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,
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.
Iam antea petivi abs te per litteras, ut, cum causa Buthrotiorum probata a consulibus esset, quibus et lege et senatus consulto permissum erat, ut de Caesaris actis cognoscerent, statuerent, iudicarent, eam rem tu adiuvares, Atticumque nostrum, cuius te studiosum cognovi, et me, qui non minus laboro, molestia liberares. Omnibus enim rebus magna cura, multa opera et labore confectis in te positum est, ut nostrae sollicitudinis finem quam primum facere possimus. Quamquam intellegimus ea te esse prudentia, ut videas, si ea decreta consulum, quae de Caesaris actis interposita sunt, non serventur, magnam perturbationem rerum fore. Equidem, cum multa, quod necesse erat in tanta occupatione, non probentur, quae Caesar statuerit, tamen otii pacisque causa acerrime illa soleo defendere. Quod tibi idem magno opere faciendum censeo; quamquam haec epistula non suasoris est, sed rogatoris. Igitur, mi Plance, rogo te et etiam atque etiam oro sic medius fidius, ut maiore studio magisque ex animo agere non possim, ut totum hoc negotium ita agas, ita tractes, ita conficias, ut, quod sine ulla dubitatione apud consules obtinuimus propter summam bonitatem et aequitatem causae, id tu nos obtinuisse non modo facile patiare, sed etiam gaudeas. Qua quidem voluntate te esse erga Atticum saepe praesens et illi ostendisti et vero
I have already written to ask you to render assistance in the matter of the Buthrotians, since the consuls, who had the authority of a statute and a senatorial decree to investigate, determine, and decide on Caesar's proceedings, have approved of their case; and to relieve Atticus, whom I know you admire, and myself, who am as much concerned as he is, from trouble. For now that we have brought the whole business to an end with the expenditure of much care, much labour, and pains, it rests with you to allow us to make an end to our anxiety as early as possible. However, I am sure that you have wisdom enough to see, that, if the decisions delivered by the consuls about Caesar's proceedings are not observed, things will be thrown into great confusion. For my part, though one cannot approve of many of Caesar's arrangements—as was natural in the case of a person so busy—still I am wont to uphold them staunchly for the sake of peace and quietness: and I am strongly of the opinion that you should do the same, though I am not writing as an adviser but as a suppliant. So, my dear Plancus, I beg and beseech you—and I do assure you I could not be more anxious or more in earnest about anything—to take in hand, to conduct, and to carry through all this business in such a way, that, what we have obtained from the consuls without any hesitation solely on the justice and equity of our case, we may obtain from you not only with your kind indulgence but with alacrity on your part. How kindly disposed you are to Atticus you have often shown him and me, too, when we
434etiam mihi. Quod si feceris, me, quem voluntate et paterna necessitudine coniunctum semper habuisti, maximo beneficio devinctum habebis, idque ut facias, te vehementer etiam atque etiam rogo.
Numquam putavi fore ut supplex ad te venirem; sed hercule facile patior datum tempus, in quo amorem experirer tuum. Atticum quanti faciam, scis. Amabo te, da mihi et hoc, obliviscere mea causa illum aliquando suo familiari, adversario tuo voluisse consultum, cum illius existimatio ageretur. Hoc primum ignoscere est humanitatis tuae; suos enim quisque debet tueri; deinde, si me amas (omitte Atticum), Ciceroni tuo, quem quanti facias, prae te soles ferre, totum hoc da, ut, quod semper existimavi, nunc plane intellegam, me a te multum amari. Buthrotios cum Caesar decreto suo, quod ego obsignavi cum multis amplissimis viris, liberavisset ostendissetque nobis se, cum agrarii mare transissent, litteras missurum, quem in agrum deducerentur, accidit, ut subito ille interiret. Deinde, quem ad modum tu scis (interfuisti enim), cum consules oporteret ex senatus consulto de actis Caesaris cognoscere, res ab iis in Kal. Iun. dilata est. Accessit ad senatus consultum lex, quae lata est a. d. IIII Non.
have been together. If you will do this, you will have bound me—who have always been attached to you by my own inclination and by our family friendship—to you under a heavy obligation, and I beg you earnestly and repeatedly to do so.
