Cicero: Letters to Atticus, Vol. 3 of 3

by Marcus Tullius Cicero

Scr. in Tusculano eodem tempore

Attici nostri te valde studiosum esse cognovi, mei vero ita cupidum, ut mehercule paucos aeque observantes atque amantes me habere existimem. Ad paternas enim magnas et veteres et iustas necessitudines magnam attulit accessionem tua voluntas erga me meaque erga te par atque mutua.

Buthrotia tibi causa ignota non est. Egi enim saepe de ea re tecum tibique totam rem demonstravi; quae est acta hoc modo. Ut primum Buthrotium agrum proscriptum vidimus, commotus Atticus libellum composuit. Eum mihi dedit, ut darem Caesari; eram enim cenaturus apud eum illo die. Eum libellum Caesari dedi. Probavit causam, rescripsit Attico aequa eum postulare, admonuit tamen, ut pecuniam reliquam Buthrotii ad diem solverent. Atticus, qui civitatem conservatam cuperet, pecuniam numeravit de suo. Quod cum esset factum, adiimus ad Caesarem, verba fecimus pro Buthrotiis, liberalissimum decretum abstulimus; quod est obsignatum ab amplissimis viris. Quae cum essent acta, mirari equidem solebam pati Caesarem convenire eos, qui agrum Buthrotium concupissent, neque solum pati, sed etiam ei negotio te praeficere. Itaque et ego cum illo locutus sum et saepius quidem, ut etiam accusarer ab eo, quod parum constantiae suae confiderem, et M. Messallae et ipsi Attico dixit, ut sine cura essent,

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M. CICERO TO L. PLANCUS, PRAETOR ELECT, GREETING.

Tusculum, at the same time

I know you are much attached to our friend Atticus, and to my society you are so partial that I am sure I count myself to have few friends so attentive and affectionate. For our ancestral ties, so strong and old and natural, have been strengthened by the equal and reciprocal liking we have, you for me and I for you.

The case of the Buthrotians is not unknown to you. For I have often spoken to you about it and explained the whole affair to you. This is what has happened. When first we saw that the lands of Buthrotum had been confiscated, Atticus was troubled and composed a petition. That he gave to me to hand to Caesar, for I was going to dine with him that day. That petition I handed to Caesar. He approved of the case and wrote back to Atticus that his request was reasonable, but he warned him that the Buthrotians must pay the rest of the money at the proper time. Atticus, who wanted to save the city, paid the money on his own account. When that was done we approached Caesar, said a word for the Buthrotians, and obtained a most generous decree, which was signed by persons of importance. After that I was much astonished that Caesar used to let those who had coveted the land of the Buthrotians hold meetings, and not only allowed them to do so, but even put you at the head of the commission. So I spoke to him about it, and that indeed so often that he even reproached me for having so little faith in his consistency; and he told Messalla and Atticus himself not to worry about it, and admitted candidly

430aperteque ostendebat se praesentium animos (erat enim popularis, ut noras) offendere nolle; cum autem mare transissent, curaturum se, ut in alium agrum deducerentur. Haec illo vivo. Post interitum autem Caesaris, ut primum ex senatus consulto causas consules cognoscere instituerunt, haec, quae supra scripsi, ad eos delata sunt. Probaverunt causam sine ulla dubitatione seque ad te litteras daturos esse dixerunt. Ego autem, mi Plance, etsi non dubitabam, quin et senatus consultum et lex et consulum decretum ac litterae apud te plurimum auctoritatis haberent, teque ipsius Attici causa velle intellexeram, tamen hoc pro coniunctione et benevolentia nostra mihi sumpsi, ut id a te peterem, quod tua singularis humanitas suavissimique mores a te essent impetraturi. Id autem est, ut hoc, quod te tua sponte facturum esse certo scio, honoris nostri causa libenter, prolixe, celeriter facias. Mihi nemo est amicior nec iucundior nec carior Attico. Cuius antea res solum familiaris agebatur eaque magna, nunc accessit etiam existimatio, ut, quod consecutus est magna et industria et gratia et vivo Caesare et mortuo, id te adiuvante obtineat. Quod si a te erit impetratum, sic velim existimes, me de tua liberalitate ita interpretaturum, ut tuo summo beneficio me adfectum iudicem. Ego, quae te velle quaeque ad te pertinere arbitrabor, studiose diligenterque curabo. Da operam, ut valeas.

that he did not want to offend the people, while they were in Rome—for, as you know, he aimed at popularity—but when they were across the sea, he would see to it that they were transferred to some other land. That was what happened in Caesar's lifetime. But, after Caesar's death, as soon as the consuls in accordance with a decree of the Senate began to investigate cases, the facts as I have stated them were put before them. They approved of the case without any hesitation, and said they would send you letters. Now, my dear Plancus, though I have no doubt that a decree of the Senate, a statute, a decree of the consuls, and their despatch, will have the greatest weight with you, and I understand that you will wish to please Atticus himself, yet I have taken it upon myself in view of our connection and affection, to ask you for what your own exceptional amiability and your goodness of heart would win from you themselves. That is, that you should for my sake do this thing, which I am sure you will do of your own accord, freely, fully, and quickly. I have no greater and no dearer friend than Atticus. At first it was only a question of his money, and a good sum of it too; but now it concerns his credit too, that he should obtain with your assistance what he won by his great persistency and his popularity both in Caesar's lifetime and after his death. If he obtains it from you, I hope you will consider that I shall interpret your liberality as a great favour bestowed upon myself. For my part, I will show care and diligence in anything that I think you desire or that concerns you. Take care of your health.

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