Letter 8.4

I envy you: every day so much startling news is carried over to you there. First Messalla acquitted, then the same man condemned; Gaius Marcellus elected consul; Marcus Calidius, after his defeat, prosecuted by the two Gallii; Publius Dolabella made one of the Fifteen [a priestly college]. This much I do not envy you: you missed the finest spectacle of all, the face of Lentulus Crus when he lost. With what hope he had come down, with what certain expectation - and with Dolabella himself doubting! By Hercules, if our equites had not seen more sharply, he would almost have won by his opponent's withdrawal. I do not think this next item will surprise you: Servaeus, after being elected tribune of the plebs, has been condemned, and Gaius Curio is standing for his place. Curio certainly inspires great fear in many people who do not know him and his easy temper. But, as I hope and want, and as he presents himself now, he will prefer the good citizens and the senate. At present he is bursting with that intention. The beginning and cause of this attitude is that Caesar, who usually buys the friendship of the lowest men at any cost, has treated him with marked contempt. This has turned out rather neatly, as others have also noticed: Curio, who never does anything by plan, now seems to have used reason and cunning in avoiding the plans of those who had set themselves up as opponents of his tribunate - I mean the Laelii, the Antonii, and powerful people of that sort. I sent this letter after a longer interval because election postponements kept me busier and forced me to wait day by day for the result, so that I could inform you when everything was finished. I waited until August 1. Certain delays interrupted the praetorian elections. As for my own election, I do not know what result it will have. Still, regarding Hirrus, the plebeian aedile elections produced an incredible judgment. That foolish proposal of his, which we laughed at long ago, and the sudden announcement about a dictator knocked Marcus Caelius Vinicianus down, and once he was down it was followed by loud shouting. From then on everyone began demanding that Hirrus not be elected. I hope you will soon hear about me what you hoped, and about him what you scarcely dared to hope. I had stopped expecting anything new in public affairs. But when the senate met in Apollo's temple on July 22, and the matter of Gnaeus Pompey's troop pay was brought forward, someone mentioned the legion that Pompey had charged to Gaius Caesar: in what number it was counted and for what purpose it was being sought. Since Pompey said it was in Gaul, he was forced to say that he would withdraw the legion - though not immediately, and only after the matter was mentioned and his critics shouted him down. Then he was asked about a successor to Gaius Caesar, that is, about the provinces. It was decided that Gnaeus Pompey should return to the city as soon as possible so that, in his presence, the succession to the provinces could be discussed. Pompey was going to Ariminum to the army, and he went at once. I think the matter will be discussed on August 13. Certainly something will be settled, or a shameful veto will block it; for in the debate Gnaeus Pompey threw out the phrase that everyone ought to obey the senate's word. For my part, I look forward to nothing so much as Paullus, the consul-elect, giving the first opinion. I often remind you about Sittius's bond, because I want you to understand that this matter is very important to me. Likewise about the panthers: send for the Cibyrans and see that the animals are shipped to me. Besides this, we have been told, and it is now taken as certain, that the king of Alexandria is dead. Write to me carefully what you advise, what condition that kingdom is in, and who is managing it.

CCV (Fam. VIII, 4) M. CAELIUS RUFUS TO CICERO (IN CILICIA) ROME, 1 AUGUST: I envy you: such a budget of startling news is conveyed every day to you over there! First, the acquittal of Messalla , then his condemnation: the election of C. Marcellus to the consulship: M. Calidius , after losing his election, impeached by the two Gallii: P. Dolabella made one of the quindecimviri. There is only one thing I don't envy you for — that you have lost a most interesting spectacle, and did not see the expression on the face of Lentulus Crus when he lost. But what a come down for him! He had been so confident, had made so sure of it! Dolabella himself had been so doubtful! And, by Hercules , if our friends the equites had not been too sharp-eyed, he would have won almost by the retirement of his opponent. The next item I don't think will surprise you, that Servaeus , after becoming tribune-designate, has been condemned. C. Curio is candidate for the vacancy thus made by him. It is remarkable how much alarm he inspires in many people, who don't know him and his easy-going character; but, as I hope and desire, and to judge from his present attitude, he will prefer to side with the loyalist party and the senate. In his present frame of mind he is bubbling over with this intention. The root and origin of this feeling is that Caesar , who generally spares no expense in attaching to himself the friendship of the lowest characters, has treated him with very marked neglect. And in this there does seem to me to be a touch of humour — which has been noticed also to a great extent by the rest — that Curio , who never acts on any fixed plan, should be thought to be following a deliberate policy and a deep design in evading the counsels of those who had exerted themselves to oppose his election to the tribuneship — I mean the Laelii and Antonii and powerful men of that stamp. There has been a somewhat longer interval than usual between this and my last letter, because the successive postponements of the elections kept me more than usually busy, and forced me to wait day after day for their result, that I might give you the information when all was over. I have waited to the 1st of August. There have been some hitches in the praetorian elections. Moreover, what will be the result of my own election I do not know: that of the plebeian Aediles' election indeed has, as far as Hirrus is concerned, amounted to a strong expression of opinion in my favour. For that foolish proposition of his (which we laughed at of old), and the promulgation of a law for the appointment of a dictator, brought M. Caelius Vinicianus suddenly to the ground, and caused him to be loudly hooted when down. This was followed by a general demand that, after that, Hirrus should not be elected curule aedile. I hope that you will speedily hear about me the news you have hoped for, and about him what you have scarcely ventured to hope. As to politics, I had by this time ceased to hope for any new development; but at a meeting of the senate in the temple of Apollo on the 22nd of July, upon a motion being brought before it in reference to the pay of Pompey 's soldiers, mention was made of the legion with which Pompey had furnished C. Caesar — in what division was it reckoned, for what purpose was it required? Pompey having answered that “it was in Gaul,” he was compelled to say that “he would withdraw the legion.” He didn't say this at once, but only on the subject being brought forward and under a fire of invective from his detractors. He was then asked about the appointment of a successor to C. Caesar ; and on this point a resolution was passed that “ Cn. Pompeius should return to the city as soon as possible, in order that the question of the succession to the provinces might be debated while he was in the house.” For Pompey was on the point of starting for Ariminum to join the army; and in fact did go at once. I think that business will come on on the 13th of August. Some conclusion will be come to for certain, or a scandalous exercise of the veto will hinder it. For in the course of the debate Pompey let fall the expression, “Everybody ought to be obedient to the senate.” For my part, however, there is nothing I look forward to so much as to hearing Paullus delivering his vote first as consul-elect. I remind you often about Sittius 's bond, for I am anxious that you should understand that it is of great importance to me: so also about the panthers, that you should send for some natives of Cibyra , and see that they are shipped to me. Besides this, we have been told, and it is now regarded as certain, that the king of Egypt is dead. Take care to write to me what policy you recommend to me, what the condition of that kingdom is, and who has charge of it. 1 August.

