letters of cicero-第18节

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！


　contract。　The　result　is　that　the　Greeks　pay　at　a　reasonable　rate　of　interest；　and　the　publicani　are　thoroughly　satisfied　by　receiving　in　full　measure　what　I　mentionedcomplimentary　speeches　and　frequent　invitations。　Need　I　say　more？　They　are　all　on　such　terms　with　me　that　each　thinks　himself　my　most　intimate　friend。　However；　（Greek　phrase）you　know　the　rest。

As　to　the　statue　of　Africanuswhat　a　mass　of　confusion　I　But　that　was　just　what　interested　me　in　your　letter。　Do　you　really　mean　it？　Does　the　present　Metellus　Scipio　not　know　that　his　great…grandfather　was　never　censor？　Why；　the　statue　placed　at　a　high　elevation　in　the　temple　of　Ops　had　no　inscription　except　CENS；　while　on　the　statue　near　the　Hercules　of　Polycles　there　is　also　the　inscription　CENS；　and　that　this　is　the　statue　of　the　same　man　is　proved　by　attitude；　dress；　ring；　and　the　likeness　itself。　But；　by　Hercules；　when　I　observed　in　the　group　of　gilded　equestrian　statues；　placed　by　the　present　Metellus　on　the　Capitol；　a　statue　of　Africanus　with　the　name　of　Serapio　inscribed　under　it；　I　thought　it　a　mistake　of　the　workman。　I　now　see　that　it　is　an　error　of　Metellus's。　What　a　shocking　historical　blunder！　For　that　about　Flavius　and　the　Fasti；　if　it　is　a　blunder；　is　one　shared　in　by　all；　and　you　were　quite　right　to　raise　the　question。　I　followed　the　opinion　which　runs　through　nearly　all　historians；　as　is　often　the　case　with　Greek　writers。　For　example；　do　they　not　all　say　that　Eupolis；　the　poet　of　the　old　comedy；　was　thrown　into　the　sea　by　Alcibiades　on　his　voyage　to　Sicily？　Eratosthenes　disproves　it：　for　he　produces　some　plays　exhibited　by　him　after　that　date。　Is　that　careful　historian；　Duris　of　Samos；　laughed　out　of　court　because　he；　in　common　with　many　others；　made　this　mistake？　Has　not；　again；　every　writer　affirmed　that　Zaleucus　drew　up　a　constitution　for　the　Locrians？　Are　we　on　that　account　to　regard　Theophrastus　as　utterly　discredited；　because　your　favourite　Timams　attacked　his　statement？　But　not　to　know　that　one's　own　great…grandfather　was　never　censor　is　discreditable；　especially　as　since　his　consulship　no　Cornelius　was　censor　in　his　lifetime。

As　to　what　you　say　about　Philotimus　and　the　payment　ot　the　20；600　sestertia；　I　hear　that　Philotimus　arrived　in　the　Chersonese　about　the　1st　of　January：　but　as　yet　I　have　not　had　a　word　from　him。　The　balance　due　to　me　Camillus　writes　me　word　that　he　has　received；　I　don't　know　how　much　it　is；　and　I　am　anxious　to　know。　However；　we　will　talk　of　this　later　on；　and　with　greater　advantage；　perhaps；　when　we　meet？　＋　But；　my　dear　Atticus；　that　sentence　almost　at　the　end　of　your　letter　gave　me　great　uneasiness。　For　you　say；　〃What　else　is　there　to　say？〃　and　then　you　go　on　to　entreat　me　in　most　affectionate　terms　not　to　forget　my　vigilance；　and　to　keep　my　eyes　on　what　is　going　on。　Have　you　heard　any…thing　about　anyone？　I　am　sure　nothing　of　the　sort　has　taken　place。　No；　no；　it　can't　be！　It　would　never　have　eluded　my　notice；　nor　will　it。　Yet　that　reminder　of　yours；　so　carefully　worded；　seems　to　suggest　something。

