§1.18.3adflicta res publica est empto constupratoque iudicio.
The republic has been shattered by a bribed and polluted trial.
vide quae sint postea consecuta.
See what followed afterwards.
consul est impositus is nobis quem nemo praeter nos philosophos aspicere sine suspiritu posset.
Such a consul has been imposed upon us, whom no one except us philosophers could look upon without a sigh.
quantum hoc vulnus! facto senatus consulto de ambitu, de iudiciis nulla lex perlata, exagitatus senatus, alienati equites Romani.
How great a wound! Although a decree of the senate was made concerning bribery, no law was passed concerning the trials, the senate was harassed, and the Roman knights were alienated.
sic ille annus duo firmamenta rei publicae per me unum constituta evertit; nam et senatus auctoritatem abiecit et ordinum concordiam diiunxit.
Thus that year overturned the two foundations of the republic established by me alone; for it both threw away the authority of the senate and severed the harmony of the orders.
instat hic nunc ille annus egregius.
Now that illustrious year is at hand.
eius initium eius modi fuit ut anniversaria sacra Iuventatis non committerentur; nam M. Luculli uxorem Memmius suis sacris initiavit; Menelaus aegre id passus divortium fecit.
Its beginning was of such a kind that the annual festival of Iuventas was not celebrated; for Memmius initiated the wife of M. Lucullus into his own rites; Menelaus, bearing this with difficulty, divorced her.
quamquam ille pastor Idaeus Menelaum solum contempserat, hic noster Paris tam Menelaum quam Agamemnonem liberum non putavit.
Although that Idaean shepherd had despised Menelaus alone, this Paris of ours did not think either Menelaus or Agamemnon to be free.
§1.18.4est autem C. Herennius quidam tribunus pl.
But there is a certain C.
, quem tu fortasse ne nosti quidem; tametsi potes nosse, tribulis enim tuus est et Sextus pater eius nummos vobis dividere solebat.
Herennius, a tribune of the plebs, whom perhaps you do not even know; although you can know him, for he is of your tribe, and his father Sextus was accustomed to distribute money to you.
is ad plebem P. Clodium traducit idemque fert ut universus populus in campo Martio suffragium de re Clodi ferat.
He is transferring P. Clodius to the plebs, and the same man is proposing that the entire populace should cast their vote on the matter of Clodius in the Campus Martius.
hunc ego accepi in senatu, ut soleo, sed nihil est illo homine lentius.
I received him in the senate, as I usually do, but nothing is more sluggish than that man.
§1.18.5Metellus est consul egregius et nos amat, sed imminuit auctoritatem suam quod habet dicis causa promulgatum illud idem de Clodio.
Metellus is an excellent consul and loves us, but he has diminished his authority because he keeps that same proposal concerning Clodius promulgated for form's sake.
Auli autem filius, o di immortales! quam ignavus ac sine animo miles! quam dignus qui Palicano, sicut facit, os ad male audiendum cotidie praebeat!
But the son of Aulus, O immortal gods! What a cowardly and spiritless soldier! How worthy to offer his face daily to Palicanus, as he does, to be ill spoken of!
§1.18.6agraria autem promulgata est a Flavio sane levis eadem fere quae fuit Plotia.
An agrarian law, however, has been promulgated by Flavius, which is indeed trifling, almost the same as the Plotian law was.
sed interea πολιτικὸσ ἀνὴρ quisquam inveniri potest;
But meanwhile, can any statesman be found?
qui poterat, familiaris noster (sic est enim; volo te hoc scire) Pompeius togulam illam pictam silentio tuetur suam.
He who could be, our friend Pompey (for so he is; I want you to know this), guards his famous embroidered little toga in silence.
Crassus verbum nullum contra gratiam.
Crassus utters not a word against popularity.
ceteros iam nosti; qui ita sunt stulti ut amissa re publica piscinas suas fore salvas sperare videantur.
The rest you already know; who are so foolish that they seem to hope that their fishponds will be safe even if the republic is lost.
§1.18.7unus est qui curet constantia magis et integritate quam, ut mihi videtur, consilio aut ingenio, Cato; qui miseros publicanos quos habuit amantissimos sui tertium iam mensem vexat neque iis a senatu responsum dari patitur.
There is only one who cares, more by perseverance and integrity than, as it seems to me, by counsel or intellect, Cato; who has been vexing the wretched tax-farmers, whom he had most affectionate towards himself, for the third month now, nor does he allow an answer to be given to them by the senate.
ita nos cogimur reliquis de rebus nihil decernere ante quam publicanis responsum sit.
Thus we are forced to decree nothing about the remaining matters before an answer is given to the tax-farmers.
qua re etiam legationes reiectum iri puto.
For which reason I think even the embassies will be postponed.
§1.18.8nunc vides quibus fluctibus iactemur, et si ex iis quae scripsimus tanta etiam a me non scripta perspicis, revise nos aliquando et, quamquam sunt haec fugienda quo te voco, tamen fac ut amorem nostrum tanti aestimes ut eo vel cum his molestiis pervenire velis.
Now you see in what waves we are tossed, and if from those things which we have written you perceive also so many things not written by me, visit us sometime, and, although these places to which I call you are to be avoided, yet see to it that you value our love so highly that you are willing to arrive at it even with these annoyances.
nam ne absens censeare curabo edicendum et proponendum locis omnibus; sub lustrum autem censeri germani negotiatoris est.
For I will take care that it be proclaimed and posted in all places that you are not to be assessed in your absence; but to be assessed just before the lustrum is the mark of a genuine businessman.
qua re cura ut te quam primum videamus.
Therefore, take care that we see you as soon as possible.
vale.
Farewell.
xi Kal. Febr.
January 22, in the consulship of Q.
Q. Metello, L. Afranio coss.
Metellus and L. Afranius.