CLXVI (F VII, II)
TO C. TREBATIUS TESTA (IN GAUL)
ROME (JANUARY OR FEBRUARY)
If you had not left Rome before, you certainly
would have left it now. For who wants a lawyer
when there are so many interregna? I shall advise all
defendants in civil suits to ask each interrex for two adjournments
for obtaining legal assistance. 1 Do you think that I have taken a
pretty good hint from you as to civil procedure?
But come! How are you? What is happening? For I
notice in your letter a tendency to be even
jocose. These are better signs than the signa in my Tusculan villa.
2
But I want to know what it means. You say, indeed,
that you are consulted by Caesar, but I should
have preferred his consulting by you. If that is
taking place, or you think it likely to take
place, by all means persevere in your military
service and stay on: I shall console myself for my
loss of you by the hope that it will be your gain:
but if, on the other hand, things are not paying
with you, come back to us. For either something
will turn up sooner or later here, or, if not, one
conversation between you and me, by heaven, will
be worth more than all the Samobrivae 3 in the world.
Finally, if you return speedily, there will be no
talk about it; but if you stay away much longer
without getting anything, I am in terror not only
of Laberius, but of our comrade Valerius also. For
it would make a capital character
for a farce—a British lawyer! 4 I
am not laughing though you may laugh, but, as
usual, when writing to you, I jest on the most
serious subject. Joking apart, I advise you in the
most friendly spirit, that if you hold a position
for yourself worthy of my introduction, you should
put up with the loss of my society and farther
your own career and wealth: but if things are
stagnant with you there, come back to us. In spite
of everything you will get all you want, by your
own good qualities certainly, but also by my
extreme affection for you.
ROME (JANUARY OR FEBRUARY)