Letters to Atticus/3.17

by Marcus Tullius Cicero

To Atticus at Rome

Thessalonica, 4 September 58 BC

News of my brother Quintus of an invariably gloomy nature reached me from the 3rd of June up to the 29th of August. On that day, however, Livineius, a freedman of Lucius Regulus, came to me by the direction of Regulus himself.^[1] He announced that absolutely no notice whatever had been given of a prosecution, but that there had, nevertheless, been some talk about the son of C. Clodius.^[2] He also brought me a letter from my brother Quintus. But next day Came the slaves of Sestius, who brought me a letter from you not so positive in regard to this alarm as the Conversation of Livineius had been. I am rendered very anxious in the midst of my own endless distress, and the more so as Appius^[3] has the trial of the Case. As to other circumstances mentioned in the same letter by you in Connexion with my hopes, I understand that things are going less well than other people represent them. I, however, since we are now not far from the time at which the matter will be decided, will either go to your house or will still remain somewhere in this neighbourhood. My brother writes me word that his interests are being supported by you more than by anyone else. Why should I urge you to do what you are already doing? or offer you thanks which you do not expect? I only pray that fortune may give us the opportunity of enjoying our mutual affection in security. I am always very anxious to get your letters, in which I beg you not to be afraid of your minuteness boring me, or your plain speaking giving me pain.

4 September.

Footnotes

1. L. Livineius Regulus, whom Cicero (F. 13.60) calls a very intimate friend, and says that his freedman Trypho stood his friend in the hour of need. He seems to have been condemned (in B.C. 56?) for something, but he afterwards served under lulius Caesar (B. Afr. 89). The freedman's full name was L. Livineius Trypho.
2. About Appius acting as prosecutor of Quintus. He was a nephew of P. Clodius. See Letter CCXXII.
3. Appius Claudius Pulcher, brother of P. Clodius, was praetor-designate for B.C. 57, and had allotted to him the quaestio de rebus repetundis (pro Sest. § 78). He was consul B.C. 54.