§12.28.1adsentior tibi eos quos scribis Lilybaeo minari istic poenas dare debuisse; sed metuisti, ut ais, ne nimis liber in ulciscendo viderere.
I agree with you that those who you write are making threats at Lilybaeum ought to have paid the penalty there; but you feared, as you say, lest you should seem too harsh in punishing.
metuisti igitur ne gravis civis, ne nimis fortis, ne nimis te dignus viderere.
You feared, therefore, lest you should seem a strict citizen, too brave, too worthy of yourself.
§12.28.2quod societatem rei p. conservandae tibi mecum a patre acceptam renovas gratum est; quae societas inter nos semper, mi Cornifici, manebit.
That you renew with me the alliance for preserving the republic, received by you from your father, is pleasing; which alliance, my dear Cornificius, will always remain between us.
gratum etiam illud, quod mihi tuo nomine gratias agendas non putas; nec enim id inter nos facere debemus.
Pleasing also is this, that you do not think thanks ought to be given to me on your own account; for we ought not to do that between ourselves.
senatus saepius pro dignitate tua appellaretur, si absentibus consulibus umquam nisi ad rem novam cogeretur.
The senate would be appealed to more frequently for your dignity, if, in the absence of the consuls, it were ever assembled except for some new emergency.
itaque nec de HS X_X_ nec de HS D_C_C_ quicquam agi nunc per senatum potest.
Therefore, neither concerning the HS X_X_ nor the HS D_C_C_ can anything be done now through the senate.
tibi autem ex s. c. imperandum mutuumve sumendum censeo.
But I think that you yourself must command a levy or borrow money according to the decree of the senate.
in re p. quid agatur credo a te ex eorum litteris cognoscere, qui ad te acta debent perscribere.
As to what is going on in the republic, I believe you learn from the letters of those whose duty it is to write to you a full account of the transactions.
ego sum spe bona consilio, cura, labore non desum; omnibus inimicis rei publicae esse me acerrimum hostem prae me fero.
I am of good hope; I am not wanting in counsel, care, or labor; I openly profess that I am the most bitter enemy to all enemies of the republic.
res neque nunc difficili loco mihi videtur esse et fuisset facillimo, si culpa a quibusdam afuisset.
The situation does not seem to me to be in a difficult position even now, and it would have been in a most easy one, if some people had not been at fault.