Letter 207

Your letter was very welcome to my Tullia, and by heaven to me too. Your letters always bring some lookout point toward hope. So write, and if you can offer any hope, do not omit it. Take care not to be too afraid of Antony's lions. Nothing is more agreeable than that man. Watch this statesman at work. He summoned by letter the ten leading men and the board of four from the towns. They came to his villa in the morning. First he slept until the third hour. Then, when he was told that the men from Naples and Cumae had arrived, for Caesar is angry with them, he ordered them to return the next day; he wanted to bathe and attend to his stomach. That is what he did yesterday. Today he has decided to cross to Aenaria to promise the exiles a return. But let us leave that and do something about ourselves. I received a letter from Axius. Thank you about Tiro. I like Vettienus. I have repaid Vestorius. Servius is said to have stayed at Minturnae on May 6, and today he will stay at C. Marcellus' place at Liternum. So tomorrow he will see me early and give me material for a letter to you. At present I cannot find anything to write. I am astonished that Antony has not even sent a messenger to me, especially since he used to pay me close attention. Evidently some harsher order has been given about me. He does not want to refuse me face to face. I was not going to ask, and if I had obtained permission, I would not have trusted it. Still, we will think of something. Please tell me if there is any news in Spain. By now it can be heard, and everyone is waiting in such a spirit that, if things have gone well there, they think there will be no difficulty. I do not think the matter is finished if the Spains are held, nor hopeless if they are lost. I imagine Silius, Ocella, and the rest have been delayed. I see that you too are hindered by Curio, though I think you have a passport.

Your letter was very pleasing to my daughter and of course to me, for your correspondence always brings a gleam of hope. So please write, and, if you can be hopeful, don't fail to be so. Don't be too much afraid of Antony's lions. He is a jovial fellow. Just hear how he plays the statesman. He summoned by letter ten leading men and the board of four from the municipal towns. They came to his country house in the morning. First he slept till nine. Then, when he heard the men had come from Naples and Cumae (for Caesar is angry with them), he bade them return on the next day, saying that he wished to take a bath and a laxative. This he did yesterday. But to-day he has arranged to cross to Aenaria. He is promising the exiles that they shall return. But let us pass over this and talk about ourselves. I got a letter from Q. Axius. As for Tiro, thanks. I like Vettienus. I have repaid Vestorius. Servius is said to have stopped at Menturnae on the 6th of May. To-day he will stop with C. Marcellus in his villa at Liternum. To-morrow early he will see me, and will give me a subject for a letter to you. Just now I can find nothing to write. I am much astonished that Antony has not even sent a messenger to me, especially when he has paid me much attention. I suppose he has some more truculent order about me. He does not wish to refuse me to my face, but I was not going to ask the favour, nor, if I had got it, should I have believed him. However I will think out some plan. Let me know if anything has happened in Spain; for now there is time for news to have come, and everybody awaits it with the idea, that, if all go well there, there will be no more trouble. But I do not think the business is over, if Spain be kept, nor yet hopeless, if it be lost. Silius and Ocella and the rest I suppose are detained. I see that you too are hindered by Curtius, though I think you have a passport.

[1] epistula tua gratissima fuit meae Tulliae et me hercule mihi. semper speculam aliquam adferunt tuae litterae. scribes igitur ac si quid ad spem poteris ne dimiseris. tu Antoni leones pertimescas cave. nihil est illo homine iucundius. attende praxin politikou. evocavit litteris e municipiis decem primos et iiiiviros. venerunt ad villam eius mane. primum dormiit ad h. Iii, deinde, cum esset nuntiatum venisse Neapolitanos et Cumanos (his enim est Caesar iratus), postridie redire iussit; lavari se velle et peri koiliolusian ginesthai. hoc here effecit. hodie autem in Aenariam transire constituit (ut) exsulibus reditum polliceretur. sed haec omittamus, de nobis aliquid agamus. [2] ab Axio accepi litteras. de Tirone gratum. Vettienum diligo. Vestorio reddidi. Servius pr. Nonas Maias Menturnis mansisse dicitur, hodie in Liternino mansurus apud C. Marcellum. cras igitur nos mature videbit mihique dabit argumentum ad te epistulae. iam enim non reperio quod tibi scribam. illud admiror quod Antonius ad me ne nuntium quidem, cum praesertim me valde observarit. videlicet aliquid atrocius de me imperatum est. Coram negare mihi non vult, quod ego nec rogaturus eram nec, si impetrassem, crediturus. nos tamen aliquid excogitabimus. [3] tu, quaeso, si quid in Hispaniis. iam enim poterit audiri et omnes ita exspectant ut, si recte fuerit, nihil negoti futurum putent. ego autem nec retentis iis confectam rem puto neque amissis desperatam. Silium et Ocellam et ceteros credo retardatos. te quoque a Curione impediri video. etsi, ut opinor, habes + EKITAONON.