§8.3.4malae condiciones erant, fateor, sed num quid hoc peius? at reciperabit rem publicam.
The conditions were bad, I admit, but was there anything worse than this? But he will recover the republic.
quando? aut quid ad eam spem est parati? non ager Picenus amissus? non patefactum iter ad urbem? non pecunia omnis et publica et privata adversario tradita? denique nulla causa, nullae vires, nulla sedes quo concurrant qui rem publicam defensam velint.
When? Or what preparation is there for that hope? Is not the Picene district lost? Is not the road to the city opened? Is not all money, both public and private, delivered to the adversary? In short, there is no cause, no forces, no headquarters where those who wish the republic to be defended may assemble.
Apulia delecta est, inanissima pars Italiae et ab impetu huius belli remotissima; fuga et maritima opportunitas visa quaeri desperatione.
Apulia was chosen, the most sparsely populated part of Italy and the most remote from the onslaught of this war; flight and an opportunity by sea seemed to be sought in desperation.
invite cepi Capuam, non quo munus illud defugerem, sed in ea causa in qua nullus esset ordinum, nullus apertus privatorum dolor, bonorum autem esset aliquis sed hebes, ut solet, et, ut ipse sensi, esset multitudo et infimus quisque propensus in alteram partem, multi mutationis rerum cupidi, dixi ipsi me nihil suscepturum sine praesidio et sine pecunia.
I accepted Capua reluctantly, not because I shrank from that duty, but because in that cause in which there was no grief of the classes, no open grief of private individuals, though there was some grief of the good citizens, but dull, as is usual, and, as I myself perceived, the multitude and all the lowest class were inclined toward the other side, and many were eager for a change of affairs, I told him myself that I would undertake nothing without a guard and without money.
itaque habui nihil omnino negoti, quod ab initio vidi nihil quaeri praeter fugam.
Therefore, I had no business at all, because from the beginning I saw that nothing was sought except flight.
eam si nunc sequor, quonam? cum illo non; ad quem cum essem profectus, cognovi in iis locis esse Caesarem, ut tuto Luceriam venire non possem.
If I now follow that flight, whither? Not with him; for when I had set out to him, I learned that Caesar was in those places, so that I could not safely come to Luceria.
infero mari nobis incerto cursu hieme maxima navigandum est.
We must sail on the Lower Sea with an uncertain course in the depth of winter.
age iam, cum fratre an sine eo cum filio? at quo modo? in utraque enim re summa difficultas erit summus animi dolor; qui autem impetus illius erit in nos absentis fortunasque nostras! acrior quam in ceterorum, quod putabit fortasse in nobis violandis aliquid se habere populare.
Come now, with my brother, or without him with my son? But in what way? For in either case there will be the greatest difficulty and the greatest mental anguish; but what onslaught will that man make upon us in our absence and upon our fortunes! More fierce than upon those of the others, because he will think perhaps that in violating us he has something popular.
age iam, has compedes, fascis, inquam, hos laureatos ecferre ex Italia quam molestum est! qui autem locus erit nobis tutus, ut iam placatis utamur fluctibus, ante quam ad illum venerimus? qua autem aut quo nihil scimus.
Come now, how annoying it is to carry out of Italy these fetters, I mean these laureled fasces! But what place will be safe for us, so that we may enjoy calmed waves, before we come to him? But by what route or whither, we know nothing.
§8.3.6at si restitero et fuerit nobis in hac parte locus, idem fecero quod in Cinnae dominatione L. Philippus, quod L. Flaccus, quod Q. Mucius, quoquo modo ea res huic quidem cecidit; qui tamen ita dicere solebat se id fore videre quod factum est sed malle quam armatum ad patriae moenia accedere.
But if I remain and there is a place for us on this side, I will have done the same as L. Philippus did in the domination of Cinna, as L. Flaccus, as Q. Mucius, in whatever way that matter turned out indeed for the last-mentioned; who nevertheless was accustomed to say that he foresaw that what happened would be, but preferred it to approaching the walls of his fatherland in arms.
aliter Thrasybulus et fortasse melius.
