Lucius Munatius Plancus→Marcus Tullius Cicero|c. 43 BC|Cicero|From Gaul|To Rome|AI-assisted
I give you immortal thanks, and I shall do so as long as I live. I cannot confidently say I will repay you, for I do not think I can answer such great services of yours unless, as you wrote with such weight and eloquence, you decide that I have repaid you by remembering them.
If your own son's standing had been at stake, you could not have acted with greater affection. Your first motion, with its unlimited rewards, your later motions adjusted to the moment and to my friends' judgment, your constant and sustained speeches about me, and your well-known disputes with my detractors on my behalf, all of this is thoroughly known to me. I must take no ordinary care to prove myself, as a citizen, worthy of your praise, and, as your friend, mindful and grateful.
For the future, protect your own gift. If, by outcomes and facts, you see that I am the man you wanted me to be, then defend me and take up my cause.
After I had brought my troops across the Rhone and sent my brother ahead with three thousand cavalry, I was myself directing my march toward Mutina when I heard on the road that a battle had been fought and that Brutus and Mutina had been freed from the siege. I saw that Antony and the remnants with him had no possible refuge except this region, and that two hopes lay before him: Lepidus himself and Lepidus' army.
Because a part of that army is no less frenzied than the men who were with Antony, I recalled my cavalry. I halted among the Allobroges, so that I could be ready for everything as events directed. If Antony comes here stripped of forces, I think I can hold the situation by myself and manage the republic according to your judgment, even if he is received by Lepidus' army. But if he brings some troops with him, and if the veteran Tenth Legion, which through my efforts has been recalled and is now with the rest, returns to the same madness, I will still do all I can to prevent harm. I hope I can manage that until forces are sent across from your side and, once joined with us, can more easily crush these ruined men.
This I promise you, my dear Cicero: neither spirit nor diligence will fail me. I truly wish no anxiety remained. But if it does, I will yield to no one in spirit, goodwill, or endurance on your behalf. I am also trying to stir Lepidus into joining this policy, and I promise him every deference if only he is willing to look to the republic. In this I am using my brother, Laterensis, and our friend Furnius as helpers and interpreters. Private resentments will not prevent me from agreeing, for the safety of the republic, even with my bitterest enemy.
But if I accomplish nothing with him, I am no less confident; and perhaps with greater glory for myself I shall satisfy you. Take care of your health, and return my affection.
DCCCXLV (Fam. X, 11) L. MUNATIUS PLANCUS TO CICERO (AT ROME) GALLIA NARBONENSIS (APRIL) I GIVE you undying thanks, and shall do so as long as I live: since I cannot promise to repay you. For I do not think that I can possibly make a return for such great services as yours, unless by chance, as you remarked in such eloquent and impressive words in your letter, you will consider me to have repaid you as long as I remember them. If it had been a question of your own son's position, you could not have acted at any rate more affectionately. Your first motions in the senate proposing unlimited rewards for me, your later ones made to square with circumstances and the wishes of my friends, your constant and formal speeches about me, and your wordy warfare on my behalf with my detractors — these are all most thoroughly known to me. I must be more than commonly careful to show myself as a citizen worthy of your praise, mindful and grateful as your friend. For the future see that your bounty is not wasted; and if by results and facts you find that I am the man you wished me to be, defend me and take up my cause. Having crossed the Rhone with my troops, and having sent forward my brother with 3,000 cavalry, while I was myself on the march for Mutina , I was told on the road of the battle that had taken place, and of Brutus and Mutina being relieved. I saw that Antony and the remains of his force had no other place of retreat except in this district, and that he had two hopes in view-one of Lepidus himself; the other of his army. As a certain fraction of my army is as infatuated as those who were with Antony , I recalled my cavalry. I halted in the country of the Allobroges myself; that I might be as completely prepared for every eventuality as the situation required. If Antony comes into this district without forces, I think I am strong enough by myself to resist him, and to carry on the business of the country in accordance with the judgment of your house, even though he be admitted by the army of Lepidus . But if he brings some of his forces with him, and if the tenth veteran legion, which, having been recalled to its duty by my exertion, is now with the others, relapses into its old mad conduct, nevertheless I will do my best to prevent any loss; and I hope I shall prevent it, provided that forces from Rome are sent across, and by forming a junction with me find it easier to crush these abandoned men. This much I will promise you, my dear Cicero , that no vigour or careful attention shall be wanting on my part. I would to heaven there was no anxiety left, but if there is, I will not fall short of any man's loyalty or perseverance on behalf of you all. I am indeed doing my best to induce Lepidus to share this policy with me, and I am promising to defer to him in every way, if he will only consent to regard the interests of the Republic. I am employing as coadjutors and go-betweens in this negotiation my brother, and Laterensis, and our friend Furnius . I will not be stopped by private quarrels from coming to an understanding with my bitterest foe on behalf of the safety of the Republic. But if I am unsuccessful, nevertheless I will do what you wish with the greatest determination, and perhaps with some addition of reputation to myself. Take care of your health, and give me love for love.
