it, not only to retain but even to acquire all possible sources
of popularity. I hope I have justified myself in your eyes, I am at any
rate anxious to have done so. The Hermathena you sent I am delighted
with: it has been placed with such charming effect that the whole
gymnasium seems arranged specially for it.[54] I am exceedingly obliged
to you.

[Footnote 42: One of the judices rejected by Verres on his trial, a
pontifex and augur.]

[Footnote 43: Agent of Atticus.]

[Footnote 44: C. Antonius (uncle of M. Antonius) was elected with
Cicero. Q. Cornificius had been tr. pl. in B.C. 69. See Letter XVIII.]

[Footnote 45: M. Caesonius, Cicero's colleague in the aedileship. He had
lost credit as one of the _Iunianum concilium_ in the trial of
Oppianicus.]

[Footnote 46: Aufidius Lurco, tr. pl. B.C. 61. M. Lollius Palicanus, tr.
pl. some years previously.]

[Footnote 47: L. Iulius Caesar, actually consul in B.C. 64,
brother-in-law of Lentulus the Catilinarian conspirator, was afterwards
_legatus_ to his distant kinsman, Iulius Caesar, in Gaul. A. Minucius
Thermus, defended by Cicero in B.C. 59, but the identification is not
certain. D. Iunius Silanus got the consulship in the year after Cicero
(B.C. 62), and as consul-designate spoke in favour of executing the
Catilinarian conspirators.]

[Footnote 48: The text is corrupt in all MSS. I have assumed a reading,
something of this sort, _quae cum erit absoluta, sane facile ac libenter
eum nunc fieri consulem viderim_. This at any rate gives nearly the
required sense, which is that Cicero regards the influence which Thermus
will gain by managing the repair of the _Flaminia_ as likely to make him
a formidable candidate, and therefore he would be glad to see him
elected in the present year 65 (_nunc_) rather than wait for the next,
his own year.]

[Footnote 49: C. Calpurnis Piso, consul in B.C. 67, then proconsul of
Gallia Transalpina (Narbonensis). He was charged with embezzlement in
his province and defended by Cicero in B.C. 63. There were no votes in
Transalpine Gaul, but Cicero means in going and coming to canvass the
Cispadane cities.]

[Footnote 50: Pompey was this year on his way to take over the
Mithridatic War. But Cicero may have thought it likely that he or some
of his staff would pass through Athens and meet Atticus.]

[Footnote 51: L. Domitius Ahenobarbus, praetor in B.C. 58, and consul
B.C. 54, fell at Pharsalia, fighting against Caesar.]

[Footnote