I. Scr. in Cumano exeunte mense Aprili a.u.c. 705.

M. CICERO S. D. SER. SULPICIO.

C. Trebatius, familiaris meus, ad me scripsit te ex se quaesisse, quibus in locis
essem, molesteque te ferre, quod me propter valetudinem tuam, cum ad
urbem accessissem, non vidisses, et hoc tempore velle te mecum, si propius
accessissem, de officio utriusque nostrum communicare. Utinam, Servi, salvis
rebussic enim est dicendumcolloqui potuissemus inter nos! profecto
aliquid opis occidenti rei publicae tulissemus: cognoram enim iam absens te
haec mala multo ante providentem defensorem pacis et in consulatu tuo et
post consulatum fuisse; ego autem, cum consilium tuum probarem et idem
ipse sentirem, nihil proficiebam, sero enim veneram, solus eram, rudis esse
videbar in causa, incideram in hominum pugnandi cupidorum insanias. Nunc,
quoniam nihil iam videmur opitulari posse rei publicae, si quid est, in quo
nobismet ipsis consulere possimus, non ut aliquid ex pristino statu nostro
retineamus, sed ut quam honestissime lugeamus, nemo est omnium, quicum
potius mihi quam tecum communicandum putem; nec enim clarissimorum
virorum, quorum similes esse debemus, exempla neque doctissimorum, quos
semper coluisti, praecepta te fugiunt. Atque ipse antea ad te scripsissem te
frustra in senatum sive potius in conventum senatorum esse venturum, ni
veritus essem, ne eius animum offenderem, qui a me, ut te imitarer, petebat:
cui quidem ego, cum me rogaret, ut adessem in senatu, eadem omnia, quae a
te de pace et de Hispaniis dicta sunt, ostendi me esse dicturum. Res vides
quomodo se habeat: orbem terrarum imperiis distributis ardere bello; urbem
sine legibus, sine iudiciis, sine iure, sine fide relictam direptioni et incendiis:
itaque mihi venire in mentem nihil potest non modo, quod sperem, sed vix,
iam quod audeam optare; sin autem tibi, homini prudentissimo, videtur utile
esse nos colloqui, quamquam longius etiam cogitabam ab urbe discedere,
cuius iam etiam nomen invitus audio, tamen propius accedam, Trebatioque
mandavi, ut, si quid tu eum velles ad me mittere, ne recusaret, idque ut facias
velim aut si quem tuorum fidelium voles, ad me mittas, ne aut tibi exire ex
urbe necesse sit aut mihi accedere. Ego tantum tibi tribuo, quantum mihi
fortasse arrogo, ut exploratum habeam, quidquid nos communi sententia
statuerimus, id omnes homines probaturos. Vale.





Mv intimate friend Gaius Trebatius has written to me to say that you have inquired of
him where I was, and that you regretted that, owing to the state of your health, you
had not seen me after my arrival at the city walls, and that at the present time you
wished, if I came nearer, to consult with me on what was the duty of us both. Oh that
it had been possible, Servius, for us to converse before the ruin that is the word!
had been completed. We should surely have contributed some assistance to the falling
Republic. For I am fully informed, though absent myself, that, foreseeing these
disasters long before, you were the supporter of peace both during and after your
consulship. I, however, though approving your policy and holding the same opinion
myself, was unable to do any good. For I arrived late in the day; I was isolated; I was
regarded as imperfectly acquainted with the facts: I had suddenly plunged into a scene
of mad passion for war. Now, since it seems impossible for us to furnish any support
to the Republic, if there is any measure within our power to take in our own particular
interestsI don't mean to maintain our old position, but to express our grief in the
manner most honourable to ourselves-there is no one in the world with whom I should
think it proper to confer in preference to yourself. For you do not forget the
-- 373 --
examples of the most illustrious menwhom we ought to resemble nor the maxims
of the greatest philosophers, whom you have always worshipped. And, in fact, I
should myself have written to you before to warn you that your going to the senate
or rather to the convention of senators
[Note]
would have no result, had I not been
afraid of annoying the man who was urging me to imitate you. Him indeed I gave
clearly to understand, when he asked me to attend the senate, that I should say
precisely what you said about peace, and about the Spains. You see how the matter
stands: the whole world is parcelled out among men in military command, and is
ablaze with war: the city, without laws, law courts, justice, or credit, has been
abandoned to plunder and fire. Accordingly, nothing occurs to me, I don't say to hope,
but scarcely even to venture to wish. If, however, you, in your supreme wisdom, think
it of any advantage that we should have a discussion, though I am thinking of going
still farther from the city, the very name of which I do not now like to hear mentioned,
I will yet come nearer; and I have instructed Trebatius not to decline to bring any
message you wished to send me: and I should like you to do so, or to send me any of
your own friends that you can trust, so that you may not be obliged to leave the city,
or I to approach it. I pay you the same high compliment as I perhaps claim for myself,
in feeling sure that whatever we mutually agree upon, will have the approbation of all
the world. Farewell.