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Epistulae ad Familiares, II. xvi.-xvii.

of pepper for you, just to show you that, in the midst of my chagrin,[1] I still have a laugh now and again.

As to Dolabella's business, I urge you to attend to it as though your own interests were at stake. One last word—I shall do nothing wildly, nothing rashly, I entreat you, however, in whatever country we find ourselves, so to protect me and my children as our friendship and your own sense of honour shall demand.

XVII

M. T. Cicero to Gnaeus Sallustius,[2] proquaestor of Syria

Tarsus, about July 18, 50 B.C.

1 Two letters from you were handed me by your orderly at Tarsus on July 17; I shall answer them in due order, as you seem to desire. I have heard nothing about my successor, and I do not think I shall have one at all. There is no reason why I should not quit the province on the appointed day, especially now that all apprehension of the Parthians is removed. I have no idea at all of stopping anywhere, though I think I shall visit Rhodes for the sake of the Cicero boys,[3] but I am not sure even of that: I want to get to Rome as soon as possible, but in any case my journey will be guided by considerations of state and of affairs in the City. Your successor cannot possibly make such haste as to enable you to meet me in Asia.

  1. ↑ The suggestion that Cicero may mean "though it be but the artificial laugh of a ventriloquist" need not be seriously entertained.
  2. ↑ This Sallustius is otherwise unknown.
  3. ↑ His son Marcus and his nephew Quintus, who were at school there; the former, we are told, required the spur, the latter, though somewhat of a glutton, the curb.
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