My whole journey is in suspense till I receive letters from you all of the 1st of August. For if there turns out to be any hope, I am for Epirus: if not, I shall make for Cyzicus or some other place. Your letter is cheerful[343] indeed, but at the same time, the oftener I read it, the more it weakens the suggested ground for hope, so that it is easy to see that you are trying to minister at once to consolation and to truth. Accordingly, I beg you to write to me exactly what you know and exactly what you think. 19 August. [Footnote 343: Reading _lætæ_ for _lectæ_.] LXXIV (A III, 17) TO ATTICUS (AT ROME) THESSALONICA, 4 SEPTEMBER [Sidenote: B.C. 58, ÆT. 48] News of my brother Quintus of an invariably gloomy nature reached me from the 3rd of June up to the 29th of August. On that day, however, Livineius, a freedman of Lucius Regulus, came to me by the direction of Regulus himself.[344] He announced that absolutely no notice whatever had been given of a prosecution, but that there had, nevertheless, been some talk about the son of C. Clodius.[345] He also brought me a letter from my brother Quintus. But next day came the slaves of Sestius, who brought me a letter from you not so positive in regard to this alarm as the conversation of Livineius had been. I am rendered very anxious in the midst of my own endless distress, and the more so as Appius[346] has the trial of the case. As to other circumstances mentioned in the same letter by you in connexion with my hopes, I understand that things are going less well than other people represent them. I, however, since we are now not far from the time at which the matter will be decided, will either go to your house or will still remain somewhere in this neighbourhood. My brother writes me word that his interests are being supported by you more than by anyone else. Why should I urge you to do what you are already doing? or offer you thanks which you do not expect? I only pray that fortune may give us the opportunity of enjoying our mutual affection in security. I am always very anxious to get your letters, in which I beg you not to be afraid of your minuteness boring me, or your plain speaking giving me pain. 4 September. [Footnote 344: L. Livineius Regulus, whom Cicero (_F._ xiii. 60) calls a very intimate friend, and says that his freedman Trypho stood his friend in the hour of need. He seems to have been condemned (in B.C. 56?) for something, but he afterwards served under Iulius Cæsar (_B. Afr._ § 9). The freedman's full name was L. Livineius Trypho.] [Footnote 345: About Appius acting as prosecutor of Quintus. He was a nephew of P. Clodius. See Letter CCXXII.] [Footnote 346: Appius Claudius Pulcher, brother of P. Clodius, was prætor-designate for B.C. 57, and had allotted to him the _quæstio de rebus repetundis_ (_pro Sest._ § 78). He was consul B.C. 54.] LXXV (A III, 18) TO ATTICUS (AT ROME) THESSALONICA (SEPTEMBER) [Sidenote: B.C. 58, ÆT. 48]