Ep. 9.13.1Quantō studiōsius intentiusque lēgistī librōs quōs dē Helvidī ultiōne composuī, tantō impēnsius postulās, ut perscrībam tibi quaeque extrā librōs quaeque circā librōs, tōtum dēnique ōrdinem reī cui per aetātem nōn interfuistī.The more eagerly and attentively you have read the books which I composed on the avenging of Helvidius, the more earnestly you demand that I write out for you in full everything outside the books and around the books, in short the whole course of the affair, at which you were not present because of your age. Ep. 9.13.2Occīsō Domitiānō statuī mēcum ac dēlīberāvī, esse magnam pulchramque māteriam īnsectandī nocentēs, miserōs vindicandī, sē prōferendī.When Domitian had been killed, I resolved and decided within myself that here was a great and splendid opportunity for attacking the guilty, avenging the wretched, and bringing oneself forward. Ep. 9.13.2Porrō inter multa scelera multōrum nūllum atrōcius vidēbātur, quam quod in senātū senātor senātōrī, praetōrius cōnsulārī, reō iūdex manūs intulisset.Moreover, among the many crimes of many men none seemed more atrocious than that in the senate a senator had laid hands on a senator, a man of praetorian rank on a consular, a judge on a defendant.
Ep. 9.13.3Fuerat aliōquī mihi cum Helvidiō amīcitia, quanta potuerat esse cum eō, quī metū temporum nōmen ingēns parēsque virtūtēs sēcessū tegēbat;I had, besides, had a friendship with Helvidius, as close as could have been with a man who, out of fear of the times, was hiding a great name and equal virtues in retirement; Ep. 9.13.3fuerat cum Arriā et Fanniā, quārum altera Helvidī noverca, altera māter novercae.I had had one with Arria and Fannia, of whom the one was Helvidius' stepmother, the other the stepmother's mother. Ep. 9.13.3Sed nōn ita mē iūra prīvāta, ut pūblicum fās et indignitās factī et exemplī ratiō incitābat.But it was not private ties so much that spurred me on as public right, the outrageousness of the deed, and the consideration of the precedent. Ep. 9.13.4Ac prīmīs quidem diēbus redditae lībertātis prō sē quisque inimīcōs suōs, dumtaxat minōrēs, inconditō turbidōque clamōre postulāverat simul et oppresserat.Now in the first days after liberty was restored, each man had for himself demanded, with confused and disorderly shouting, the punishment of his own enemies — the lesser ones, at least — and at the same time crushed them.
Ep. 9.13.4Ego et modestius et cōnstantius arbitrātus immānissimum reum nōn commūnī temporum invidiā, sed propriō crīmine urgēre, cum iam satis prīmus ille impetus dēfremuisset et languidior in diēs īra ad iūstitiam redīsset, quamquam tum maximē trīstis āmissā nūper uxōre, mittō ad Anteiam - nūpta haec Helvidiō fuerat -;I, thinking it both more moderate and more resolute to press the most monstrous defendant not through the general hatred felt for the times but on his own particular crime, once that first onslaught had sufficiently died down and anger, growing fainter day by day, had returned to justice, although I was then especially sad, having recently lost my wife, send to Anteia — she had been married to Helvidius —; Ep. 9.13.4rogō ut veniat, quia mē recēns adhūc lūctus līmine continēret.I ask her to come, since my still recent mourning kept me within my threshold. Ep. 9.13.5Ut vēnit, "Dēstinātum est" inquam "mihi marītum tuum nōn inultum patī.As soon as she came, 'I have resolved,' I say, 'not to let your husband go unavenged. Ep. 9.13.5Nūntiā Arriae et Fanniae" - ab exsiliō redierant -, "cōnsule tē, cōnsule illās, an velītis ascrībī factō, in quō ego comite nōn egeō;Tell Arria and Fannia' — they had returned from exile — 'consult yourself, consult them, whether you wish to be associated with a deed in which I need no companion; Ep. 9.13.5sed nōn ita glōriae meae fāverim, ut vōbīs societāte eius invideam."but I would not so favour my own glory as to begrudge you a share in it.' Ep. 9.13.5Perfert Anteia mandāta, nec illae morantur.Anteia delivers the message, and they do not delay.
