onvicted. Many others have had
the wit to abstain from even putting in an appearance. Is there any more
news? Yes! After Gabinius's acquittal another panel of jurors, in a fit
of irritation, an hour later condemned Antiochus Gabinius, some fellow
from the studio of Sopolis, a freedman and orderly officer of Gabinius,
under the _lex Papia_. Consequently he at once remarked, "So the
Republic will not acquit me under the law of treason as it did
you!"[665]

Pomptinus wants to celebrate a triumph on the 2nd of November. He is
openly opposed by the praetors Cato and Servilius and the tribune Q.
Mucius. For they say that no law for his _imperium_ was ever
carried:[666] and this one too was carried, by heaven, in a stupid way.
But Pomptinus will have the consul Appius on his side.[667] Cato,
however, declares that he shall never triumph so long as he is alive. I
think this affair, like many of the same sort, will come to nothing.
Appius thinks of going to Cilicia without a law, and at his own
expense.[668] I received a letter on the 24th of October from my brother
and from Caesar, dated from the nearest coasts of Britain on the 26th of
September. Britain done with ... hostages taken ... no booty ... a
tribute, however, imposed; they were on the point of bringing back the
army. Q. Pilius has just set out to join Caesar. If you have any love for
me or your family, or any truth in you, or even if you have any taste
left, and any idea of enjoying all your blessings, it is really time for
you to be on your way home, and, in fact, almost here. I vow I cannot
get on without you. And what wonder that I can't get on without _you_,
when I miss Dionysius so much? The latter, in fact, as soon as the day
comes, both I and my young Cicero will demand of you. The last letter I
had from you was dated Ephesus, 9th of August.

[Footnote 663: The beginning of the letter is lost, referring to the
acquittal of Gabinius on a charge of _maiestas_.]

[Footnote 664: [Greek: gorgeia gymna], "mere bugbears."]

[Footnote 665: Antiochus Gabinius was tried, not for treason
(_maiestas_), but under the _lex Papia_, for having, though a
_peregrinus_, acted as a citizen; but he says "will not acquit me of
_treason_," because he means to infer that his condemnation was really
in place of Gabinius, whose acquittal had irritated his jury; therefore
he was practically convicted of _maiestas_ instead of his patron
Gabinius. I have, accordingly, ventured to elic