§8.4.1invideo tibi;
I envy you; so many things for you to wonder at are brought to your ears daily from here.
tam multa cotidie quae mirere istoc perferuntur, primum illud, absolutum Messalam, deinde eundem condemnatum, C. Marcellum cos. factum, M. Calidium ab repulsa postulatum a Galliis duobus, P. Dolabellam xv virum factum.
First, that Messala was acquitted, then that the same man was condemned; that Gaius Marcellus was made consul; that Marcus Calidius, immediately after his defeat, was prosecuted by the two Gallii; that Publius Dolabella was made one of the fifteen commissioners.
hoc tibi non invideo, caruisse te pulcherrimo spectaculo et Lentuli cruris repulsi vultum non vidisse.
In this, however, I do not envy you—that you missed a most beautiful spectacle and did not see the face of Lentulus Crus when he was defeated.
at qua spe, quam certa opinione descenderat, quam ipso diffidente Dolabella! et hercules, nisi nostri equites acutius vidissent, paene concedente adversario superasset.
And yet, with what hope, with what certain expectation had he gone down to the forum, and how little confidence Dolabella himself had! And, by Hercules, if our knights had not seen more sharply, he would have won, despite his opponent almost giving up.
§8.4.2illud te non arbitror miratum, Servaeum, designatum tr. pl. , condemnatum; cuius in locum C. Curio petiit.
I do not suppose you wondered at this—that Servaeus, designative tribune of the plebs, was condemned; Gaius Curio has sought to stand in his place.
sane quam incutit multis, qui eum facilitatemque eius non norunt, magnum metum; sed ut spero et volo et ut se fert ipse, bonos et senatum malet;
He indeed inspires great fear in many who do not know him and his easy temper; but, as I hope and wish, and as he himself behaves, he will prefer the patriots and the senate.
totus, ut nunc est, hoc scaturit.
At present, he is entirely overflowing with this disposition.
huius autem voluntatis initium et causa est quod eum non mediocriter Caesar, qui solet infimorum hominum amicitiam sibi qualibet impensa adiungere, valde contempsit.
The beginning and cause of this inclination is that Caesar—who is accustomed to win the friendship of the lowest men to himself at any expense—greatly despised him.
qua in re mihi videtur illud perquam venuste cecidisse, quod a reliquis quoque usque eo est animadversum ut Curio, qui nihil consilio facit, ratione et insidiis usus videretur in evitandis consiliis, qui se intenderant adversarios in eius tribunatum, Laelios et Antonios et id genus valentis dico.
In this matter, it seems to me that things turned out most charmingly, because it was so much noticed by others as well that Curio, who does nothing by planning, seemed to have used reason and stratagem in avoiding the plans of those who had set themselves up as adversaries against his tribuneship—I mean the Laelii, the Antonii, and influential men of that class.
§8.4.3has ego tibi litteras eo maiore misi intervallo, quod comitiorum dilationes occupatiorem me habebant et exspectare in dies exitum cogebant, ut confectis omnibus te facerem certiorem.
I have sent this letter to you after a longer interval because the postponements of the elections kept me busier and forced me to wait daily for the outcome, so that I might inform you when all was finished.
ad K. Sext. usque exspectavi.
I waited up to the Kalends of August.
praetoriis morae quaedam inciderunt.
Some delays occurred in the praetorian elections.
mea porro comitia quem eventum sint habitura nescio; opinionem quidem, quod ad Hirrum attinet, incredibilem aed. pl. comitiis nacta sunt.
Furthermore, I do not know what result my own election will have; indeed, as far as Hirrus is concerned, it has gained an incredible expectation at the plebeian aedileship elections.
nam M. Coelium Vinicianum mentio illa fatua, quam deriseramus olim, et promulgatio de dictatore subito deiecit et deiectum magno clamore insecuta est.
For that foolish mention of a dictator, which we had once laughed at, and the proposal of the law suddenly cast down Marcus Coelius Vinicianus, and pursued him with great clamor once he was down.
Inde Hirrum cuncti iam non faciendum flagitare.
Consequently, everyone is now demanding that Hirrus must not be elected.
spero te celeriter et de nobis, quod sperasti, et de illo, quod vix sperare ausus es, auditurum.
I hope you will quickly hear both concerning us what you hoped for, and concerning him what you scarcely dared to hope.
§8.4.4de re p. iam novi quicquam exspectare desieramus; sed cum senatus habitus esset ad Apollinis a. d. xi K. Sext. et referretur de stipendio Cn. Pompei, mentio facta est de legione ea, quam expensam tulit C. Caesari Pompeius, quo numero esset, quoad pateretur eam Pompeius esse in Gallia.
Regarding the state, we had already ceased to expect anything new; but when the senate was held near the temple of Apollo on the eleventh day before the Kalends of August, and a motion was made concerning the pay of Gnaeus Pompey, mention was made of that legion which Pompey lent to Gaius Caesar—to what number it belonged, and how long Pompey would allow it to remain in Gaul.
coactus est dicere Pompeius se legionem abducturum, sed non statim sub mentionem et convicium obtrectatorum;
Pompey was forced to say that he would withdraw the legion, but not immediately after the mention and the abuse of his detractors.
inde interrogatus de successione C. Caesaris; de qua, hoc est de provinciis, placitum est ut quam primum ad urbem reverteretur Cn. Pompeius, ut coram eo de successione provinciarum ageretur;
Then he was questioned about the succession to Gaius Caesar; concerning which, that is, the provinces, it was resolved that Gnaeus Pompey should return to the city as soon as possible, so that the succession to the provinces might be discussed in his presence.
nam Ariminum ad exercitum Pompeius erat iturus et statim iit.
For Pompey was about to go to Ariminum to his army, and he went immediately.
puto Idibus Sext. de ea re actum iri.
I think the matter will be discussed on the Ides of August.
profecto aut transigetur aliquid aut turpiter interce. detur; nam in disputando coiecit illam vocem Cn. Pompeius, omnis oportere senatui dicto audientis esse.
Surely either some settlement will be made or a shameful veto will interpose; for in the course of the debate Gnaeus Pompey let fall that expression, that everyone ought to be obedient to the senate's command.
ego tamen sic nihil exspecto quo modo Paulum, cos. designatum, primum sententiam dicentem.
Yet I look forward to nothing so much as to Paulus, the consul elect, delivering his opinion first.
§8.4.5saepius te admoneo de syngrapha Sittiana (cupio enim te intellegere eam rem ad me valde pertinere); item de pantheris, ut Ciburatas accersas curesque ut mi vehantur; praeterea (nuntiatur enim nobis et pro certo iam habetur regem Alexandrinum mortuum), quid mihi suadeas, quo modo regnum illud se habeat, quis procuret, diligenter mihi perscribas.
I remind you rather frequently about the bond of Sittius (for I desire you to understand that this matter concerns me greatly); likewise about the panthers, that you should send for those from Cibyra and take care that they are shipped to me; furthermore (for it is reported to us and now held for certain that the Alexandrian king is dead), write to me diligently what you advise me, how that kingdom stands, and who has charge of it.
K. Sext.
The Kalends of August.