§4.17.1puto te existimare me nunc oblitum consuetudinis et instituti mei rarius ad te scribere quam solebam; sed quoniam loca et itinera tua nihil habere certi video, neque in Epirum neque Athenas neque in Asiam cuiquam nisi ad te ipsum proficiscenti dedi litteras.
I think you suppose that I, having now forgotten my habit and custom, write to you less frequently than I used to do; but since I see that your locations and journeys have nothing certain, I have not given letters either to Epirus or Athens or Asia to anyone except to someone setting out to yourself.
neque enim eae sunt epistulae nostrae quae si perlatae non sint nihil ea res nos offensura sit; quae tantum habent mysteriorum ut eas ne librariis quidem fere committamus, †lepidum quo excidat†.
For our letters are not of such a kind that, if they should not be delivered, that matter would not hurt us at all; they contain so many secrets that we do not commit them even to copyists, †lest some witty thing escape†.
§4.17.2consules flagrant infamia quod C. Memmius candidatus pactionem in senatu recitavit quam ipse et suus competitor Domitius cum consulibus fecisset uti ambo HS quadragena consulibus darent, si essent ipsi consules facti, nisi tris augures dedissent qui se adfuisse dicerent cum lex curiata ferretur quae lata non esset, et duo consularis qui se dicerent in ornandis provinciis consularibus scribendo adfuisse, cum omnino ne senatus quidem fuisset.
The consuls are burning with infamy because C. Memmius, the candidate, read in the senate a compact which he himself and his competitor Domitius had made with the consuls, to the effect that they should both give forty hundred thousand sesterces to the consuls if they themselves should be made consuls, unless they should produce three augurs who would say they had been present when the curiate law was proposed, which had not been proposed at all, and two consulars who would say they had been present at the writing of the decree for fitting out the consular provinces, when there had not even been any senate meeting at all.
haec pactio non verbis sed nominibus et perscriptionibus multorum tabulis cum esse facta diceretur, prolata a Memmio est nominibus inductis auctore Pompeio.
Since this compact was said to have been made not merely by words but with the names, endorsements, and account-books of many, it was produced by Memmius, with the names erased, at the instigation of Pompey.
hic Appius erat idem.
Here Appius was just the same.
nihil sane iacturae.
No loss indeed.
corruerat alter et plane inquam iacebat.
The other had collapsed and was utterly laid low.
§4.17.3Memmius autem dirempta coitione invito Calvino plane refrixerat et eo magis nunc totus iacet quod iam intellegebamus enuntiationem illam Memmi valde Caesari displicere.
Memmius, however, when the coalition was broken up against the will of Calvinus, had grown completely cold, and is now all the more utterly laid low because we already understood that that disclosure by Memmius was highly displeasing to Caesar.
Messalla noster et eius Domitius competitor liberalis in populo valde fuit.
Our Messalla and his competitor Domitius have been extremely generous to the people; nothing could be more popular.
nihil gratius. certi erant consules.
They were certain to be consuls.
at senatus decrevit ut tacitum iudicium ante comitia fieret ab iis consiliis quae erant ex omnibus sortita in singulos candidatos.
But the senate decreed that a silent trial should be held before the elections by those panels which had been chosen by lot from all the citizens for each candidate.
magnus timor candidatorum.
Great was the fear of the candidates.
sed quidam iudices, in his Opimius, Veiento, Rantius, tribunos pl. appellarunt, ne iniussu populi iudicarent.
But certain judges, among them Opimius, Veiento, and Rantius, appealed to the tribunes of the plebs, so that they should not judge without the command of the people.
res cedit; comitia dilata ex senatus consulto dum lex de tacito iudicio ferretur.
The matter succeeded; the elections were postponed by a decree of the senate until the law concerning the silent trial should be proposed.
venit legi dies.
The day for the law came.
Terentius intercessit.
Terentius vetoed it.
consules qui illud levi bracchio egissent rem ad senatum detulerunt.
The consuls, who had treated the matter with a light hand, referred it to the senate.
hic Abdera non tacente me.
Here we had Abdera, and I was not silent.
dices
"tamen tu non quiescis?"
ignosce, vix possum.
You will say, "Still, can you not keep quiet?" Forgive me, I can scarcely do so.
verum tamen quid tam ridiculum? senatus decreverat ne prius comitia haberentur quam lex lata esset; si qui intercessisset, res integra referretur.
But yet, what is so ridiculous? The senate had decreed that the elections should not be held before the law was passed; if anyone should veto it, the matter should be referred back as a whole.
coepta ferri leviter, intercessum non invitis, res ad senatum.
The law began to be proposed lukewarmly, vetoed with no one unwilling, and referred to the senate.
de ea re ita censuerunt comitia primo quoque tempore haberi esse e re publica.
On this matter they voted that it was to the interest of the state that the elections be held at the very earliest opportunity.
