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Epistulae ad Familiares, III. vii.-viii.

succeed in diminishing my zeal on your behalf, there is one thing in which you will not fail—in making me less concerned as to how you interpret my actions. I write thus to you more frankly than usual, relying on the consciousness of my services and goodwill; and that goodwill, based on deliberate conviction, I shall maintain undiminished so long as it is your pleasure that I should do so.

VIII

To the same (at Rome)

In camp near Mopsuhestia,^[1] October 8, 51 B.C.

¹ Although, as far as I could understand from your letter, it seems that you will be at the gates of Rome^[2] when you read this letter of mine, and the utterly frivolous gossip of provincials has become flat and stale, nevertheless, seeing that you wrote to me at such length about the talk of unscrupulous men, I felt bound to make a brief reply to your letter.

² But the first two paragraphs of it I am obliged in 2 a way to pass over in silence; for there is nothing in them that is either definite or positive, unless it be that I had indicated by my looks and by my silence that you were no friend of mine, and that this might have been perceived both on the bench, when some business was being transacted, and at certain social gatherings. That all this amounts to nothing at all, I can understand, but though it is nothing,

↑ Μόψου ἑστία, "the Heart of Mopsus," founded by an Argive priest and king of that name, was an important town of Cilicia Campestris, on both banks of the river Pyramus. It should be noticed that this letter was written nearly six months before the preceding letter,—such is their chronological chaos.
↑ "A technical expression for generals, who, after they had obtained the imperium, waited outside the city, either prior to their departure, in order to make all the necessary preparations, or on their return, if endeavouring to obtain a triumph. No magistrate could enter the city without forfeiting his imperium, unless by a special decree." Tyrrell."

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[1] Μόψου ἑστία, "the Heart of Mopsus," founded by an Argive priest and king of that name, was an important town of Cilicia Campestris, on both banks of the river Pyramus. It should be noticed that this letter was written nearly six months before the preceding letter,—such is their chronological chaos.

[2] "A technical expression for generals, who, after they had obtained the imperium, waited outside the city, either prior to their departure, in order to make all the necessary preparations, or on their return, if endeavouring to obtain a triumph. No magistrate could enter the city without forfeiting his imperium, unless by a special decree." Tyrrell."

[1]

[2]