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

Cicero Vice-consull, to Appius Pulcher. Epist. 8.

THough I perceiue so much as your own ••etters did seeme to intimate, that you are like to bee at Rome b••fore you shall receiue these; and that ••re now the twatling of these malignant people of the prouince, is somewhat cooled; yet you hauing written so co∣piously to mee touching their sinister relations, I thought it fit, brieflie to an∣swer you. But I will not rip vp a new, the two first heads of your letter, be∣cause they comprehend no absolute, nor determinate points; except this, that in the place where matters are scand, and at some feasts, it was ob∣seru'd by many externall signes, that I am not your friend. This, is as much as nothing; and being nothing, nei∣ther can I conceiue what these words of yours import; sure I am, that this might truely be spoken vnto you; that both on the seate of Iustice, and in priuate places, I haue many times vtte∣red honorable and worthie reports of you, giuing manifest testimonie, of our familiar, and domesticall Amitie. And

as for the Legates, could I haue wrought more iustlie or equallie, then to ease poore Citties of a burthensome charge, without diminishing a whit of your reputation, especially being with great instance sollicited thereunto by the Cities themselues? For I heard no∣thing, that these ••mbassies went to Rome in your Honour. When I was in Apamea, the principalls of diuers Ci∣ties came & told me, that the ordina••ie charge of Embassies were so great, that the cities were not able to defray them. Then, I cast many things in my minde: First, I could not bee perswaded that you, who are not onely wise, but as the report now goes, a noble minded man, should be delighted in these Em∣bassies: and as I remember once in Synnadis, vpon the publique Tribunall I spake much thereof; alledging in the first place, how Appius Clodius, with∣out further testimonie from the Myn∣densians (for that City was then men∣tioned) was knowne by the Senate, and by the people of Ro••e: and more∣ouer, that I had obseru'd at other times, that the Legates that came to praise any man, neuer obtain'd au∣dience of the Senate. And finally I concluded, that their good enclination lik't me wel, because they shewed them∣selues thankfull to you, who had bene fitt••d them; but that I thought this

course no wayes necessarie: and if needes they would demonstrate their good affection, I should haue thought well of it, if some one had done it of his owne charge: And haue granted it; so that the expence had beene reasona∣ble; but not, if exorbitant. You can∣not therefore in any reason, take this ill at my hands: except, (as you adde) that mine edict had beene past, vpon pur∣pose, to crosse these legations; as some were of opinion. Now, in my iudge∣ment, they beare not themselues so ill, who doe such bad offices, as they, ••hat l••nd an eare vnto them. While I was yet in Rome I drew the edict; after∣wards, I annexed thereunto but one clause, which I tooke out of yours: and this at the importunity of the Tole-masters, who came to Samos to me, for this purpose; and touching the disburthening of the Cities of their charge, I wrote that article with speci∣all care•• and I annexed thereunto some new conditions, which gaue me good satisfaction; being so beneficiall to the Cities, as if I had herein restored to them their liues. But this poynt, which occasion'd all the suspition, that I went about to wrong you; is an ordinarie thing, put in practice by others before my selfe. And I could not be so foolish to imagine, that the Embassadours came to Rome for any priuate occasion;

as being sent, not to giue thankes to a priuate man, but vnto you; not for particular interests, but publique; and in an assembly not priuate, but generall to the world, that is, in the open Se∣nate. Neither when I interposed this ••y command; that no man should de∣part without my license, did I exclude them, which could not come to me be∣yond Mount Tauru••, where I was with the Armie. And that clause in your letters well deserues laughter. For, see••ing they might haue spoken to me, as I went betwixt La••dicea, and I••onium; as the Magistrates and Ambassadours of all those Precincts, and Cities did, Which dwell on this side Taurus; to what purpose was it, that they should come and speake with me in the camp; or that they should passe the Mount Ta••rus: except they had not resolued of their Embassies to Rome, before my being beyond Taurus. Which questi∣onlesse is not so. For while I was in Laodicea, Apamea, Synn••dis, Philomel••m, and Ieonium, in which Cities I stayd, all these Embassies were constituted. And yet you must conceiue thus much, that about the diminu••ion, or absolute ta∣king away of the charge, for these Le∣gations, I referred my selfe wholly to their pleasure, that were of highest au∣thoritie in the Ci••ies. In that it might iustly be feared, that by reason of vn∣necessarie

