Rome, and that there will be a much greater one there by the 1st of June.' If we entertained any doubt or fear of you, we should be untrue to ourselves. But since we have put ourselves in your hands, and under your advice have dismissed our friends from the country towns, and done so by a circular letter as well as by an edict, we have a claim to be admitted to your confidence, especially in a matter which touches ourselves. : 2 Wherefore we beg you to let us know what your feeling towards us is whether you think that we shall be safe in the midst of such a crowd of veteran soldiers, who, we hear, even think of replacing the altar. That is a thing which we think that hardly anyone can wish or approve, who desires our safety and honour. The result shews clearly that our aim from the first was peace, and that we have had no other object than the liberty of all. No one can beguile us except yourself, and that is a course of conduct quite alien to your virtue and honour. But no one else has the means of deceiving us for it is you alone that we have trusted and intend to trust. Our friends are disturbed by a very great alarm on our account. For though they have every confidence in your good faith, they yet cannot help reflecting that the crowd of veteran soldiers can be more easily moved by others in any particular direction, than they can be held back by you. We ask you to write back and explain everything. For the suggestion that notice has been given to the veterans to appear, because you intended to bring in a law about their pensions in June, is wholly inadequate and meaningless. For whom do you think likely to hinder it, since in regard to ourselves we have made up our minds to do nothing whatever? We ought not to be thought by anyone too greedy of life, since nothing can happen to us without general disaster and confusion. 1 See pp. 48, 90, for Antony's picked guard. 2 The altar and column erected by the pseudo-Marius in the forum on the spot where Cæsar's body had been burnt. Dolabella had removed See pp. 33, 35, 40. it. DCCXXXVIII (A XV, 8) TO ATTICUS (AT ROME) TUSCULUM, 31 MAY 2 SINCE you left me I have had two letters from Brutus, without anything new in them. Also one from Hirtius, who says that the veterans are much incensed with him. I am still uncertain what to do about the Ist. I am therefore sending Tiro, and with Tiro a number of men, to each one of whom pray give a letter as each event occurs. I have written also to Antony about a legation, for fear that, if I only wrote to Dolabella, that quick-tempered man' might be stirred up to wrath. As, however, he is said to be somewhat difficult of approach, I have written to Eutrapelus,' asking him to forward my letter to him, saying that I want a legatio. A votive legation would be the more honourable of the two, but I could manage with either one or the other.3 I beg you again and again to consider your own position. If possible I should like to talk it over with you; if you cannot meet me, we shall attain the same object by letter. Græceius writes me word that C. Cassius has written to tell him that men are being got ready to send armed to my Tusculan villa. I scarcely think that this is true: but, nevertheless, I must take precautions and have sundry other villas ready. But to-morrow will bring us something for reflexion on that subject.* 1 The other consul Antony. 2 Antony's præfectus fabrum. See vol. iii., pp. 96, 102. I have translated that of Tyrrell and Purser, as at any rate making a kind of sense. If it stands Cicero may mean by "having sundry other villas" ready, not that he will obtain more, but that he may be able to elude attack by going from one to the other of those which he already possessed. DCCXXXIX (A XV, 9) TO ATTICUS (AT ROME) TUSCULUM, 2 JUNE On the evening of the 2nd I received a letter from Balbus telling me that there would be a meeting of the senate on the 5th, in order to appoint Brutus to the superintendence of the corn-supply in Asia, Cassius in Sicily. What an indignity! To begin with, to take any appointment from that party, and then, if they must take some office, such a subordinate one as that, which could be done by legati ! And yet I don't feel sure that it isn't better than sitting idle on the banks of his Eurotas.' But these things will be governed by fortune. He says also that a decree is going to be passed at the same meeting for assigning provinces to them and other ex-prætors. This is certainly better than his "Persian Portico "—for I would not have you imagine that I mean a Sparta farther off than Lanuvium.2 "Are you laughing," you ask, “in such grave matters?" What am I to do? I am tired of lamenting. Good heavens, what a fright the first page of your letter gave me! Why, how did that warlike outbreak in your house come about? But I rejoice that that storm-cloud at any rate has passed quickly away. I am very anxious to hear how you sped on that conciliatory mission-it was a melancholy as well as a difficult one.3 For the knot cannot be 1 A stream in the property of Brutus at Lanuvium, to which he had given the name of the river of Sparta. 