intention to take Gaius Trebatius with me for whatever destination I
should be leaving town, in order to bring him home again honoured as
much as my zeal and favour could make him. But when Pompey remained at
home longer than I expected, and a certain hesitation on my part (with
which you are not unacquainted) appeared to hinder, or at any rate to
retard, my departure,[580] I presumed upon what I will now explain to
you. I begin to wish that Trebatius should look to you for what he had
hoped from me, and, in fact, I have been no more sparing of my promises
of goodwill on your part than I had been wont to be of my own. Moreover,
an extraordinary coincidence has occurred which seems to support my
opinion and to guarantee your kindness. For just as I was speaking to
our friend Balbus[581] about this very Trebatius at my house, with more
than usual earnestness, a letter from you was handed to me, at the end
of which you say: "Miscinius Rufus,[582] whom you recommend to me, I
will make king of Gaul, or, if you choose, put him under the care of
Lepta. Send me some one else to promote." I and Balbus both lifted our
hands in surprise: it came so exactly in the nick of time, that it
appeared to be less the result of mere chance than something
providential. I therefore send you Trebatius, and on two grounds, first
that it was my spontaneous idea to send him, and secondly because you
have invited me to do so. I would beg you, dear Caesar, to receive him
with such a display of kindness as to concentrate on his single person
all that you can be possibly induced to bestow for my sake upon my
friends. As for him I guarantee--not in the sense of that hackneyed
expression of mine, at which, when I used it in writing to you about
Milo, you very properly jested, but in good Roman language such as sober
men use--that no honester, better, or more modest man exists. Added to
this, he is at the top of his profession as a jurisconsult, possesses an
unequalled memory, and the most profound learning. For such a man I ask
neither a tribuneship, prefecture, nor any definite office, I ask only
your goodwill and liberality: and yet I do not wish to prevent your
complimenting him, if it so please you, with even these marks of
distinction. In fact, I transfer him entirely from my hand, so to speak,
to yours, which is as sure a pledge of good faith as of victory. Excuse
my being somewhat importunate, though with a man like you there can
hardly be any pre