IV. Scr. Romae Kalendis Sextilibus a.u.c. 703. CAELIUS CICERONI SAL. Invideo tibi: tam multa quotidie, quae mirere, istuc perferuntur: primum illud, absolutum Messalam; deinde eundem condemnatum; C. Marcellum consulem factum; M. Calidium ab repulsa postulatum a Galliis duobus; P. Dolabellam XV. virum factum. Hoc tibi non invideo, caruisse te pulcherrimo spectaculo et Lentuli Cruris repulsi vultum non vidisse. At qua spe, quam certa opinione descenderat! quam ipso diffidente Dolabella! et hercules, nisi nostri equites acutius vidissent, paene concedente adversario superasset. Illud te non arbitror miratum, Servaeum, designatum tribunum pl., condemnatum, in cuius locum C. Curio petit. Sane quam incutit multis, qui eum facilitatemque eius non norunt, magnum metum; sed, ut spero et volo et ut se fert ipse, bonos et senatum malet; totus, ut nunc est, hoc scaturit. Huius autem voluntatis initium et causa est, quod eum non mediocriter Caesar, qui solet infimorum hominum amicitiam sibi qualibet impensa adiungere, valde contempsit; qua in re mihi videtur illud perquam venuste cecidisse, quod a reliquis quoque est animadversum, ut Curio, qui nihil consilio facit, ratione et insidiis usus videretur in evitandis iis consiliis, qui se intenderant adversarios in eius tribunatum: Laelios et Antonios et id genus valentes dico. Has ego tibi litteras eo maiore misi intervallo, quod comitiorum dilationes occupatiorem me habebant et exspectare in dies exitum cogebant, ut confectis omnibus te facerem certiorem. Ad Kalendas Sext. usque exspectavi. Praetoriis morae quaedam inciderunt. Mea porro comitia quem eventum sint habitura, nescio; opinionem quidem, quod ad Hircum attinet, incredibilem aedilium pl. comitiis nacta sunt: nam M. Coelium Vinicianum mentio illa fatua, quam deriseramus olim, et promulgatio de dictatore subito deiecit et deiectum magno clamore insecuta est; inde Hirrum cuncti iam non faciendum flagitare. Spero te celeriter et de nobis, quod sperasti, et de illo, quod vix sperare ausus es, auditurum. De re publica iam novi quidquam exspectare desieramus; sed, cum senatus habitus esset ad Apollinis a. d. XI. Kal. Sext. et referretur de stipendio Cn. Pompeii, mentio facta est de legione ea, quam expensam tulit C. Caesari Pompeius, quo numero esset, quo appeteretur. Cum Pompeius esse in Gallia, coactus est dicere Pompeius se legionem abducturum, sed non statim sub mentionem et convicium obtrectatorum; inde interrogatus de successione C. Caesaris, de qua, hoc est de provinciis, placitum est, ut quam primum ad urbem reverteretur Cn. Pompeius, ut coram eo de successione provinciarum ageretur; nam Ariminum ad exercitum Pompeius erat iturus, et statim iit. Puto Idibus Sext. de ea re actum iri. Profecto aut transigetur aliquid aut turpiter intercedetur; nam in disputando coniecit illam vocem Cn. Pompeius, omnes oportere senatui dicto audientes esse. Ego tamen sic nihil exspecto, quomodo Paullum, consulem designatum, primum sententiam dicentem. Saepius te admoneo de syngrapha Sittiana—cupio enim te intelligere eam rem ad me valde pertinere—; item de pantheris, ut Cibyratas arcessas curesque, ut mihi vehantur; praeterea nuntiatum nobis est et pro certo iam habetur regem Alexandrinum mortuum: quid mihi suadeas, quomodo regnum illud se habeat, quis procuret, diligenter mihi perscribas. K. Sext.