2 Reading nolo enim Lacedæmonem longinquiorem Lanuvio existimaris. But both text and meaning are very uncertain. The Пɛpoin porticus seems to refer to some covered walk in Brutus's property at Lanuvium, also named from the oтoà Пlɛpoun at Sparta, for which see Pausanias, ii. II, 3. The latter was so named from being adorned by spoils taken at Platea. The Roman Stoics affected an admiration of Sparta and Spartan ways. 3 Apparently Atticus was contemplating a visit to Brutus at Lanuvium with some proposals from Antony's party (see p. 56). The visit, how untied: we are so completely hemmed in by every kind of force. For myself, the letter of Brutus, which you shew me that you have read, has caused me so much agitation that, though I was already at a loss which course to adopt, I am yet rendered still less ready to act from distress of mind. But I will write more fully when I have your news. For the present I have nothing to say, and the less so that I am doubtful of your getting even this letter. For it is uncertain whether the letter-carrier will find you. I am very anxious for a letter from you. DCCXL (A XV, IO) TO ATTICUS (AT ROME) TUSCULUM, 6 JUNE WHAT an affectionate letter from Brutus! How unlucky for you that you are unable to go to see him! Yet, what am I to say? That they should accept the favour of that party? What could be more degrading? That they should attempt some move? They neither have the courage nor-as things are now-the power. Well, suppose they take my advice and do nothing. Who can guarantee their safety? For if any severe measure is taken as to Decimus, what kind of life will our heroes lead, even supposing no one actually attacks them? Again, not to preside at his own games, what could be a greater indignity? To give them the duty of purchasing ever, did not come off, and Brutus and Cassius presently removed to Antium. What the casus armorum refers to we cannot tell. Some of Antony's ever-increasing bodyguards may have had some fracas at his house. As prætor urbanus Brutus ought to have presided at the ludi Apollinares (about 12th July). As he did not venture to Rome, they were presided over by another prætor, Gaius Antonius. Cicero declares that the name of Brutus was loudly cheered (2 Phil. § 31), but according to Appian (B. C. iii. 24), this was not so, and indeed we shall find in another letter that it was very questionable (Att. xvi. 4 and 5). corn-isn't that a case of "Dion's embassy"? Is there a more menial office in the public service? Even advice in such a matter is absolutely dangerous to those who give it. However, I might neglect that consideration if I were only doing some good. But why put my foot in, if it is all for nothing? Since he is availing himself of his mother's" advice, not to say prayers, why should I put my oar in? Nevertheless, I will consider what style of letter to write. For hold my tongue I cannot. Therefore I will send a letter at once to Antium 3 or Circeii. DCCXLI (A XV, 10) TO ATTICUS (AT ROME) ANTIUM, 8 JUNE I REACHED Antium on the 8th. Brutus was delighted at my arrival. Thereupon in the presence of a large partyServilia, dear Tertia, and Porcia -he asked me my opinion. Favonius was there too. I had thought over what to say as I was on the road, and now advised him to avail himself of the corn-purchasing office in Asia. I urged that all we could now do was to consult for his safety: that on him depended the defence of the constitution itself. I had just got well into my speech when Cassius came in. I repeated the same remarks. At this point Cassius with a determined 1 This cura annone was given them during their prætorship to enable them to absent themselves from Italy with a decent excuse; it did not affect the question of their provinces for the next year. It was not a dignified office like that of Pompey, who had authority all over the Empire, while they had it only in a narrow district. Cicero calls it a case of "Dion's legation," referring to the removal of Dion from Syracuse by the younger Dionysius under the pretence of sending him on an embassy to Peloponnesus. 2 Servilia. 3 Where Brutus and Cassius now were. 4 Servilia, mother of Brutus; Tertia, his half-sister and wife of Cassius; Porcia, his second wife, recently married. 5 For this imitator of Cato, see vol. ii., p. 31; cp. vol. i., pp. 35, 188. |