§1.1.1petitionis nostrae, quam tibi summae curae esse scio, huius modi ratio est quod adhuc coniectura provideri possit.
\nThe status of my candidacy, which I know is of the greatest concern to you, is of this sort, as far as can yet be foreseen by conjecture.
prensat unus P. Galba.
P. Galba alone is canvassing.
sine fuco ac fallaciis more maiorum negatur.
He is refused without deceit or trickery, in the manner of our ancestors.
ut opinio est hominum, non aliena rationi nostrae fuit illius haec praepropera prensatio.
As is the opinion of people, this premature canvassing of his has not been unfavorable to our interest.
nam illi ita negant vulgo ut mihi se debere dicant.
For they generally refuse him in such a way as to say that they are obligated to me.
ita quiddam spero nobis profici, cum hoc percrebrescit, plurimos nostros amicos inveniri.
Thus I hope that some progress is being made for us, as this rumor spreads, that very many of our friends are being found out.
nos autem initium prensandi facere cogitaramus eo ipso tempore quo tuum puerum cum his litteris proficisci Cincius dicebat, in campo comitiis tribuniciis a. d. xvi Kalend. Sextilis.
We, moreover, had thought of making a start of canvassing at the very time when Cincius said your boy was starting with this letter, in the campus at the tribunician elections, on the sixteenth day before the Kalends of Sextilis (July 17).
competitores, qui certi esse videantur, Galba et Antonius et Q. Cornificius.
The competitors who seem to be certain are Galba, Antonius, and Q. Cornificius.
puto te in hoc aut risisse aut ingemuisse.
I think you either laughed or groaned at this.
ut frontem ferias, sunt qui etiam Caesonium putent.
In order that you may strike your forehead, there are some who even think Caesonius will run.
Aquilium non arbitrabamur, qui denegavit et iuravit morbum et illud suum regnum iudiciale opposuit.
We did not think Aquilius would, who denied it, swore illness, and put forward his judicial kingdom.
Catilina, si iudicatum erit meridie non lucere, certus erit competitor.
Catiline, if it is judged that it is not light at noon, will be a certain competitor.
de Aufidio et de Palicano non puto te exspectare dum scribam.
Concerning Aufidius and Palicano I do not think you are waiting for me to write.\n\nOf those who are now candidates, Caesar is thought to be certain.
§1.1.2de iis qui nunc petunt Caesar certus putatur. Thermus cum Silano contendere existimatur; qui sic inopes et ab amicis et existimatione sunt ut mihi videatur non esse ἀδύνατον Curium obducere.
Thermus is expected to contend with Silanus; who are so poor both in friends and reputation that it seems to me not to be impossible (ἀδύνατον) to pit Curius against them.
sed hoc praeter me nemini videtur.
But this seems so to no one except me.
nostris rationibus maxime conducere videtur Thermum fieri cum Caesare.
For our interests, it seems most advantageous for Thermus to be elected with Caesar.
nemo est enim ex iis qui nunc petunt qui, si in nostrum annum reciderit, firmior candidatus fore videatur, propterea quod curator est viae Flaminiae † que cum erit absoluta sane facile eum libenter nunc ceteri consuli acciderim†. petitorum haec est adhuc informata cogitatio.
For there is no one among those who are now candidates who, if he falls back into our year, seems to be a stronger candidate, because he is the curator of the Flaminian Way, †and when that is completed, quite easily and gladly now the others to be consul...† Such is the still unformed plan of the candidates.
nos in omni munere candidatorio fungendo summam adhibebimus diligentiam et fortasse, quoniam videtur in suffragiis multum posse Gallia, cum Romae a iudiciis forum refrixerit, excurremus mense Septembri legati ad Pisonem ut Ianuario revertamur.
We shall apply the greatest diligence in performing every duty of a candidate, and perhaps, since Gaul seems to have great power in voting, when the forum has cooled down in Rome from judicial trials, we shall run out in the month of September as legates to Piso so that we may return in January.
cum perspexero voluntates nobilium, scribam ad te.
When I have perceived the wishes of the nobles, I will write to you.
cetera spero prolixa esse his dumtaxat urbanis competitoribus.
Other things I hope will be smooth, with only these urban competitors.
illam manum tu mihi cura ut praestes, quoniam propius abes, Pompei, nostri amici.
