letters of cicero-第15部分

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lents　which　he　promised　me。　As　long　as　the　king　was　with　me；　the　business　was　in　excellent　train：　later　on　he　begun　to　be　pressed　by　countless　agents　of　Pompey。　Now　Pompey　has　by　himself　more　influence　than　all　the　rest　put　together　for　many　reasons；　and　especially　because　there　is　an　idea　that　he　is　coming　to　undertake　the　Parthian　war。　However；　even　he　has　to　put　up　with　the　following　scale　of　payment：　on　every　thirtieth　day　thirty…three　Attic　talents　（7；920　pounds）；　and　that　raised　by　special　taxes：　nor　is　it　sufficient　for　the　monthly　interest。　But　our　friend　Gnaeus　is　an　easy　creditor：　he　stands　out　of　his　capital；　is　content　with　the　interest；　and　even　that　not　in　full。　The　king　neither　pays　anyone　else；　nor　is　capable　of　doing　so：　for　he　has　no　treasury；　no　regular　income；　He　levies　taxes　after　the　method　of　Appius。　They　scarcely　produce　enough　to　satisfy　Pompey's　interest。　The　king　has　two　or　three　very　rich　friends；　but　they　stick　to　their　own　as　energetically　as　you　or　I。　For　my　part；　nevertheless；　I　do　not　cease　sending　letters　asking；　urging；　chiding　the　king。　Delotarus　also　has　informed　me　that　he　has　sent　emissaries　to　him　on　Brutus's　business：　that　they　have　brought　him　back　word　that　he　has　not　got　the　money。　And；　by　Hercules；　I　believe　it　is　the　case；　nothing　can　be　stripped　cleaner　than　his　kingdom；　or　be　more　needy　than　the　king。　Accordingly；　I　am　thinking　either　of　renouncing　my　guardianship；　or；　as　Scaevola　did　on　behalf　of　Glabrio；　of　stopping　payment　altogetherprincipal　and　interest　alike。　However；　I　have　conferred　the　prefectures　which　I　promised　Brutus　through　you　on　M。　Scaptius　and　L。　Gavius；　who　were　acting　as　Brutus's　agents　in　the　kingdom：　for　they　were　not　carrying　on　business　in　my　own　province。　You　will　remember　that　I　made　that　condition；　that　he　might　have　as　many　prefectures　as　he　pleased；　so　long　as　it　was　not　for　a　man　in　business。　Accordingly；　I　have　given　him　two　others　besides：　but　the　men　for　whom　he　asked　them　had　left　the　province。　Now　for　the　case　of　the　Salaminians；　which　I　see　came　upon　you　also　as　a　novelty；　as　it　did　upon　me。　For　Brutus　never　told　me　that　the　money　was　his　own。　Nay；　I　have　his　own　document　containing　the　words；　〃The　Salaminians　owe　my　friends　M。　Scaptius　and　P。　Matinius　a　sum　of　money。〃　He　recommends　them　to　me：　he　even　adds；　as　though　by　way　of　a　spur　to　me；　that　he　has　gone　surety　for　them　to　a　large　amount。　I　had　succeeded　in　arranging　that　they　should　pay　with　interest　for　six　years　at　the　rate　of　twelve　per　cent；　and　added　yearly　to　the　capital　sum。　But　　Scaptius　demanded　forty…eight　per　cent。　I　was　afraid；　if　he　got　that；　you　yourself　would　cease　to　have　any　affection　for　me。　For　I　should　have　receded　from　my　own　edict；　and　should　have　titterly　ruined　a　statc　which　was　under　the　protection　not　only　of　Cato；　but　also　of　Brutus　himself；　and　had　been　the　recipient　of　favours　from　myself。　When　lo　and　behold！　at　this　very　juncture　Scaptius　comes　down　upon　me　with　a　letter　from　Brutus；　stating　that　his　own　property　is　being　imperilleda　fact　that　Brutus　had　never　told　either　me　or　you。　He　also　begged　that　I　would　confer　a　prefecture　on　Scaptius。　That　was　the　very　reservation　that　I　had　made　to　you〃　not　to　a　man　in　business〃：　and　if　to　anyone；　to　such　a　man　as　thatno　I　for　he　has　been　a　praefectus　to　Appius；　and　had；　in　fact；　had　some　squadrons　of　cavalry；　with　which　he　had　kept　the　senate　under　so　close　a　siege　in　their　own　council　chamber　at　Salamis；　that　five　senators　died　of　starvation。　