§8.11.1non diu sed acriter nos tuae supplicationes torserunt; incideramus enim in difficilem nodum.
Your supplications disturbed us not for long but sharply; for we had fallen into a difficult knot.
nam Curio tui cupidissimus, quoi omnibus rationibus comitiales dies eripiebantur, negabat se ullo modo pati posse decerni supplicationes, ne quod furore Pauli adeptus esset boni sua culpa videretur amisisse et praevaricator causae publicae existimaretur.
For Curio, who is very fond of you, and from whom the comitial days were being snatched by all accounts, declared that he could in no way allow the supplications to be decreed, lest he should seem to have lost through his own fault the advantage he had gained by the fury of Paulus, and be thought a prevaricator of the public cause.
itaque ad pactionem descendimus, et confirmarunt consules se his supplicationibus in hunc annum non usuros.
Therefore we came to an agreement, and the consuls confirmed that they would not make use of these supplications for this year.
plane quod utrasque consulibus gratias agas est, Paulo magis certe; nam Marcellus sic respondit ei, spem in istis supplicationibus non habere, Paulus, se omnino in hunc annum non edicturum.
Clearly, there is reason for you to thank both consuls, certainly Paulus more; for Marcellus replied to him that he had no hope in those supplications, while Paulus said that he would not proclaim them at all for this year.
§8.11.2renuntiatum nobis erat Hirrum diutius dicturum.
It had been reported to us that Hirrus would speak at length.
prendimus eum; non modo non fecit sed, cum de hostiis ageretur et posset rem impedire si ut numeraretur postularet, tacuit; tantum Catoni adsensus est, qui de te locutus honorifice non decrerat supplicationes.
We caught him; not only did he not do so, but, when the matter of the victims was being discussed and he could have obstructed the business if he had demanded that a count be taken, he kept silent; he merely agreed with Cato, who, having spoken honorably of you, had not decreed the supplications.
tertius ad hos Favonius accessit.
As a third, Favonius joined them.
qua re pro cuiusque natura et instituto gratiae sunt agendae, his, quod tantum voluntatem ostenderunt, pro sententia cum impedire possent non pugnarunt, Curioni vero, quod de suarum actionum cursu tua causa deflexit.
Wherefore thanks must be given according to each one’s nature and character: to these, because they only showed their goodwill and did not fight for their opinion when they could have obstructed, but to Curio, because he departed from the course of his own actions for your sake.
nam Furnius et Lentulus, ut debuerunt, quasi eorum res esset, una nobiscum circumierunt et laborarunt.
For Furnius and Lentulus, as they ought to have done, went around and exerted themselves with us as if it were their own business.
Balbi quoque Corneli operam et sedulitatem laudare possum; nam cum Curione vehementer locutus est et eum, si aliter fecisset, iniuriam Caesari facturum dixit, tum eius fidem in suspicionem adduxit.
I can also praise the effort and diligence of Cornelius Balbus; for he spoke vehemently with Curio and said that if he did otherwise, he would do an injury to Caesar, and at the same time he brought his loyalty into suspicion.
decrerant quidem neque transigi volebant Domitii, Scipiones.
Indeed, the Domitii and the Scipiones had decreed them and did not want a compromise.
quibus hac re ad intercessionem evocandam interpellantibus venustissime Curio respondit se eo libentius non intercedere, quod quosdam qui decernerent videret confici nolle.
When they interrupted to provoke an intercession on this account, Curio replied most gracefully that he was the more willing not to intercede because he saw that certain people who were decreeing did not want the matter to be completed.
§8.11.3quod ad rem publicam attinet, in unam causam omnis contentio conlecta est de provinciis; in quam adhuc incubuisse cum senatu Pompeius videtur ut Caesar Id. Nov. decedat; Curio omnia potius subire constituit quam id pati, ceteras suas abiecit actiones.
As far as the state is concerned, all the contention is gathered into one issue concerning the provinces; on which Pompey, together with the senate, seems so far to have exerted himself that Caesar should depart on the Ides of November; Curio has resolved to undergo anything rather than suffer that, and has cast aside his other actions.
nostri porro, quos tu bene nosti, ad extremum certamen rem deducere non audebant.
Our friends, moreover, whom you know well, did not dare to bring the matter to an ultimate conflict.
scaena rei totius haec: Pompeius, tamquam Caesarem non impugnet sed quod illi aequum putet constituat, ait Curionem quaerere discordias, valde autem non vult et plane timet Caesarem cos. desig. prius, quam exercitum et provinciam tradiderit.
The scene of the whole business is this: Pompey, as if he were not attacking Caesar but establishing what he thinks fair for him, says that Curio is seeking discords, but he strongly dislikes and clearly fears Caesar as consul designate before he has handed over his army and province.
accipitur satis male a Curione et totus eius secundus consulatus exagitatur.
This is received quite badly by Curio, and his entire second consulship is attacked.
hoc tibi dico: si omnibus rebus prement Curionem, Caesar defendet intercessorem; si, quod videntur, reformidarint, Caesar quoad volet manebit.
I tell you this: if they press Curio in every way, Caesar will defend the interceder; if they shrink back, as they seem to, Caesar will remain as long as he wishes.
§8.11.4quam quisque sententiam dixerit, in commentario est rerum urbanarum; ex quo tu quae digna sunt selige; multa transi, in primis ludorum explosiones et funerum et ineptiarum ceterarum.
What opinion each person delivered is in the journal of city affairs; from which you may select what is worthy; skip many things, especially the hootings at the games, funerals, and other trifles.
plura habet utilia; denique malo in hanc partem errare, ut quae non desideres audias, quam quicquam quod opus est praetermittatur.
It contains more useful things; in short, I prefer to err in this direction, so that you hear what you do not desire, rather than that anything necessary should be omitted.
tibi curae fuisse de Sittiano negotio gaudeo; sed quoniam suspicaris minus certa fide eos tibi visos, tamquam procurator sic agas rogo.
I am glad that the Sittian business was a care to you; but since you suspect that they seemed to you to be of less reliable faith, I ask you to act as if you were an agent.