§5.21.11quid multa? ut ei fidem meam praestarem, cum ad me Salaminii Tarsum venissent et in iis Scaptius, imperavi ut pecuniam solverent.
To cut a long story short, in order to keep my word to him, when the Salaminians came to me at Tarsus and Scaptius with them, I commanded that they should pay the money.
multa de syngrapha, de Scapti iniuriis.
There was much talk about the bond and about Scaptius's injustices.
negavi me audire; hortatus sum, petivi etiam pro meis in civitatem beneficiis ut negotium conficerent, dixi denique me coacturum.
I declared that I would not listen; I exhorted them, and even begged them, in consideration of my benefits to their city, to settle the business, and finally I said I would compel them.
homines non modo non recusare sed etiam hoc dicere, se a me solvere.
The men not only did not refuse, but even said this: that they were paying from my pocket.
quod enim praetori dare consuessent, quoniam ego non acceperam, se a me quodam modo dare atque etiam minus esse aliquanto in Scapti nomine quam in vectigali praetorio.
For since I had not accepted what they were accustomed to give to the praetor, they were in a manner paying it from my pocket, and indeed that Scaptius's claim was somewhat less than the praetor's tribute.
conlaudavi homines.
I highly praised the men.
"recte"
inquit Scaptius,
"sed subducamus summam. "
interim cum ego in edicto translaticio centesimas me observaturum haberem cum anatocismo anniversario, ille ex syngrapha postulabat quaternas.
"That is right," said Scaptius, "but let us calculate the sum." Meanwhile, although in my inherited edict I had stated that I would observe an interest rate of twelve percent with annual compound interest, he, on the basis of the bond, demanded forty-eight percent.
"quid ais?"
inquam,
"possumne contra meum edictum?"
at ille profert senatus consultum Lentulo Philippoque consulibus, ut qui Ciliciam obtineret ius ex illa sungrapha diceret.
"What do you say?" I said, "Can I go against my own edict?" But he produced a decree of the senate, passed in the consulship of Lentulus and Philippus, that whoever held Cilicia should administer justice according to that bond.
§5.21.12cohorrui primo; etenim erat interitus civitatis.
I shuddered at first; for indeed it meant the ruin of the state.
reperio duo senatus consulta isdem consulibus de eadem syngrapha.
I found two decrees of the senate in the same consulship concerning the same bond.
Salaminii cum Romae versuram facere vellent, non poterant, quod lex Gabinia vetabat.
When the Salaminians wished to raise a fresh loan at Rome, they could not do so because the Gabinian law forbade it.
tum iis Bruti familiares freti gratia Bruti dare volebant quaternis, si sibi senatus consulto caveretur.
Then Brutus's friends, relying on Brutus's influence, were willing to lend to them at forty-eight percent, provided they were secured by a decree of the senate.
fit gratia Bruti senatus consultum, ut neve salaminis neve qui eis dedisset fraudi esset.
By Brutus's influence, a decree of the senate was passed, that neither the Salaminians nor those who lent to them should suffer any penalty.
pecuniam numerarunt.
They paid over the money.
at postea venit in mentem faeneratoribus nihil se iuvare illud senatus consultum, quod ex syngrapha ius dici lex Gabinia vetaret.
But afterwards it occurred to the money-lenders that that decree of the senate did them no good, because the Gabinian law forbade justice to be administered on the basis of such a bond.
tum fit senatus consultum, ut ex ea syngrapha ius diceretur, non ut alio iure ea syngrapha esset quam ceterae sed ut eodem.
Then a decree of the senate was passed that justice should be administered on that bond, not that the bond should be on a different legal footing from others, but on the same.
cum haec disseruissem, seducit me Scaptius; ait se nihil contra dicere sed illos putare talenta cc se debere;
When I had discussed these matters, Scaptius took me aside; he said he did not object to this, but that they thought they owed two hundred talents, and that he wished to accept that sum, though they actually owed a little less.
ea se velle accipere; debere autem illos paulo minus. rogat ut eos ad ducenta perducam.
He asked me to bring them up to two hundred.
"optime"
inquam.
"Very well," I said.
voco illos ad me remoto Scaptio.
I called them to me, having removed Scaptius.
