§10.12.1etsi rei p. causa maxime gaudere debeo tantum ei te praesidi, tantum opis attulisse extremis paene temporibus, tamen ita te victorem complectar re p. reciperata, ut magnam partem mihi laetitiae tua dignitas adfert, quam et esse iam et futuram amplissimam intellego.
Although for the sake of the republic I ought to rejoice most of all that you have brought so much protection, so much assistance to it in almost its last moments, yet, when the republic is recovered, I shall so embrace you as victor that your dignity brings me a great part of my joy, which I understand is already now and will be in the future most ample.
cave enim putes ullis umquam litteras gratiores quam tuas in senatu esse recitatas; idque contigit cum meritorum tuorum in rem p. eximia quadam magnitudine tum verborum sententiarumque gravitate.
For do not think that any letters were ever read in the senate more welcome than yours; and this happened both because of a certain extraordinary greatness of your services to the republic and because of the weight of your words and sentiments.
quod mihi quidem minime novum, qui et te nossem et tuarum litterarum ad me missarum promissa meminissem et haberem a Furnio nostro tua penitus consilia cognita, sed senatui maiora visa sunt quam erant exspectata, non quo umquam de tua voluntate dubitasset, sed nec quantum facere posses nec quo progredi velles exploratum satis habebat.
This indeed was not at all new to me, who both knew you and remembered the promises of your letters sent to me and had your plans thoroughly known from our friend Furnius, but to the senate they seemed greater than had been expected—not because it had ever doubted your goodwill, but because it did not have sufficiently ascertained either how much you could do or how far you wished to proceed.
§10.12.2itaque cum a. d.
Therefore, when on the morning of the seventh day before the Ides of April M.
vii Idus Aprilis mane mihi tuas litteras M. Varisidius reddidisset easque legissem, incredibili gaudio sum elatus; cumque magna multitudo optimorum virorum et civium me domo deduceret, feci continuo omnis participes meae voluptatis.
Varisidius had delivered your letter to me and I had read it, I was elated with incredible joy; and when a great multitude of the best men and citizens was escorting me from my home, I immediately made everyone a partner in my pleasure.
interim ad me venit Munatius noster, ut consuerat.
Meanwhile, our friend Munatius came to me, as was his custom.
at ego ei litteras tuas, nihildum enim sciebat; nam ad me primum Varisidius, idque sibi a te mandatum esse dicebat.
But I showed him your letter, for he did not yet know anything; for Varisidius had come to me first, and he said that this had been commanded to him by you.
Paulo post idem mihi Munatius eas litteras legendas dedit quas ipsi miseras, et eas quas publice.
A little later, the same Munatius gave me to read those letters which you had sent to him personally, and also those which you had sent publicly.
§10.12.3placuit nobis ut statim ad Cornutum, pr. urb. , litteras deferremus, qui, quod consules aberant, consulare munus sustinebat more maiorum.
We decided to deliver the letter immediately to Cornutus, the city praetor, who, because the consuls were absent, was discharging the consular office according to ancestral custom.
senatus est continuo convocatus frequensque convenit propter famam atque exspectationem tuarum litterarum.
The senate was immediately convoked and assembled in large numbers because of the rumor and expectation of your letter.
recitatis litteris oblata religio Cornuto est pullariorum admonitu non satis diligenter eum auspiciis operam dedisse, idque a nostro conlegio comprobatum est.
When the letter had been read, a religious scruple was presented to Cornutus at the warning of the chicken-keepers, that he had not attended to the auspices with sufficient diligence, and this was confirmed by our college.
itaque res dilata est in posterum.
Therefore, the matter was postponed to the next day.
eo autem die magna mihi pro tua dignitate contentio cum Servilio; qui cum gratia effecisset ut sua sententia prima pronuntiaretur, frequens eum senatus reliquit et in alia omnia discessit, meaeque sententiae, quae secunda pronuntiata erat, cum frequenter adsentiretur senatus, rogatu.
On that day, however, I had a great contest with Servilius on behalf of your dignity; although he had brought it about by influence that his opinion should be pronounced first, a crowded senate left him and voted entirely otherwise, and when the senate in large numbers was agreeing with my opinion, which had been pronounced second, P.
Servili P. Titius intercessit.
Titius, at the request of Servilius, interceded.
res in posterum dilata.
The matter was postponed to the next day.
§10.12.4venit paratus Servilius Iovi ipsi iniquus, cuius in templo res agebatur.
Servilius came prepared, hostile to Jupiter himself, in whose temple the business was being conducted.
hunc quem ad modum fregerim quantaque contentione Titium intercessorem abiecerim, ex aliorum te litteris malo cognoscere; unum hoc ex meis: senatus gravior, constantior, amicior tuis laudibus esse non potuit quam tum fuit, nec vero tibi senatus amicior quam cuncta civitas; mirabiliter enim populus R. universus et omnium generum ordinumque consensus ad liberandam rem p. conspiravit.
How I broke him, and with what great contention I cast down the intercessor Titius, I prefer that you learn from the letters of others; only this one thing from mine: the senate could not have been more grave, more steadfast, or more friendly to your praises than it was then, nor indeed was the senate more friendly to you than the entire state; for wonderfully the whole Roman people and the consensus of all classes and orders conspired to set the republic free.
§10.12.5Perge igitur, ut agis, nomenque tuum commenda immortalitati atque haec omnia, quae habent speciem gloriae conlectam inanissimis splendoris insignibus contemne, brevia, fucata, caduca existima.
Proceed, therefore, as you are doing, and commend your name to immortality; and despise all these things which have the appearance of glory gathered from the emptiest badges of splendor, and estimate them as short-lived, false, and fleeting.
verum decus in virtute positum est, quae maxime inlustratur magnis in rem p. meritis.
True honor is placed in virtue, which is especially illustrated by great services to the republic.
eam facultatem habes maximam.
You have that capability in the highest degree.
quam quoniam complexus es et tenes, perfice ut ne minus res p. tibi quam tu rei p. debeas.
Since you have embraced and hold it, bring it about that the republic should owe no less to you than you to the republic.
me tuae dignitatis non modo fautorem sed etiam amplificatorem cognosces.
You will find me not only a supporter of your dignity but also an amplifier of it.
id cum rei p. quae mihi vita est mea carior, tum nostrae necessitudini debere me iudico.
I judge that I owe this both to the republic, which is dearer to me than my life, and to our close connection.
atque in his curis, quas contuli ad dignitatem tuam, cepi magnam voluptatem, quod bene cognitam mihi T. Munati prudentiam et fidem magis etiam perspexi in eius incredibili erga te benevolentia et diligentia.
And in these cares, which I have bestowed upon your dignity, I have received great pleasure, because I have perceived even more clearly the prudence and loyalty of T. Munatius, which were already well known to me, in his incredible goodwill and diligence toward you.
iii Idus Apr.
April 11.