Marcus Tullius Cicero→Quintus Cornificius|c. 43 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Africa|AI-assisted
I agree with you that the men whom you say are threatening Lilybaeum ought to have been punished there on the spot. But you feared, you say, that you would seem too free in taking vengeance. So you feared appearing to be a serious-minded citizen, too brave, too worthy of yourself.
I am grateful to you for renewing with me the partnership in preserving the republic that I inherited from your father. That partnership, my dear Cornificius, will always remain between us. I am grateful also that you thought I needed no thanks on your behalf. Between you and me there should be no question of thanks.
The senate would have been called on more often to honor you if, in the absence of the consuls, it had ever been summoned except to consider some fresh crisis. As a result, nothing can now be done in the senate either about the matter of the twenty sestertia or about that of the seven hundred sestertia [large sums of public money]. I think, however, that under the original decree of the senate you must raise the money by levy or loan.
What is happening in politics I expect you know from the letters of those whose duty it is to send you copies of the public record. I am in good spirits. I am not lacking in prudence, vigilance, or labor. Against all enemies of the constitution I declare the most uncompromising hostility. Even now the situation does not seem very difficult, and it would have been entirely free of difficulty if not for misconduct in certain quarters.
DCCCXXV (Fam. XII, 28) TO QUINTUS CORNIFICIUS (IN AFRICA) ROME (MARCH) I agree with you that the men whom you say in your letter are threatening Lilybaeum ought to have been punished on the spot; but you feared, you say, being thought to be giving too free a rein to vengeance. That is as much as to say, you feared being thought a high-minded citizen, too courageous, too worthy of yourself. I am obliged to you for renewing the partnership with me — inherited from your father — in working for the best interests of the state. That partnership, my dear Cornificius , will always be kept up between us. I am obliged also by your thinking that I needed no thanks on your behalf. For there ought to be no question of thanks between you and me. The senate would have been more frequently called upon to compliment you, if in the absence of the consuls it had been ever summoned except for the consideration of some fresh complication. Accordingly, neither in the business of the 20 sestertia, nor of the 700 sestertia, can anything be now done in the senate. I think, however, that in virtue of the original senatorial decree you must raise the money by impost or loan. What is going on in political matters I expect you know from the letters of those whose duty it is to send you copies of the acta. I am in good heart. In prudence, vigilance, and labour I am not wanting. To all enemies of the constitution I avow my most uncompromising hostility. Even now the situation does not appear to be a very difficult one, and it would have been quite free from difficulty had it not been for misconduct in certain quarters. [The three following letters of introduction to Cornificius probably belong to the early part of this year, but cannot be dated.]
XXVIII. Scr. Romae mense Aprili (ante XVI. K. Maias) a.u.c. 711. CICERO CORNIFICIO SAL.
Assentior tibi eos, quos scribis Lilybaeo minari, istic poenas dare debuisse, sed metuisti, ut ais, ne nimis liber in ulciscendo viderere; metuisti igitur, ne gravis civis, ne nimis fortis, ne nimis te dignus viderere. Quod societatem rei publicae conservandae tibi mecum a patre acceptam renovas, gratum est, quae societas inter nos semper, mi Cornifici, manebit; gratum etiam illud, quod mihi tuo nomine gratias agendas non putas, nec enim id inter nos facere debemus. Senatus saepius pro dignitate tua appellaretur, si absentibus consulibus umquam nisi ad rem novam cogeretur. Itaque nec de HS. XX nec de HS. DCC quidquam agi nunc per senatum potest; tibi autem ex senatus consulto imperandum mutuumve sumendum censeo. In re publica quid agatur, credo te ex eorum litteris cognoscere, qui ad te acta debent perscribere. Ego sum spe bona; consilio, cura, labore non desum; omnibus inimicis rei publicae esse me acerrimum hostem prae me fero. Res neque nunc difficili loco mihi videtur esse et fuisset facillimo, si culpa a quibusdam afuisset.
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I agree with you that the men whom you say are threatening Lilybaeum ought to have been punished there on the spot. But you feared, you say, that you would seem too free in taking vengeance. So you feared appearing to be a serious-minded citizen, too brave, too worthy of yourself.
I am grateful to you for renewing with me the partnership in preserving the republic that I inherited from your father. That partnership, my dear Cornificius, will always remain between us. I am grateful also that you thought I needed no thanks on your behalf. Between you and me there should be no question of thanks.
The senate would have been called on more often to honor you if, in the absence of the consuls, it had ever been summoned except to consider some fresh crisis. As a result, nothing can now be done in the senate either about the matter of the twenty sestertia or about that of the seven hundred sestertia [large sums of public money]. I think, however, that under the original decree of the senate you must raise the money by levy or loan.
What is happening in politics I expect you know from the letters of those whose duty it is to send you copies of the public record. I am in good spirits. I am not lacking in prudence, vigilance, or labor. Against all enemies of the constitution I declare the most uncompromising hostility. Even now the situation does not seem very difficult, and it would have been entirely free of difficulty if not for misconduct in certain quarters.
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
XXVIII. Scr. Romae mense Aprili (ante XVI. K. Maias) a.u.c. 711. CICERO CORNIFICIO SAL.
Assentior tibi eos, quos scribis Lilybaeo minari, istic poenas dare debuisse, sed metuisti, ut ais, ne nimis liber in ulciscendo viderere; metuisti igitur, ne gravis civis, ne nimis fortis, ne nimis te dignus viderere. Quod societatem rei publicae conservandae tibi mecum a patre acceptam renovas, gratum est, quae societas inter nos semper, mi Cornifici, manebit; gratum etiam illud, quod mihi tuo nomine gratias agendas non putas, nec enim id inter nos facere debemus. Senatus saepius pro dignitate tua appellaretur, si absentibus consulibus umquam nisi ad rem novam cogeretur. Itaque nec de HS. XX nec de HS. DCC quidquam agi nunc per senatum potest; tibi autem ex senatus consulto imperandum mutuumve sumendum censeo. In re publica quid agatur, credo te ex eorum litteris cognoscere, qui ad te acta debent perscribere. Ego sum spe bona; consilio, cura, labore non desum; omnibus inimicis rei publicae esse me acerrimum hostem prae me fero. Res neque nunc difficili loco mihi videtur esse et fuisset facillimo, si culpa a quibusdam afuisset.