§11.17.1L. Lamia uno omnium familiarissime utor.
I am on more intimate terms with L. Lamia than with anyone else.
Magna sunt eius in me, non dico officia, sed merita, eaque sunt populo Romano notissima.
Great are his services to me—I do not say kind offices, but merits—and these are very well known to the Roman people.
is magnificentissimo munere aedilitatis perfunctus petit praeturam, omnesque intellegunt nec dignitatem ei deesse nec gratiam; sed is ambitus excitari videtur ut ego omnia pertimescam totamque petitionem Lamiae mihi sustinendam putem.
Having performed the duty of a most magnificent aedilian games, he is seeking the praetorship, and everyone understands that neither worth nor popularity is lacking to him; but such a keen competition seems to be stirred up that I fear everything and think that the whole candidacy of Lamia must be supported by me.
§11.17.2in ea re quantum me possis adiuvare facile perspicio nec vero quantum mea causa velis dubito.
In this matter, I easily perceive how much you can help me, nor indeed do I doubt how much you wish to do so for my sake.
velim igitur, mi Brute, tibi persuadeas nihil me maiore studio a te petere, nihil te mihi gratius facere posse quam si omnibus tuis opibus, omni studio Lamiam in petitione iuveris.
Therefore, my dear Brutus, I should like you to convince yourself that there is nothing I ask of you with greater zeal, and that you can do nothing more pleasing to me than if you help Lamia in his candidacy with all your resources and all your zeal.
quod ut facias vehementer te rogo.
I earnestly beg you to do this.