I never thought I should have to come before you as a suppliant, but upon my soul I am not sorry that I should have an occasion for testing your affection. You know how fond I am of Atticus. Pray grant me one other favour and forget for my sake that once he wished to support a friend of his, who was an enemy of yours, when his reputation was at stake. In the first place your kindly disposition should bid you forgive that, for everyone ought to look after his own friends; in the next place, leaving Atticus out of the question, if you love me—and you are always declaring how great is the respect you have for your friend Cicero—grant me that now I may know for a certainty what I have always believed, that you have a great affection for me. By a decree, which I and many important persons signed, Caesar set free the Buthrotians, and assured us that, when the land-commissioners had crossed the sea, he would send a despatch about the territory to which they should be transferred; and then it happened that he died suddenly. Then, as you know (for you were present), when the consuls ought to have decided on Caesar's proceedings in accordance with a senatorial decree, they postponed the matter till the 1st of June. On the 2nd of June a law was passed in
436Iun., quae lex earum rerum, quas Caesar statuisset, decrevisset, egisset, consulibus cognitionem dedit. Causa Buthrotiorum delata est ad consules. Decretum Caesaris recitatum est et multi praeterea libelli Caesaris prolati. Consules de consilii sententia decreverunt secundum Buthrotios: litteras ad[347] Plancum dederunt. Nunc, mi Capito (scio enim, quantum semper apud eos, quibuscum sis, posse soleas, eo plus apud hominem facillimum atque humanissimum, Plancum), enitere, elabora vel potius eblandire, effice, ut Plancus, quem spero optimum esse, sit etiam melior opera tua. Omnino res huius modi mihi videtur esse, ut sine cuiusquam gratia Plancus ipse pro ingenio et prudentia sua non sit dubitaturus, quin decretum consulum, quorum et lege et senatus consulto cognitio et iudicium fuit, conservet, praesertim cum hoc genere cognitionum labefactato acta Caesaris in dubium ventura videantur, quae non modo ii, quorum interest, sed etiam ii, qui illa non probant, otii causa confirmari velint. Quod cum ita sit, tamen interest nostra Plancum hoc animo libenti prolixoque facere; quod certe faciet, si tu nervulos tuos mihi saepe cognitos suavitatemque, qua nemo tibi par est, adhibueris. Quod ut facias, te vehementer rogo.
347. litteras ad added by Manutius.
addition to the decree of the Senate, granting the consuls the right of deciding on Caesar's statutes, decrees, and proceedings. The case of the Buthrotians was put before the consuls. Caesar's decree was read to them, and many other papers of Caesar's were brought forward too. By the advice of their council the consuls decided in favour of the Buthrotians, and sent a despatch to Plancus. Now, Capito, I know the influence you always have over those with whom you are, especially with so amiable and good-natured a person as Plancus; please use all your energy, or rather all your powers of persuasion, and make Plancus, who I hope will be sufficiently kindly himself, still more kindly. In any case I think this is the state of affairs: that without favouring anybody, Plancus will have sense and wisdom enough to have no hesitation in obeying the decree of the consuls, who had the right of enquiry and decision conferred upon them by law and by a senatorial decree, especially as, if this kind of decision is rendered null, Caesar's proceedings may well be called in question; and not only those who benefit by them, but even those who disapprove of them, have to give them their support for the sake of peace. Though that is the case, still it is to our interest that Plancus should do this willingly and freely; and no doubt he will if you exert your influence, which I know so well, and your persuasive power, which is unequalled: and that I beg you earnestly to do.
Patrem tuum plurimi feci, meque ille mirifice et coluit et amavit; nec mehercule umquam mihi dubium fuit, quin a te diligerer; ego quidem id facere non destiti. Quam ob rem peto a te in maiorem modum, ut civitatem Buthrotiam subleves decretumque consulum, quod ii secundum Buthrotios fecerunt, cum et lege et senatus consulto statuendi potestatem haberent, des operam ut Plancus noster quam primum confirmet et comprobet. Hoc te vehementer, mi Cupienni, etiam atque etiam rogo.
