Quintum fratrem audio profectum in Asiam, ut deprecaretur. De filio nihil audivi; sed quaere ex Diochare, Caesaris liberto, quem ego non vidi, qui istas Alexandrea litteras attulit. Is dicitur vidisse Quintum euntem an iam in Asia. Tuas litteras, prout res postulat, exspecto. Quas velim cures quam primum ad me perferendas. IIII K. Decembr.
[Sidenote: _Scr. Brundisi XIV Kal. Ian. a. 706_]
Gratae tuae mihi litterae sunt, quibus accurate perscripsisti omnia, quae ad me pertinere arbitratus es. Et factum igitur tu scribis istis placere et placere[174] isdem istis lictoribus me uti, quod concessum Sestio
[174] es. Et factum igitur tu scribis istis placere et placere _Steinkopf_: est ea factum igitur ut scribis istis placere _MSS._
I never had any doubt. For despair of his success had so completely taken possession of the minds of all the kings and peoples, that I thought this would happen to him, wherever he might go. I cannot help feeling sorry for his fate, for I knew him to be a man of honour and high moral principle. Am I to condole with you about Fannius? He used to speak virulently of you for staying in Rome. L. Lentulus, you know, had promised himself Hortensius' house, Caesar's gardens, and a place at Baiae. Precisely the same is taking place on this side too, except that on the other there was no limit. For they counted every one who stayed in Italy as an enemy. But I would rather speak of this sometime when I am less worried.
I hear my brother Quintus has set out for Asia to make his peace. About his son I have heard nothing; but ask Diochares, Caesar's freedman, who brought those letters from Alexandria. I have not seen him. He is said to have seen Quintus either on the way, or was it already in Asia? I am looking forward to a letter from you, as the occasion demands. Please try to get it conveyed to me as soon as possible.
[Sidenote: _Brundisium, Dec. 17_, B.C. _48_]
I am much obliged to you for your letter, in which you have recorded carefully everything you think concerns me. So you say that they approve both of my actions, and of my keeping my lictors, as Sestius is allowed to keep his: though in his case I think it is not so much a question of being allowed to keep