XI. Scr. in Allobrogibus VI. Idus Maias a.u.c. 711. PLANCUS CICERONI.
Immortales ago tibi gratias agamque, dum vivam; nam relaturum me affirmare non possum; tantis enim tuis officiis non videor mihi respondere posse, nisi forte, ut tu gravissime disertissimeque scripsisti, ita sensurus es, ut me referre gratiam putes, cum memoria tenebo. Si de filii tui dignitate esset actum, amabilius certe nihil facere potuisses. Primae tuae sententiae infinitis cum muneribus, posteriores ad tempus arbitriumque amicorum meorum compositae, oratio assidua et perpetua de me, iurgia cum obtrectatoribus propter me notissima mihi sunt: non mediocris adhibenda mihi est cura, ut rei publicae me civem dignum tuis laudibus praestem, in amicitia tua memorem atque gratum. Quod reliquum est, tuum munus tuere et me, si, quem esse voluisti, eum exitu rebusque cognoscis, defende ac suscipe. Cum Rhodanum copias traiecissem fratremque cum tribus milibus equitum praemisissem, ipse iter ad Mutinam dirigerem, in itinere de proelio facto Brutoque et Mutina obsidione liberatis audivi: animadverti nullum alium receptum Antonium reliquiasque, quae cum eo essent, habere nisi in has partes, duasque ei spes esse propositas, unam Lepidi ipsius, alteram exercitus. Quod quaedam pars exercitus non minus furiosa est quam qui cum Antonio fuerunt, equitatum revocavi; ipse in Allobrogibus constiti, ut proinde ad omnia paratus essem ac res me moneret. Si nudus huc se Antonius conferet, facile mihi videor per me sustinere posse remque publicam ex vestra sententia administrare, quamvis ab exercitu Lepidi recipiatur; si vero copiarum aliquid secum adducet et si decima legio veterana, quae nostra opera revocata cum reliquis est, ad eundem furorem redierit, tamen, ne quid detrimenti fiat, dabitur opera a me, idque me praestaturum spero, dum istinc copiae traiiciantur coniunctaeque nobiscum facilius perditos opprimant. Hoc tibi spondeo, mi Cicero, neque animum nec diligentiam mihi defuturam. Cupio mehercules nullam residuam sollicitudinem esse; sed, si fuerit, nec animo nec benevolentiae nec patientiae cuiusquam pro vobis cedam. Do quidem ego operam, ut etiam Lepidum ad huius rei societatem incitem, omniaque ei obsequia polliceor, si modo rem publicam respicere volet; utor in hac re adiutoribus interpretibusque fratre meo et Laterense et Furnio nostro; non me impedient privatae offensiones, quo minus pro rei publicae salute etiam cum inimicissimo consentiam: quod si nihil profecero, nihilo minus maximo sum animo et maiore fortasse cum mea gloria vobis satisfaciam. Fac valeas meque mutuo diligas.
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I give you immortal thanks, and I shall do so as long as I live. I cannot confidently say I will repay you, for I do not think I can answer such great services of yours unless, as you wrote with such weight and eloquence, you decide that I have repaid you by remembering them.
If your own son's standing had been at stake, you could not have acted with greater affection. Your first motion, with its unlimited rewards, your later motions adjusted to the moment and to my friends' judgment, your constant and sustained speeches about me, and your well-known disputes with my detractors on my behalf, all of this is thoroughly known to me. I must take no ordinary care to prove myself, as a citizen, worthy of your praise, and, as your friend, mindful and grateful.
For the future, protect your own gift. If, by outcomes and facts, you see that I am the man you wanted me to be, then defend me and take up my cause.
