What I am not doing for myself, my affection for you and your services to me force me to do for you: to be afraid.
I have often heard this story, and I have never dismissed it. Most recently Segulius Labeo, a man very true to himself, tells me that he was with Caesar and that there was a great deal of talk about you. Caesar himself, he said, made no real complaint against you except for a saying he claimed you had used: that the young man must be praised, honored, and lifted up, or lifted out of the way. Caesar said he would not put himself in a position where he could be removed.
For my part, I believe Labeo either reported that saying to him or invented it himself; I do not believe the young man brought it up. Labeo also wanted me to believe that the veterans were speaking very badly of you, that danger from them was pressing close, and that they were especially angry because neither Caesar nor I had been placed among the commissioners of ten, while everything had been handed over to your party.
When I heard this, and was already on the march, I thought I ought not cross the Alps before I knew what was happening there. As for your danger, believe me: by throwing around threats and talking loudly about danger, they hope to terrify you, push the young man forward, and win large rewards for themselves. That whole song of theirs hangs on this one point, to make as much profit as possible.
Still, I do want you to be careful and avoid traps. Nothing can be more pleasing or more precious to me than your life. But see to it that fear does not force you into greater fear. Meet the veterans' concerns by whatever means can meet them.
First, do what they want about the commissioners of ten. Then, as for rewards, if it seems good to you, propose that the lands of those veteran soldiers who served with Antony be assigned to them by both of us. As for cash, tell them that the Senate, after proper delay and a full accounting of the money, will settle that matter.
For the four legions to whom you voted lands, I see that there will be enough from the Sullan confiscations and the Campanian territory. I think lands should be assigned to the legions equally, or by lot.
It is not my wisdom that urges me to write this to you, but my love for you and my desire for peace, which cannot stand without you. Unless it is absolutely necessary, I shall not leave Italy. I am arming and preparing my legions. I hope I shall have an army not at all unfit for every chance event and every attack men may make.
From Pansa's army Caesar is not sending a legion back to me. Write back to me at once about this letter, or, if anything is more hidden and you think I need to know it, send one of your own men.
May 24, at Eporedia.
DCCCLXXIII (Fam. XI, 20) DECIMUS BRUTUS TO CICERO (AT ROME) EPOREDIA, 24 MAV WHAT I don't do for myself my love for you and your kindnesses to me force me to do — to fear. For though I have often heard the story before, and never thought lightly of it, quite recently Segulius Labeo — and it was exactly like him-tells me that he has been in Caesar 's company, and that there was a great deal of talk about you. That Caesar himself had no complaint to make against you, except as to an epigram which he said that you uttered: “that the young man must be complimented, honoured, and — got rid of.” He said that he did not mean to give them the chance of getting rid of him. I believe for my part that Labeo told him this epigram or made it up himself, and that it was not mentioned first by the young man. As for the veterans, Labeo would have me believe that their language is abominable, that you are in imminent danger from them, and that they are exceedingly indignant at neither Caesar nor myself being among the ten commissioners, and at everything being put in the hands of your party. Having heard these stories, and being already on the march, I did not think that I ought to allow myself to cross the Alps until I knew what was going on with you in Rome . For as to your danger, believe me they hope by swaggering language and threats of danger to make great profit for themselves, when they have cowed you and egged on the young man, and that all that talk about your epigram has one origin-their desire to do as good a stroke of business as possible. Not, however, that I wouldn't have you be cautious and avoid traps: for nothing can be dearer and more precious to me than your life. Take care that you are not forced to be still more afraid by being timid, and that you meet the wishes of the veterans by whatever means that can be done. First, do what they want about the commission of ten. Next, as to rewards, vote, if you think good, that the lands of those veteran soldiers who have served with Antony be transferred to them by both Caesar and myself. As for the coinage, tell them that the senate with deliberation, and after a full investigation of the money, will authoritatively settle that business. For the four legions to whom you in the senate have voted that lands should be given, I see there will be enough land to draw upon from the confiscations of Sulla and the territory of Capua . I think these lands should be given to the legions share and share alike, or by drawing lots. It is no particular wisdom of mine that makes me write this to you, but my love for you and my yearning for peace, which cannot be firmly secured without you. Unless it is absolutely necessary I shall not quit Italy . I am arming and preparing my legions. I hope that I shall have an army that will not be very unfit to grapple with all chances of fortune and all attacks of men. From the army commanded by Pansa , Caesar does not intend to allow a legion to join me. Please answer this letter at once, or if the matter is very confidential, and one which you think I ought to know, send one of your men. 24 May, Eporedia .
