§2.1.4quod quaeris quid sit quo te arcessam, ac simul impeditum te negotiis esse significas neque recusas quin, non modo si opus sit sed etiam si velim, accurras, nihil sane est necesse, verum tamen videbare mihi tempora peregrinationis commodius posse discribere.
As to your asking what reason there is for which I summon you, and at the same time indicating that you are entangled in business, and yet not refusing to run to me, not only if there should be need but even if I should wish it, there is indeed no necessity. But nevertheless, it seemed to me that you could have arranged the times of your travel more conveniently.
nimis abes diu, praesertim cum sis in propinquis locis, neque nos te fruimur et tu nobis cares.
You are away too long, especially since you are in nearby places, and we do not enjoy your presence, and you lack us.
ac nunc quidem otium est, sed, si paulo plus furor Pulchelli progredi posset, valde ego te istim excitarem.
And now indeed there is leisure, but if the madness of Pulchellus could have proceeded a little further, I would have strongly summoned you from where you are.
verum praeclare Metellus impedit et impediet.
But Metellus excellently hinders him and will hinder him.
quid quaeris? est consul φιλόπατρισ et, ut semper iudicavi, natura bonus.
In short? The consul is a patriot and, as I have always judged, naturally good.
§2.1.5ille autem non simulat sed plane tribunus pl. fieri cupit.
He, however, is not pretending, but clearly wishes to become a tribune of the plebs.
qua de re quom in senatu ageretur, fregi hominem et inconstantiam eius reprehendi qui Romae tribunatum pl.
When this matter was discussed in the senate, I crushed the fellow and rebuked his inconsistency, who was seeking the tribunate of the plebs in Rome although he had repeatedly said in Sicily that he was seeking an inheritance.
peteret cum in Sicilia hereditatem se petere dictitasset, neque magno opere dixi esse nobis laborandum, quod nihilo magis ei liciturum esset plebeio rem publicam perdere quam similibus eius me consule patriciis esset licitum.
And I said that we did not need to trouble ourselves much, because it would be no more permitted for him as a plebeian to ruin the state than it had been permitted for his likes as patricians during my consulship.
iam cum se ille septimo die venisse a freto neque sibi obviam quemquam prodire potuisse et noctu se introisse dixisset in eoque se in contione iactasset, nihil ei novi dixi accidisse.
Furthermore, when he said that he had come from the Straits on the seventh day and that no one could come to meet him and that he had entered by night, and had boasted of this in a public meeting, I told him nothing new had happened to him.
"ex Sicilia septimo die Romam; ante tribus horis Roma Interamnam.
"From Sicily to Rome in seven days; previously, in three hours from Rome to Interamna.
noctu introisti; idem ante.
You entered by night; the same previously.
non est itum obviam; ne tum quidem quom iri maxime debuit. "
quid quaeris? hominem petulantem modestum reddo non solum perpetua gravitate orationis sed etiam hoc genere dictorum.
No one came to meet you; not even then when it was most necessary that they should." In short? I make the insolent man modest, not only by the constant gravity of my speech but also by this kind of sayings.
itaque iam familiariter cum ipso cavillor ac iocor;
And so now I banter and joke with him quite familiarly.
quin etiam cum candidatum deduceremus, quaerit ex me num consuessem Siculis locum gladiatoribus dare.
Indeed, when we were escorting a candidate, he asked me whether I was accustomed to give a place to Sicilians at the gladiatorial games.
negavi.
I said no.
"at ego"
inquit
"novus patronus instituam; sed soror, quae tantum habeat consularis loci, unum mihi solum pedem dat"
"noli,"
inquam
"de uno pede sororis queri; licet etiam alterum tollas. "
non consulare inquies dictum.
"But I," he said, "as their new patron, will establish this; but my sister, who has so much consular space, gives me only one foot." "Do not," I said, "complain about your sister's one foot; you may lift the other one as well." Not a very consular saying, you will say.
fateor; sed ego illam odi male consularem.
I confess it; but I hate her, so unworthily consular.
"ea est enim seditiosa, ea cum viro bellum gerit"
neque solum cum Metello sed etiam cum Fabio, quod eos †esse in hoc esse† moleste fert.
"For she is seditious, she wages war with her husband," and not only with Metellus but also with Fabius, because she is annoyed that they are in this.
§2.1.6quod de agraria lege quaeris, sane iam videtur refrixisse.
As to what you ask about the agrarian law, it certainly seems to have grown cold already.
quod me quodam modo molli bracchio de Pompei familiaritate obiurgas, nolim ita existimes, me mei praesidi causa cum illo coniunctum esse, sed ita res erat instituta ut, si inter nos esset aliqua forte dissensio, maximas in re publica discordias versari esset necesse.
As to your rebuking me in a way "with a gentle arm" about my friendship with Pompey, I would not wish you to think that I have joined myself with him for the sake of my own protection. But the matter was so established that, if there happened to be some disagreement between us, the greatest discords must exist in the republic.
quod a me ita praecautum atque provisum est non ut ego de optima illa mea ratione decederem sed ut ille esset melior et aliquid de populari levitate deponeret.
This was so guarded against and provided for by me, not so that I should depart from that best policy of mine, but so that he should become better and lay aside something of his popular levity.
quem de meis rebus, in quas eum multi incitarant, multo scito gloriosius quam de suis praedicare; sibi enim bene gestae, mihi conservatae rei publicae dat testimonium.
Know that he speaks of my achievements—against which many had incited him—much more gloriously than of his own; for he bears witness to himself of having well managed the republic, but to me of having saved it.
hoc facere illum mihi quam prosit nescio; rei publicae certe prodest.
How much his doing this benefits me, I do not know; it certainly benefits the republic.
quid? si etiam Caesarem cuius nunc venti valde sunt secundi reddo meliorem, num tantum obsum rei publicae?
What? If I also make Caesar, whose winds are now very favorable, better, do I do so much harm to the republic?