rivilegium_, without mentioning anything else.]

LXXVIII (F XIV, 2)

TO TERENTIA (AT ROME)

THESSALONICA, 5 OCTOBER

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

Greetings to Terentia, and Tulliola, and Cicero. Don't suppose that I
write longer letters to anyone else, unless some one has written at
unusual length to me, whom I think myself bound to answer. For I have
nothing to write about, and there is nothing at such a time as this that
I find it more difficult to do. Moreover, to you and my dear Tulliola I
cannot write without many tears. For I see you reduced to the greatest
misery--the very people whom I desired to be ever enjoying the most
complete happiness, a happiness which it was my bounden duty to secure,
and which I should have secured if I had not been such a coward. Our
dear Piso I love exceedingly for his noble conduct. I have to the best
of my ability encouraged him by letter to proceed, and thanked him, as I
was bound to do. I gather that you entertain hopes in the new tribunes.
We shall have reason to depend on that, if we may depend on Pompey's
goodwill, but yet I am nervous about Crassus. I gather that you have
behaved in every respect with the greatest courage and most loyal
affection, nor am I surprised at it; but I grieve that the position
should be such that my miseries are relieved by such heavy ones on your
part. For a kind friend of ours, Publius Valerius, has told me in a
letter which I could not read without violent weeping, how you had been
dragged from the temple of Vesta to the Valerian bank.[349] To think of
it, my dear, my love! You from whom everybody used to look for
help![350] That you, my Terentia, should now be thus harassed, thus
prostrate in tears and humiliating distress! And that this should be
brought about by my fault, who have preserved the rest of the citizens
only to perish myself! As to what you say about our town house, or
rather its site, I shall not consider myself fully restored, until it
has also been restored for me. However, these things are not yet within
our grasp. I am only sorry that you, impoverished and plundered as you
are, should be called upon to bear any part of the present expenses. Of
course, if the business is successfully accomplished we shall get
everything back: but if the same evil fortune keeps us down, will you be
so foolish as to throw away even the poor remains of your fortune?[351]
I beseech you, my life, as far as expense goes, allow others to