Letter 2.10

See how poorly letters reach me. I cannot bring myself to believe that you sent me none after you were elected aedile, especially when the occasion called for such great congratulations: for you, because it was what I hoped for; for Hillus, because, lisping as Balbus does, it was what I had not thought possible. Be assured, then, that I have received no letter from you since those splendid elections, which lifted me up with joy. That makes me fear the same thing is happening to my letters. I have never sent a single letter packet home without another letter for you. Nothing is more delightful to me, and nothing dearer. But let us return - not "weturn," since we are not lisping - to business. Things have happened exactly as you wished. You said you wanted me to have just enough trouble to win a little laurel. You feared the Parthians because you distrusted our forces. Well, this is what occurred. When the Parthian war was announced, I relied on certain narrow places and on the natural strength of the mountains, and led my army to Amanus, reasonably well equipped with auxiliaries and with some authority from the reputation of my name among people who did not know me personally. In these regions that counts for much: "Is this the man who saved the city...? whom the senate...?" You know the rest. When I reached Amanus, the mountain shared between Bibulus and me along the watershed, our Cassius - to my great delight - had successfully driven the enemy back from Antioch, and Bibulus had taken over his province. Meanwhile, with all my forces, I harried the Amanians, our permanent enemies. Many were killed or captured; the rest were scattered. Fortified strongholds were taken by surprise and burned. So, after a proper victory, I was hailed as imperator at Issus, the very place where, as I have often heard from you, Clitarchus told you Darius was defeated by Alexander. I then led the army to the most hostile part of Cilicia. There, for twenty-five days now, with earthworks, sheds, and towers, I have been besieging Pindenissus, a very strongly fortified town, with such resources and such effort that nothing is lacking for supreme glory except the name of the town. If, as I hope, I take it, then I will send an official dispatch. For the present I have written this to you so that you may hope to obtain what you wished. But to return to the Parthians: this summer has had a fairly fortunate ending; the next is much feared. So, my dear Rufus, stay alert. First, see that I get a successor. If that proves, as you write and as I think, rather too difficult, then secure the easier thing: that no time be added to my term. As I wrote to you before, from your letters about the republic I expect not only present facts but still more forecasts of the future. I earnestly ask you to write everything to me in the fullest detail.

CCXXIV (Fam. II, 10) TO M. CAELIUS RUFUS (AT ROME) PINDENISSUS, 26 NOVEMBER: M. CICERO, imperator, greets M. Caelius , curule aedile elect. Just see how letters fail to reach me! For I cannot be induced to believe that you have not sent me any letter since your election to the aedileship, considering the importance of the fact and the congratulation for which it called: on your account, because it was what I was hoping for, on that of Hillus (you see I lisp) because it was what I had not expected. However, be assured that I have received no letter from you since that glorious election, which transported me with delight. This makes me fear that the same may happen to my letter. For my part, I have never sent a single packet home without an enclosure for you, and nothing can be more delightful and beloved than you are to me. But let us return (not “weturn,” for I have lost my lisp) to business. It is as you desired. For you could have wished me, you say, to have no more trouble than just enough for the laurel. You are afraid of the Parthians , because you have no confidence in the forces at my disposal. Well, the course of affairs has been as follows. On the announcement of a Parthian invasion, relying on certain difficulties in the country and on the natural features of the mountains, I led my army to Amanus , supported by a fairly good contingent of auxiliary forces, and by a certain prestige attaching to my reputation among populations who had no personal knowledge of me. For one often hears in these parts, “Is that the man by whom the city — whom the senate — ?” You can imagine the rest. By the time I had arrived at Amanus , which is a mountain common to me and Bibulus , the dividing line being the watershed, our friend Cassius , to my great joy, had repulsed the enemy from Antioch : Bibulus had taken over his province. Meanwhile, with my full forces I harassed the population of Amanus , our immemorial foes. Many were killed and taken prisoners, the rest were scattered: the fortified Strongholds were taken by surprise and burnt. Accordingly, after a complete victory, having been acclaimed imperator at Issus — in which place, as I have often been told by you, Clitarchus related to you that Darius was conquered by Alexander — I drew off my army to the most disturbed part of Cilicia . There for the past twenty-five days I have been assailing a very strongly fortified town called Pindenissus with earthworks, pent-houses, towers, and with such great resources and energy, that the only thing now wanting to the attainment of the most glorious renown is the credit of taking the town; and if, as I hope, I do take it, I will then at once send an official despatch. For the present I content myself with writing this to you, to give you hope of attaining your wish. But to return to the Parthians , the present summer has had the fairly fortunate result I have mentioned: for the next, there is much cause for alarm. Wherefore, my dear Rufus , be vigilant: in the first place, that I may have a successor: but if that shall turn out to be, as you write, too much of a business, then, what is easy enough, that no additional period be imposed. About politics I expect in your letters, as I have said before, current events and, even more, conjectures of the future. Wherefore I beg you earnestly to write me an account of everything in the greatest detail.