§4.17.4Scaurus qui erat paucis diebus illis absolutus, cum ego †patrem† eius ornatissime defendissem, obnuntiationibus per Scaevolam interpositis singulis diebus usque ad pr. Kal. Octobr. , quo ego haec die scripsi, sublatis populo tributim domi suae satis fecerat.
Scaurus, who had been acquitted a few days before, after I had defended his [father] most handsomely, since the announcements of unfavorable omens interposed daily by Scaevola up to the day before the Kalends of October—the day on which I write this—had been removed, had given satisfaction to the people tribe by tribe at his own house.
sed tamen etsi uberior liberalitas huius, gratior esse videbatur eorum qui occuparant.
But yet, although his generosity was more abundant, that of those who had pre-occupied the ground seemed to be more pleasing.
cuperem vultum videre tuum cum haec legeres; nam profecto spem habes nullam haec negotia multarum nundinarum fore.
I should like to see your face when you read this; for surely you have no hope that these transactions will be a matter of many market days.
sed senatus hodie fuerat futurus, id est Kal. Octobribus;
But the senate was to meet today, that is, on the Kalends of October; for it is already dawning.
iam enim luciscit. ibi loquetur praeter Antium et Favonium libere nemo; nam Cato aegrotat.
There no one will speak freely except Antius and Favonius; for Cato is ill.
de me nihil timueris, sed tamen promitto nihil.
Do not fear anything on my account, but yet I promise nothing.
§4.17.5quid quaeris aliud? iudicia, credo.
What else do you ask? The trials, I suppose.
Drusus, Scaurus non fecisse videntur.
Drusus and Scaurus are thought not to have done it.
tres candidati fore rei putabantur, Domitius a Memmio, Messalla a Q. Pompeio Rufo, Scaurus a Triario aut a L. Caesare.
Three candidates were expected to be defendants: Domitius by Memmius, Messalla by Q. Pompeius Rufus, Scaurus by Triarius or by L. Caesar.
"quid poteris"
inquies
"pro iis dicere?"
ne vivam si scio; in illis quidem tribus libris quos tu dilaudas nihil reperio.
"What will you be able to say," you will say, "on their behalf?" May I not live if I know; in those three books indeed which you praise so highly I find nothing.
§4.17.6cognosce cetera.
Hear the rest.
ex fratris litteris incredibilia de Caesaris in me amore cognovi, eaque sunt ipsius Caesaris uberrimis litteris confirmata.
From my brother's letters I have learned of Caesar's incredible affection for me, and these things are confirmed by Caesar's own most abundant letters.
Britannici belli exitus exspectatur; constat enim aditus insulae esse muratos mirificis molibus.
The end of the British war is expected; for it is certain that the approaches to the island are walled up with wonderful ramparts.
etiam illud iam cognitum est neque argenti scripulum esse ullum in illa insula neque ullam spem praedae nisi ex mancipiis; ex quibus nullos puto te litteris aut musicis eruditos exspectare.
It has also been learned by now that there is not a single scruple of silver in that island, nor any hope of booty except from slaves; among whom I do not think you expect any educated in literature or music.
§4.17.7Paulus in medio foro basilicam iam paene texerat isdem antiquis columnis, illam autem quam locavit facit magnificentissimam.
Paulus has already almost roofed in the basilica in the middle of the forum with the same ancient columns, but the one which he contracted for he is making most magnificent.
quid quaeris? nihil gratius illo monumento, nihil gloriosius.
What else do you ask? Nothing is more pleasing than that monument, nothing more glorious.
itaque Caesaris amici, me dico et Oppium, dirumparis licet, in monumentum illud quod tu tollere laudibus solebas, ut forum laxaremus et usque ad atrium Libertatis explicaremus, contempsimus sexcenties HS; cum privatis non poterat transigi minore pecunia.
Therefore, Caesar's friends (I mean myself and Oppius, though you may burst with envy) for that monument which you used to extol with praises, in order that we might enlarge the forum and extend it as far as the Hall of Liberty, disregarded sixty million sesterces; the business could not be settled with private owners for less money.
efficiemus rem gloriosissimam; nam in campo Martio saepta tributis comitiis marmorea sumus et tecta facturi eaque cingemus excelsa porticu, ut mille passuum conficiatur.
We shall make it a most glorious thing; for in the Campus Martius we are going to make marble and roofed voting-enclosures for the tribal assembly, and we shall surround them with a high portico, so that a mile may be completed.
simul adiungetur huic operi villa etiam publica.
At the same time, the Villa Publica also will be joined to this work.
dices
"quid mihi hoc monumentum proderit?"
†ad quid id laboramus res Romanas†.
You will say, "What good will this monument do me?" †For what do we labor at Roman affairs†.
non enim te puto de lustro quod iam desperatum est, aut de iudiciis quae lege †Coctia† fiant quaerere.
For I do not think you are asking about the lustrum, which is now despaired of, or about the trials which are conducted under the †Coctian† law.