DCXXXVI (F V, 9)
P. VATINIUS TO CICERO (AT ROME)
NARONA, II JULY
Vatinius1 imperator to
his friend Cicero greeting. If you are well, I am
glad. I and the army are well. If you keep up your
old habit of pleading causes for the defence,
Publius Vatinius presents himself as a client and
wishes a case pleaded on his behalf. You will not,
I presume, repulse a man when in office, whom you
accepted when in danger. While for myself, whom
should I select or call upon in preference to one
whose defence taught me how to win?
Should I have any fear that he, who in support of
my political existence disregarded the coalition
of the most powerful men in the state, will fail
to hunt down and crush beneath your feet the
slanders and jealousies of a set of malignant
nobodies? Wherefore, if you retain your old
affection for me, undertake me bodily, and look
upon this burden and service to whatever it may
amount, as what you are bound to undertake and
support on behalf of my political position. You
know that my success is such as somehow or other
easily to find detractors-not, by heaven! from any
fault of my own: but what does that matter, if
nevertheless by some fatality it does happen? If
it turns out that there is anyone who desires to
prevent the compliment being paid me, 2 I beg you
to let me count upon your usual good feeling to
defend me in my absence. I append for your perusal
an exact copy of my despatch to the senate on the
result of my operations. I am told that your
slave—the runaway reader—is
with the Vardaei. 3 You gave me no
instructions about him ; 4 I, however, gave orders by
anticipation that he should be hunted down by land
and sea, and I shall certainly find him for you,
unless he has escaped to Dalmatia, 5 and even
thence I will extract him sooner or later. Be sure
you maintain your affection for me. Good-bye.
11 July, Narona.
NARONA, II JULY