Ep. 9.13.6Opportūnē senātus intrā diem tertium.Opportunely, the senate was to meet within three days. Ep. 9.13.6Omnia ego semper ad Corellium rettulī, quem prōvidentissimum aetātis nostrae sapientissimumque cognōvī: in hōc tamen contentus cōnsiliō meō fuī veritus nē vetāret;I always referred everything to Corellius, whom I knew to be the most far-sighted and wisest man of our age: in this, however, I was content with my own counsel, fearing that he might forbid it; Ep. 9.13.6erat enim cūnctantior cautiorque.for he was rather hesitant and cautious. Ep. 9.13.6Sed nōn sustinuī indūcere in animum, quōminus illī eōdem diē factūrum mē indicārem, quod an facerem nōn dēlīberābam, expertus ūsū dē eō quod dēstināverīs nōn esse cōnsulendōs quibus cōnsultīs obsequī dēbeās.But I could not bring myself not to tell him that same day that I would do what I was no longer deliberating whether to do, having learned by experience that about what you have resolved you should not consult those whom, once consulted, you ought to obey. Ep. 9.13.7Veniō in senātum, iūs dīcendī petō, dīcō paulisper maximō assēnsū.I come into the senate, ask leave to speak, and speak for a little while to the greatest approval.
Ep. 9.13.7Ubi coepī crīmen attingere, reum dēstināre, adhūc tamen sine nōmine, undique mihi reclāmārī.When I began to touch on the crime, to mark out the defendant, though still without naming him, there were shouts against me from every side. Ep. 9.13.7Alius: "Sciāmus, quis sit dē quō extrā ōrdinem referās", alius: "Quis est ante relātiōnem reus?", alius: "Salvī sīmus, quī supersumus."One said: 'Let us know who it is about whom you are making a motion out of turn'; another: 'Who is a defendant before a motion has been made?'; another: 'Let us who survive be safe.' Ep. 9.13.8Audiō imperturbātus interritus: tantum susceptae reī honestās valet, tantumque ad fīdūciam vel metum differt, nōlint hominēs quod faciās an nōn probent.I listen unperturbed and unafraid: so great is the power of the honour of what one has undertaken, and so much difference does it make to one's confidence or fear whether men are unwilling for you to do something or disapprove of it. Ep. 9.13.8Longum est omnia quae tunc hinc inde iacta sunt recēnsēre.It would take long to review everything that was thrown out then from this side and that.
Ep. 9.13.9Novissimē cōnsul: "Secunde, sententiae locō dīcēs, sī quid volueris."At last the consul said: 'Secundus, you will say what you wish when it is your turn to give your opinion.' Ep. 9.13.9"Permīserās" inquam "quod ūsque adhūc omnibus permīsistī."'You had allowed me,' I say, 'what you have allowed everyone up to now.' Ep. 9.13.10Resīdō;I sit down; Ep. 9.13.10aguntur alia.other business is conducted. Ep. 9.13.10Interim mē quīdam ex cōnsulāribus amīcīs, sēcrētō cūrātōque sermōne, quasi nimis fortiter incautēque prōgressum corripit revocat, monet ut dēsistam, adicit etiam: "Notābilem tē futūrīs prīncipibus fēcistī."Meanwhile one of my consular friends, in a private and careful conversation, rebukes me for having gone forward too boldly and incautiously, calls me back, advises me to desist, and even adds: 'You have made yourself a marked man for future emperors.' Ep. 9.13.10"Estō" inquam "dum malīs."'So be it,' I say, 'provided it is for bad ones.' Ep. 9.13.11Vix ille discesserat, rūrsus alter: "Quid audēs?Scarcely had he gone when another came at me: 'What are you daring to do?
Ep. 9.13.11Quō ruis?Where are you rushing? Ep. 9.13.11Quibus tē perīculīs obicis?To what dangers are you exposing yourself? Ep. 9.13.11Quid praesentibus cōnfīdis incertus futūrōrum?Why do you trust the present when you are uncertain of the future? Ep. 9.13.11Lacessis hominem iam praefectum aerāriī et brevī cōnsulem, praetereā quā grātiā quibus amīcitiīs fultum!"You are provoking a man who is already prefect of the treasury and soon to be consul, and propped up, moreover, by what influence and what friendships!' Ep. 9.13.11Nōminat quendam, quī tunc ad orientem amplissimum exercitum nōn sine magnīs dubiīsque rūmōribus obtinēbat.He names a certain man who was then holding a very large army in the East, not without great and uncertain rumours. Ep. 9.13.12Ad haec ego: "Omnia praecēpī atque animō mēcum ante perēgī" nec recūsō, sī ita cāsus attulerit, luere poenās ob honestissimum factum, dum flāgitiōsissimum ulcīscor."To this I said: '"I have foreseen everything and gone through it all beforehand in my mind," and I do not refuse, if chance so brings it about, to pay the penalty for a most honourable deed, provided I avenge a most disgraceful one.' Ep. 9.13.13Iam cēnsendī tempus.Now it was time for giving opinions.
