§2.19.1multa me sollicitant et ex rei publicae tanto motu et ex iis periculis quae mihi ipsi intenduntur et sescenta sunt; sed mihi nihil est molestius quam Statium manu missum;
Many things trouble me, both from the great commotion of the state and from those dangers which are directed against myself, which are countless; but nothing is more annoying to me than that Statius has been manumitted; "and that my authority—indeed, let alone my authority, not even my anger at least—should not make him return!
"
nec meum imperium, ac mátto imperium, nón simultatém meam
reverteri saltem!
"
nec quid faciam scio neque tantum est in re quantus est sermo.
"Nor do I know what to do, and the matter is not as great as the talk about it.
ego autem ne irasci possum quidem iis quos valde amo; tantum doleo ac mirifice quidem. † cetera in magnis rebus†.
But I cannot even be angry with those whom I love dearly; I only grieve, and wonderfully indeed. †The other things are in great matters†.
minae Clodi contentionesque quae mihi proponuntur modice me tangunt; etenim vel subire eas videor mihi summa cum dignitate vel declinare nulla cum molestia posse.
The threats of Clodius and the conflicts proposed to me touch me only moderately; for indeed I seem to myself to be able either to undergo them with the greatest dignity or to decline them with no trouble.
dices fortasse:
"dignitatis ἅλισ tamquam δρυόσ, saluti, si me amas, consule.
You will say perhaps: "Of dignity, enough as of the oak; consult your safety, if you love me.
"
me miserum! cur non ades? nihil profecto te praeteriret.
"Wretched me! Why are you not present? Nothing indeed would escape you.
ego fortasse τυφλώττω et nimium τῷ.
I am perhaps blind and too much...
§2.19.2scito nihil umquam fuisse tam infame, tam turpe, tam peraeque omnibus generibus, ordinibus, aetatibus offensum quam hunc statum qui nunc est, magis me hercule quam vellem non modo quam putarem.
Know that there has never been anything so infamous, so disgraceful, so equally offensive to all classes, orders, and ages as this present state of affairs, more so, by Hercules, than I could wish, not to say than I could think.
populares isti iam etiam modestos homines sibilare docuerunt.
Those populares have now taught even moderate men to hiss.
Bibulus in caelo est nec qua re scio, sed ita laudatur quasi
"
unus homo nobis cunctando restituit rem.
Bibulus is in heaven, and I do not know for what reason, but he is so praised as if: "One man by delaying restored the state to us.
"
Pompeius, nostri amores, quod mihi summo dolori est, ipse se adflixit.
"Pompey, our darling, which is a source of greatest grief to me, has ruined himself.
neminem tenent voluntate; ne metu necesse sit iis uti vereor.
They hold no one by goodwill; I fear lest it be necessary for them to use fear.
ego autem neque pugno cum illa causa propter illam amicitiam neque approbo, ne omnia improbem quae antea gessi; utor via.
I, however, neither fight with that cause because of that friendship, nor do I approve of it, lest I should disapprove of all that I have done before; I take a middle course.
populi sensus maxime theatro et spectaculis perspectus est; nam gladiatoribus qua dominus qua advocati sibilis conscissi; ludis Apollinaribus Diphilus tragoedus in nostrum Pompeium petulanter invectus est; "
nóstra miseriá tu es magnus—
"
miliens coactus est dicere; "
Éandem virtutem ístam veniet témpus cum gravitér gemes
"
totius theatri clamore dixit itemque cetera.
The feeling of the people was especially perceived in the theater and at the spectacles; for at the gladiatorial games both the master and his advocates were torn to pieces with hisses; at the Apollinian games, Diphilus the tragedian insolently attacked our Pompey; "By our misery you are great— "he was forced to say a thousand times; "The time will come when you shall deeply groan for that same strength of yours "he said with the shout of the whole theater, and likewise the rest.
nam et eius modi sunt ii versus uti in tempus ab inimico Pompei scripti esse videantur:
"
si neque leges neque mores cogunt—,
"
et cetera magno cum fremitu et clamore sunt dicta.
For those verses are of such a kind that they seem to have been written for the occasion by an enemy of Pompey: "If neither laws nor customs compel—, "and the rest were spoken with a great murmur and shout.
