ἐπεὶ οὐχ ἱερήιον οὐδὲ βοείην.
Vides enim, in quo cursu simus et quam omnes gratias non modo retinendas, verum etiam acquirendas
But it is absurd to talk of acting for them at present. Now for the point. Caecilius asked me to take a brief against Satyrus. Now there is hardly a day but Satyrus pays me a visit. He is most attentive to L. Domitius and after him to me, and he was of great assistance to me and to my brother Quintus when we were canvassing. I am really embarrassed on account of the friendliness of Satyrus himself and of Domitius, who is the mainstay of my hopes. I pointed this out to Caecilius, assuring him at the same time that, if he stood alone against Satyrus, I would have done my best for him: but, as things were, when the creditors had combined and were such influential persons that they would easily win their case without any special advocate whom Caecilius might retain on his own account, it was only fair for him to consider my obligations and my circumstances. He seemed to take it more ungraciously than I could have wished or than a gentleman should: and afterwards he withdrew entirely from the intimacy which had grown up between us in the last few days.
Please try to forgive me and to believe that delicacy prevented me from appearing against a friend whose very good name was at stake, in the hour of his misfortune, when the friendly attentions he had paid to me had been unfailing. If you cannot take so kind a view, pray consider that my candidature stood in the way. I think even so I may be forgiven: for there is not “a trifle, some eightpenny matter,”[[2]] at Iliad xxii, 159| stake. You know the game I am playing, and how important it is for me to keep in with every one and
[2]. Lit. “Since it was not for a victim for sacrifice nor for an oxhide shield (they strove).”
putemus. Spero tibi me causam probasse, cupio quidem certe.
Hermathena tua valde me delectat et posita ita belle est, ut totum gymnasium eius ἀνάθημα[[3]] esse videatur. Multum te amamus.
II
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
Scr. Romae paulo post ep. 1 a. 689
L. Iulio Caesare, C. Marcio Figulo consulibus filiolo me auctum scito salva Terentia. Abs te tam diu nihil litterarum! Ego de meis ad te rationibus scripsi antea diligenter. Hoc tempore Catilinam, competitorem nostrum, defendere cogitamus. Iudices habemus, quos volumus, summa accusatoris voluntate. Spero, si absolutus erit, coniunctiorem illum nobis fore in ratione petitionis; sin aliter acciderit, humaniter feremus.