparation and gathering of which they had spent no small time and labour Wherefore we comming from Rhâ—des into Lycia with such shipping as we had we took the great shippes and restord them to their owners and free'd our selues from the great feare which possessed vs that Dolabella with his fellow rebells would haue made for Italie The Nauie which gat away we pursued as farre as Syda which is the vttermost lymit of my Prouince There I vnderstood that one part of Dolabella's shipping was fled and another gone into Syria and Cyprus I knowing that Caius Cassius a famous Captaine and Cittizen was in Syria with a great Fleet in readinesse reâ—urned to my charge wil endeuour O conscript Fathers to vse for you and for the Common wealth all officious care and diligence to recouer those summes of money with the greatest possible expedition and send them you with all the accompts When I haue runne ouer my Prouince and haue notice who haue beene faithfull to vs and the Commonwealth in preseruing the treasure by me layd vp and who those wicked persons haue beene that wilfully carried these publike moneys to Dolabella I will thereof aduertise you Against whom if you finde it fitting rigorouslie to proceede according to their desert affording me that reputation with your authoritie I shall the more easilie be able both to recouer the remainder of the Customs and to preserue it being recouered In the meane while that I may the better hold the customes and defend the Prouince from insultatâ—oâ—s I haue drâ—wen together a necessarie guard of men which offered themselues oâ— their owne good will When these leâ—ters were written there came into Pamphilia about thirtie souldiers that fled into Syria of those that Dolabella had entertained in Asia These men brought newes that Dolabella was gone to Antiochiâ— which is in Syria buâ— that he was not there receiued and striuing diuers times to enter thereinto by force hee was euer repulsed with disaduantage So that loosing about an hundred men and leauing there diuers sicke persons he fled by night from Antiochia towards Laodicea And how in that might all his Asiaticke souldiers left him amongst which some eight hundred returned to Antiochia and yeelded vp themselues to those which held that Citie for Cassius the others by mount Amaâ—us came downe into Cilicia of which number they likwise said they were But that it was reported that Cassius with all his people was about foure daies iourney from Laodiceâ— when Dolabellâ— went thither For which cause I assuredly hope that this most wretched rebell will pay for his disloyaltie sooner then is expected From Perga The 2. of Iune Caius Trebonius to Cicero Epist. 16. I Arriued in Athens the xxij of May where to my infinite contentment I saw your sonne dedicated to the noblest studies and in great â—steeme for his modestie Wherein what pleasure I tooke you may vnderstand without my telling you For you know well how much I value you and how greatlie in respect of our ancient and and sincere loue I reioyce at all your prosperities much more at this so great an happines Doe not suppose my Cicero thaâ— I deliuer this to you to flatter you Your youth and therefore ours for I haue nothing but what is yours hath aboue all others wonne the hearts of eueâ—y man that lyes in Athens and is more then any man studious of those vertues which yoâ— especiallie affect and are most excellent So that in what I can truelie congratulate with you I doe it willingly and no lesse with my selfe then you that wee finde him whom wee must what soâ—uer hee were loue of necessitie to be of such condidition that we may loue him wiâ—lingly Discoursing with me hee cast out a word that he would see Asia whereunto he was noâ— onely by me inuited but entreated that he would doe iâ— especially while I had the gouernment thereof And you may be assured that I will vse him with that deare affection that your selfe would I will also take order that Craâ—ippâ—â— may come with him to the end you may not thinke that in Asia he neglects those studies whereunto you haue exhorted him I see him well dispos'd and farre entred into a good way neuerthelesse I will not cease to encourage him therein to the end that day by day learning and exercising himselfe he may goe forward At the date of these I knew not what was done about the Common wealth I heard certaine rumors the which God graunt may be false that once we may enioy a quiet libertie which hitherto I neuer could Notwithstanding in my Nauigation hauing found a little vacancy I haue compounded a trifle according to my manner to present you with And I haue collected together certaine sayings deliuered by you to my great honour which I haue here vnder written Wherein if I seeme vnto you in some words a little too free excuse me in that he against whom I speake is such an one as deserues worse then I haue spoken Let me request you also to pardon our choller which is but iust against such men and Cittizens And then why should Lucilius rather be permitted to take vpon him this libertie then my selfe Considering that if the hatred he baâ—e to them of whom he spake il were â—quall to mine yet were not they more worthy then this man with so great a liberty of words to be reproued I