throngs of people have come to meet me from farms and villages and every homestead. Upon my word my very coming seems to revive them. Your friend Cicero has won all hearts by his justice and self-restraint and kind bearing. When Appius heard of my arrival, he betook himself to the extreme border of the province, right up by Tarsus. There he holds court. There is no news of the Parthians, but chance arrivals report that they have cut up our cavalry. Even now Bibulus is not thinking of coming to his province: people say because he desires to be late in departing from it. I am hurrying into camp, which is two days’ journey away.
XVII
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
On the same journey, between Aug. 10 and 12, B.C. 51
I got a bundle of letters from Rome without one from you. Supposing you are well and in town, I imagine the fault was Philotimus’ and not yours. This letter is dictated as I sit in my carriage on my road to the camp, from which I am distant two days’ journey. In a few days’ time I have trusty messengers: so I reserve myself for that time. I should like you to hear the news from others; but I can’t help saying that I am conducting myself in the province with such restraint that not a halfpenny is spent on any of us. For that I have to thank the conduct of the legates, tribunes and praetors. For all of them take a surprising pride in maintaining my good name. Our friend Lepta is wonderful. I am in a hurry now, and will write everything in a few days’ time. The younger Deiotarus, who was styled king by the Senate, has taken the two boys to his court. So long
secum in regnum. Dum in aestivis nos essemus, illum pueris locum esse bellissimum duximus.
Sestius ad me scripsit, quae tecum esset de mea domestica et maxima cura locutus, et quid tibi esset visum. Amabo te, incumbe in eam rem et ad me scribe, quid et possit, et tu censeas. Idem scripsit Hortensium de proroganda nostra provincia dixisse nescio quid. Mihi in Cumano diligentissime se, ut annui essemus, defensurum receperat. Si quicquam me amas, hunc locum muni. Dici non potest, quam invitus a vobis adsim; et simul hanc gloriam iustitiae et abstinentiae fore inlustriorem spero, si cito decesserimus, id quod Scaevolae contigit, qui solos novem menses Asiae praefuit.
Appius noster, cum me adventare videret, profectus est Tarsum usque Laodicea. Ibi forum agit, cum ego sim in provincia. Quam eius iniuriam non insector. Satis enim habeo negotii in sanandis vulneribus, quae sunt imposita provinciae; quod do operam ut faciam quam minima cum illius contumelia. Sed hoc Bruto nostro velim dicas, illum fecisse non belle, qui adventu meo, quam longissime potuerit, discesserit.
XVIII
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
Scr. in castris ad Cybistra Cappadociae XI K. Oct. a. 703
Quam vellem Romae esses, si forte non es. Nihil enim certi habebamus nisi accepisse nos tuas litteras a. d. XIIII Kal. Sextil. datas, in quibus scriptum esset te in Epirum iturum circiter Kal. Sextil. Sed, sive Romae es sive in Epiro, Parthi Euphraten transierunt