May 43 BCE: To Gaius Furnius (in Transalpine Gaul with Plancus) from Cicero (at Rome)

Cicero offers advice on seeking election: don't

From Cicero to Furnius, greetings.¹

If, as people think, it is in the Republic’s interest for you to continue the work that you have begun, and to remain involved in the very important matter of extinguishing the remaining sparks of war, I feel like you can do nothing better nor more praiseworthy or honourable  than that. My opinion is that this work of yours, your assiduity, and your Republican feeling are preferable to you rushing towards the praetorship. 

I don’t want you to be ignorant of how much praise you have won. Believe me, you are second only to Plancus, and that is based on Plancus’ own testimony, as well as rumours and public opinion. Therefore, if there is any of this work that you have yet to complete, my opinion is that you should put the most effort into finishing it off. What could be more honourable, and what is preferable to honour? 

But if you think you have done your duty well enough, and that you have done enough for the Republic, then my opinion is that you should hurry to the elections, since they will be held early²—so long as this ambitious speed does not in any way detract from the glory we have won.

There have been many very famous men who, since they were away on public service, did not stand as candidates for election in their year.³ This is even easier in our case because this is not your designated year, since if you had been aedile, your year would have been two years later. As things are, you will not appear to be omitting any of the usual quasi-legal period of canvassing.⁴

But I see that when Plancus is consul⁵ (although even without him you will have an easy time of it) your campaign would be more distinguished, so long as the situation where you are now has been concluded to our satisfaction. 

By all means, I don’t think it is necessary for me to write more, since you have such great intelligence and good judgement. But still, I wanted you to know my opinion, the main point of which is that I would rather you base your decision on the dignity of your actual position than ambition for higher office, and look for reward in lasting glory rather than swift election to the praetorship.

I said the same thing when I invited my brother Quintus and your very close friends Caecina and Calvisius to my house. Your freedman Dardanus was also there. They all seemed to approve of what I said—but you will judge best.

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Latin text of ad Familiares 10.25 | Glossary | Historia Civilis video overview of 44-43 BCE

1. Furnius seems to have asked Cicero for advice on whether he should stand for the praetorship, in a no longer extant letter.

2. Elections were usually held in the Summer.

3. The Lex Villia Annalis set out the minimum age at which someone could stand for each office on the Cursus Honorum. Being elected ‘in your year’ meant being elected at the youngest possible age, which for the praetorship was 39.

4. Candidacy legally had to be announced at least 24 days before the date of the election, but in practice canvassing usually started earlier. Cicero is saying that if Furnius announced his candidacy now, it would be far enough in advance of the election, and it wouldn’t look like he was skipping any of the customary ‘quasi-legal period of canvassing’. Cicero does not say that Furnius would still be starting his canvassing later than other candidates, and later than he could if he waited for the next year’s elections.

5. In 42 BCE.