Otherwise Thrasybulus, and perhaps better.
sed est certa quaedam illa Muci ratio atque sententia, est illa etiam Philippi, et cum sit necesse servire tempori et non amittere tempus cum sit datum.
But there is a certain logic and opinion of Mucius, and there is also that of Philippus, and since it is necessary to serve the time and not to lose time when it is given.
sed in hoc ipso habent tamen idem fasces molestiam.
But in this very matter, the same fasces nevertheless have their annoyance.
sit enim nobis amicus, quod incertum est, sed sit; deferet triumphum. †non accipere ne periculosum sit,† invidiosum ad bonos.
For let us suppose he is a friend to us—which is uncertain, but let him be so; he will offer a triumph. †Lest not accepting it be dangerous,† it would be invidious to the good citizens.
"o rem"
inquis
"difficilem et inexplicabilem!"
atqui explicanda est.
"O difficult and inexplicable matter!" you say. Yet it must be explained.
quid enim fieri potest? ac ne me existimaris ad manendum esse propensiorem quod plura in eam partem verba fecerim, potest fieri, quod fit in multis quaestionibus, ut res verbosior haec fuerit, illa verior.
For what else can be done? And lest you think me more inclined to remain because I have used more words on that side, it can happen, as happens in many questions, that this side was more wordy, but the other more true.
quam ob rem ut maxima de re aequo animo deliberanti ita mihi des consilium velim.
Therefore, as to one deliberating on the greatest matter with a calm mind, I wish you would give me your advice.
navis et in Caieta est parata nobis et Brundisi.
A ship is prepared for us both at Caieta and at Brundisium.
§8.3.7sed ecce nuntii scribente me haec ipsa noctu in Caleno, ecce litterae Caesarem ad Corfinium, Domitium Corfini cum firmo exercitu et pugnare cupiente.
But behold, messengers arrived as I was writing these very things at night in my villa at Cales, behold, letters came stating that Caesar is at Corfinium, and Domitius is at Corfinium with a strong army and eager to fight.
non puto etiam hoc Gnaeum nostrum commissurum ut Domitium relinquat; etsi Brundisium Scipionem cum cohortibus duabus praemiserat, legionem ei Fausto conscriptam in Siciliam sibi placere a consule duci scripserat ad consules.
I do not think our Gnaeus will commit this error of abandoning Domitius; although he had sent Scipio ahead to Brundisium with two cohorts, and had written to the consuls that it pleased him for the legion enlisted for Faustus to be led into Sicily by a consul.
sed turpe Domitium deserere erit implorantem eius auxilium.
But it will be shameful to desert Domitius when he is imploring his help.
est quaedam spes mihi quidem non magna sed in his locis firma Afranium in Pyrenaeo cum Trebonio pugnasse, pulsum Trebonium, etiam Fabium tuum transisse cum cohortibus, summa autem Afranium cum magnis copiis adventare.
I have a certain hope, not great indeed but firm in these parts, that Afranius has fought with Trebonius in the Pyrenees, that Trebonius was routed, and also that your Fabius has crossed over with his cohorts, and furthermore that Afranius is approaching with great forces.
id si est, in Italia fortasse manebitur.
If that is so, we shall perhaps remain in Italy.
ego autem cum esset incertum iter Caesaris, quod vel ad Capuam vel ad Luceriam iturus putabatur, Leptam misi ad Pompeium et litteras; ipse ne quo inciderem reverti Formias.
But since Caesar's route was uncertain, because he was thought to be going either to Capua or to Luceria, I sent Lepta to Pompey with letters; I myself returned to Formiae lest I should fall in with anyone.
haec te scire volui scripsique sedatiore animo quam proxime scripseram, nullum meum iudicium interponens sed exquirens tuum.
I wished you to know these things and have written with a calmer mind than when I wrote last, interposing no judgment of my own but seeking yours.