Letter 357

I received your letter at Fundi over dinner on April 12. First, you are better; second, you bring better news. The report that the legions were coming had been hateful. About Octavius I am indifferent. I am waiting to hear what happens about Marius, whom I thought Caesar had removed. Antony's conversation with our heroes is not inconvenient, considering the circumstances. Still, so far nothing pleases me except the Ides of March. Since I am at Fundi with our Ligur, I am tormented that Sextilius' estate is held by the scoundrel Curtilius. When I say this, I mean the whole class. What could be more miserable than our maintaining the very things for which we hated Caesar? Are even the consuls and tribunes of the plebs for the next two years to be the men he wanted? I cannot find any way to take part in public life. Nothing is so absurd as putting the tyrant-killers in heaven while defending the tyrant's acts. But you see the consuls; you see the other magistrates, if they are magistrates; you see the weakness of the good citizens. In the towns they are leaping for joy. It cannot be said how greatly they rejoice, how they run to me, how they want to hear my words about the republic. Meanwhile, there are no decrees. We have played politics in such a way that we fear the conquered side. I wrote this to you after the second course was set out. Later I will write more, and more politically. You write what you are doing and what is being done.

On the 12th I received your letter at Fundi during dinner. First you are better, and secondly you send better news. For the news about the coming of the legions was annoying. That about Octavius is neither here nor there. I am anxious to hear about Marius. I thought Caesar had got rid of him. Antony's conversation with our heroes is not unsatisfactory under the circumstances. However, nothing at present gives me any pleasure except the Ides of March. For now that I am at Fundi with our friend Ligur, I am annoyed at an estate of a Sextilius being in the hands of a knave like Curtilius. In mentioning this instance I am speaking of a whole class. For can there be a more wretched state of affairs than that we should keep up the things for which we detested him? Are we to have consuls and tribunes, too, for the next two years selected by him? I don't see how I can possibly take part in politics. For nothing could be more topsy-turvy than to belaud the slayers of the tyrant to the skies and to defend the tyrant's acts. But you see the consuls; you see the other magistrates, if they can be called magistrates; you see the indifference of the loyalists. In the country towns they are jumping for joy. I cannot describe their rejoicing, how they flock round me, how they want to hear what I have to say about the state. And in the meantime no senatorial decrees. For our policy is this, that we are afraid of the conquered party. This I have written during dessert. I will write fuller and more about politics later, and do you write what you are doing and what is being done.

pridie Idus Fundis accepi tuas litteras cenans. primum igitur melius esse, deinde meliora te nuntiare. odiosa illa enim fuerant, legiones venire. nam de Octavio susque deque. exspecto quid de Mario; quem quidem ego sublatum rebar a Caesare. Antonio conloquium cum heroibus nostris pro re nata non incommodum. sed tamen adhuc me nihil delectat praeter Idus Martias. nam quoniam Fundis sum cum Ligure nostro, discrucior Sextili fundum a verberone Curtilio possideri. [2] quod cum dico, de toto genere dico. quid enim miserius quam ea nos tueri propter quae illum oderamus? etiamne consules et tribunos pl. in biennium quos ille voluit? nullo modo reperio quem ad modum possim politeu/esqai . nihil enim tam so/loikon quam tyrannoctonos in caelo esse, tyranni facta defendi. sed vides consules, vides reliquos magistratus, si isti magistratus, vides languorem bonorum. exsultant laetitia in municipiis. dici enim non potest quanto opere gaudeant, ut ad me concurrant, ut audire cupiant mea verba de re p. nec ulla interea decreta. sic enim pepoliteu/meqa ut victos metueremus. haec ad te scripsi apposita secunda mensa; plura et politikw/tera postea, et tu quid agas quidque agatur.