letters of cicero-第3部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　prevented　my　mentioning　these　facts；　but　on　this　occasion　it　was　rendered　necessary　by　that　part　of　your　letter　in　which　you　expressed　a　wish　to　have　yourself　and　your　character　〃put　straight〃　and　〃cleared〃　in　my　eyes。　Yet；　in　the　midst　of　all　this　unfortunate　alienation　and　anger　on　his　part；　there　is　yet　one　fortunate　circumstancethat　your　determination　of　not　going　to　a　province　was　known　to　me　and　your　other　friends；　and　had　been　at　various　times　asserted　by　yourself；　so　that　your　not　being　with　him　may　be　attributed　to　your　personal　tastes　and　judgment；　not　to　the　quarrel　and　rupture　between　you。　So　those　ties　which　have　been　broken　will　be　restored；　and　ours　which　have　been　so　religiously　preserved　will　retain　all　their　old　inviolability。　At　Rome　I　find　politics　in　a　shaky　condition；　everything　is　unsatisfactory　and　foreboding　change。　For　I　have　no　doubt　you　have　been　told　that　our　friends；　the　equites；　are　all　but　alienated　from　the　senate。　Their　first　grievance　was　the　promulgation　of　a　bill　on　the　authority　of　the　senate　for　the　trial　of　such　as　had　taken　bribes　for　giving　a　verdict。　I　happened　not　to　be　in　the　house　when　that　decree　was　passed；　but　when　I　found　that　the　equestrian　order　was　indignant　at　it；　and　yet　refrained　from　openly　saying　so；　I　remonstrated　with　the　senate；　as　I　thought；　in　very　impressive　language；　and　was　very　weighty　and　eloquent　considering　the　unsatisfactory　nature　of　my　cause。　But　here　is　another　piece　of　almost　intolerable　coolness　on　the　part　of　the　equites；　which　I　have　not　only　submitted　to；　but　have　even　put　in　as　good　a　light　as　possible！　The　Companies　which　had　contracted　with　the　censors　for　Asia　complained　that　in　the　heat　of　the　competition　they　had　taken　the　contract　at　an　excessive　price；　they　demanded　that　the　contract　should　be　annulled。　I　led　in　their　support；　or　rather；　I　was　second；　for　it　was　Crassus　who　induced　them　to　venture　on　this　demand。　The　case　is　scandalous；　the　demand　a　disgraceful　one；　and　a　confession　of　rash　speculation。　Yet　there　was　a　very　great　risk　that；　if　they　got　no　concession；　they　would　be　completely　alienated　from　the　senate。　Here　again　I　came　to　the　i　escue　more　than　anyone　else；　and　secured　them　a　full　and　very　friendly　house；　in　which　I；　on　the　1st　and　2nd　of　December；　delivered　long　speeches　on　the　dignity　and　harmony　of　the　two　orders。　The　business　is　not　yet　settled；　hut　the　favourable　feeling　of　the　senate　has　been　made　manifest：　for　no　one　had　spoken　against　it　except　the　consul…designate；　Metellus；　while　our　hero　Cato　had　still　to　speak；　the　shortness　of　the　day　having　prevented　his　turn　being　reached。　Thus　I；　in　the　maintenance　of　my　steady　policy；　preserve　to　the　best　of　my　ability　that　harmony　of　the　orders　which　was　originally　my　joiner's　work；　but　since　it　all　now　seems　in　such　a　crazy　condition；　I　am　constructing　what　I　may　call　a　road　towards　the　maintenance　of　our　power；　a　safe　one　I　hope；　which　I　cannot　fully　describe　to　you　in　a　letter；　but　of　which　I　will　nevertheless　give　you　a　hint。　I　cultivate　close　intimacy　with　Pompey。　I　foresee　what　you　will　say。　I　will　use　all　necessary　precautions；　and　I　will　write　another　time　at　greater　length　about　my　schemes　for　managing　the　Republic。　You　must　know　that　Lucceius　has　it　in　his　mind　to　stand　for　the　consulship　at　once；　for　there　are　said　to　be　only　two　candidates　in　prospect。　Caesar　is　thinking　of　coming　to　terms　with　him　by　the　agency　of　Arrius；　and　Bibulus　also　thinks　he　may　effect　a　coalition　with　him　by　means　of　C。　Piso。　You　smile？　This　is　no　laughing　matter；　believe　me。　What　else　shall　I　write　to　you？　What？　I　have　plenty　to　say；　but　must　put　it　off　to　another　time。　If　you　mean　to　wait　till　you　hear；　let　me　know。　For　the　moment　I　am　satisfied　with　a　modest　request；　though　it　is　what　I　desire　above　everything　that　you　should　come　to　Rome　as　soon　as　possible。

