LXXXV. TO ATTICUS, IN ROME (ATT. III. 24).

DYRRACHIUM, A. U. C. 696; B. C. 58; AET. CIC. 48.

De exigua spe reditus sui post ornatas consulum provincias cum propter offensionem tribunorum pl., tum propterea quod illa opinio amissa esset, senatum ante quam de se actum esset nihil decernere.

CICERO ATTICO SAL.

1. Antea, cum ad me scripsissetis, vestro consensu consulum provincias ornatas esse, etsi verebar quorsum id casurum esset, tamen sperabam vos aliquid aliquando vidisse prudentius postea quam mihi et dictum est et scriptum vehementer consilium vestrum reprehendi, sum graviter commotus, quod illa ipsa spes exigua, quae erat, videretur esse sublata. Nam si tribuni pl. nobis suscensent, quae potest spes esse? Ac videntur iure suscensere

cum et expertes consilii fuerint ii, qui causam nostram susceperant, et vestra concessione omnem vim sui iuris amiserint, praesertim cum ita dicant, se nostra causa voluisse suam potestatem esse de consulibus ornandis, non ut eos impedirent, sed ut ad nostram causam adiungerent; nunc, si consules a nobis alieniores esse velint, posse id libere facere, sin velint nostra causa, nihil posse se invitis. Nam quod scribis, ni ita vobis placuisset, illos hoc idem per populum adsecuturos fuisse, invitis tribunis pl. fierį nullo modo potuit. Ita vereor ne et studia tribunorum amiserimus et si studia maneant, vinclum illud adiungendorum consulum amissum sit. 2. Accedit aliud non parvum incommodum, quod gravis illa opinio, ut quidem ad nos perferebatur, senatum nihil decernere ante, quam de nobis actum esset, amissa est, praesertim in ea causa, quae non modo necessaria non fuit, sed etiam inusitata ac nova. Neque enim umquam arbitror ornatas esse provincias designatorum, ut, cum in hoc illa constantia qua erat

consularia. For velint nostra causa, see on Att. ii. 16, 4. In the words nihil posse se invitis, if se be retained, of course posse and nihil posse must depend on ita dicant. We must then render as above, and suppose the tribunes to have in these words uttered language quite amounting to a menace against Cicero. But this is plainly inconsistent with their subsequent conduct. We have in this passage (I am confident) the expression of an apprehension on Cicero's part which the sequel proved to be groundless. We have many such groundless apprehensions in the letters from exile. The Ed. Iensoniana has the probably true reading, eis for se; then posse and nihil posse depend on videntur above (videntur iure suscensere), and we have an expression of Cicero's forebodings now it seems to me that if the consuls choose to hold aloof from me they can do so unfettered; and if they desire to support me, they can do nothing if opposed by the tribunes.' Se arose from a dittography, posse se.

Nam quod scribis] For as to your remark, that if you had opposed the step (of passing the estimates earlier than usual) they would have gained their end by means of the people-this could not have been effected against the sense of the tribunes.' Atticus probably thought of the action of the people in assigning his province to Caesar, when the Senate

had to give in, and even to add Gallia Comata, veritis patribus ne si ipsi negassent populus et hanc daret, Suet. Iul. 22.

2. Accedit aliud] 'Moreover, there is another great disadvantage in the step you have taken. I have now lost the benefit of that opinion so strongly expressed—at least so it was reported to me-that the Senate would pass no act until my case was settled-lost it, moreover, under circumstances which not only did not demand its sacrifice, but were unusual and even unprecedented; for I remember no case in which the provincial estimates were made while the future consuls were still only consuls elect; so that the whole result is, that now any act may be passed by the Senate (before my case), since by this one act the firm front has been broken which the Senate had shown in my cause.' Gravis opinio is explained by Boot to mean, 'so important for my cause:' but the words ut quidem ad nos perferebatur, as well as the usage of Cicero, are strongly in favour of my rendering.

decernere] The tense must be accounted for thus if the opinio were expressed in the direct form, it would run senatus nihil decernebat nisi (antequam) de Cicerone ac tum esset, where decernebat = decreturun se dicebat, with which compare Att. ix.2.3, Curtius venit nihil nisi classes loquens et exercitus; eripiebat Hispaniam, tenebat Asiam, persequebatur, he talked of

mea causa suscepta, imminuta sit, nihil iam possit non decerni. Iis, ad quos relatum est, amicis placuisse non mirum est. Erat enim difficile reperire qui contra tanta commoda duorum consulum palam sententiam diceret. Fuit omnino difficile non obsequi vel amicissimo homini Lentulo, vel Metello, qui simultatem humanissime deponeret. Sed vereor ne, hos cum tamen tenere potuerimus, tribunos pl. amiserimus. Haec res Haec res quem ad modum ceciderit et tota res quo loco sit velim ad me scribas et ita ut instituisti. Nam ista veritas, etiam si iucunda non est, mihi tamen grata est. Dat. ш Id. Decembr.

