nd it
somewhat less crowded.]

LXXXII (A III, 23)

TO ATTICUS (AT ROME)

DYRRACHIUM, 29 NOVEMBER

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

On the 26th of November I received three letters from you, one dated
25th of October, in which you exhort me to await the month of January
with a good heart, and write at length on such topics as you think tend
to encourage my hopes--as to the zeal of Lentulus, the goodwill of
Metellus, and the general policy of Pompey. In the second letter,
contrary to your usual custom, you append no date, but give sufficient
indication of the time of its writing. For the law having been published
by the eight tribunes, you mention that you wrote this letter on the
very same day, that is, the 29th of October,[362] and you say what good
you think that publication has done. In regard to which, if my
restoration is to be despaired of along with this law, I would have you
think in your affection for me that my fruitless exertions are pitiable
rather than foolish: but if there is any ground for hope, try and secure
that my cause may be hereafter supported with greater attention to
details by the new magistrates. For this bill of the old tribunes[363]
had three clauses, of which the one relating to my return was carelessly
drafted. For nothing is restored to me except my citizenship and
senatorial rank: which, in the circumstances of my position, suffices
me, but it does not escape your observation what special provisions will
have to be made, and in what manner. The second clause is the usual
one--"If anything be done in virtue of this law against other
laws."[364] But observe, my dear Pomponius, what the object of the third
clause is, and by whom it has been put in. For you know that Clodius
provided that it should be scarcely possible, or rather altogether
impossible, for his law to be deprived of validity either by senate or
people. But you must see that the penal provisions of such laws as are
repealed have never been observed. For in that case hardly any law could
be repealed at all--for there is no law which does not hedge itself in
by trying to make repeal difficult--but when a law is repealed, so is
the clause meant to prevent its repeal. Now, though this is in truth the
case, since it has been the universal doctrine and practice, our eight
tribunes introduced the following clause: _If any provision is contained
in this bill which, in view of existing laws or plebiscites_ (_i.e._,
Clodius's