5　December。

V

To　TERENTIA；　TULLIOLA；　AND　YOUNG　CICERO　（AT　ROME）　

BRUNDISIUM；　29　APRIL

YES；　I　do　write　to　you　less　often　than　I　might；　because；　though　I　am　always　wretched；　yet　when　I　write　to　you　or　read　a　letter　from　you；　I　am　in　such　floods　of　tears　that　I　cannot　endure　it。　Oh；　that　I　had　clung　less　to　life！　I　should　at　least　never　have　known　real　sorrow；　or　not　much　of　it；　in　my　life。　Yet　if　fortune　has　reserved　for　me　any　hope　of　recovering　at　any　time　any　position　again；　I　was　not　utterly　wrong　to　do　so：　if　these　miseries　are　to　be　permanent；　I　only　wish；　my　dear；　to　see　you　as　soon　as　possible　and　to　die　in　your　arms；　since　neither　gods；　whom　you　have　worshipped　with　such　pure　devotion；　nor　men；　whom　I　have　ever　served；　have　made　us　any　return。　I　have　been　thirteen　days　at　Brundisium　in　the　house　of　M。　Laenius　Flaccus；　a　very　excellent　man；　who　has　despised　the　risk　to　his　fortunes　and　civil　existence　in　comparison　to　keeping　me　safe；　nor　has　been　induced　by　the　penalty　of　a　most　iniquitous　law　to　refuse　me　the　rights　and　good　offices　of　hospitality　and　friendship。　May　I　sometime　have　the　opportunity　of　repaying　him！　Feel　gratitude　I　always　shall。　I　set　out　from　Brundisium　on　the　29th　of　April；　and　intend　going　through　Macedonia　to　Cyzicus。　What　a　fall！　What　a　disaster！　What　can　I　say？　Should　I　ask　you　to　comea　woman　of　weak　health　and　broken　spirit？　Should　I　refrain　from　asking　you？　Am　I　to　be　without　you；　then？　I　think　the　best　course　is　this：　if　there　is　any　hope　of　my　restoration；　stay　to　promote　it　and　push　the　thing　on：　but　if；　as　I　fear；　it　proves　hopeless；　pray　come　to　me　by　any　means　in　your　power。　Be　sure　of　this；　that　if　I　have　you　I　shall　not　think　myself　wholly　lost。　But　what　is　to　become　of　my　darling　Tullia？　You　must　see　to　that　now：　I　can　think　of　nothing。　But　certainly；　however　things　turn　out；　we　must　do　everything　to　promote　that　poor　little　girl's　married　happiness　and　reputation。　Again；　what　is　my　boy　Cicero　to　do？　Let　him；　at　any　rate；　be　ever　in　my　bosom　and　in　my　arms。　I　can't　write　more。　A　fit　of　weeping　hinders　me。　I　don't　know　how　you　have　got　on；　whether　you　are　left　in　possession　of　anything；　or　have　been；　as　I　fear；　entirely　plundered。　Piso；　as　you　say；　I　hope　will　always　be　our　friend。　As　to　the　manumission　of　the　slaves　you　need　not　be　uneasy。　To　begin　with；　the　promise　made　to　yours　was　that　you　would　treat　them　according　as　each　severally　deserved。　So　far　Orpheus　has　behaved　well；　besides　him　no　one　very　markedly　so。　With　the　rest　of　the　slaves　the　arrangement　is　that；　if　my　property　is　forfeited；　they　should　become　my　freedmen；　supposing　them　to　be　able　to　maintain　at　law　that　status。　But　if　my　property　remained　in　my　ownership；　they　were　to　continue　slaves；　with　the　exception　of　a　very　few。　But　these　are　trifles。　To　return　to　your　advice；　that　I　should　keep　up　my　courage　and　not　give　up　hope　of　recovering　my　position；　I　only　wish　that　there　were　any　good　grounds　for　entertaining　such　a　hope。　As　it　is；　when；　alas！　shall　I　get　a　letter　from　you？　Who　will　bring　it　me？　I　would　have　waited　for　it　at　Brundisium；　but　the　sailors　would　not　allow　it；　being　unwilling　to　lose　a　favourable　wind。　For　the　rest；　put　as　dignified　a　face　on　the　matter　as　you　can；　my　dear　Terentia。　Our　life　is　over：　we　have　had　our　day：　it　is　not　any　fault　of　ours　that　has　ruined　us；　but　our　virtue。　I　have　made　no　false　step；　except　in　not　losing　my　life　when　I　lost　my　honours。　But　since　our　children　preferred　my　living；　let　us　bear　everything　else；　however　intolerable。　And　yet　I；　who　encourage　you；　cannot　encourage　myself。　I　have　sent　that　faithful　fellow　Clodius　Philhetaerus　home；　because　he　was　hampered　with　weakness　of　the　eyes。　Sallustius　seems　likely　to　outdo　everybody　in　his　attentions。　Pescennius　is　exceedingly　kind　to　me；　and　I　have　hopes　that　he　will　always　be　attentive　to　you。　Sicca　had　said　that　he　would　accompany　me；　but　he　has　left　Brundisium。　Take　the　greatest　care　of　your　health；　and　believe　me　that　I　am　more　affected　by　your　distress　than　my　own。　My　dear　Terentia；　most　faithful　and　best　of　wives；　and　my　darling　little　daughter；　and　that　last　hope　of　my　race；　Cicero；　good…bye！

