The familiar epistles of M.T. Cicero Englished and conferred with the: French Italian and other translations

Cicero Vice-consull, to M••rcus Coelius. Ep. 8.

THis is not that which I expected from you: It may be you thought, I requi••ed you to write vnto me of fen∣sing encount••rs, the issues of suites, or of the thefts of Chr••stus: but I meant no such matter: for these are things, that when I was in Rome, no man would pre∣sume to acquaint me with. What look't I for then? obserue, in what nature I esteeme you, (and not without cause, for in all my dayes, certainely I haue not knowne a more vnderstanding man then your selfe in Common-wealth causes) not that I care so much to haue such triuiall matters imparted to me, nay, nor will I that you should certifie me of matters, of farre higher conse∣quence, daily discussed of in the Com∣monwealth, except they concerned my selfe: for, other ma••ters come diue••se wayes to mine ••ares, and fame it selfe will relate them to me. I expect not therefore from you, either things past, or present, but r••ther those future, and to come, as from a man that is cleare, and farre sighted, that beholding a draught of the Common wealths mo∣dell in your letters, I may conceiue what the whole structure will be. But I

excuse you for not hauing sent me it ••itherto, because nothing hath fallen out, that any of vs might not forsee as wel as you; you might rather haue fore∣seene, then any of vs, and especially my selfe, who was sundry daies in Pompeies companie, and euer in discourses of the Common-wealth, which neither can nor ought to be exprest in writing. Let me onely tell you, that Pompeius is a fa∣mous, and faithfull Cittizen, and hee wants neither courage, nor prudence, to constitute those ordinances for the preseruation of the Common-wealth, which are fit and expedient: And ther∣fore I would wish you, to offer him your loue: do but obserue how cheere∣fully he accepts of it. For now at length he holds that those are good, and those bad Cittizens, that we were wont to hold so. I stayed in Athens ten whole dayes, where our good friend Gallus Caninius kept me alwayes companie. Vpon this present, being the sixt of Iu∣lie, I am to depart. I commend all my businesses, to your speciall care, but a∣boue all my desire is, that things may so be wrought, that this office of mine may not be proroged. How you should carrie your selfe herein, I know you need not my direction; I will remit my selfe vnto your wisedome. Farewell.