Accordingly；　the　first　day　of　my　entering　my　province；　Cyprian　legates　having　already　visited　me　at　Ephesus；　I　sent　orders　for　the　cavalry　to　quit　the　island　at　once。　For　these　reasons　I　believe　Scaptius　has　written　some　unfavorable　remarks　about　me　to　Brutus。　However；　my　feeling　is　this：　if　Brutus　holds　that　I　ought　to　have　decided　in　favour　of　forty…eight　per　cent。；　though　throughout　my　province　I　have　only　recognized　twelve　per　cent。；　and　had　laid　down　that　rule　in　my　edict　with　the　assent　even　of　the　most　grasping　money…lenders；　if　he　complains　of　my　refusal　of　a　prefecture　to　a　man　in　business；　which　I　refused　to　our　friend　Torquatus　in　the　case　of　your　prot？g？　Lamius；　and　to　Pompey　himself　in　the　case　of　Sext。　Statius；　without　offending　either　of　them；　if；　finally；　he　is　annoyed　at　my　recall　of　the　cavalry；　I　shall　indeed　feel　some　distress　at　his　being　angry　with　me；　but　much　greater　distress　at　finding　him　not　to　be　the　man　that　I　had　thought　him。　Thus　much　Scaptius　will　ownthat　he　had　the　opportunity　in　my　court　of　taking　away　with　him　the　whole　sum　allowed　by　my　edict。　I　will　add　a　fact　which　I　fear　you　may　not　approve。　The　interest　ought　to　have　ceased　to　run　（I　mean　the　interest　allowed　by　my　edict）；　but　I　induced　the　Salasninians　to　say　nothing　about　that。　They　gave　in　to　me；　it　is　true；　but　what　will　become　of　them　if　Paullus　comes　here？　However；　I　have　granted　all　this　in　favour　of　Brutus；　who　writes　very　kind　letters　to　you　about　me；　but　to　me　myself；　even　when　he　has　a　favour　to　ask；　writes　usually　in　a　tone　of　hauteur；　arrogance；　and　offensive　superiority。　You；　however；　I　hope　will　write　to　him　on　this　business；　in　order　that　I　may　know　how　he　takes　what　I　have　done。　For　you　will　tell　me。　I　have；　it　is　true；　written　you　a　full　and　careful　account　in　a　former　letter；　but　I　wished　you　clearly　to　understand　that　I　had　not　forgotten　what　you　had　said　to　me　in　one　of　your　letters：　that　if　I　brought　home　from　this　province　nothing　else　except　his　goodwill；　I　should　have　done　enough。　By　all　means；　since　you　will　have　it　so：　but　I　assume　my　dealings　with　him　to　be　without　breach　of　duty　on　my　part。　Well；　then；　by　my　decree　the　payment　of　the　money　to　Statius　is　good　at　law：　whether　that　is　just　you　must　judge　for　yourselfI　will　not　appeal　even　to　Cato。　But　don't　think　that　I　have　cast　your　exhortations　to　the　winds：　they　have　sunk　deeply　into　my　mind。　With　tears　in　your　eyes　you　urged　me　to　be　careful　of　my　reputation。　Have　I　ever　got　a　letter　from　you　without　the　same　subject　being　mentioned？　So；　then；　let　who　will　be　angry；　I　will　endure　it：　〃for　the　right　is　on　my　side；〃　especially　as　I　have　given　six　books　as　bail；　so　to　speak；　for　my　good　conduct。　I　am　very　glad　you　like　them；　though　in　one　pointabout　Cn。　Flavius；　son　of　Anniusyou　question　my　history。　He；　it　is　true；　did　not　live　before　the　decemvirs；　for　he　was　curule　aedile；　an　office　created　many　years　after　the　decemvirs。　What　good　did　he　do；　then；　by　publishing　the　Fasti？　It　is　supposed　that　the　tablet　containing　them　had　been　kept　concealed　up　to　a　certain　date；　in　order　that　information　as　to　days　for　doing　business　might　have　to　be　sought　from　a　small　coterie。　And　indeed　several　of　our　authorities　relate　that　a　scribe　named　Cn。　Flavius　published　the　Fasti　and　composed　forms　of　pleadingso　don't　imagine　that　I；　or　rather　Africanus　（for　he　is　the　spokesman）；　invented　the　fact。　So　you　noticed　the　remark　about　the　〃action　of　an　actor；〃　did　you？　You　suspect　a　malicious　meaning：　I　wrote　in　all　simplicity。

