a candidate for office, and looked upon that as the most honourable fruit of his toil.
Again, in the late crisis he went from my house at Brundisium with a message and letter for Cæsar: in which affair I had clear proof of his affection in undertaking the business, and of his good faith in carrying it through and bringing me back an answer. I had intended to speak separately as to his uprightness and high character, but it seems to me that in thus beginning with a statement of the reason for my loving him, I have in that statement already said enough about his uprightness. Nevertheless, I do promise as a separate thing, and pledge my word, that he will be at once delightful and useful to you. For you will find him a steady, sensible man, as far removed as possible from any self-seeking, and, moreover, a man of the most laborious and industrious character.
Now it is no business of mine to promise what you must form your own judgment upon, when you have become well acquainted with him: yet, after all, in forming new connexions the first approach is always of consequence, and by what kind of introduction the door of friendship, so to speak, is opened. This is what I wished to effect by the present letter: though the tie between a quæstor and his chief ought in itself to have effected it. Yet it will not, after all, be any the weaker by this addition. Be careful, therefore, if you value me as highly as Varro thinks, and I feel that you do, to let me know as soon as possible that my recommendation has done him as much service as he himself hoped, and I had no doubt, that it would.[1]
- [Footnote: be explained as "advocate and juryman," for the use of subsellia
for the seats of the jury is doubtful, and for the prætor (in a civil suit) it would be "tribunal."]
- ↑ The person here recommended is M. Terentius Varro Gibba.