X. M. CICERO IMP. S. D. M. CAELIO AEDILI CURULI DESIGNATO in castris ad Pindenissum; a. d. xvii Kal. Dec. 51 Tu vide quam ad me litterae non perferantur! non enim possum adduci ut abs te, postea quam aedilis es factus, nullas putem datas, praesertim cum esset tanta res tantae gratulationis, de te quia quod sperabam, de Hillo (balbus enim sum) quod non putaram. Atqui sic habeto, nullam me epistulam accepisse tuam post comitia ista praeclara quae me laetitia extulerunt; ex quo vereor ne idem eveniat in meas litteras. Equidem numquam domum misi unam epistulam quin esset ad te altera, nec mihi est te iucundius quicquam nec carius. Sed (balbi non sumus) ad rem redeamus. Ut optasti, ita est. Velles enim, ais, tantum modo ut haberem negoti quod esset ad laureolam satis; Parthos times quia diffidis copiis nostris. Ergo ita accidit. Nam Parthico bello nuntiato locorum quibusdam angustiis et natura montium fretus ad Amanum exercitum adduxi satis probe ornatum auxiliis et quadam auctoritate apud eos qui me non norant nominis nostri. Multum est enim in his locis: 'hicine est ille qui urbem.. . ? Quem senatus.. . ?' Nosti cetera. Cum venissem ad Amanum, qui mons mihi cum Bibulo communis est divisus aquarum divertiis, Cassius noster, quod mihi magnae voluptati fuit, feliciter ab Antiochea hostem reiecerat, Bibulus provinciam acceperat. Interea cum meis copiis omnibus vexavi Amaniensis, hostis sempiternos. Multi occisi, capti, reliqui dissipati. Castella munita improviso adventu capta et incensa. Ita victoria iusta imperator appellatus apud Issum, quo in loco, saepe ut ex te audivi, Clitarchus tibi narravit Dareum ab Alexandro esse superatum, abduxi exercitum ad infestissimam Ciliciae partem. Ibi quintum et vicensimum iam diem aggeribus, vineis, turribus oppugnabam oppidum munitissimum, Pindenissum, tantis opibus tantoque negotio ut mihi ad summam gloriam nihil desit nisi nomen oppidi. Quod si, ut spero, cepero, tum vero litteras publice mittam. Haec ad te in praesentia scripsi ut sperares te adsequi id quod optasses. Sed ut redeam ad Parthos, haec aestas habuit hunc exitum satis felicem; ea quae sequitur magno est in timore. Qua re, mi Rufe, vigila, primum ut mihi succedatur; sin id erit, ut scribis et ut ego arbitror, spissius, illud quod facile est, ne quid mihi temporis prorogetur. De re publica ex tuis litteris, ut antea tibi scripsi, cum praesentia tum etiam futura magis exspecto. Qua re ut ad me omnia quam diligentissime perscribas te vehementer rogo.