§5.21.6ego aestivis confectis Quintum fratrem hibernis et Ciliciae praefeci.
After the summer campaign was finished, I appointed my brother Quintus over the winter quarters and Cilicia.
Q. Volusium tui Tiberi generum, certum hominem sed mirifice etiam abstinentem, misi in Cyprum ut ibi pauculos dies esset, ne cives Romani pauci qui illic negotiantur ius sibi dictum negarent; nam evocari ex insula §5.21.7Cyprios non licet.
I sent Quintus Volusius, the son-in-law of your friend Tiberius, a reliable man and also wonderfully self-restrained, to Cyprus so that he might be there for a few days, lest the few Roman citizens who do business there should complain that justice was denied to them; for to be summoned out of the island is not allowed for the Cypriots.
ipse in Asiam profectus sum Tarso Nonis Ianuariis, non me hercule dici potest qua admiratione Ciliciae civitatum maximeque Tarsensium.
I myself set out from Tarsus into Asia on the Nones of January, and indeed, by Hercules, it cannot be told with what admiration of the states of Cilicia and especially of the Tarsians.
postea veroquam Taurum transgressus sum, mirifica exspectatio Asiae nostrarum dioecesium quae sex mensibus imperi mei nullas meas acceperat litteras, numquam hospitem viderat.
But after I crossed the Taurus, there was a wonderful expectation of Asia in our districts, which in the six months of my command had received no letter from me and had never seen a guest.
illud autem tempus quotannis ante me fuerat in hoc quaestu.
But that season in every year before me had been spent in this sort of gain.
civitates locupletes ne in hiberna milites reciperent magnas pecunias dabant, Cyprii talenta Attica cc; qua ex insula (non ὑπερβολικῶσ sed verissime loquor) nummus nullus me obtinente erogabitur.
Wealthy states used to give large sums of money so that they might not receive soldiers into winter quarters; the Cypriots gave two hundred Attic talents; from which island (I speak not in hyperbole, but in absolute truth) not a single coin will be requisitioned while I hold the province.
ob haec beneficia quibus illi obstupescunt nullos honores mihi nisi verborum decerni sino, statuas, fana, τέθριππα prohibeo nec sum in ulla re alia molestus civitatibus—sed fortasse tibi qui haec praedicem de me.
For these benefits, at which they are amazed, I allow no honors to be decreed to me except of words; I forbid statues, temples, and four-horse chariots, nor am I troublesome to the states in any other thing—except perhaps to you, in boasting of these things about myself.
perfer, si me amas; tu enim me haec facere voluisti.
Bear with me, if you love me; for you wished me to do these things.
§5.21.8iter igitur ita per Asiam feci ut etiam fames qua nihil miserius est, quae tum erat in hac mea Asia (messis enim nulla fuerat), mihi optanda fuerit.
Therefore, I made my journey through Asia in such a way that even the famine, than which nothing is more miserable, which was then in this Asia of mine (for there had been no harvest), was a thing to be desired by me.
quacumque iter feci, nulla vi, nullo iudicio, nulla contumelia, auctoritate et cohortatione perfeci ut et Graeci et cives Romani qui frumentum compresserant magnum numerum populis pollicerentur.
Wherever I made my journey, by no force, by no judicial trial, by no insult, but by authority and persuasion, I brought it about that both the Greeks and the Roman citizens who had hoarded corn promised a large quantity to the peoples.
§5.21.9Idibus Februariis, quo die has litteras dedi, forum institueram agere Laodiceae Cibyraticum et Apamense, ex Idibus Martiis ibidem Synnadense, Pamphylium (tum Phemio dispiciam κέρασ, Lycaonium, Isauricum; ex Idibus Maiis in Ciliciam, ut ibi Iunius consumatur, velim tranquille a Parthis.
On the Ides of February, the day on which I gave this letter, I had arranged to hold the court of Cibyra and Apamea at Laodicea; from the Ides of March, at the same place, that of Synnada, Pamphylia (then I will look out for a horn for Phemius), Lycaonia, and Isauria; from the Ides of May into Cilicia, so that June may be spent there—I hope quietly as regards the Parthians.
Quintilis, si erit ut volumus, in itinere est per provinciam redeuntibus consumendus.
July, if it is as we wish, must be spent on the journey through the province by us as we return.
venimus enim in provinciam Laodiceam Sulpicio et Marcello consulibus pridie Kalendas Sextilis.
For we came into the province to Laodicea on the day before the Kalends of August, in the consulship of Sulpicius and Marcellus.
inde nos oportet decedere a. d. III Kalendas Sextilis.
From there we ought to depart on the third day before the Kalends of August.
primum contendam a Quinto fratre ut se praefici patiatur, quod et illo et me invitissimo fiet.
I will first urge my brother Quintus to allow himself to be put in charge, which will be done much against both his will and mine.
sed aliter honeste fieri non potest, praesertim cum virum optimum Pomptinum ne nunc quidem retinere possim.
But otherwise it cannot be done respectably, especially since I cannot retain that excellent man Pomptinus even now.
rapit enim hominem Postumius Romam, fortasse etiam Postumia.
For Postumius is hurrying the man to Rome, and perhaps Postumia too.
§5.21.10habes consilia nostra; nunc cognosce de Bruto.
You have our plans; now learn about Brutus.
familiaris habet Brutus tuus quosdam creditores Salaminiorum ex Cypro, M. Scaptium et P. Matinium; quos mihi maiorem in modum commendavit.
Your friend Brutus has certain creditors of the Salaminians of Cyprus, Marcus Scaptius and Publius Matinius, whom he commended to me in a more than ordinary manner.
Matinium non novi, Scaptius ad me in castra venit.
I do not know Matinius, but Scaptius came to me in camp.
pollicitus sum curaturum me Bruti causa ut ei Salaminii pecuniam solverent.
I promised that for Brutus's sake I would take care that the Salaminians should pay him the money.
egit gratias.
He thanked me.
praefecturam petivit.
He asked for a prefecture.
negavi me cuiquam negotianti dare (quod idem tibi ostenderam Cn. Pompeio petenti probaram institutum meum, quid dicam Torquato de M. Laenio tuo, multis aliis?); sin praefectus vellet esse syngraphae causa, me curaturum ut exigeret.
I denied that I gave it to any businessman (which same rule I had shown to you, and had approved my practice to Gnaeus Pompey when he asked, to say nothing of what I said to Torquatus about your friend Marcus Laenius, and to many others); but if he wished to be prefect for the sake of his bond, I would take care that he should recover the money.
gratias egit, discessit.
He thanked me and departed.
Appius noster turmas aliquot equitum dederat huic Scaptio per quas Salaminios coerceret, et eundem habuerat praefectum; vexabat Salaminios.
Our friend Appius had given some troops of horse to this Scaptius, by which he might coerce the Salaminians, and had held the same man as prefect; he was harassing the Salaminians.
ego equites ex Cypro decedere iussi.
I ordered the horsemen to depart from Cyprus.
moleste tulit Scaptius.
Scaptius took this hard.