As　to　M。　Octavius；　I　hereby　again　repeat　that　your　answer　was　excellent：　I　could　have　wished　it　a　little　more　positive　still。　For　Caelius　has　sent　me　a　freedman　and　a　carefully　written　letter　about　some　panthers　and　also　a　grant　from　the　states。　I　have　written　back　to　say　that；　as　to　the　latter；　I　am　much　vexed　if　my　course　of　conduct　is　still　obscure；　amid　if　it　is　not　known　at　Rome　that　not　a　penny　has　been　exacted　from　my　province　except　for　the　payment　of　debt；　and　I　have　explained　to　him　that　it　is　improper　both　for　me　to　solicit　the　money　and　for　him　to　receive　it；　and　I　have　advised　him　（for　I　am　really　attached　to　him）　that；　after　prosecuting　others；　he　should　be　extra…careful　as　to　his　own　conduct。　As　to　the　former　request；　I　have　said　that　it　is　inconsistent　with　my　character　that　the　people　of　Cibyra　should　hunt　at　the　public　expense　while　I　am　governor。

Lepta　jumps　for　joy　at　your　letter。　it　is　indeed　prettily　written；　and　has　placed　me　in　a　very　agreeable　light　in　his　eyes。　I　am　much　obliged　to　your　little　daughter　for　so　earnestly　bidding　you　send　me　her　love。　It　is　very　kind　of　Pilia　also；　but　your　daughter's　kindness　is　the　greater；　because　she　sends　the　message　to　one　she　has　never　seen。　Therefore　pray　give　my　love　to　both　in　return。　The　day　on　which　your　letter　was　dated；　the　last　day　of　December；　reminded　me　pleasantly　of　that　glorious　oath　of　mine；　which　I　have　not　forgotten。　I　was　a　civilian　Magnus　on　that　day。

There's　your　letter　completely　answered！　Not　as　you　were　good　enough　to　ask；　with　〃gold　for　bronze；〃　but　tit　for　tat。　Oh；　but　here　is　another　little　note；　which　I　will　not　leave　unanswered。　Lucceius；　on　my　word；　could　get　a　good　price　for　his　Tusculan　property；　unless；　perchance；　his　flute…player　is　a　fixture　（for　that's　his　way）；　and　I　should　like　to　know　in　what　condition　it　is。　Our　friend　Lentulus；　I　hear；　has　advertised　everything　for　sale　except　his　Tusculan　property。　I　should　like　to　see　these　men　cleared　of　their　embarrassments；　Cestius　also；　and　you　may　add　Caelius；　to　all　of　whom　the　line　applies；

〃Ashamed　to　shrink　and　yet　afraid　to　take。〃

I　suppose　you　have　heard　of　Curio's　plan　for　recalling　Memmius。　Of　the　debt　due　from　Egnatius　of　Sidicinum　I　am　not　without　some　hope；　though　it　is　a　feeble　one。　Pinarius；　whom　you　recommended　to　me；　is　seriously　ill；　and　is　being　very　carefully　looked　after　by　Deiotarus。　So　there's　the　answer　to　your　note　also。

Pray　talk　to　me　on　paper　as　frequently　as　possible　while　I　am　at　Laodicea；　where　I　shall　be　up　to　the　15th　of　May：　and　when　you　reach　Athens　at　any　rate　send　me　letter…carriers；　for　by　that　time　we　shall　know　about　the　business　in　the　city　and　the　arrangements　as　to　the　provinces；　the　settlement　of　all　which　has　been　fixed　for　March。

But　look　here！　Have　you　yet　wrung　out　of　Caesar　by　the　agency　of　Herodes　the　fifty　Attic　talents？　In　that　matter　you　have；　I　hear；　roused　great　wrath　on　the　part　of　Pompey。　For　he　thinks　that　you　have　snapped　up　money　rightly　his；　and　that　Caesar　will　be　no　less　lavish　in　his　building　at　the　Nemus　Diame。