LXXXVI. TO ATTICUS (ATT. III. 25).

DYRRACHIUM, A. U. C. 696; B. C. 58; AET. CIC. 48.

De Attici ab urbe discessu queritur et rogat ut ante Kal. Ian. ad se veniat.

CICERO ATTICO SAL.

Post tuum † a me † discessum litterae mihi Roma adlatae sunt, ex quibus perspicio nobis in hac calamitate tabescendum esse, neque enim-sed bonam in partem accipies—si ulla spes salutis

the seizure of Spain, the occupation of Asia, the pursuit,' &c., i. e. he said how Caesar would wrest Spain from Pompeius,' &c. So, omnia senatus reiciebat nisi de me primum consules retulissent, Sest. 68. Cp. Eur. Herc. Fur. 467, σὺ δ' ἦσθα . . . Θηβῶν ἄναξ, you (he used to say) are to be king of Thebes.' To these may be added, Liv. ii. 29, 7; ii. 41, 4; xxvi. 8, 2.

ad quos relatum est, amicis] 'who were consulted on the question' (whether the ornatio should be allowed to be settled before the consuls entered on their office, Jan. 1). Cicero says he is not surprised that the opinions were in favour of the step taken, as few would care openly to speak against a plan so highly advantageous to both consuls.

Fuit omnino] it would have been very difficult to refuse to oblige Lentulus, who is so kind to me, or Metellus (as a return) for his great goodness in laying aside his resentment against me.' Such is the force of the subjunctive. Boot's deposuerat

is worse than needless. For instances of the power of the subjunctive, see Introd. ii. § 2, p. 64.

hos cum tamen tenere] 'I fear that, while we might have retained the good will of the consuls in any case (even though we did not take this step), we have forfeited the support of the tribunes' (by it).

veritas] your candour, though it does not give me pleasure, is yet acceptable to me. That is, though I do not enjoy the candour which hides from me no news, however disagreeable, yet I like it -it is what I require.'

Post tuum † a me † discessum] It is certain from the rest of this letter that Atticus had left the city, and it is equally clear that he cannot in the meantime have joined Cicero, and then left him, for in this and the next letter Cicero begs Atticus to join him. A me of the ms must therefore be wrong; for it is too harsh to explain tuum a me discessum, 'your desertion of my cause' (in leaving Rome at

nostrae subesset, tu pro tuo amore in me hoc tempore discessisses. Sed ne ingrati aut ne omnia velle nobiscum una interire videamur, hoc omitto: illud abs te peto, des operam, id quod mihi adfirmasti, ut te ante Kal. Ian., ubicumque erimus, sistas.

this critical time). Klotz' ab urbe and Wesenberg's a Roma merely cut the knot, which should be untied. Kahnt conjectures a meis. Perhaps post tuum AD me discessum, since your leaving Rome to join me.' It is to be noted that discessisses below stands absolutely for 'you would have left Rome.' Atticus was obliged to leave Rome on business; but he might have proposed to himself to meet Cicero after its transaction.

omnia velle nobiscum una interire] Atticus had left Rome to attend to some

business which called him away. Cicero

says he must not complain-he must not expect Atticus to sacrifice real interests for his sake; that would seem as if he wished all his friend's affairs to be involved in the ruin which had overtaken himself.

te... sistas] This is a legal phrase, meaning to present oneself,' 'appear' (before a court), 'report oneself,' 'put in an appearance.' Cicero uses it to show his sense of the absolute obligation under which Atticus was bound not to fail to meet him.

LETTERS OF THE TWELFTH YEAR OF CICERO'S CORRESPONDENCE

(FIRST EIGHT MONTHS).

EPP. LXXXVII.-LXXXIX.

A. U. C. 697; B. C. 57; AET. CIC. 49.

COSS. P. CORN. LENTULUS SPINTHER, Q. CAEC. METELLUS NEPOS.

THE only letters of the first eight months of 697 are three letters written in the month of January, Att. iii. 26, 27, and Fam. v. 4. The last is addressed to the Consul Metellus Nepos, begging for his aid, which Metellus heartily accorded, generously laying aside all recollection of the misunderstanding disclosed above in the letter from Metellus Celer to Cicero, Ep. xiv. (Fam. v. 1). Lentulus brought in a bill for Cicero's recall on January 1, which drew so favourable an expression of opinion from the Senate that Cicero (Att. iii. 26) speaks of an intention on his part to return on the strength of that auctoritas senatus, even though the actual bill for his recall was prevented from passing by Serranus, one of the unfriendly tribunes. Again, at the end of January, the bill was brought before the popular assembly, but was foiled by the violence of Clodius. This is the occasion of the second letter of this year, Att. iii. 27. On August 4 the bill for Cicero's return passed the comitia centuriata. It would probably

not have been allowed to pass but for the bravos of Milo, who perceived manum manu, vim vi esse superandam (post Red. in Sen. 19). Thus was Cicero at length restored mainly by the same unconstitutional means by which his exile was brought about, and might have been averted. For