Ignosce mihi, quod, cum antea accuratissime de Buthrotiis ad te scripserim, eadem de re saepius scribam. Non mehercule, mi Plance, facio, quo parum confidam aut liberalitati tuae aut nostrae amicitiae, sed, cum tanta res agatur Attici nostri, nunc vero etiam existimatio, ut id, quod probavit Caesar nobis testibus et obsignatoribus, qui et decretis et responsis Caesaris interfueramus, videatur obtinere potuisse, praesertim cum tota potestas eius rei tua sit, ut ea, quae consules decreverunt secundum
I was a great admirer of your father, and he was exceedingly attentive and affectionate to me; and I am sure I have never had any doubt that you have a regard for me. Certainly I have never ceased to have one for you. So I beg you with more than usual earnestness to assist the city of Buthrotum, and to make it your business that our friend Plancus should confirm and verify the decree which the consuls made in favour of the Buthrotians, when they had been granted the power of settling the question both by a statute and by a senatorial decree. This I do most earnestly beg and entreat you, my dear Cupiennius.
Pardon me for writing again on the same subject, when I have already written very fully to you about the Buthrotians. I do assure you, my dear Plancus, that I do not do so because I have little faith in your generosity or your friendship for me. But my friend Atticus has so great a monetary stake in the matter; and now, what is more, his very reputation is involved in showing that he can obtain what Caesar approved of, and we, who were present when Caesar made his decrees and gave his answer, witnessed and sealed. And I appeal to you especially, because it is a case where the whole power, I will not say of confirming, but of confirming freely and willingly
440Caesaris decreta et responsa, non dicam comprobes, sed studiose libenterque comprobes. Id mihi sic erit gratum, ut nulla res gratior esse possit. Etsi iam sperabam, cum has litteras accepisses, fore ut ea, quae superioribus litteris a te petissemus, impetrata essent, tamen non faciam finem rogandi, quoad nobis nuntiatum erit te id fecisse, quod magna cum spe exspectamus. Deinde enim confido fore ut alio genere litterarum utamur tibique pro tuo summo beneficio gratias agamus. Quod si acciderit, velim sic existimes, non tibi tam Atticum, cuius permagna res agitur, quam me, qui non minus laboro quam ille, obligatum fore.
Non dubito, quin mirere atque etiam stomachere, quod tecum de eadem re agam saepius. Hominis familiarissimi et mihi omnibus rebus coniunctissimi permagna res agitur, Attici. Cognovi ego tua studia in amicos, etiam in te amicorum. Multum potes nos apud Plancum iuvare. Novi humanitatem tuam; scio, quam sis amicis iucundus. Nemo nos in hac causa plus iuvare potest quam tu. Et res ita est firma, ut debet esse, quam consules de consilii sententia decreverunt, cum et lege et senatus consulto cognoscerent. Tamen omnia posita putamus in Planci
what the consuls decreed in accordance with Caesar's decrees and promises, lies in your hands. It will be doing me a favour than which none could be greater. Although I hope that by the time you receive this letter you will have granted me the petition I made in my former letter, still I shall not cease from asking until I have news that you have done what I am looking forward to with great hope. Then I trust I shall write a different kind of letter, and pay my thanks for your exceeding kindness. If that comes to pass I would have you think that you have not so much put Atticus, in spite of the huge sum of money he has at stake, under an obligation, as myself, who take an equal interest in the matter.
I have no doubt you are astonished and even annoyed with me for approaching you twice on the same subject. Atticus, my greatest friend and my closest intimate in every way, has grave interests at stake. I know the willingness with which you help your friends and your friends help you. You can render us much assistance with Plancus. I know the kindness of your heart; I know how welcome you are to your friends. There is no one who can help us more than you in this case. And the case is as sound as a case ought to be which the consuls have decided on the advice of their council, when they had the right of decision conferred on them by statute and by senatorial decree. Still to us the whole case seems to lie in the generosity of your
442tui liberalitate; quem quidem arbitramur cum officii sui et rei publicae causa decretum consulum comprobaturum tum libenter nostra causa esse facturum. Adiuvabis igitur, mi Capito. Quod ut facias, te vehementer etiam atque etiam rogo.
friend Plancus; and, indeed, we think he will ratify the consuls' decree both for duty's sake and for the sake of the constitution, and that he will do so willingly for our sake. So please help us, my dear Capito. I entreat and beseech you earnestly to do so.