Eodem die senatus-consultum factum est, ut sodalitates 32, decuriatique33 discederent: lexque de iis ferretur, ut, qui non discessissent, eâ pœnâ, quæ est de vi34, tene

rentur.

A. d. III Id. dixi pro Bestiâ 35 de ambitu, apud prætorem Cn. Domitium 36, in foro medio, maximo conventu ; incidique" in eum locum in dicendo, quum Sextius multis in templo Castoris vulneribus acceptis subsidio Bestiæ servatus esset. Hic προφκονομησάμην 3 quiddam Euxaipos de iis, quæ in Sextium apparabantur crimina; et eum ornavi veris laudibus, magno assensu omnium. Res homini fuit vehementer grata. Quæ tibi eo scribo, quod me de retinenda Sextii gratia, literis sæpe monuisti.

Prid. Id. hæc scripsi 39 ante lucem; eo die apud Pomponium in ejus nuptiis 40 eram cœnaturus. Cetera sunt in rebus nostris hujusmodi (ut tu mihi fere diffidenti prædicabas) plena dignitatis, et gratiæ: quæ quidem tuâ, mi frater, prudentiâ, patientiâ, virtute, pietate, suavitate etiam, tibi, mihique sunt restituta. Domus tibi ad lucum Pisonis Liciniana 41 conducta est. Sed, ut spero, paucis mensibus post Kalend. Quint.42 in tuam

32 Clubs, or brotherhoods, banded for any purpose, religious or political.

33 Persons banded in knots of ten each. These knots were bribed or engaged at elections, some on one side, some on another.

34 See Adams on the laws established De Vi.

35 A friend of Cicero, accused of bribery.

36 The Prætor Urbanus sat as judge in important cases.

37 And arrived at that passage in haranguing." The speech had been probably published.

66

38 From προοικονέομαι, “ Ι build a vestibule to," or, "build something, before

commigrabis. Tuam in Carinis 3 mundi habitatores Lamiæ 44 conduxerunt. A te post illam Olbiensem" epistolam nullas literas accepi. Quid agas, et ut 46 te oblectes, scire cupio; maximeque te ipsum videre quam primum. Cura, mi frater, ut valeas. Et quamquam est hyems, tamen Sardiniam 47 esse cogites.

43 A fashionable part of Rome. See Adams.

44 A noble family. Quote Horace :

Eli vetusto, nobilis ab Lamo. 45 Dated from Olbia, in

Sardinia.

46 How." So,

Vides ut altâ stet nive candidum.
Hor.

47 Sardinia was considered unhealthy.

XIX.

(Ad Q. FR. II. 4.)

Scr. Roma, Mense Martio, 697.

Cicero acquaints his brother with Sextius's acquittal,—and with his son's progress in his studies:-informs him, that both their houses are near their completion,—and that Tullius's marriage with Crassipes is arranged.

MARCUS Q. FRATRI, S.

1

SEXTIUS noster absolutus est a. d. 11 Id. Mart., et, quod vehementer interfuit reipublicæ, nullam videri in ejusmodi causâ dissensionem esse, omnibus sententiis absolutus est. Illud, quod tibi sæpe curæ esse intellexeram, ne cui iniquo relinqueremus vituperandi locum, qui nos ingratos esse diceret, nisi illius perversitatem quibusdam in rebus quam humanissime ferremus: scito hoc nos in eo judicio consecutos esse, ut omnium gratissimi videremur. Nam in defendendo moroso homine cumulatissime satisfecimus, et (id quod ille maxime cupiebat) Vatinium2, a quo palam oppugnabatur, arbitratu nostro

This trial is alluded to in the last Epistle.

2 Vatinius, Sextius's accuser, was extremely hated by

:

the people whence, in Catullus,

Odissem de odio Vatiniuno.

concidimus, diis hominibusque plaudentibus. Quin etiam Paullus noster quum testis productus esset in Sextium, confirmavit, se nomen Vatinii delaturum3, si Macer Licinius cunctaretur: et Macer a Sextii subselliis surrexit, ac se illi non defuturum affirmavit. Quid quæris? homo petulans et audax Vatinius valde perturbatus, debilitatusque recessit.

