l previous occasions, but
more eagerly than ever after the allotment of his province, to assuage
these feelings, I failed to discover on the one hand that the extent of
his offence was so great as your letter indicates; but on the other I
did not make as much progress in allaying it as I wished. However, I
consoled myself with thinking that there would be no doubt of his seeing
you at Dyrrachium, or somewhere in your part of the country: and, if
that happened, I felt sure and fully persuaded that everything would be
made smooth between you, not only by conversation and mutual
explanation, but by the very sight of each other in such an interview.
For I need not say in writing to you, who know it quite well, how kind
and sweet-tempered my brother is, as ready to forgive as he is sensitive
in taking offence. But it most unfortunately happened that you did not
see him anywhere. For the impression he had received from the artifices
of others had more weight with him than duty or relationship, or the
old affection so long existing between you, which ought to have been the
strongest influence of all. And yet, as to where the blame for this
misunderstanding resides, I can more easily conceive than write: since I
am afraid that, while defending my own relations, I should not spare
yours. For I perceive that, though no actual wound was inflicted by
members of the family, they yet could at least have cured it. But the
root of the mischief in this case, which perhaps extends farther than
appears, I shall more conveniently explain to you when we meet. As to
the letter he sent to you from Thessalonica,[113] and about the language
which you suppose him to have used both at Rome among your friends and
on his journey, I don't know how far the matter went, but my whole hope
of removing this unpleasantness rests on your kindness. For if you will
only make up your mind to believe that the best men are often those
whose feelings are most easily irritated and appeased, and that this
quickness, so to speak, and sensitiveness of disposition are generally
signs of a good heart; and lastly--and this is the main thing--that we
must mutually put up with each other's gaucheries (shall I call them?),
or faults, or injurious acts, then these misunderstandings will, I hope,
be easily smoothed away. I beg you to take this view, for it is the
dearest wish of my heart (which is yours as no one else's can be) that
there should not be one of my family or fri