That group of Pompey, our friend, take care to secure for me, since you are closer.
nega me ei iratum fore si ad mea comitia non venerit.
Tell him I will not be angry if he does not come to my election.
atque haec huius modi sunt. §1.1.3sed est quod abs te mihi ignosci pervelim.
And these things are of this kind.\n\nBut there is something for which I would very much wish to be forgiven by you.
Caecilius, avunculus tuus, a P. Vario cum magna pecunia fraudaretur, agere coepit cum eius fratre A. Caninio Satyro de iis rebus quas eum dolo malo mancipio accepisse de Vario diceret.
Caecilius, your uncle, when he was being defrauded of a large sum of money by P. Varius, began to take action against his brother, A. Caninius Satyrus, concerning those things which he said Satyrus had received by fraudulent transfer (dolo malo mancipio) from Varius.
una agebant ceteri creditores, in quibus erat L. Lucullus et P. Scipio et is quem putabant magistrum fore si bona venirent, L. Pontius.
The other creditors were acting together, among whom were L. Lucullus, P. Scipio, and he whom they thought would be the manager (magister) if the goods were sold, L. Pontius.
verum hoc ridiculum est de magistro.
But this is ridiculous about the manager.
nunc cognosce rem.
Now learn the matter.
rogavit me Caecilius ut adessem contra Satyrum.
Caecilius asked me to appear against Satyrus.
dies fere nullus est quin hic Satyrus domum meam ventitet; observat L. Domitium maxime, me habet proximum; fuit et mihi et Quinto fratri magno usui in nostris petitionibus.
There is almost no day but this Satyrus comes frequently to my house; he courts L.
§1.1.4sane sum perturbatus cum ipsius Satyri familiaritate tum Domiti, in quo uno maxime ambitio nostra nititur.
Domitius most of all, and holds me next; he was of great use both to me and to my brother Quintus in our candidacies.\n\nI am indeed deeply disturbed both by the familiarity of Satyrus himself and of Domitius, in whom alone our ambition chiefly rests.
demonstravi haec Caecilio simul et illud ostendi, si ipse unus cum illo uno contenderet, me ei satis facturum fuisse; nunc in causa universorum creditorum, hominum praesertim amplissimorum, qui sine eo quem Caecilius suo nomine perhiberet facile causam communem sustinerent, aequum esse eum et officio meo consulere et tempori.
I pointed this out to Caecilius, and at the same time showed that if he alone were contending with that one man, I would have satisfied him; now, in a case of all the creditors, especially most distinguished men, who without him whom Caecilius might produce in his own name could easily sustain the common cause, it is fair that he should consult both my duty and my situation.
durius accipere hoc mihi visus est quam vellem et quam homines belli solent, et postea prorsus ab instituta nostra paucorum dierum consuetudine longe refugit.
He seemed to me to take this more harshly than I would have wished, and than civilized (belli) men are accustomed to, and after that he completely shrank far back from our established intimacy of a few days.
abs te peto ut mihi hoc ignoscas et me existimes humanitate esse prohibitum ne contra amici summam existimationem miserrimo eius tempore venirem, cum is omnia sua studia et officia in me contulisset.
I ask of you that you forgive me this and consider me to have been prevented by humanity from coming against the highest reputation of a friend in his most miserable time, since he had bestowed all his zeal and duties on me.
quod si voles in me esse durior, ambitionem putabis mihi obstitisse.
But if you wish to be harsher on me, you will think that ambition stood in my way.
ego autem arbitror, etiam si id sit, mihi ignoscendum esse,
"ἐπεὶ οὐχ ἱερήϊον οὐδὲ βοεΐην. "
vides enim in quo cursu simus et quam omnis gratias non modo retinendas verum etiam acquirendas putemus.
But I think, even if that is so, I ought to be forgiven, 'since it is not for a sacrificial beast or a bull's hide.' For you see in what race we are, and how we think all goodwill must not only be retained but even acquired.
spero tibi me causam probasse, cupio quidem certe.
I hope I have proved my case to you, indeed I certainly desire to.\n\nYour Hermathena delights me greatly, and is placed so beautifully that the whole gymnasium seems to be its offering (ἀνάθημα).
§1.1.5Hermathena tua valde me delectat et posita ita belle est ut totum gymnasium eius ἀνάθημα esse videatur. multum te amamus.
We love you very much.