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

Caius Asinius Pollio to Cicero. Epist. 32.

BAlbus the Quaestor, by recouering publicke duties, hauing amassed together, a great qu••ntitie of readie coyne; a great weight of gold, and a greater of silue••, without ••o much as disbursing to the ••ouldiers their pay; still, and clo••ely ••••pa••••ed ••••om G••des: and for the space of 〈…〉〈…〉, be••ng detained 〈…〉〈…〉 the first of 〈…〉〈…〉 to Bo∣gud's ki••gdome, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 well f••••ni∣shed with mone•• 〈…〉〈…〉 be••••g, whether he will re••urne to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 o•• to Rome, (for vpon euer•• b••••st 〈◊〉〈◊〉 nevves, he shamefully alters his 〈…〉〈…〉) I doe not yet know. Bu•• 〈…〉〈…〉 ••••r∣ging the companions o•• ••h•• people of Rome; besides the••ts•• & ••••••ines; he h••th also don these things ••hat is (as he was wont to boast) the sa•••••• that Caius Caesar did. In the publick fest••u••••ies that he ce∣lebrated at Gades; hee brought in, He∣rennius Gallus, the Comedian, the last day of the shewes, giuing him a ring of gold, to set in the foureteenth degree: (for so many seuerall degrees had he made, for the ranking of the knights.) He prorogued the Quatuor virat: The solemne elections of two

yeares, he dispatcht in two dayes: that is, he created them to be officers, whom he thought good: he called home the b••nished men•• not of these times, but of those, when the Senate was hewen in peeces, and expel••ed by seditiou•• per∣sons, S••x••us ••a••rus being vice consull. But this he did not af••er Caes••rs exam∣ple. For in his sports, he repre••ented his voyage in a Com••die, wh••n he went to assaile L••cius L••ntulus the Consull and moreouer in the recitall thereof, he wept, as mou••d at the me••oriall of his execut••ons. A••te••wards, i•• the encoun∣te••s o•• the Fencers, because on Fadius, Pompei's s••uldier, hauing ••wi••e fough•• with••ut reward, bei••g vrged by ano∣ther into the listes, ••t his requ••st would not fi••ht; and made his ••••fuge to the people: Fi••st he set Gaull••sh horsemen against the p••ople, (••or he had stones cast at him, when Fadiu•• was dra••ne by force) ••••t••rw••rds, drag••ing him away, within 〈…〉〈…〉 put him in a pit, and burnt hi•• ••••••ue At whi••h time he ha∣uing di••••d, b••re footed, vnbraced, with his hands b••••••nd him, he stru••ting, walked vp and dow••e; and, to that poore w••••tch, who 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sayd; I am a ••i••tizen of R••m••, he made answer; Now goe, c••••u•• f••••ou•• of the people. Besides this, he c••st vnto the wild beasts R••nare Cittizens. And amongst th••se a certaine out-cryer, a man ver•••• well

knowne in Hisp••li••, he gaue to be torne asunder by the same Beasts; for no o¦ther cause, but that he was deformed. I haue had to doe with this monster. But when we be together, we will talke of him more a•• large. Now, more to the purpose; ordaine what I should do. I haue three Legions of valiant souldi∣ers. One of which, that is, the eight and twen••ith, Antonius in the beginning of the warre, hauing called it to him, with this promise, that the same day it arriued in his Campe, he would giue them fiue hundred [Romane] pence a man: and in victory; the same rewards, as to his owne Legions. Which lar∣gesses, would haue beene in••inite, and beyond all measure. It being very de∣sirous to haue gone to him, I detained it, [but] hardly vndoubtedly. Neither could I haue detained them, if I had had them all in one place; considering that some of those cohorts mu••ined, though they were remote, one from an∣other. The other Legions, he hath not ceased, to incite by letters, and large promises. As also Lepidus, hath vrged me both by his owne, and Antonius letters, to send vnto them the thirtieth Legion. Whereupon, if this Armie which I haue, I would neither sell for rewards, nor diminish, for feare of those daungers, of which, Antonius, and Le∣pidus, remaining Conquerours, I m••ght

be in iealousie. you may well iudge, that it was by me detained, and reserued for the seruice of the Commonwealth, and [you may] hold for most certaine, that I would haue performed whatsoeuer you had commanded me to doe, per∣ceiuing I had done that, which you im∣posed vpon me. For, I haue kept the Prouince in quiet, and the armie vnder my power. I neuer went beyond the extent of my Prouince, to goe any whither. I neuer sent a souldier into any part, not onely of the Legions, but not so much as of strangers, or those that haue colleagued themselues: and, if I found any horsem••n stealing away, or parting, I haue punished him. For all which actions, I shall thinke I haue re∣ceiued a great g••erdon, if the Com∣mon-wealth continue. But if it, and the greater part of the Senate, had well knowne me, I might ere this, haue done them greater seruice. I haue sent that Epistle to you, which I wrote to Balbus, while he was yet in the Prouince. In like manner, the Comedie, if you please to read it, call for it from Gallus Corne∣lius, my friend. This seuenth of Iune, from Cor••uba. Farewell.