Letter 4.15

I have received your very brief letter, from which I was unable to learn what I wished to know, though I did learn what I had not doubted. For I did not learn how bravely you were bearing our common miseries, but I easily perceived how much you loved me. Yet I already knew the latter; had I known the former, I would have suited my letter to it. But still, although I have already written what I thought ought to be written, I thought you should be briefly reminded at this time not to think yourself in any particular danger. We are all in great danger, but in one that is shared. Therefore you ought neither to demand a fortune peculiar and special to yourself nor to refuse the common one. Let us therefore be of the same spirit toward one another as we have always been; which I can hope for on your part and guarantee on mine.

CDLXXXII (Fam. IV, 15) TO GNAEUS PLANCIUS (EXILE IN CORCYRA) ROME (SEPTEMBER) I have received your very short note, from which I was not able to learn what I wanted to know, but did learn what I was sure of already. For I did not gather with how much courage you were bearing our common misfortunes: while the strength of your affection for me I had no difficulty in seeing. But the latter I had known before. If I had known the former, 'I would have adapted my letter to it. However, though I have already written all that I thought ought to be written, I yet considered that at such a crisis as this I ought briefly to warn you not to think that you are in any danger special to yourself. We are all in great danger, but yet in one that is common to us all. So you ought neither to demand a position peculiar to yourself and distinct, nor to refuse one in which we all share. Wherefore let us keep the same mutual regard as we always had; which I may hope in your case and guarantee in my own.

XV. Scr. Romae a.u.c. 708. M. CICERO S. D. CN. PLANCIO. Accepi perbreves tuas litteras, quibus id, quod scire cupiebam, cognoscere non potui, cognovi autem id, quod mihi dubium non fuit: nam, quam fortiter ferres communes miserias, non intellexi, quam me amares, facile perspexi; sed hoc scieram, illud si scissem, ad id meas litteras accommodavissem. Sed tamen, etsi antea scripsi, quae existimavi scribi oportere, tamen hoc te tempore breviter commonendum putavi, ne quo in periculo te proprio existimares esse: in magno omnes, sed tamen in communi sumus; quare non debes aut propriam fortunam et praecipuam postulare aut communem recusare. Quapropter eo animo simus inter nos, quo semper fuimus; quod de te sperare, de me praestare possum. Cicero