XIIIa
ANTONY THE CONSUL SENDS HIS GREETINGS TO M. CICERO.
Rome, April 22 to 25, B.C. 44
It was only because I was so busy and you departed so suddenly, that I did not see you personally about the following request. So I fear I may have less weight with you in my absence. But if your goodness of heart answers to the opinion I have always had of you, I shall be very glad.
248A Caesare petii, ut Sex. Clodium restitueret; impetravi. Erat mihi in animo etiam tum sic uti beneficio eius, si tu concessisses. Quo magis laboro, ut tua voluntate id per me facere nunc liceat. Quodsi duriorem te eius miserae et adflictae fortunae praebes, non contendam ego adversus te, quamquam videor debere tueri commentarium Caesaris. Sed mehercule, si humaniter et sapienter et amabiliter in me cogitare vis, facilem profecto te praebebis, et voles P. Clodium, in optima spe puerum repositum, existimare non te insectatum esse, cum potueris, amicos paternos. Patere, obsecro, te pro re publica videri gessisse simultatem cum patre eius, non quod contempseris hanc familiam. Honestius enim et libentius deponimus inimicitias rei publicae nomine susceptas quam contumaciae. Me deinde sine ad hanc opinionem iam nunc dirigere puerum et tenero animo eius persuadere non esse tradendas posteris inimicitias. Quamquam tuam fortunam, Cicero, ab omni periculo abesse certum habeo, tamen arbitror malle te quietam senectutem et honorificam potius agere quam sollicitam. Postremo meo iure te hoc beneficium rogo. Nihil enim non tua causa feci. Quodsi non impetro, per me Clodio daturus non sum, ut intellegas, quanti apud me auctoritas tua sit, atque eo te placabiliorem praebeas.
I petitioned Caesar for the return of Sex. Clodius, and obtained my request. It was my intention even then only to use his favour if you allowed. So I am now the more anxious that you may let me do it with your permission. But, if you show yourself hard-hearted to his affliction and misery, I will not contend with you, though I think I ought to observe Caesar's memoranda. But upon my word, if you are ready to take a generous, philosophical, and amiable view of my actions, you will, I am sure, show your indulgence, and will wish that most promising youth, P. Clodius, to think that you did not act spitefully to his father's friends when you had the chance. I beseech you to let it seem that your feud with his father was on public grounds, not because you despised the family. For we can lay aside quarrels we took up on public grounds with more honour and more readiness than those that come from a personal insult. So give me a chance of inculcating this lesson, and while the boy's mind is still receptive, let us convince him that quarrels should not be handed down from generation to generation. Though I know your fortune, Cicero, is above any danger, yet I think you would rather enjoy old age with peace and honour than with anxiety. Finally I feel a right to ask you this favour, for I have done all I could for your sake. If I do not gain it, I shall not grant Clodius his restoration, so that you may understand how much your authority weighs in my eyes, and that may make you all the more placable.
250
XIIIb
CICERO ANTONIO COS. S. D.
Scr. Puteolis VI K. Mai. 710
Quod mecum per litteras agis, unam ob causam mallem coram egisses. Non enim solum ex oratione, sed etiam ex vultu et oculis et fronte, ut aiunt, meum erga te amorem perspicere potuisses. Nam, cum te semper amavi, primum tuo studio, post etiam beneficio provocatus, tum his temporibus res publica te mihi ita commendavit, ut cariorem habeam neminem. Litterae vero tuae cum amantissime tum honorificentissime scriptae sic me adfecerunt, ut non dare tibi beneficium viderer, sed accipere a te ita petente, ut inimicum meum, necessarium tuum me invito servare nolles, cum id nullo negotio facere posses. Ego vero tibi istuc, mi Antoni, remitto, atque ita, ut me a te, cum iis verbis scripseris, liberalissime atque honorificentissime tractatum existimem, idque cum totum, quoquo modo se res haberet, tibi dandum putarem, tum do etiam humanitati et naturae meae. Nihil enim umquam non modo acerbum in me fuit, sed ne paulo quidem tristius aut severius, quam necessitas rei publicae postulavit. Accedit, ut ne in ipsum quidem Clodium meum insigne odium fuerit umquam, semperque ita statui, non esse insectandos inimicorum amicos, praesertim humiliores, nec his praesidiis nosmet ipsos esse spoliandos. Nam de puero Clodio tuas partes esse arbitror, ut eius animum tenerum, quem ad modum scribis, iis opinionibus imbuas, ut ne quas