Remetente desconhecido → Marcus Tullius Cicero

Your supplications did not torment us for long, but they did torment us keenly. For we had run into a difficult knot: Curio, who is most eager to serve you, and from whom by every means days for holding assemblies were being taken away, said he could in no way allow supplications to be decreed, lest it seem that what he had gained of good by Paullus's fury he had lost by his own fault, and lest he be considered a traitor to the public cause. And so we came down to a bargain, and the consuls confirmed that they would not use these supplications in the current year. You clearly have reason to thank both consuls. You owe more certainly to Paullus; for Marcellus replied to Curio that he placed no hope in these supplications, while Paullus said he would not issue the edict at all this year. We had been told that Hirrus would speak at greater length; we caught hold of him, and he not only did not do so, but when the matter of the sacrificial victims was being discussed and he could have obstructed the proceedings by demanding a count, he remained silent. He merely agreed with Cato, who spoke honorably about you but did not vote for supplications. Favonius was a third to join them. Therefore thanks are due according to each man's nature and principle: to these, because they only showed their inclination and, when they could have obstructed, did not fight against the motion; to Curio, because he swerved from the course of his own proceedings for your sake. For Furnius and Lentulus, as was their duty, as though the matter were their own, canvassed and labored alongside us. I can also praise the effort and diligence of Balbus Cornelius; for he spoke vigorously with Curio and told him that if he acted otherwise he would be doing Caesar an injury, and then called his loyalty into question. Certain men had voted to decree them who neither *** nor wished to have the matter settled, the Domitii and the Scipiones. When these men tried to provoke a veto by their interruptions, Curio replied most wittily that he was all the more willing not to veto since he saw that some who were voting for the decree did not want the matter concluded. As for public affairs, all the contest is focused on one issue: the provinces. In this matter Pompey so far appears to have sided with the senate, that Caesar should leave on the Ides of November. Curio has resolved to endure anything rather than permit this, and has abandoned all his other measures. Our party, whom you know well, do not dare to push the matter to the final showdown. The setting of the whole drama is this: Pompey, as though he is not attacking Caesar but settling what he thinks is fair for him, says that Curio is looking for trouble. But he very much does not want and plainly fears that Caesar should be elected consul before he hands over his army and provinces. He is being treated rather badly by Curio, and his whole second consulship is being attacked. This I tell you: if they press Curio with everything, Caesar will defend the vetoer; if, as they seem likely to do, they shrink back, Caesar will stay as long as he wishes. What each person said in his speech is in the gazette of urban affairs. From it you should select what is noteworthy; skip over many things, especially the boos at the games and funerals and other trivia. It contains more that is useful. In the end, I would rather err on the side of having you hear things you do not need than have anything necessary be passed over. I am glad you have taken care of the Sittian business; but since you suspect those whom I sent you are not entirely trustworthy, I ask you to handle it as if you were the agent yourself.