XX. Scr. Eporediae VIIII. Kal. Iun. a.u.c. 711. D. BRUTUS S. D. M. CICERONI.
Quod pro me non facio, id pro te facere amor meus in te tuaque officia cogunt, ut timeam; saepe enim mihi cum esset dictum neque a me contemptum, novissime Labeo Segulius, homo sui simillimus, narrat mihi apud Caesarem se fuisse multumque sermonem de te habitum esse; ipsum Caesarem nihil sane de te questum, nisi dictum quod diceret te dixisse, laudandum adolescentem, ornandum, tollendum; se non esse commissurum, ut tolli posset. Hoc ego Labeonem credo illi rettulisse aut finxisse dictum, non ab adolescente prolatum; veteranos vero pessime loqui volebat Labeo me credere et tibi ab iis instare periculum, maximeque indignari, quod in decemviris neque Caesar neque ego habiti essemus atque omnia ad vestrum arbitrium esset collata. Haec cum audissem et iam in itinere essem, committendum non putavi, prius ut Alpes transgrederer, quam, quid istic ageretur, scirem; nam de tuo periculo, crede mihi iactatione verborum et denuntiatione periculi sperare eos te pertimefacto, adolescente impulso posse magna consequi praemia, et totam istam cantilenam ex hoc pendere, ut quam plurimum lucri faciant. Neque tamen non te cautum esse volo et insidias vitantem; nihil enim tua mihi vita potest esse iucundius neque carius: illud vide, ne timendo magis timere cogare et, quibus rebus potest occurri veteranis, occurras: primum, quod desiderant de decemviris, facias; deinde de praemiis, si tibi videtur, agros eorum militum, qui cum Antonio veterani fuerunt, iis dandos censeas ab utriusque nobis; de lente ac ratione habita pecuniae senatum de ea re constituturum. Quattuor legionibus iis, quibus agros dandos censuistis, video facultatem fore ex agris Sullanis et agro Campano; aequaliter aut sorte agros legionibus assignari puto oportere. Haec me tibi scribere non prudentia mea hortatur, sed amor in te et cupiditas otii, quod sine te consistere non potest. Ego, nisi valde necesse fuerit, ex Italia non excedam; legiones armo, paro; spero me non pessimum exercitum habiturum ad omnes casus et impetus hominum. De exercitu, quem Pansa habuit, legionem mihi Caesar non remittit. Ad has litteras statim mihi rescribe turoumque aliquem mitte, si quid reconditum magis erit meque scire opus esse putaris. VIIII. Kal. Iun. Eporedia.
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What I am not doing for myself, my affection for you and your services to me force me to do for you: to be afraid.
I have often heard this story, and I have never dismissed it. Most recently Segulius Labeo, a man very true to himself, tells me that he was with Caesar and that there was a great deal of talk about you. Caesar himself, he said, made no real complaint against you except for a saying he claimed you had used: that the young man must be praised, honored, and lifted up, or lifted out of the way. Caesar said he would not put himself in a position where he could be removed.
For my part, I believe Labeo either reported that saying to him or invented it himself; I do not believe the young man brought it up. Labeo also wanted me to believe that the veterans were speaking very badly of you, that danger from them was pressing close, and that they were especially angry because neither Caesar nor I had been placed among the commissioners of ten, while everything had been handed over to your party.