Caesar cum venisset mortuo plausu, Curio filius est insecutus.
When Caesar had arrived amidst dead applause, Curio the son followed.
huic ita plausum est ut salva re publica Pompeio plaudi solebat.
He was applauded in such a way as Pompey used to be applauded when the republic was safe.
tulit Caesar graviter.
Caesar took it heavily.
litterae Capuam ad Pompeium volare dicebantur.
Letters were said to be flying to Pompey at Capua.
inimici erant equitibus qui Curioni stantes plauserant, hostes omnibus; Rosciae legi, etiam frumentariae minitabantur.
They were hostile to the knights who had applauded Curio standing, and enemies to everyone; they threatened the Roscian law, and even the corn law.
sane res erat perturbata.
Indeed, the situation was troubled.
equidem malueram quod erat susceptum ab illis silentio transiri, sed vereor ne non liceat.
I indeed had preferred that what had been undertaken by them should be passed over in silence, but I fear lest it may not be allowed.
non ferunt homines quod videtur esse tamen ferendum; sed est iam una vox omnium magis odio firmata quam praesidio.
Men do not bear what seems nevertheless must be borne; but there is now one voice of all, stronger in hatred than in defense.
§2.19.4noster autem Publius mihi minitatur, inimicus est.
But our Publius threatens me; he is an enemy.
impendet negotium, ad quod tu scilicet advolabis.
Trouble is impending, to which you of course will fly.
videor mihi nostrum illum consularem exercitum bonorum omnium, etiam sat bonorum habere firmissimum.
I seem to myself to have that consular army of ours, of all good men, and even of the fairly good, very firm.
Pompeius significat studium erga me non mediocre; idem adfirmat verbum de me illum non esse facturum; in quo non me ille fallit sed ipse fallitur.
Pompey indicates no ordinary goodwill towards me; he also affirms that the man will not say a word about me; in which he does not deceive me, but is deceived himself.
Cosconio mortuo sum in eius locum invitatus.
Since Cosconius is dead, I have been invited into his place.
id erat vocari in locum mortui.
That was being called into the place of a dead man.
nihil me turpius apud homines fuisset neque vero ad istam ipsam ἀσφάλειαν quicquam alienius.
Nothing would have been more disgraceful for me among men, nor indeed anything more foreign to that very safety.
sunt enim illi apud bonos invidiosi, ego apud improbos meam retinuissem invidiam, alienam adsumpsissem.
For those men are hated among the good, and I would have retained my own unpopularity among the wicked, while taking on that of others.
Caesar me sibi vult esse legatum.
Caesar wants me to be his legate.
§2.19.5honestior declinatio haec periculi; sed ego hoc non repudio.
This is a more honorable decline of the danger; but I do not reject this.
quid ergo est? pugnare malo.
What is it then? I prefer to fight.
nihil tamen certi.
Yet nothing is certain.
iterum dico
"utinam adesses!"
sed tamen si erit necesse, arcessemus.
Again I say: "Would that you were present!" But yet, if it is necessary, we shall summon you.
quid aliud? quid? hoc opinor.
What else? What? This, I think.
certi sumus perisse omnia; quid enim ἀκκιζόμεθα tam diu? sed haec scripsi properans et me hercule timide.
We are certain that all is lost; for why do we play the hypocrite so long? But I have written these things in a hurry and, by Hercules, timidly.
posthac ad te aut, si perfidelem habebo cui dem, scribam plane omnia aut, si obscure scribam, tu tamen intelleges.
Hereafter I will write to you plainly everything, either if I have a most faithful person to whom to give it, or, if I write obscurely, you will nevertheless understand.
in iis epistulis me Laelium, te Furium faciam; cetera erunt ἐν αἰνιγμοῖσ.
In those letters I shall make myself Laelius, and you Furius; the rest will be in riddles.
hic Caecilium colimus et observamus diligenter.
Here we cultivate Caecilius and observe him diligently.
edicta Bibuli audio ad te missa.
I hear Bibulus’ edicts have been sent to you.
iis ardet dolore et ira noster Pompeius.
With them our Pompey burns with grief and anger.