You　say　that　Philotimus　told　you　about　my　having　been　saluted　imperator。　But　I　feel　sure　that；　as　you　are　now　in　Epirus；　you　have　received　my　own　letters　on　the　whole　subject；　one　from　Pindenissus　after　its　capture；　another　from　Laodicea；　both　delivered　to　your　own　messengers。　On　these　events；　for　fear　of　accidents　at　sea；　I　sent　a　public　despatch　to　Rome　in　duplicate　by　two　different　letter…carriers。

As　to　my　Tullia；　I　agree　with　you；　and　I　have　written　to　her　and　to　Terentia　giving　my　consent。　For　you　have　already　said　in　a　previous　letter　to　me；　〃and　I　could　wish　that　you　had　returned　to　your　old　set。〃　There　was　no　occasion　to　alter　the　letter　you　sent　by　Memnius：　for　I　much　prefer　to　accept　this　man　from　Pontidia；　than　the　other　from　Servilia。　Wherefore　take　our　friend　Saufeius　into　council。　He　was　always　fond　of　me；　and　now　I　suppose　all　the　more　so　as　he　is　bound　to　have　accepted　Appius's　affection　for　me　with　the　rest　of　the　property　he　has　inherited。　Appius　often　showed　how　much　he　valued　me；　and　especially　in　the　trial　of　Bursa。　Indeed　you　will　have　relieved　me　of　a　serious　anxiety。

I　don't　like　Furnius's　proviso。　For；　in　fact；　there　is　no　state　of　things　that　alarms　me　except　just　that　of　which　he　makes　the　only　exception。　But　I　should　have　written　at　great　length　to　you　on　this　subject　if　you　had　been　at　Rome。　I　don't　wonder　that　you　rest　all　your　hope　of　peace　on　Ponipey：　I　believe　that　is　the　truth；　and　in　my　opinion　you　must　strike　out　your　word　〃　insincerity。〃　If　my　arrangement　of　topics　is　somewhat　random；　blame　yourself：　for　I　am　following　your　own　haphazard　order。

My　son　and　nephew　are　very　fond　of　each　other。　They　take　their　lessons　and　their　exercise　together；　but　as　Isocrates　said　of　Ephorus　and　Theopompus；　the　one　wants　the　rein；　the　other　the　spur。　I　intend　giving　Quintus　the　toga　virilis　on　the　Liberalia。　For　his　father　commissioned　me　to　do　so。　And　I　shall　observe　th？　day　without　taking　intercalation　into　account。　I　am　very　fond　of　Dionysius：　the　boys；　however；　say　that　he　gets　into　mad　passions。　But　after　all　there　could　not　be　a　man　of　greater　learning；　purer　character；　or　more　attached　to　you　and　me。　The　praises　you　hear　of　Thermus　and　Silius　are　thoroughly　deserved：　they　conduct　themselves　in　the　most　honourable　manner。　You　may　say　the　same　of　M。　Nonius；　Bibulus；　and　myself；　if　you　like。　I　only　wish　Scrofa　had　had　an　opportunity　to　do　the　same：　for　he　is　an　excellent　fellow。　The　rest　don't　do　much　honour　to　Cato's　policy。　Many　thanks　for　commending　my　case　to　Hortensius。　As　for　Amianus；　Dionysius　thinks　there　is　no　hope。　I　haven't　found　a　trace　of　Terentius。　Maeragenes　has　certainly　been　killed。　I　made　a　progress　through　his　district；　in　which　there　was　not　a　single　living　thing　left。　I　didn't　know　about　this；　when　I　spoke　to　your　man　Democritus。　I　have　ordered　the　service　of　Rhosian　ware。　But；　hallo！　what　are　you　thinking　of？　You　generally　serve　us　up　a　dinner　of　herbs　on　fern…pattern　plates；　and　the　most　sparkling　of　baskets：　what　am　I　to　expect　you　to　give　on　porcelain？　I　have　ordered　a　horn　for　Phemius：　one　will　be　sure　to　turn　up；　I　only　hope　he　may　play　something　worthy　of　it。

There　is　a　threat　of　a　Parthian　war。　Cassius's　despatch　was　empty　brag：　that　of　Bibulus　had　not　arrived