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Epistulae ad Familiares, I. ii.-iii.

in it as is possible amid such general treachery and unfairness. As regards the plan of bringing the question[1] before the people, I think we have secured that no measure can be brought before them without the violation of either the auspices or the laws, or indeed without a breach of the peace. On these points a resolution of the Senate[2] was passed, on the day before this on which I write, of the gravest import; and in spite of its having been vetoed by Cato and Caninius it was regularly drafted; it has, I believe, been sent to you. Whatever is done in any other respect, I shall send you word of it, and I shall spare no vigilance or trouble, and exercise all my discrimination and influence, to ensure that whatever is done, is done as correctly as possible. Farewell.


III

To the same

Rome, the middle of January, 56 B.C.

1 Aulus Trebonius, whose business engagements in your province are of great and far-reaching importance and financially sound, has for many years been a very intimate friend of mine. While on the strength of his own brilliant prestige, and the high credentials given him by myself and his other friends, he has always hitherto been a highly popular personality in the province, just now, on account of your affection for me, and the close ties which bind us, he is full of confidence that this letter of mine will establish him as a persona grata with you.

  1. ↑ The question of Ptolemy's restoration.
  2. ↑ A senatus consultum, even if vetoed by a tribune, might be put on record as a senatus auctoritas: the auctoritas in this case forbade the restoration of Ptolemy altogether.
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