DCCCXX (F XII, 7)
TO GAIUS CASSIUS LONGINUS (IN
SYRIA)
ROME (EARLY IN MARCH)
WITH what zeal I have defended your political
position, both in the senate and before the
people, I would rather you learnt from your family
than from me: and my proposal would have been
carried in the senate, had it not been for the
strong opposition of Pansa. 1 After having
made that proposal in the senate I was introduced
to a public meeting by the tribune M. Servilius. I
said what I could about you in a voice loud enough
to fill the whole forum, and with such cheering
and acclamation from the people, that I have never
seen anything like it. Pray pardon me for acting
in this against the wish of your mother-in-law.
2 The lady is timid and
was afraid of Pansa's feelings being hurt. In the
public meeting in fact Pansa stated that your own
mother also and your brother were against my
making that motion. But I was not moved by these
things. My mind was set on other objects. It was
the Republic of which I was thinking, of which I
have always thought, and of your position and
glory. Now I hope that you will redeem the pledges
which I gave both in senate and before the people
at considerable length. For I promised and almost
pledged myself that you had not waited and would
not wait for any decrees of ours, but would yourself defend the constitution in your
own way. And although we have not yet had any
intelligence either of where you are or what
forces you have, yet I have made up my mind that
all the resources and troops in that part of the
world are in your hands, and feel confident that
by your means the province of Asia has been
already recovered for the Republic. Take care to
surpass yourself in promoting your own glory.
Good-bye.
ROME (EARLY IN MARCH)