§9.9B.1S. V. B. E. postea quam litteras communis cum Oppio ad te dedi, ab Caesare epistulam accepi cuius exemplum tibi misi; ex qua perspicere poteris quam cupiat concordiam suam et Pompei reconciliare et quam remotus sit ab omni crudelitate; quod eum sentire, ut debeo, valde gaudeo.
If you are well, it is well. After I dispatched the joint letter with Oppius to you, I received a letter from Caesar, a copy of which I have sent to you; from which you will be able to perceive how much he desires to restore harmony between himself and Pompey, and how far removed he is from all cruelty; that he feels thus, I exceedingly rejoice, as indeed I ought.
de te et tua fide et pietate idem me hercule, mi Cicero, sentio quod tu, non posse tuam famam et officium sustinere ut contra eum arma feras a quo tantum beneficium te accepisse praedices.
Concerning you, and your loyalty and sense of duty, by Hercules, my dear Cicero, I feel the very same as you do—namely, that your reputation and duty cannot bear that you should take up arms against him from whom you declare that you have received so great a favor.
§9.9B.2Caesarem hoc idem probaturum exploratum pro singulari eius humanitate habeo eique cumulatissime satis facturum te certo scio cum nullam partem belli contra eum suscipias neque socius eius adversariis fueris.
I hold it as certain, in view of his singular humanity, that Caesar will approve of this very same thing, and I know for certain that you will satisfy him to the very highest degree, since you are taking no part in the war against him, and have not been an ally to his adversaries.
atque hoc non solum in te, tali et tanto viro, satis habebit, sed etiam mihi ipse sua concessit voluntate ne in iis castris essem quae contra Lentulum aut Pompeium futura essent quorum beneficia maxima haberem, sibique satis esse dixit si togatus urbana officia sibi praestitissem quae etiam illis, si vellem, praestare possem.
And not only will he hold this as sufficient in your case, being such and so great a man, but he even of his own free will granted to me that I should not be in those camps which were to be against Lentulus or Pompey, from whom I had received the greatest favors, and he said it was enough for him if, as a civilian, I performed my urban duties for him, which I could also perform for them, if I wished.
itaque nunc Romae omnia negotia Lentuli procuro sustineo meumque officium, fidem, pietatem iis praesto.
Therefore, I now manage and support all the business of Lentulus in Rome, and render my duty, loyalty, and devotion to them.
sed me hercule rursus iam abiectam compositionis spem non desperatissimam esse puto, quoniam Caesar est ea mente quam optare debemus.
But, by Hercules, I think that the hope of a settlement, which had already been cast aside, is not yet entirely desperate, since Caesar is in that frame of mind which we ought to desire.
hac re mihi placet, si tibi videtur, te ad eum scribere et ab eo praesidium petere, ut petiisti a Pompeio me quidem adprobante temporibus Milonianis.
For this reason, if you agree, it seems good to me that you should write to him and ask for his protection, just as you asked it of Pompey, with my approval, during the times of Milo.
praestabo, si Caesarem bene novi, eum prius tuae dignitatis quam suae utilitatis rationem habiturum.
I will guarantee, if I know Caesar well, that he will take account of your dignity before his own utility.
§9.9B.3haec quam prudenter tibi scribam nescio, sed illud certe scio, me ab singulari amore ac benevolentia quaecumque scribo tibi scribere, quod te (ita incolumi Caesare moriar!) tanti facio ut paucos aeque ac te caros habeam.
How prudently I write these things to you I do not know, but this I certainly know: that whatever I write, I write to you from singular love and goodwill, because (so may I die, Caesar being safe!) I value you so highly that I have few friends as dear to me as you.
de hac re cum aliquid constitueris, velim mihi scribas.
When you have decided anything on this matter, I should wish you to write to me.
nam non mediocriter laboro ut utrique, ut vis, tuam benevolentiam praestare possis quam me hercule te praestaturum confido.
For I am not moderately anxious that you should be able, as you wish, to show your goodwill to both, which, by Hercules, I trust you will do.
fac valeas.
Take care of your health.