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Epistulae ad Familiares, II. viii.

VIII

Cicero, proconsul, to M. Caelius Rufus[1]

Athens, July 6, 51 B.C.

1 Well! Do you really think that this is what I commissioned you to do, to send me reports of "the gladiatorial pairs," "the adjournment of trials," "burglary by Chrestus," and such tittle-tattle as nobody would have the impertinence to repeat to me when I am at Rome? Now observe what a compliment I am paying you by my judgement of you—and rightly so, upon my faith; for I have never yet known a man with a greater flair for politics than yourself—I am not anxious that you should write to me what is done each day, even as regards important political events, unless something touches me personally. Others will write, many will bring me news, much too will reach me even in the way of rumour. That is why I do not look to you for anything about the past or present, but as may be expected of a man who sees so far ahead into the future, about what is likely to happen, so that when your letters have explained to me the general political design, I may be in a position to know what sort of a building to expect.

2 So far, however, I have no fault to find with you; for nothing has occurred which you could have foreseen any more than any other of us, and myself in particular, who have spent several days with Pompey,[2] talking about nothing else but politics; but our conversation could not and should not be

  1. ↑ A talented but profligate young nobleman, whom Cicero defended in 56 B.C. in the Pro Caelio. He was tribune of the plebs in 52, and curule aedile in 50. He joined Caesar in 49 and became praetor in 48. For a fuller account of him see the introductory note to viii. 1.
  2. ↑ Cicero had men Pompey at Tarentum.
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