Appius acting as prosecutor of Quintus. He was a
nephew of P. Clodius. See Letter CCXXII.]

[Footnote 346: Appius Claudius Pulcher, brother of P. Clodius, was
praetor-designate for B.C. 57, and had allotted to him the _quaestio de
rebus repetundis_ (_pro Sest._ Sec. 78). He was consul B.C. 54.]

LXXV (A III, 18)

TO ATTICUS (AT ROME)

THESSALONICA (SEPTEMBER)

[Sidenote: B.C. 58, AET. 48]

You raised no little flutter in my mind when you said in your letter
that Varro had assured you as a friend that Pompey would certainly take
up my case, and that as soon as he had received a letter from Caesar,
which he was expecting, he would even name some one to formally carry
out the business. Was that all mere talk, or was the letter from Caesar
hostile? Is there some ground for hope? You mentioned, too, that Pompey
had also used the expression "after the elections." Pray, as you can
conceive the severity of the troubles by which I am prostrated, and as
you must think it natural to your kindness to do so, inform me fully as
to the whole state of my case. For my brother Quintus, dear good fellow,
who is so much attached to me, fills his letters with hopeful
expressions, fearing, I suppose, my entirely losing heart. Whereas your
letters vary in tone; for you won't have me either despair or cherish
rash hopes. I beseech you to let me know everything as far as you can
detect the truth.

LXXVI (A III, 19)

TO ATTICUS (AT ROME)

THESSALONICA, 15 SEPTEMBER

[Sidenote: B.C. 58, AET. 48]

As long as my letters from you all continued to be of such a nature as
to keep expectation alive, I was bound to Thessalonica by hope and eager
longing: afterwards, when all political measures for this year appeared
to me to be over, I yet determined not to go to Asia, both because a
crowd of people is disagreeable to me, and because, in case any movement
was set on foot by the new magistrates, I was unwilling to be far off.
Accordingly, I resolved to go to your house in Epirus, not because the
natural features of the country mattered to me, shunning as I do the
light of day altogether, but because it will be most grateful to my
feelings to set out from a harbour of yours to my restoration; and, if
that restoration is denied me, there is no place where I shall with
greater ease either support this most wretched existence or (which is
much better) rid myself of it. I shall be in a small society: I shall
shake off the crowd.