Marcus Tullius Cicero→Publius Sestius|c. 56 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome|AI-assisted
Decius the copyist came to see me and asked me to work to prevent a successor being appointed to you at this time. Although I considered him an honorable man and devoted to you, I remembered the tone of your earlier letter and could not be sure that a cautious and experienced man like you had changed his wishes so completely.
But after your wife Cornelia called on Terentia, and after I spoke with Quintus Cornelius, I made sure to attend every meeting of the senate. I found that the hardest task was persuading the tribune Fufius, and the others to whom you had written, to believe me rather than your own letters. The whole business has now been postponed until January, but there is no real difficulty about it.
Encouraged by your congratulations, for in a letter some time ago you wished me joy on completing my purchase of Crassus's house, I have now bought that very house for 3,500 sestertia, a good while after your congratulations arrived. So you may now imagine me so deeply in debt that I would be eager to join a conspiracy if anyone would let me in. Some shut their doors in my face out of personal dislike and openly denounce me as the punisher of conspiracy; others do not believe me and suspect I am laying a trap for them. They cannot imagine that a man can be short of money after relieving the money-lenders from a state of siege. In fact, money is plentiful at six percent, and the success of my measures has made me good security.
I have inspected your house and all the details of its construction, and I strongly approve them. As for Antonius, though everyone notices his lack of attention to my interests, I have nevertheless defended him in the senate with the greatest earnestness and persistence. By my words, and by the weight of my position, I have made a strong impression on the senate. Please write to me more often.
XV (Fam. V, 6) TO P. SESTIUS (IN MACEDONIA) ROME, DECEMBER Decius the copyist has been to see me, and begged me to try and secure that no successor should be appointed to you this turn. Though I regarded him as a man of good character and attached to you, yet, remembering the tenor of your previous letter to me, I could not feel certain that the wishes of a cautious man of the world like yourself had undergone so complete a change. But after your wife Cornelia had called on Terentia , and I had had a conversation with Q. Cornelius , I took care to be present at every meeting of the senate, and found that the greatest trouble was to make Fufius the tribune, and the others to whom you had written, believe me rather than your own letters. The whole business has, after all, been postponed till January, but there is no difficulty about it. Roused by your congratulations — for in a letter sometime ago you wished me good luck on the completion of my purchase of a house from Crassus — I have bought that very house for 3,500 sestertia, a good while subsequent to your congratulation. Accordingly, you may now look upon me as being so deeply in debt as to be eager to join a conspiracy if anyone would admit me! But, partly from personal dislike they shut their doors in my face and openly denounce me as the punisher of conspiracy, partly are incredulous and afraid that I am setting a trap for them! Nor do they suppose that a man can be short of money who has relieved the money-lenders from a state of siege. In point of fact, money is plentiful at six per cent., and the success of my measures has caused me to be regarded as a good security. Your own house, and all the details of its construction, I have examined and strongly approve. As for Antonius , though everyone notices his want of attention to my interests, I have nevertheless defended him in the senate with the utmost earnestness and persistence, and have made a strong impression on the senate by my language as well as by my personal prestige. Pray write to me more frequently.
