1A great case has been tried, of concern to all who are going to govern provinces, of great concern to all who trust their friends without reserve. 2Lustricius Bruttianus, having caught Montanius Atticinus, a member of his staff, in many disgraceful acts, wrote to Caesar. 2Atticinus added to his disgraceful acts by accusing the man he had deceived. 2The inquiry was taken up; 2I was on the council. 2Each pleaded for himself, but pleaded briefly and point by point, a method by which the truth is shown at once. 3Bruttianus produced his will, which he said had been written in Atticinus' hand; 3for by this were shown both their close intimacy and the necessity of complaining about a man whom he had loved so much.
4He listed charges, foul and manifest; 4and when Atticinus could not refute them, he retorted in such a way that, while defending himself, he was proved base, and while accusing, criminal. 4For he had bribed the secretary's slave, intercepted the records and cut out parts of them, and, most wickedly, was using his own crime against his friend. 5Caesar acted splendidly: for he put the question not about Bruttianus but at once about Atticinus. 5He was condemned and banished to an island; 5Bruttianus was given a most just testimony to his integrity, and the glory of firmness too followed him. 6For after defending himself most promptly he accused vigorously, and showed himself no less spirited than good and honest.
7I have written this to you to warn you in advance, now that you have been allotted a province, to trust very much to yourself and not to rely too much on anyone, and then to know that if anyone should happen to deceive you — which heaven forbid — vengeance is ready. 7Yet take care again and again that there may be no need of it; 8for it is not so pleasant to be avenged as it is wretched to be deceived. 8Farewell.