stephen lavelle
Epistula ad Brutum
stephen lavelle /
- Created on 2022-06-22 14:29:26
- Aligned by stephen lavelle
Latin
English
L . Clodius , tribunus plebis designatus , valde me diligit vel , ut emphatikôteron dicam , valde me amat . quod cum mihi ita persuasum sit , non dubito ( bene enim me nosti ) quin illum quoque iudices a me amari . nihil enim mihi minus hominis videtur quam non respondere in amore iis a quibus provocere . is mihi visus est suspicari nec sine magno quidem dolore aliquid a suis vel per suos potius iniquos ad te esse delatum quo tuus animus a se esset alienior . non soleo , mi Brute , quod tibi notum esse arbitror , temere adfirmare de altero ; est enim periculosum propter occultas hominum voluntates multiplicisque naturas ; sed Clodi animum perspectum habeo , cognitum , iudicatum . multa eius indicia sed ad scribendum non necessaria . volo enim testimonium hoc tibi videri potius quam epistulam . auctus Antoni beneficio est . eius ipsius benefici magna pars a te est . itaque eum salvis nobis vellet salvum . in eum autem locum rem adductam intellegit ( est enim , ut scis , minime stultus ) ut utrique salvi esse non possint . itaque nos mavult ; de te vero amicissime et loquitur et sentit . qua re si quis secus ad te de eo scripsit aut si coram locutus est , peto a te etiam atque etiam mihi ut potius credas , qui et facilius iudicare possum quam ille nescio quis et te plus diligo . Clodium tibi amicissimum existima civemque talem qualis et prudentissimus et fortuna optima esse debet .
L
.
Clodius
,
tribune-designate
,
is
much
attached
to
me
,
or
,
to
speak
with
more
empressement
,
loves
me
dearly
.
And
when
I
am
assured
of
that
I
feel
certain--for
you
know
me--that
you
will
conclude
that
I
love
him
:
for
nothing
seems
to
me
less
human
than
not
to
give
an
answering
affection
to
those
by
whom
one
'
s
love
is
challenged
.
He
seemed
to
me
to
suspect
,
much
to
his
chagrin
,
that
some
unfavourable
report
had
reached
you
from
his
friends
,
or
rather
through
his
enemies
,
by
which
your
feelings
were
alienated
from
him
.
It
is
not
my
habit
,
my
dear
Brutus
,
as
I
think
you
know
,
to
make
rash
statements
about
another
man
.
It
is
a
risky
thing
to
do
,
owing
to
the
secret
feelings
and
complicated
natures
of
mankind
But
I
have
seen
to
the
bottom
of
Clodius
'
s
heart
:
I
know
it
,
and
have
formed
my
judgment
of
it
.
There
are
many
proofs
of
it
,
but
such
as
I
need
not
write
down
,
for
I
want
you
to
regard
this
as
a
solemn
deposition
rather
than
a
letter
.
He
has
been
promoted
by
Antony--though
a
large
share
even
of
that
very
favour
has
its
origin
in
you--and
accordingly
he
would
wish
his
safety
so
long
as
it
is
compatible
with
ours
.
But
he
fully
understands--for
he
is
no
fool
,
as
you
are
aware--that
matters
have
come
to
such
a
point
that
both
cannot
be
preserved
;
accordingly
he
prefers
us
.
As
to
yourself
,
indeed
,
he
both
speaks
and
feels
in
the
most
affectionate
manner
.
Wherefore
,
if
anyone
has
written
to
you
or
spoken
to
you
by
word
of
mouth
disparagingly
of
him
,
I
beg
you
again
and
again
to
believe
me
rather
than
them
.
I
have
greater
opportunity
of
judging
than
any
such
casual
observer
,
and
I
am
more
devoted
to
you
.
Make
up
your
mind
that
Clodius
is
most
warmly
attached
to
you
,
and
is
such
a
citizen
as
a
man
of
the
greatest
sense
and
most
ample
fortune
is
bound
to
be
.