"quid? vos quantum"
inquam
"debetis?"
respondent cvi. refero ad Scaptium.
"Well? How much," I said, "do you owe?" They answered, "One hundred and six." I referred this to Scaptius.
homo clamare.
The man began to cry out.
"quid? opus est"
inquam
"rationes conferatis. "
adsidunt, subducunt; ad nummum convenit.
"What? It is necessary," I said, "for you to compare your accounts." They sat down and calculated; the account agreed to a penny.
illi se numerare velle, urgere ut acciperet.
They wished to pay and urged him to accept.
Scaptius me rursus seducit, rogat ut rem sic relinquam.
Scaptius took me aside again and begged me to leave the matter as it was.
dedi veniam homini impudenter petenti; Graecis querentibus, ut in fano deponerent postulantibus non concessi.
I granted the favor to the man who made this impudent request; and when the Greeks complained and asked to deposit the money in a temple, I did not allow them.
clamare omnes qui aderant, alii nihil impudentius Scaptio qui centesimis cum anatocismo contentus non esset, alii nihil stultius.
All who were present cried out, some that nothing was more impudent than Scaptius, who was not content with twelve percent with compound interest, others that nothing was more foolish.
mihi autem impudens magis quam stultus videbatur; nam aut bono nomine centesimis contentus non erat aut non bono quaternas centesimas sperabat.
But to me he seemed more impudent than foolish; for either he was not content with twelve percent on a good debt, or he hoped for forty-eight percent on a bad one.
habes meam causam.
You have my case.
§5.21.13quae si Bruto non probatur, nescio cur illum amemus.
If this is not approved by Brutus, I do not know why we should love him.
sed avunculo eius certe probabitur, praesertim cum senatus consultum modo factum sit, puto, postquam tu es profectus, in creditorum causa ut centesimae perpetuo faenore ducerentur.
But it will certainly be approved by his uncle, especially since a decree of the senate has just been made, I believe after you set out, in the case of creditors, that interest should be calculated at twelve percent in perpetual interest.
hoc quid intersit, si tuos digitos novi, certe habes subductum.
What a difference this makes, if I know your fingers, you certainly have calculated.
in quo quidem, ὁδοῦ πάρεργον, L. Lucceius M. f. queritur apud me per litteras summum esse periculum ne culpa senatus his decretis res ad tabulas novas perveniat; commemorat quid olim mali C. Iulius fecerit cum dieculam duxerit; numquam rei publicae plus.
On which subject indeed, by the way, Lucius Lucceius, son of Marcus, complains to me by letter that there is the greatest danger lest, by the fault of the senate, these decrees should lead to a clean slate; he recalls what evil Gaius Julius once did when he allowed a short delay; never did more damage happen to the republic.
sed ad rem redeo.
But I return to the point.
meditare adversus Brutum causam meam, si haec causa est contra quam nihil honeste dici potest, praesertim cum integram rem et causam reliquerim.
Prepare my case against Brutus, if this is a case against which nothing honorable can be said, especially since I have left the matter and the case entirely intact.
§5.21.14reliqua sunt domestica.
The rest is domestic news.
de ἐνδομύχῳ probo idem quod tu, Postumiae filio, quoniam Pontidia nugatur.
Concerning our secret matter, I agree with you about Postumia's son, since Pontidia is playing the fool.
sed vellem adesses.
But I wish you were here.
a Quinto fratre his mensibus nihil exspectaris; nam Taurus propter nives ante mensem Iunium transiri non potest.
Do not expect anything from my brother Quintus during these months; for the Taurus, on account of the snow, cannot be crossed before the month of June.
Thermum, ut rogas, creberrimis litteris fulcio.
I am supporting Thermus, as you request, with very frequent letters.
P. Valerium negat habere quicquam Deiotarus rex eumque ait a se sustentari.
King Deiotarus says that Publius Valerius has nothing and is being supported by him.
cum scies Romae intercalatum sit necne, velim ad me scribas certum quo die mysteria futura sint.
When you know whether there has been an intercalation at Rome or not, I wish you would write to me for certain on what day the mysteries will take place.
litteras tuas minus paulo exspecto quam si Romae esses sed tamen exspecto.
I look forward to your letters a little less than if you were at Rome, but still I look forward to them.