disbursements, things might haue beene brought to that passe, that it had beene needfull to sell the tributes, and to haue layd an imposition, of so much by the powle, or by the house; which, as you know, would haue beene a very hard matter. And I being ca••e∣full (not onely iustice, but compassion mouing me thereto) to ease the burthe∣ned state of those affl••cted Cities, and especially oppressed by their owne Ma∣gistrates, I could not well be negligent, in the case of so impertinent an ex∣pence. When such tales therefore were told you•• you should not haue beleeued them. But if you take pleasure to lay your owne iealousies vpon others, you bring vp in friendship, a certaine dis∣course little beseeming a Gentle-man. And if I meant in any thing, to haue blemished your reputation, I would ne∣uer haue beene inquisitiue of ••our son in law Lentulus, of your free-man in Br••ndusi••m, nor of the cheefe Engine•• in Coreyra, whither you would haue me to come. And, i•• y••u followed the pre∣scriptions o•• the learnedest men, tha•• haue wri••ten exceeding well of amity, you sh••uld not haue vs'd these, or the like ••pee••hes. They argued, I o••••os••d: Th••y ••ff••rmed, I denyed. Th••••k•• ••ou that I neuer heard any thing t••u••hing yo••? As for example, that whe•• I was to come to L••o••i••ea, you passed ouer

Mount Taurus. that you gaue enter∣tainment in Tarsus, at the very same time, I gaue mine in Ap••mea, Synnadis, and Philomelum. I will adde nothing more, lest I should be thought culpable of the same defect, whereof I accuse you. Thus much I will freely vtter; if these things, which you say, were rela∣ted to you by others; bee your owne dreames, or fictions; you commit a greeuous errour: but being true, that they were the reports of others, yet, you are greatly too blame, to giue eare vnto them. I will neuer faile in the office of a good freind. And if any man thinke, I haue some subtill reach in my procee∣dings; whosoeuer he be, I would hee would tell me, what a wonderfull sub∣tilty I should shew in this; that I, when I was in Rome, and your selfe in your Prouince, euer defended your reputati∣on, when I could not so much as dream, I should need your ayd in these occurrents; should now, when you are in Rome, and I in my Prouince, giue you cause, to neglect my credit? But it may bee, you suppose that I haue done you iniury, in my giuing ••are to certaine persons, that dep••au'd, or spake ill of your Legates, or Cape-Ingeniers, or Tribunes of the souldiers: wherein, notwithstanding, I neuer heard, that they touched your reputation; or that they should speake vnworthily of any

other, but the fore-mentioned, of which men, Clodius discoursing with me in Corcyra, complained greatly, and said, that other mens malignitie, had blemisht the integritie of your name. I neuer drew any man to speech of such like matters: but by reason, they a••e many that talke thereof, no wayes in my iudgement, wronging therein your honour, I would not be too for∣ward, to put them to silence. If any one hold opinion, that no man can be really reconciled: hee accuseth not vs herein, as men perfidious, but rather manifests his owne treacherie, disco∣uering that to be in himselfe, which he imputes to others: and such an one, hath no better conceipt of you, then of mee: But if the forme of my gouern∣ment distastes any man, thinking it strange, that in the gouernment of this Proui••ce, I take some courses different from yours: each of vs obseruing Iu∣stice and equitie, though you one way, and I another; I doe not greatly value such a mans good opinion. You, as a most noble & bountifull Gentle-man, gaue profusely in the Prouince, if I haue proceeded with a more restrained hand, & that the yeere following hath cut off a part of your former bounties; by reason of the hardnes of the times, no man need wonder hereat: ••or, be∣sides that of mine owne nature, I was

euer sparing of anothers purse, I was much mou'd (as I told you) out of the conditions of the time: and therefore little care, to seeme niggardly to those, that complaine vpon their peculiar in∣terests, so I bee herein good vnto my selfe. Touching the aduertisements you send mee, concerning Romane af∣faires, I heartily thanke you, and the rather, because you intimate, that you will be carefull of those businesses, that I commended to you; in which, of one aboue the rest, I request you to bee mindefull, that the time of my gouern∣ment be not prolonged; And entreat Hortens••us, our Colleague and famili••r friend, that if euer he did, or intended to doe me a pleasure, hee will not now perseuer in his opinion of the gouern∣ment for two yeeres: for nothing can more molest, or discontent me. Wher∣as you would know, in what state I stand: I departed from Tarsus the se∣uenth of October, and the day follow∣ing I wrote these, in the Countie of Mopsuhes••ia, where I was with the Ar∣mie. If I atch••ue any thing, you shall bee aduertis'd thereof, and I'le neuer write home, but you shall bee written to. Concerning the Parthians, I take it for a fable. Those Araebians that came into my Prouince, in Parthian habit, are gone away, as it's reported: and there is no feare of any warre in Sy∣ria.

I would willingly haue you write often of your affaires, of mine, and of the whole state of the Common-wealth, at which I am much troubled; so much the rather, in that you write our friend Pompeius is to go into Spaine. Farewell.