reliqua. Quod dein me mones, et amice et prudenter me mones, sed erunt omnia facilia, si ab uno illo cavero. Magnum opus est, mirabilia multa, nihil simplex, nihil sincerum. Vellem suscepisses iuvenem regendum; pater enim nimis indulgens, quicquid ego adstrinxi, relaxat. Si sine illo possem, regerem; quod tu potes. Sed ignosco; magnum, inquam, opus est.
Pompeium pro certo habemus per Illyricum proficisci in Galliam. Ego nunc, qua et quo, videbo.
VII
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
Scr. in Cumano circ. IX K. Mai. a. 705
Ego vero Apuliam et Sipontum et tergiversationem istam probo, nec tuam rationem eandem esse duco quam meam, non quin in re publica rectum idem sit utrique nostrum, sed ea non agitur. Regnandi contentio est, in qua pulsus est modestior rex et probior et integrior et is, qui nisi vincit, nomen populi Romani deleatur necesse est, sin autem vincit, Sullano more exemploque vincet. Ergo hac in contentione neutrum tibi palam sentiendum et tempori serviendum est. Mea causa autem alia est, quod beneficio vinctus ingratus esse non possum, nec tamen in acie me, sed Melitae aut alio in loco simili futurum puto. "Nihil," inquies, "iuvas eum, in quem
know the rest. You go on to advise me, and you advise me like a prudent friend; but all will be simple, if I beware of the youngster. It is a big business; he is full of oddities and has no simplicity or sincerity. I wish you had undertaken his training; for his father is too kind. If I tighten the rein, he loosens it. If I could act without his father, I could manage the youngster, as you can do. But I excuse you. It is, as I say, a big business.
Pompey, I am certain, is marching through Illyricum into Gaul. By what route and whither I am now to travel, I shall see.