29　April；　from　Brundisium。

VI

To　His　BROTHER　QUINTUS　（ON　HIS　WAY　TO　ROME）

THESSALONICA；　15　JUNE

BROTHER！　Brother！　Brother！　did　you　really　fear　that　I　had　been　induced　by　some　angry　feeling　to　send　slaves　to　you　without　a　letter？　Or　even　that　I　did　not　wish　to　see　you？　I　to　be　angry　with　you！　Is　it　possible　for　me　to　be　angry　with　you？　Why；　one　would　think　that　it　was　you　that　brought　me　low！　Your　enemies；　your　unpopularity；　that　miserably　ruined　me；　and　not　I　that　unhappily　ruined　you！　The　fact　is；　the　much…praised　consulate　of　mine　has　deprived　me　of　you；　of　children；　country；　fortune；　from　you　I　should　hope　it　will　have　taken　nothing　but　myself。　Certainly　on　your　side　I　have　experienced　nothing　but　what　was　honourable　and　gratifying：　on　mine　you　have　grief　for　my　fall　and　fear　for　your　own；　regret；　mourning；　desertion。　I　not　wish　to　see　you？　The　truth　is　rather　that　I　was　unwilling　to　be　seen　by　you。　For　you　would　not　have　seen　your　brothernot　the　brother　you　had　left；　not　the　brother　you　knew；　not　him　to　whom　you　had　with　mutual　tears　bidden　farewell　as　be　followed　you　on　your　departure　for　your　province：　not　a　trace　even　or　faint　image　of　him；　but　rather　what　I　may　call　the　likeness　of　a　living　corpse。　And　oh　th