Ep. 2.12.1illud quod, superesse Marī Prīscī causae proximē scrīpseram nesciō, an satis circumcīsum, tamen et adrāsum est est.That piece of public business which, as I recently wrote, remained from the case of Marius Priscus, has been trimmed and pared away, whether sufficiently I do not know. Ep. 2.12.2Firmīnus inductus in senātum respondit crīminī notō.Firminus, brought into the senate, replied to a charge that was well known. Ep. 2.12.2Secūtae sunt dīversae sententiae cōnsulum dēsignātōrum.Differing proposals of the consuls-elect followed. Ep. 2.12.2Cornūtus Tertullus cēnsuit ōrdine movendum, Acūtius Nerva in sortītiōne prōvinciae ratiōnem eius nōn habendam.Cornutus Tertullus proposed that he should be removed from the order, Acutius Nerva that he should not be considered in the allotment of a province. Ep. 2.12.2Quae sententia tamquam mītior vīcit, cum sit aliōquī dūrior trīstiorque.This proposal won as being milder, though it is in other respects harsher and grimmer. Ep. 2.12.3Quid enim miserius quam exsectum et exēmptum honōribus senātōriīs, labōre et molestiā nōn carcere?For what is more wretched than to be cut off and removed from the honours of a senator, yet not to be free of its toil and trouble?
Ep. 2.12.3quid gravius quam tantā ignōminiā affectum nōn in sōlitūdine latēre, sed in hāc altissimā speculā cōnspiciendum sē mōnstrandumque praebēre?what is more grievous than, having been branded with such disgrace, not to hide in solitude, but to offer oneself to be seen and pointed at on this loftiest of watch-towers? Ep. 2.12.4Praetereā quid pūblicē minus aut congruēns aut decōrum?Besides, what is less fitting or seemly for the state? Ep. 2.12.4notātum ā senātū in senātū sedēre, ipsīsque illīs ā quibus sit notātus aequārī;That a man censured by the senate should sit in the senate, and be made equal to the very men by whom he was censured; Ep. 2.12.4summōtum ā prōcōnsulātū quia sē in lēgātiōne turpiter gesserat, dē prōcōnsulibus iūdicāre, damnātumque sordium vel damnāre aliōs vel absolvere!that a man barred from a proconsulship because he had behaved disgracefully as a legate should sit in judgement on proconsuls, and that a man condemned for corruption should either condemn or acquit others! Ep. 2.12.5Sed hoc plūribus vīsum est.But this was the view of the majority. Ep. 2.12.5Numerantur enim sententiae, nōn ponderantur;For votes are counted, not weighed; Ep. 2.12.5nec aliud in pūblicō cōnsiliō potest fierī, in quō nihil est tam inaequāle quam aequālitās ipsa.nor can anything else be done in a public council, in which nothing is so unequal as equality itself.
Ep. 2.12.5Nam cum sit impār prūdentia, pār omnium iūs est.For although wisdom is unequal, the right of all is equal. Ep. 2.12.6Implēvī prōmissum priōrisque epistulae fidem exsolvī, quam ex spatiō temporis iam recēpisse tē colligō;I have fulfilled my promise and discharged the pledge of my earlier letter, which, from the lapse of time, I gather you have already received; Ep. 2.12.6nam et festīnantī et dīligentī tabellāriō dedī, nisi quid impedīmentī in viā passus est.for I gave it to a courier both quick and careful, unless he met with some obstacle on the road. Ep. 2.12.7Tuae nunc partēs, ut prīmum illam, deinde hanc remūnerēris litterīs, quālēs istinc redīre ūberrimae possunt.Now it is your part to repay first that letter and then this one with a letter as full as can come back from where you are. Ep. 2.12.7Valē.Farewell.