I　was　told　all　this　by　P。　Vedius；　a　hare…brained　fellow　enough；　but　yet　an　intimate　friend　of　Pompey's。　This　Vedius　came　to　meet　me　with　two　chariots；　and　a　carriage　and　horses；　and　a　sedan；　and　a　large　suite　of　servants；　for　which　last；　if　Curio　has　carried　his　law；　he　will　have　to　pay　a　toll　of　a　hundred　sestertii　apiece。　There　was　also　in　a　chariot　a　dog…headed　baboon；　as　well　as　some　wild　asses。　I　never　saw　a　more　extravagant　fool。　But　the　cream　of　the　whole　is　this。　He　stayed　at　Laodicea　with　Pompeius　Vindullus。　There　he　deposited　his　properties　when　coming　to　see　me。　Meanwhile　Vindullus　dies；　and　his　property　is　supposed　to　revert　to　Pompeius　Magnus。　Gaius　Vennonius　comes　to　Vindullus's　house：　when；　while　putting　a　seal　on　all　goods；　he　conies　across　the　baggage　of　Vedius。　In　this　are　found　five　small　portrait　busts　of　married　ladies；　among　which　is　one　of　the　wife　of　your　friend〃　brute；〃　indeed；　to　be　intimate　with　such　a　fellow！　and　of　the　wife　of　Lepidus　as　easy…going　as　his　name　to　take　this　so　calmly！　I　wanted　you　to　know　these　historiettes　by　the　way；　for　we　have　both　a　pretty　taste　in　gossip。　There　is　one　other　thing　I　should　like　you　to　turn　over　in　your　mind。　I　am　told　that　Appius　is　building　a　propyheum　at　Eleusis。　Should　I　be　foolishly　vain　if　I　also　built　one　at　the　Academy？　〃I　think　so；〃　you　will　say。　Well；　then；　write　and　tell　me　that　that　is　your　opinion。　For　myself；　I　am　deeply　attached　to　Athens　itself。　I　would　like　some　memorial　of　myself　to　exist。　I　loathe　sham　inscriptions　on　statues　really　representing　other　people。　But　settle　it　as　you　please；　and　be　kind　enough　to　inform　me　on　what　day　the　Roman　mysteries　fall；　and　how　you　have　passed　the　winter。　Take　care　of　your　health。　Dated　the　765th　day　since　the　battle　of　Leuctra！

XX

M。　PORCIUS　CATO　TO　CICERO　（IN　CILICIA）

ROME　（JUNE）

I　GLADLY　obey　the　call　of　the　state　and　of　our　friendship；　in　rejoicing　that　your　virtue；　integrity；　and　energy；　already　known　at　home　in　a　most　important　crisis；　when　you　were　a　civilian；　should　be　maintained　abroad　with　the　same　painstaking　care　now　that　you　have　military　command。　Therefore　what　I　could　conscientiously　do　in　setting　forth　in　laudatory　terms　that　the　province　had　been　defended　by　your　wisdom；　that　the　kingdom　of　Ariobarzanes；　as　well　as　the　king；　himself；　had　been　preserved；　and　that　the　feelings　of　the　allies　had　been　won　back　to　loyalty　to　our　empirethat　I　have　done　by　speech　and　vote。　That　a　thanksgiving　was　decreed　I　am　glad；　if　you　prefer　our　thanking　the　gods　rather　than　giving　you　the　credit　for　a　success　which　has　been　in　no　respect　left　to　chance；　but　has　been　secured　for　the　Republic　by　your　own　eminent　prudence　and　self…control。　But　if　you　think　a　thanksgiving　to　be　a　presumption　in　favour　of　a　triumph；　and　therefore　prefer　fortune　having　the　credit　rather　than　yourself；　let　me　remind　you　that　a　triumph　does　not　always　follow　a　thanksgiving；　and　that　it　is　an　honour　much　more　brilliant　than　a　triumph　for　the　senate　to　declare　its　opinion；　that　a　province　has　been　retained　rather　by　the　uprightness　and　mildness　of　its　governor；　than　by　the　strength　of　an　army　or　the　favo