VI. Scr. Romae mense Decembri a.u.c. 692. M. CICERO S. D. P. SESTIO L. F. PROQ.
Cum ad me Decius librarius venisset egissetque mecum, ut operam darem, ne tibi hoc tempore succederetur, quamquam illum hominem frugi et tibi amicum existimabam, tamen, quod memoria tenebam, cuiusmodi ad me litteras antea misisses, non satis credidi homini prudenti, tam valde esse mutatam voluntatem tuam; sed, posteaquam et Cornelia tua Terentiam convenit et ego cum Q. Cornelio locutus sum, adhibui diligentiam, quotiescumque senatus fuit, ut adessem, plurimumque in eo negotii habui, ut Q. Fufium tribunum pl. et ceteros, ad quos tu scripseras, cogerem mihi potius credere quam tuis litteris. Omnino res tota in mensem Ianuarium reiecta erat, sed facile obtinebatur. Ego tua gratulatione commotus, quod ad me pridem scripseras velle te bene evenire, quod de Crasso domum emissem, emi eam ipsam domum HS. XXXV aliquanto post tuam gratulationem; itaque nunc me scito tantum habere aeris alieni, ut cupiam coniurare, si quisquam recipiat, sed partim odio inducti me excludunt et aperte vindicem coniurationis oderunt, partim mihi non credunt et a me insidias metuunt nec putant ei nummos deesse posse, qui ex obsidione feneratores exemerit. Omnino semissibus magna copia est; ego autem meis rebus gestis hoc sum assecutus, ut bonum nomen existimer. Domum tuam atque aedificationem omnem perspexi et vehementer probavi. Antonium, etsi eius in me officia omnes desiderant, tamen in senatu gravissime ac diligentissime defendi senatumque vehementer oratione mea atque auctoritate commovi. Tu ad me velim litteras crebrius mittas.
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Decius the copyist came to see me and asked me to work to prevent a successor being appointed to you at this time. Although I considered him an honorable man and devoted to you, I remembered the tone of your earlier letter and could not be sure that a cautious and experienced man like you had changed his wishes so completely.
But after your wife Cornelia called on Terentia, and after I spoke with Quintus Cornelius, I made sure to attend every meeting of the senate. I found that the hardest task was persuading the tribune Fufius, and the others to whom you had written, to believe me rather than your own letters. The whole business has now been postponed until January, but there is no real difficulty about it.
Encouraged by your congratulations, for in a letter some time ago you wished me joy on completing my purchase of Crassus's house, I have now bought that very house for 3,500 sestertia, a good while after your congratulations arrived. So you may now imagine me so deeply in debt that I would be eager to join a conspiracy if anyone would let me in. Some shut their doors in my face out of personal dislike and openly denounce me as the punisher of conspiracy; others do not believe me and suspect I am laying a trap for them. They cannot imagine that a man can be short of money after relieving the money-lenders from a state of siege. In fact, money is plentiful at six percent, and the success of my measures has made me good security.
I have inspected your house and all the details of its construction, and I strongly approve them. As for Antonius, though everyone notices his lack of attention to my interests, I have nevertheless defended him in the senate with the greatest earnestness and persistence. By my words, and by the weight of my position, I have made a strong impression on the senate. Please write to me more often.
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
VI. Scr. Romae mense Decembri a.u.c. 692. M. CICERO S. D. P. SESTIO L. F. PROQ.
Cum ad me Decius librarius venisset egissetque mecum, ut operam darem, ne tibi hoc tempore succederetur, quamquam illum hominem frugi et tibi amicum existimabam, tamen, quod memoria tenebam, cuiusmodi ad me litteras antea misisses, non satis credidi homini prudenti, tam valde esse mutatam voluntatem tuam; sed, posteaquam et Cornelia tua Terentiam convenit et ego cum Q. Cornelio locutus sum, adhibui diligentiam, quotiescumque senatus fuit, ut adessem, plurimumque in eo negotii habui, ut Q. Fufium tribunum pl. et ceteros, ad quos tu scripseras, cogerem mihi potius credere quam tuis litteris. Omnino res tota in mensem Ianuarium reiecta erat, sed facile obtinebatur. Ego tua gratulatione commotus, quod ad me pridem scripseras velle te bene evenire, quod de Crasso domum emissem, emi eam ipsam domum HS. XXXV aliquanto post tuam gratulationem; itaque nunc me scito tantum habere aeris alieni, ut cupiam coniurare, si quisquam recipiat, sed partim odio inducti me excludunt et aperte vindicem coniurationis oderunt, partim mihi non credunt et a me insidias metuunt nec putant ei nummos deesse posse, qui ex obsidione feneratores exemerit. Omnino semissibus magna copia est; ego autem meis rebus gestis hoc sum assecutus, ut bonum nomen existimer. Domum tuam atque aedificationem omnem perspexi et vehementer probavi. Antonium, etsi eius in me officia omnes desiderant, tamen in senatu gravissime ac diligentissime defendi senatumque vehementer oratione mea atque auctoritate commovi. Tu ad me velim litteras crebrius mittas.