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position, and policy you had defended, were not so mindful of your merits, as resentful of your renown. At that time, as I wrote in detail to you before, I found Hortensius unreservedly your friend, Lucullus devoted to your cause, and L. Racilius,^[1] among the magistrates, exceptionally loyal and well-disposed; for my own defence and vindication of your claims might perhaps, in view of your extraordinary generosity to me, appear to most people to be prompted rather by a sense of obligation than an unbiased conviction.

³ Further than that, I cannot testify as to the zeal or deference or friendliness of any single one of the consulars, for Pompey, who very often talks to me about you, not only when I lead him on to do so, but even of his own accord, did not, as you know, often attend the Senate on those occasions; but your last letter to him, as I could easily understand, gave him very great pleasure. To me your considerate courtesy, or rather your consummate wisdom, seemed as charming as it was wonderful. Here is an excellent man whom you had laid under an obligation to you by an act of remarkable generosity, but who had his suspicions that because of what certain persons thought of his eagerness for office you were estranged from him—this man's friendship, by the writing of that letter, you have retained. He has always, I believe, favoured your high reputation even in those very dubious days of Caninius's^[2] activity; but since the perusal of your letter I am absolutely assured that you and your distinctions and your interests occupy his whole mind. So when I write this, you must be so good as to understand that I write