Summer 43 BCE: To Gaius Furnius (at Cularo?) from Cicero (at Rome)
Cicero tells Furnius not to run for election this year
From Marcus Cicero to Gaius Furnius, greetings.
When I read your letter, in which you declared that we must either give up Narbonese Gaul or fight a dangerous battle, I was more afraid of the former option; I am not at all displeased that this has been avoided.
You write of the agreement between Plancus and Decimus Brutus—in which I place my greatest hope of victory.1 About the loyalty of the Gauls, we shall find out at some point, as you write, who put the most effort into rousing it; but believe me, we know it already.2 And so I was irritated by the ending of your most charming letter.
For you write that if the elections take place in August, you will be here soon, and if they have already taken place, you will be here even sooner, as you ‘won’t fool around with danger any longer.’
Oh, my Furnius, you understand other people’s cases so easily—but you really don’t know your own!3 Do you think of yourself as a candidate right now? And are you considering either running to the elections, or, if they have taken place, staying at your own house—so that, as you write, you won’t be a complete idiot and in the greatest danger?
I don’t think you really feel this way; I know all your impulses towards glory. But if you really do feel the way you write, I don’t blame you any more than I blame my opinion of you. Will your overly-hasty rush to obtain a magistracy that is most trivial, most debased and common (if you obtain it as most people do)4 pull you away from such glorious deeds, which everyone justly and correctly praises you to the skies for?
Clearly what you are asking is whether your should become praetor in these elections or next year’s, not whether you are deserving enough of the Republic to be judged most worthy of all manner of distinction! Do you not know how high you have climbed, or do you think it is worth nothing? If you don’t know, I forgive you, I take the blame. But if you understand it, is any praetorship sweeter to you than duty, the aim of few, or glory, the aim of all?
About this matter, both myself and Calvisius, a man who has very sound judgement and a great deal of affection for you, find fault with you daily. Still, as for the election, since they are keeping you in suspense, we are doing as much as we can—because for many reasons we think it would benefit the Republic—to put them off until January.
So be well—and win.
Latin text of ad Familiares 10.26 | Glossary | Historia Civilis video overview of 44-43 BCE
Cicero said otherwise to Cassius.
It was Furnius.
Furnius seems to have been a lawyer. Cicero thinks it would be better for the Republic and for Furnius’ own standing if Furnius remained in Gaul and stayed involved with Plancus and Decimus Brutus’ campaign against Antony and Lepidus, rather than returning to Rome to seek election.