Quintus tuus, puer optimus, eruditur egregie. Hoc nunc magis animadverto, quod Tyrannio docet apud

me.

5

4

Domus utriusque nostrum ædificatur strenue. Redemtori tuo dimidium pecuniæ curavi. Spero nos ante hyemem contubernales fore.

6

De nostrâ Tulliâ, tui mehercule amantissimi, spero cum Crassipede nos confecisse. Dies erant duo, qui post Latinas habentur religiosi'; ceterum, quî confectum erat Latiar, erat exiturus.

3" Would take up the accusation of Vatinius." Defero nomen is said of those who brought an action against any

one.

4 The houses of the two brothers joined.

5 The person who undertook the building of the house, though he might not himself be a builder.

6 Tullia's expected husband.

7 There are two days, which are reckoned holy days, next after the Latin festival": with Latinas supply ferias.

Cicero, in this sentence, gives a reason why the marriage is postponed.

8 However, the day on which the Latin festival terminates, is just at its close." The Latiar, otherwise the Latina feria, lasted four days, but the two following were álso reckoned sacred. Qui is for quo; and before qui supply dies. Cicero, as writing a letter, uses imperfects for presents. See observation in last Epistle.

XX.

(ATT. IV. 4.)

Scr. in Antiati, vi Id. Apr. 697.

Cicero praises Tyrannio's arrangement of his books; and requests of Atticus to send him two of his own librarians to assist. Congratulates his friend on his band of gladiators.

CICERO ATTICO, S.

PER BELLE feceris, si ad nos veneris. Offendes designationem' Tyrannionis mirificam librorum meorum; quorum reliquiæ multo meliores sunt, quam putaram. Etiam velim mihi mittas de tuis librariolis duos aliquos, quibus Tyrannio utatur glutinatoribus, ad cetera administris; iisque imperes, ut sumant membranulam, ex quâ indices fiant, quos vos Græci, ut opinor, außous appellatis. Sed hæc, si tibi erit commodum. Ipse vero utique fac venias, si potes in his locis inhærescere, et Piliam adducere. Ita enim et æquum est, et cupit Tullia.

6

3

Medius fidius, næ tu emisti ludum præclarum. Gladiatores audio pugnare mirifice. Si locare voluisses, duobus his muneribus liberasses'. Sed hæc posterius. Tu fac venias; et de librariis, si me amas, diligenter.

"Arrangement."-A designator, as was before explained, was a person who acted as a marshaller of processions &c.

2 As binders for his books. Noblemen usually kept slaves for the purpose of copying, binding, and titling books.

3 These were their parchment labels, put behind the books, on which the titles were written.

4 Atticus's new bride.

5 Several explanations are given of this common Roman oath. The most probable is,

Medius fidius (adjuvet)! May the God (Jupiter), who protects good faith, help me!

6 A set or batch of gladiators. Many wealthy Romans kept them, and sometimes made a profit by lending them for the great amphitheatrical shows which certain magistrates gave, according to

custom.

7" You could have covered your expenses, by these two games." Alluding to the gladiatorial shows gratuitously given to the people by the ædiles of that year.

XXI.

(ATT. IV. 9.)

Scr. Neapoli, Iv Kal. Maias, 698.

Cicero inquires about the impediments to the appointment of censors, caused by the tribunes. Details a conversation he had had with Pompey. Thanks Atticus for his services with Lucceius. States his brother Quintus's expected arrival, and his own movements.

CICERO ATTICO, S.

SANE velim scire; 1 num censum impediant tribuni diebus vitiandis (est enim hic rumor) totâque de censurâ, quid agant, quid cogitent. Nos hic cum Pompeio3 fuimus. Multa mecum de republicâ, sane sibi displicens, ut loquebatur: (sic est in hoc homine dicendum) Syriam spernens, Hispaniam jactans; hic quoque, ut loquebatur; et opinor, usquequaque de hoc quum dicemus, sit hoc quasi, xai tódɛ Twxuλídov': tibi enim gratias agebat, quod signa componenda suscepisses; in nos vero suavissime hercule effusus. Venit etiam ad me in Cumanum a se 1o. Nihil minus velle, mihi visus est, quam Messalam " consulatum petere; de quo ipso si quid scis, velim scire.

8