§7.15.1ut ab urbe discessi, nullum adhuc intermisi diem quin aliquid ad te litterarum darem, non quo haberem magno opere quod scriberem sed ut loquerer tecum absens; quo mihi, cum coram id non licet, nihil est iucundius.
Since I departed from the city, I have so far let no day pass without sending you some letter, not because I had anything of great importance to write, but in order to converse with you though absent; than which, since we cannot do so in person, nothing is more delightful to me.
§7.15.2Capuam cum venissem a. d. vi Kal. pridie quam has litteras dedi, consules conveni multosque nostri ordinis.
When I arrived at Capua on January 27, the day before I dispatched this letter, I met the consuls and many members of our order.
omnes cupiebant Caesarem abductis praesidiis stare condicionibus iis quas tulisset; uni Favonio leges ab illo nobis imponi non placebat.
Everyone wished that Caesar, having withdrawn his garrisons, should stand by the terms he had proposed; to Favonius alone was it displeasing that laws should be imposed upon us by him.
sed †is auditus in† consilio.
But he was not listened to in the council.
Cato enim ipse iam servire quam pugnare mavult; sed tamen ait in senatu se adesse velle cum de condicionibus agatur, si Caesar adductus sit ut praesidia deducat.
For Cato himself now prefers submission to fighting; yet he says he wishes to be present in the senate when the terms are discussed, provided Caesar is induced to withdraw his garrisons.
ita, quod maxime opus est, in Siciliam ire non curat; quod metuo ne obsit, in senatu esse vult.
Thus, he pays no attention to going to Sicily, which is what is most needed; but he wishes to be in the senate, which I fear may be harmful.
Postumius autem, de quo nominatim senatus decrevit ut statim in Siciliam iret Furfanioque succederet, negat se sine Catone iturum et suam in senatu operam auctoritatemque quam magni aestimat.
Postumius, moreover, concerning whom the senate specifically decreed that he should go to Sicily immediately and succeed Furfanius, says he will not go without Cato, and puts forward his own services and authority in the senate, which he values highly.
ita res ad Fannium pervenit.
Thus the business has devolved upon Fannius.
is cum imperio in Siciliam praemittitur.
He is sent ahead to Sicily with military command.
§7.15.3in disputationibus nostris summa varietas est.
In our discussions there is the greatest variety of opinions.
plerique negant Caesarem in condicione mansurum postulataque haec ab eo interposita esse quo minus quod opus esset ad bellum a nobis pararetur.
Most people deny that Caesar will stand by his terms, and assert that these demands have been put forward by him to prevent our preparing what is necessary for war.
ego autem eum puto facturum ut praesidia deducat.
I, however, think he will actually withdraw his garrisons.
vicerit enim, si consul factus erit, et minore scelere vicerit quam quo ingressus est.
For he will have won if he is made consul, and will have won with less criminality than that with which he began.
sed accipienda plaga est.
But we must accept the blow.
sumus enim flagitiose imparati cum a militibus tum a pecunia; quam quidem omnem non modo privatam quae in urbe est sed etiam publicam quae in in aerario est illi reliquimus.
For we are shamefully unprepared, both in respect of soldiers and of money; indeed, we have left all of it to him, not only private money in the city, but even public money in the treasury.
Pompeius ad legiones Appianas est profectus; Labienum secum habet.
Pompey has set out for the Appian legions; he has Labienus with him.
ego tuas opiniones de his rebus exspecto.
I am waiting for your opinions on these matters.
Formias me continuo recipere cogitabam.
I am thinking of returning immediately to Formiae.