§6.1.1accepi tuas litteras a. d. quintum Terminalia Laodiceae; quas legi libentissime plenissimas amoris, humanitatis, offici, diligentiae.
I received your letter on the fifth day before the Terminalia at Laodicea; which I read with the greatest pleasure, as it was very full of love, kindness, duty, and diligence.
iis igitur respondebo non χρύσεα χαλκείων (sic enim postulas) nec οἰκονομίαν meam instituam, sed ordinem conservabo tuum.
I will therefore reply to it, not "gold for bronze" (for so you demand) nor will I set up my own arrangement, but I will keep to your order.
recentissimas a Cybistris te meas litteras habere ais a. d. xi Kalendas Octobris datas et scire vis tuas ego quas acceperim.
You say that you have my latest letter from Cybistra, dated the eleventh day before the Kalends of October, and you wish to know which of yours I have received.
omnis fere quas commemoras, praeter eas quas scribis Lentuli pueris et Equotutico et Brundisio datas.
Almost all that you mention, except those which you write were given to Lentulus's messengers, and from Equotuticus and Brundisium.
qua re non οἴχεται tua industria quod vereris sed praeclare ponitur, si quidem id egisti ut ego delectarer.
Therefore, your industry has not "gone to waste" as you fear, but is capitally invested, if indeed you aimed to give me pleasure.
nam nulla re sum delectatus magis.
For I have been delighted by nothing more.
§6.1.2quod meam βαθύτητα in Appio tibi, liberalitatem etiam in Bruto probo, vehementer gaudeo; ac putaram paulo secus.
I rejoice exceedingly that you approve of my caution regarding Appius and also my liberality toward Brutus; though I had thought a little otherwise.
Appius enim ad me ex itinere bis terve ὑπομεμψιμοίρουσ litteras miserat quod quaedam a se constituta rescinderem.
For Appius had sent me from his journey two or three letters with a tone of complaint because I was rescinding some of his decisions.
ut si medicus, cum aegrotus alii medico traditus sit, irasci velit ei medico qui sibi successerit si quae ipse in curando constituerit mutet ille, sic Appius, cum ἐξ ἀφαιρέσεωσ provinciam curarit, sanguinem miserit, quicquid potuit detraxerit, mihi tradiderit enectam, προσανατρεφομένην eam a me non libenter videt sed modo suscenset, modo gratias agit.
Just as if a physician, when a patient has been handed over to another physician, should wish to be angry with the physician who succeeded him if he changes what he himself had prescribed in the treatment, so Appius, when he had treated the province by depletion, drew blood, extracted whatever he could, and handed it over to me half-dead, does not like to see it being restored to health by me, but is now angry, now gives thanks.
nihil enim a me fit cum ulla illius contumelia; tantum modo dissimilitudo meae rationis offendit hominem.
For nothing is done by me with any insult to him; only the difference of my system offends the man.
quid enim potest esse tam dissimile quam illo imperante exhaustam esse sumptibus et iacturis provinciam, nobis eam obtinentibus nummum nullum esse erogatum nec privatim nec publice? quid dicam de illius praefectis, comitibus, legatis etiam? de rapinis, de libidinibus, de contumeliis? nunc autem domus me hercule nulla tanto consilio aut tanta disciplina gubernatur aut tam modesta est quam nostra tota provincia.
For what can be so different as that under his rule the province was exhausted by expenses and losses, while under our administration not a single sesterce has been spent either privately or publicly? What shall I say of his prefects, companions, and even legates? Of their plunder, lusts, and insults? But now, by Hercules, no house is governed with such great care or such great discipline, or is so modest, as our entire province.
haec non nulli amici Appi ridicule interpretantur qui me idcirco putent bene audire velle ut ille male audiat, et recte facere non meae laudis sed illius contumeliae causa.
This some of Appius's friends ridiculously interpret, thinking that I wish to be well spoken of for the purpose of his being ill spoken of, and that I act rightly not for my own praise but to insult him.
sin Appius, ut Bruti litterae quas ad te misit significabant, gratias nobis agit non moleste fero, sed tamen eo ipso die quo haec ante lucem scribebam, cogitabam eius multa inique constituta et acta tollere.
But if Appius, as Brutus's letter which he sent to you indicated, gives us thanks, I do not take it amiss; yet on that very day on which I was writing this before dawn, I was thinking of abolishing many of his unjustly established acts and decisions.
§6.1.3nunc venio ad Brutum quem ego omni studio te auctore sum complexus, quem etiam amare coeperam; sed ilico me revocavi, ne te offenderem.
Now I come to Brutus, whom under your advice I embraced with all zeal, and whom indeed I had begun to love; but I pulled myself back at once, lest I should offend you.
noli enim putare me quicquam maluisse quam ut mandatis satis facerem nec ulla de re plus laborasse.
For do not think that I wished for anything more than to satisfy his mandates, nor that I labored more on any other subject.
mandatorum autem mihi libellum dedit, isdemque de rebus tu mecum egeras.
Moreover, he gave me a booklet of mandates, and you had dealt with me about the same matters.
omnia sum diligentissime persecutus.
I have followed up everything most diligently.
primum ab Ariobarzane sic contendi ut talenta quae mihi pollicebatur illi daret.
First, I put such pressure on Ariobarzanes that he should give him the talents which he was promising to me.
quoad mecum rex fuit, perbono loco res erat; post a Pompei procuratoribus sescentis premi coeptus est.
As long as the king was with me, the matter was in an excellent position; afterwards he began to be pressed by Pompey's countless agents.
Pompeius autem quom ob ceteras causas plus potest unus quam ceteri omnes, tum quod putatur ad bellum Parthicum esse venturus.
Now Pompey, not only because for other reasons he alone has more power than all the others combined, but also because he is thought to be coming to the Parthian war.
ei tamen sic nunc solvitur, tricesimo quoque die talenta Attica xxxiii et hoc ex tributis.
Yet he is now being paid in this way: thirty-three Attic talents every thirtieth day, and this from the taxes.
nec inde satis efficitur in usuram menstruam.
Nor is enough produced from that for the monthly interest.
sed Gnaeus noster clementer id fert; sorte caret, usura nec ea solida contentus est.
But our Gnaeus bears this patiently; he goes without the principal, and is content with interest, and that not in full.
alii neque solvit cuiquam nec potest solvere; nullum enim aerarium, nullum vectigal habet.
The king does not pay anyone else, nor can he pay; for he has no treasury, no revenue.
Appi instituto tributa imperat.
He levies taxes according to Appius's method.
ea vix in faenus Pompei quod satis sit efficiunt.
These barely produce enough for Pompey's interest.
amici regis duo tresve perdivites sunt sed ii suum tam diligenter tenent quam ego aut tu.
Two or three of the king's friends are very rich, but they hold on to their own as tightly as you or I.
equidem non desino tamen per litteras rogare, suadere, accusare regem.
I do not cease, however, to ask, persuade, and accuse the king by letter.