Around 9 June 43 BCE: To Quintus Cornificius (in Africa) from Cicero (at Rome)
If Cicero wasn't busy saving the Republic, he would be sending even more letters
Really? No-one brings you letters from me except for people with lawsuits? Of course, there are a lot of that sort of letter; for you have made it so that no-one thinks that he has really been recommended to you without a letter from me.1 But have I ever not sent you a letter when one of your friends has told me of someone I could send it by? What could bring me more joy when I cannot speak to you face to face than to write to you or read your letters?
What annoys me more is that I have so much business keeping me occupied that I have no opportunity to write to you whenever I choose. I would be harassing you not with letters, but with entire volumes; and really it ought to be you who challenges me to do so. For although you are kept busy, you still have more leisure; or if you do not even have the time for that, don’t shamelessly annoy me and demand more frequent letters from me, when you send me so few yourself.
Although I was previously distracted by very important business, because I thought I should devote all my attention to protecting the Republic, right now I am even more distracted. For like when patients who felt their sickness was lessening then have a more serious relapse, we are even more worried than ever, since we are trying to wage a revived war when the war was almost at an end, almost finished.2
But enough about this. Believe me, my Cornificius, that I am not so poor-spirited (not to say inhuman) to be incapable of outdoing you in favours or love. For my part, I never doubted it, but still, Chaerippus has made me even more aware of the love you have for me. What a man! I always liked him, and now I find him very sweet. By Hercules, he didn’t just tell me your words and feelings, but he even conveyed your facial expressions to me.
So don’t worry that I am angry with you for sending me a copy of the same letter that you sent to other people. I certainly would like a letter just for me, but I wasn’t forceful about it, and I meant it affectionately.
About the money that you say you are spending and have spent on military matters, there is really nothing I can do to help you, because the Senate has been deprived, with both consuls dead, and public finances are in an unbelievably difficult place. Money is being collected from all over to pay what was promised to the soldiers for their excellent services. But I really don’t think it can be done without a tax.3
About Attius Dionysius, I think it’s nothing, since Tratorius said nothing about it to me. About Publius Luccius, I won’t concede that you are any more devoted to him than I am; for he is a friend of mine. But when I spoke to the liquidators4 about a postponement, they explained to me that they were prevented from this both by their agreement and by the oath they swore. And so I think Luccius must come. Although, if he has done what I told him to do in my letter, he ought to already be in Rome when you read this.
About the other matters, and the money especially, you wrote that you thought I could help you obtain it from Pansa, not knowing that he was dead. You would not have been disappointed, if he was still alive; for he was fond of you. But now that he is dead, I do not see what can be done.
About Venuleius, Latinus, and Horatius,5 I very much commend you. What I don’t entirely approve of, is that you write that so you wouldn’t upset these men, you have withdrawn your own legates’ lictors. Those worthy of honour should not be compared to those worthy of disgrace. I think that if those men do not leave the province in accordance with the senatorial decree, they should be forced to leave.
This just about answers your letter, which I received two copies of. About the rest, please believe that your political position is no less dear to me than your own.
Latin text of ad Familiares 12.30 | Glossary | Historia Civilis video overview of 44-43 BCE
The news of Lepidus’ betrayal had evidently reached Cicero by now.
A tax on property. There had not been one imposed in Italy since 167 BCE.
Footnote borrowed from Shackleton Bailey: ‘[Luccius] seems to have been interested in the estate of a bankrupt which was in the hands of liquidators (magistri) and about to be auctioned (Gaius, Inst. III.79). They would not agree to postpone the action, being prevented from doing so by their oath and also, as Cicero says, by a compromissum, i.e. an agreement to submit to arbitration (cf. Buckland, 532). T.-P. conjecture that ‘Lucceius’ (i.e. Luccius) or some other interested person had put the question of postponement to arbitration and that the arbiter found against him.’
These three were probably legates of Calvisius Sabinus, whom Antony had attempted to replace Cornificius as governor of Africa Vetus with.
I put the three legates in a novel set in 45 BCE. It was lovely to meet them again here!