Ep. 9.13.13Dīcit Domitius Apollināris cōnsul dēsignātus, dīcit Fabricius Veientō, Fabius Postumīnus, Bittius Proculus collēga Pūblicī Certī, dē quō agēbātur, uxōris autem meae quam āmīseram vītricus, post hōs Ammius Flaccus.Domitius Apollinaris, consul elect, speaks; Fabricius Veiento speaks, Fabius Postuminus, Bittius Proculus, colleague of Publicius Certus, who was under discussion, and stepfather of the wife I had lost; after these, Ammius Flaccus. Ep. 9.13.13Omnēs Certum nōndum ā mē nōminātum ut nōminātum dēfendunt crīmenque quasi in mediō relictum dēfēnsiōne suscipiunt.All defend Certus, not yet named by me, as though he had been named, and by their defence take up the charge as if it had been left open for anyone. Ep. 9.13.14Quae praetereā dīxerint, nōn est necesse narrāre: in librīs habēs;What else they said it is not necessary to relate: you have it in the books; Ep. 9.13.14sum enim cūncta ipsōrum verbīs persecūtus.for I have set it all down in their own words. Ep. 9.13.15Dīcunt contrā Avidius Quiētus, Cornūtus Tertullus: Quiētus, inīquissimum esse querēlās dolentium exclūdī, ideōque Arriae et Fanniae iūs querendī nōn auferendum, nec interesse cuius ōrdinis quis sit, sed quam causam habeat;Avidius Quietus and Cornutus Tertullus speak on the other side: Quietus, that it was most unjust for the complaints of the grieving to be shut out, and that therefore Arria and Fannia should not be deprived of the right to complain, and that it mattered not of what rank a man was, but what case he had; Ep. 9.13.16Cornūtus, datum sē ā cōnsulibus tūtōrem Helvidī fīliae petentibus mātre eius et vītricō;Cornutus, that he had been appointed by the consuls guardian of Helvidius' daughter at the request of her mother and stepfather; Ep. 9.13.16nunc quoque nōn sustinēre dēserere officiī suī partēs, in quō tamen et suō dolōrī modum impōnere et optimārum fēminārum perferre modestissimum affectum;that even now he could not bear to abandon the duties of his office, in which, however, he was both setting a limit to his own grief and conveying the most moderate feelings of those excellent women; Ep. 9.13.16quās contentās esse admonēre senātum Pūblicī Certī cruentae adūlātiōnis et petere, sī poena flāgitiī manifestissimī remittātur, nota certē quasi cēnsōriā inūrātur.that they were content to remind the senate of Publicius Certus' bloody flattery and to ask that, if the punishment for a most manifest crime were remitted, he should at least be branded with a mark, as if by the censor.
Ep. 9.13.17Tum Satrius Rūfus mediō ambiguōque sermōne "Putō" inquit "iniūriam factam Pūbliciō Certō, sī nōn absolvitur;Then Satrius Rufus, in a noncommittal and ambiguous speech, said: 'I think a wrong is done to Publicius Certus if he is not acquitted; Ep. 9.13.17nōminātus est ab amīcīs Arriae et Fanniae, nōminātus ab amīcīs suīs.he has been named by the friends of Arria and Fannia, and named by his own friends. Ep. 9.13.17Nec dēbēmus sollicitī esse;Nor ought we to be anxious; Ep. 9.13.17īdem enim nōs, quī bene sentīmus dē homine, et iūdicātūrī sumus.for we who think well of the man are the same people who will also judge him. Ep. 9.13.17Sī innocēns est, sīcut et spērō et mālō et, dōnec aliquid probētur, crēdō, poteritis absolvere."If he is innocent, as I both hope and wish and, until something is proved, believe, you will be able to acquit him.' Ep. 9.13.18Haec illī quō quisque ōrdine citābantur.So they spoke, each in the order in which he was called. Ep. 9.13.18Venītur ad mē.My turn comes. Ep. 9.13.18Cōnsurgō, ūtor initiō quod in librō est, respondeō singulīs.I rise, use the opening which is in the book, and answer each of them.