After I had brought my troops across the Rhone and sent my brother ahead with three thousand cavalry, I was myself directing my march toward Mutina when I heard on the road that a battle had been fought and that Brutus and Mutina had been freed from the siege. I saw that Antony and the remnants with him had no possible refuge except this region, and that two hopes lay before him: Lepidus himself and Lepidus' army.
Because a part of that army is no less frenzied than the men who were with Antony, I recalled my cavalry. I halted among the Allobroges, so that I could be ready for everything as events directed. If Antony comes here stripped of forces, I think I can hold the situation by myself and manage the republic according to your judgment, even if he is received by Lepidus' army. But if he brings some troops with him, and if the veteran Tenth Legion, which through my efforts has been recalled and is now with the rest, returns to the same madness, I will still do all I can to prevent harm. I hope I can manage that until forces are sent across from your side and, once joined with us, can more easily crush these ruined men.
This I promise you, my dear Cicero: neither spirit nor diligence will fail me. I truly wish no anxiety remained. But if it does, I will yield to no one in spirit, goodwill, or endurance on your behalf. I am also trying to stir Lepidus into joining this policy, and I promise him every deference if only he is willing to look to the republic. In this I am using my brother, Laterensis, and our friend Furnius as helpers and interpreters. Private resentments will not prevent me from agreeing, for the safety of the republic, even with my bitterest enemy.
But if I accomplish nothing with him, I am no less confident; and perhaps with greater glory for myself I shall satisfy you. Take care of your health, and return my affection.
AI-assisted translation - This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.
Latin / Greek Original
XI. Scr. in Allobrogibus VI. Idus Maias a.u.c. 711. PLANCUS CICERONI.
Immortales ago tibi gratias agamque, dum vivam; nam relaturum me affirmare non possum; tantis enim tuis officiis non videor mihi respondere posse, nisi forte, ut tu gravissime disertissimeque scripsisti, ita sensurus es, ut me referre gratiam putes, cum memoria tenebo. Si de filii tui dignitate esset actum, amabilius certe nihil facere potuisses. Primae tuae sententiae infinitis cum muneribus, posteriores ad tempus arbitriumque amicorum meorum compositae, oratio assidua et perpetua de me, iurgia cum obtrectatoribus propter me notissima mihi sunt: non mediocris adhibenda mihi est cura, ut rei publicae me civem dignum tuis laudibus praestem, in amicitia tua memorem atque gratum. Quod reliquum est, tuum munus tuere et me, si, quem esse voluisti, eum exitu rebusque cognoscis, defende ac suscipe. Cum Rhodanum copias traiecissem fratremque cum tribus milibus equitum praemisissem, ipse iter ad Mutinam dirigerem, in itinere de proelio facto Brutoque et Mutina obsidione liberatis audivi: animadverti nullum alium receptum Antonium reliquiasque, quae cum eo essent, habere nisi in has partes, duasque ei spes esse propositas, unam Lepidi ipsius, alteram exercitus. Quod quaedam pars exercitus non minus furiosa est quam qui cum Antonio fuerunt, equitatum revocavi; ipse in Allobrogibus constiti, ut proinde ad omnia paratus essem ac res me moneret. Si nudus huc se Antonius conferet, facile mihi videor per me sustinere posse remque publicam ex vestra sententia administrare, quamvis ab exercitu Lepidi recipiatur; si vero copiarum aliquid secum adducet et si decima legio veterana, quae nostra opera revocata cum reliquis est, ad eundem furorem redierit, tamen, ne quid detrimenti fiat, dabitur opera a me, idque me praestaturum spero, dum istinc copiae traiiciantur coniunctaeque nobiscum facilius perditos opprimant. Hoc tibi spondeo, mi Cicero, neque animum nec diligentiam mihi defuturam. Cupio mehercules nullam residuam sollicitudinem esse; sed, si fuerit, nec animo nec benevolentiae nec patientiae cuiusquam pro vobis cedam. Do quidem ego operam, ut etiam Lepidum ad huius rei societatem incitem, omniaque ei obsequia polliceor, si modo rem publicam respicere volet; utor in hac re adiutoribus interpretibusque fratre meo et Laterense et Furnio nostro; non me impedient privatae offensiones, quo minus pro rei publicae salute etiam cum inimicissimo consentiam: quod si nihil profecero, nihilo minus maximo sum animo et maiore fortasse cum mea gloria vobis satisfaciam. Fac valeas meque mutuo diligas.