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Epistulae ad Familiares, V. viii.-ix.

all I promise you, and pledge myself to do. I undertook the defence of your high position in your absence, and in that defence I mean to persevere, no longer for the sake of our friendship alone, but now also for the sake of my consistency.

I therefore thought it enough for the present to write to you just this—that, if I saw myself that there was anything to be done in furtherance of your wishes or interests or advancement, I should do it on my own initiative; but if I received any hint from yourself or your friends, I should not fail to convince you that neither have you ever written, nor any of your friends suggested, anything to me that went unheeded. I should like you, therefore, to write to me on all subjects, great, small, or indifferent, as to a most intimate friend; and, moreover, to instruct your people so to avail themselves of my industry, counsel, authority, and influence in all business affairs, public or private, forensic or domestic, affecting yourself or your friends, your visitors or clients, that, so far as is possible, in such labour my yearning for your presence may find alleviation.

IX

Publius Vatinius[1] to his dear Cicero

In camp at Narona,[2] July 11, 45 B.C.

1 If you are in good health, it is well; I am in good I health. If you keep up your practice of appearing for the defence of clients, you have a client at hand

  1. ↑ Vatinius had been appointed to the command of Illyricum in 46 or 45, and on the strength of some successful expeditions against the Dalmatians had been saluted as imperator by his soldiers. This is what he means by being “in office.” The "danger" to which he refers was when he was accused, in 55 or the beginning of 54, of bribery and corruption (ambitus) by Licinius Calvus. His defence was conducted by Cicero, at the order of Pompey and Caesar. Cf. i. 9. 4.
  2. ↑ A town between Dyrrachium and Histria, on the coast of Illyria.
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