When I heard this, and was already on the march, I thought I ought not cross the Alps before I knew what was happening there. As for your danger, believe me: by throwing around threats and talking loudly about danger, they hope to terrify you, push the young man forward, and win large rewards for themselves. That whole song of theirs hangs on this one point, to make as much profit as possible.
Still, I do want you to be careful and avoid traps. Nothing can be more pleasing or more precious to me than your life. But see to it that fear does not force you into greater fear. Meet the veterans' concerns by whatever means can meet them.
First, do what they want about the commissioners of ten. Then, as for rewards, if it seems good to you, propose that the lands of those veteran soldiers who served with Antony be assigned to them by both of us. As for cash, tell them that the Senate, after proper delay and a full accounting of the money, will settle that matter.
For the four legions to whom you voted lands, I see that there will be enough from the Sullan confiscations and the Campanian territory. I think lands should be assigned to the legions equally, or by lot.
It is not my wisdom that urges me to write this to you, but my love for you and my desire for peace, which cannot stand without you. Unless it is absolutely necessary, I shall not leave Italy. I am arming and preparing my legions. I hope I shall have an army not at all unfit for every chance event and every attack men may make.
From Pansa's army Caesar is not sending a legion back to me. Write back to me at once about this letter, or, if anything is more hidden and you think I need to know it, send one of your own men.
May 24, at Eporedia.
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
XX. Scr. Eporediae VIIII. Kal. Iun. a.u.c. 711. D. BRUTUS S. D. M. CICERONI.
Quod pro me non facio, id pro te facere amor meus in te tuaque officia cogunt, ut timeam; saepe enim mihi cum esset dictum neque a me contemptum, novissime Labeo Segulius, homo sui simillimus, narrat mihi apud Caesarem se fuisse multumque sermonem de te habitum esse; ipsum Caesarem nihil sane de te questum, nisi dictum quod diceret te dixisse, laudandum adolescentem, ornandum, tollendum; se non esse commissurum, ut tolli posset. Hoc ego Labeonem credo illi rettulisse aut finxisse dictum, non ab adolescente prolatum; veteranos vero pessime loqui volebat Labeo me credere et tibi ab iis instare periculum, maximeque indignari, quod in decemviris neque Caesar neque ego habiti essemus atque omnia ad vestrum arbitrium esset collata. Haec cum audissem et iam in itinere essem, committendum non putavi, prius ut Alpes transgrederer, quam, quid istic ageretur, scirem; nam de tuo periculo, crede mihi iactatione verborum et denuntiatione periculi sperare eos te pertimefacto, adolescente impulso posse magna consequi praemia, et totam istam cantilenam ex hoc pendere, ut quam plurimum lucri faciant. Neque tamen non te cautum esse volo et insidias vitantem; nihil enim tua mihi vita potest esse iucundius neque carius: illud vide, ne timendo magis timere cogare et, quibus rebus potest occurri veteranis, occurras: primum, quod desiderant de decemviris, facias; deinde de praemiis, si tibi videtur, agros eorum militum, qui cum Antonio veterani fuerunt, iis dandos censeas ab utriusque nobis; de lente ac ratione habita pecuniae senatum de ea re constituturum. Quattuor legionibus iis, quibus agros dandos censuistis, video facultatem fore ex agris Sullanis et agro Campano; aequaliter aut sorte agros legionibus assignari puto oportere. Haec me tibi scribere non prudentia mea hortatur, sed amor in te et cupiditas otii, quod sine te consistere non potest. Ego, nisi valde necesse fuerit, ex Italia non excedam; legiones armo, paro; spero me non pessimum exercitum habiturum ad omnes casus et impetus hominum. De exercitu, quem Pansa habuit, legionem mihi Caesar non remittit. Ad has litteras statim mihi rescribe turoumque aliquem mitte, si quid reconditum magis erit meque scire opus esse putaris. VIIII. Kal. Iun. Eporedia.