Ep. 9.13.18Mīrum quā intentiōne, quibus clamōribus omnia excēperint, quī modo reclāmābant: tanta conversiō vel negōtiī dignitātem vel prōventum ōrātiōnis vel āctōris Cōnstantiam subsecūta est.It is amazing with what attention and with what acclamation they received everything, those who a moment before had been shouting me down: so great a change followed either the importance of the matter or the success of the speech or the steadfastness of the speaker. Ep. 9.13.19Fīniō.I finish. Ep. 9.13.19Incipit respondēre Veientō;Veiento begins to reply; Ep. 9.13.19nēmō patitur;no one allows it; Ep. 9.13.19obturbātur obstrepitur, adeō quidem ut dīceret: "Rogō, patrēs cōnscrīptī, nē mē cōgātis implōrāre auxilium tribūnōrum."he is interrupted and shouted down, so much so that he said: 'I beg you, conscript fathers, not to force me to call for the help of the tribunes.' Ep. 9.13.19Et statim Mūrēna tribūnus: "Permittō tibi, vir clārissime Veientō, dīcere."And at once the tribune Murena said: 'I give you leave to speak, most distinguished Veiento.' Ep. 9.13.19Tunc quoque reclāmātur.Even then there are shouts against him. Ep. 9.13.20Inter morās cōnsul citātīs nōminibus et perācta discessiōne mittit senātum, ac paene adhūc stantem temptantemque dīcere Veientōnem relīquit.Amid the delays the consul, having called the names and completed the division, dismisses the senate, and left Veiento still almost standing and trying to speak.
Ep. 9.13.20Multum ille dē hāc - ita vocābat - contumēliā questus est Homēricō versū: ὦ γέρον, ἦ μάλα δή σε νέοι τείρουσι μαχηταί.He complained a great deal about this insult, as he called it, in a line of Homer: 'Old man, truly the young warriors are wearing you down.' Ep. 9.13.21Nōn ferē quisquam in senātū fuit, quī nōn mē complecterētur exōsculārētur certātimque laude cumulāret, quod intermissum iam diū mōrem in pūblicum cōnsulendī susceptīs propriīs simultātibus redūxissem;There was scarcely anyone in the senate who did not embrace me, kiss me, and vie in heaping praise on me, because I had brought back the custom, long interrupted, of acting for the public good at the cost of taking on private enmities; Ep. 9.13.21quod dēnique senātum invidiā līberāssem, quā flagrābat apud ōrdinēs aliōs, quod sevērus in cēterōs senātōribus sōlīs dissimulātiōne quasi mūtuā parceret.because, in short, I had freed the senate from the odium with which it burned among the other orders, since, while strict towards others, it spared senators alone through a kind of mutual pretence. Ep. 9.13.22Haec ācta sunt absente Certō;These things were done in Certus' absence; Ep. 9.13.22fuit enim seu tāle aliquid suspicātus sīve, ut excūsābātur, īnfirmus.for he had either suspected something of the kind or was, as his excuse ran, unwell.
Ep. 9.13.22Et relātiōnem quidem dē eō Caesar ad senātum nōn remīsit;And Caesar, indeed, did not refer the motion about him back to the senate; Ep. 9.13.22obtinuī tamen quod intenderam: nam collēga Certī cōnsulātum, successōrem Certus accēpit, plānēque factum est quod dīxeram in fīne: "Reddat praemium sub optimō prīncipe, quod ā pessimō accēpit."yet I obtained what I had aimed at: for Certus' colleague received the consulship, Certus received a successor, and plainly what I had said at the end came to pass: 'Let him give back under the best of emperors the reward he received from the worst.' Ep. 9.13.23Posteā āctiōnem meam utcumque potuī recollēgī, addidī multa.Afterwards I gathered up my speech as best I could, and added much. Ep. 9.13.24Accidit fortuītum, sed nōn tamquam fortuītum, quod ēditīs librīs Certus intrā paucissimōs diēs implicitus morbō dēcessit.It happened by chance, but not as if by chance, that after the books were published Certus fell ill and died within a very few days. Ep. 9.13.25Audīvī referentēs hanc imāginem mentī eius hanc oculīs oberrāsse, tamquam vidēret mē sibi cum ferrō imminēre.I have heard people report that this image hovered before his mind, this before his eyes, as if he saw me threatening him with a sword.
Ep. 9.13.25Vērane haec, affirmāre nōn ausim;Whether this is true I would not dare to affirm; Ep. 9.13.25interest tamen exemplī, ut vēra videantur.yet it matters for the example that it should seem true. Ep. 9.13.26Habēs epistulam, sī modum epistulae cōgitēs, librīs quōs lēgistī nōn minōrem;You have a letter, if you consider the proper measure of a letter, no shorter than the books you have read; Ep. 9.13.26sed imputābis tibi quī contentus librīs nōn fuistī.but you will blame yourself, since you were not content with the books. Ep. 9.13.26Valē.Farewell.