§12.13.1S. v. b. e. v.
If you are well, it is well; I am well.
Cum rei p. vel salute vel victoria gaudemus tum instauratione tuarum laudum, quod maximus consularis maximum consulem te ipse vicisti, et laetamur et mirari satis non possumus.
When we rejoice both in the safety and victory of the republic, then we both rejoice and cannot sufficiently marvel at the renewal of your praises, because you, the greatest consular, have yourself surpassed you, the greatest consul.
fatale nescio quid tuae virtuti datum, id quod saepe iam experti sumus.
Some fateful thing has been given to your virtue, which we have already often experienced.
est enim tua toga omnium armis felicior; quae nunc quoque nobis paene victam rem p. ex manibus hostium eripuit ac reddidit.
For your toga is more fortunate than the arms of all; which now also has snatched the almost defeated republic from the hands of the enemies and restored it to us.
nunc ergo vivemus liberi, nunc te, omnium maxime civis et mihi carissime, id quod maximis rei p. tenebris comperisti, nunc te habebimus testem nostri et in te et in coniunctissimam tibi rem p. amoris et, quae saepe pollicitus es te et taciturum dum serviremus, et dicturum de me tum cum mihi profutura essent, nunc illa non ego quidem dici tanto opere desiderabo quam sentiri a te ipso.
Now therefore we shall live free, now we shall have you, the greatest citizen of all and most dear to me, as a witness of our love both toward you and toward the republic most closely joined to you, just as you found in the greatest darkness of the republic; and those things which you often promised that you would both keep silent while we were slaves, and speak about me then when they would be profitable to me, now I indeed shall not desire those things to be spoken so much as to be felt by yourself.
neque enim omnium iudicio malim me a te commendari quam ipse tuo iudicio digne ac mereor commendatus esse, ut haec novissima nostra facta non subita nec convenientia sed similia illis cogitationibus quarum tu testis es fuisse iudices meque ad optimam spem patriae non minimum tibi ipsi producendum putes.
For I would not prefer to be commended by you in the judgment of all rather than to have been commendably and deservedly commended in your own judgment, so that you may judge these latest deeds of ours to have been not sudden nor opportunistic, but similar to those thoughts of which you are a witness, and think that I should be brought forward, not least by yourself, to the best hope of our country.
§12.13.2sunt tibi, M. Tulli, liberi propinquique digni quidem te et merito tibi carissimi;
There are to you, M.
esse etiam debent in re p. proxime hos can, qui studiorum tuorum sunt aemuli, quorum esse cupio tibi copiam; sed tamen non maxima me turba puto excludi, quo minus tibi vacet me excipere et ad omnia quae velis et probes producere.
Tullius, children and relatives worthy indeed of you and deservedly most dear to you; there ought also to be in the republic next to these those dear ones who are emulators of your studies, of whom I desire you to have an abundance; but yet I do not think that I am excluded by so great a crowd that you have no leisure to receive me and to bring me forward to all things that you wish and approve.
animum tibi nostrum fortasse probavimus, ingenium diutina servitus certe, qualecumque est, minus tamen quam erat passa est videri.
We have perhaps proved our mind to you; as for our talent, a long servitude has certainly allowed it, whatever it is, to seem less than it was.
§12.13.3nos ex ora maritima Asiae provinciae et ex insulis quas potuimus navis deduximus, dilectum remigum magna contumacia civitatium tamen satis celeriter habuimus, secuti sumus classem Dolabellae cui L. Figulus praeerat;
We have launched what ships we could from the seacoast of the province of Asia and from the islands; we held a levy of rowers quickly enough despite the great obstinacy of the cities; we followed the fleet of Dolabella, which L.
qui spem saepe transitionis praebendo neque umquam non decedendo novissime Corycum se contulit et clauso portu se tenere coepit.
Figulus commanded; who, by often offering hope of desertion and never failing to retreat, recently betook himself to Corycus and began to hold himself in with the harbor closed.
nos illa relicta, quod et in castra pervenire satius esse putabamus et sequebatur classis altera, quam anno priore in Bithynia Tillius Cimber compararat, Turullius quaestor praeerat, Cyprum petivimus.
We, having left those behind, because we thought it better to arrive at the camp and a second fleet was following, which Tillius Cimber had prepared in Bithynia the previous year and the quaestor Turullius commanded, sought Cyprus.
ibi quae cognovimus scribere ad vos quam celerrime voluiiuus.
There we wished to write to you as quickly as possible what we learned.
§12.13.4Dolabellam ut Tarsenses, pessimi socii, ita Laudiceni multo amentiores ultro arcessierunt; ex quibus utrisque civitatibus Graecorum militum numero speciem exercitus effecit.
Just as the people of Tarsus, the worst allies, so the people of Laodicea, much more foolish, invited Dolabella of their own accord; from both of these cities, he made the appearance of an army with a number of Greek soldiers.
castra habet ante oppidum Laudiceam posita et partem muri demolitus est et castra oppido coniunxit.
He has his camp pitched before the town of Laodicea, and has demolished part of the wall and connected his camp with the town.
Cassius noster cum decem legionibus et cohortibus xx auxiliariis et quattuor milium equitatu a milibus passuum xx castra habet posita *pa/ltw| et existimat se sine proelio posse vincere; nam iam ternis tetrachmis triticum apud Dolabellam est.
Our Cassius, with ten legions, twenty auxiliary cohorts, and four thousand cavalry, has his camp pitched twenty miles away at Paltus, and thinks he can win without a battle; for already corn is at three tetradrachms with Dolabella.
Nisi quid navibus Laudicenorum supportarit, cito fame pereat necesse est; ne supportare possit et Cassi classis bene magna cui praeest Sextilius Rufus et tres quas nos adduximus, ego, Turullius, Patiscus, facile praestabunt.
Unless he brings in something by the ships of the Laodiceans, he must quickly perish of hunger; that he may not be able to bring it in, both the very large fleet of Cassius, commanded by Sextilius Rufus, and the three which we brought, I, Turullius, and Patiscus, will easily guarantee.
te volo bene sperare et rem p. , ut vos istic expedistis, ita pro nostra parte celeriter nobis expediri posse confidere.
I want you to hope well and to trust that the republic can be quickly settled by us on our part, just as you have settled it there.
vale.
Farewell.
D. Idib. Iun. Cypro a Crommyuacride.
Dispatched on the Ides of June, from Cyprus, at Crommyuacris.