CMII (F x, 26)
TO GAIUS FURNIUS (IN THE CAMP OF
PLANCUS)
ROME (END OF JUNE)
After reading your letter in which you state
that Narbonensis must be abandoned or a dangerous
battle fought, the former course seemed to me the
more formidable, which I am glad to hear has been
avoided. You mention the Cordial union of Plancus
and Decimus Brutus: in that I place my strongest
hope of victory. As to the loyalty of the Gauls,
we shall some day learn, as you say, by whose
exertions that has been roused. But, believe me,
we already know it. Therefore, most delightful as
your letter was, I felt a little vexed at the end
of it. For you say that if the elections are fixed
for August you will hurry home: if they are
already over you will come still sooner, "that you
may not any longer play the fool and risk your
life as well." Oh, my dear Furnius, how completely
you fail to grasp your position, though so readily
understanding other people's! Do you really
suppose that you are now a candidate, or do you
Contemplate hurrying home to the elections; or, if
they are over, to live at your own house
that—as you say—"you may not
be the biggest fool alive and in danger as well "?
I don't think these are your real sentiments; for
I know your keenness for glory. But if you do
really think as you write, I don't blame you more
than I do my own opinion of you. Can it be that an
untimely haste for an office of the most trivial
and commonplace kind—if you get it in
the same way as most people do—will
withdraw you from the pursuit of such glorious
deeds, for which all the world is rightly and
sincerely praising you to the skies? The question,
good heavens! is whether you become praetor at
this election or the next, not whether you are to
serve the Republic so as to be thought worthy
above all men of every kind of honour! Is it that
you are ignorant of the height to which you have
climbed, or that you think it
worthless? If you are ignorant, I forgive you: the
fault is ours. But if you are not, is any
praetorship more attractive in your eyes than duty
for which few, or than glory for which all,
strive? On this point I and Calvisius—a
man of very sound judgment and most devoted to
you—daily find fault with you. As to the
comitia—as you are depending on
them—we are doing our best, thinking it
for many reasons to be for the benefit of the
Republic, to put them off till January. So then
victory and health to you!
ROME (END OF JUNE)