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THE

First period of the
letters, pp. 1-128.
From 15th of
March to 31st of
August.

INTRODUCTION

'HE letters in this volume bring us to the end of the correspondence and to the last period of Cicero's life. They naturally fall into two divisions, those following the assassination of Cæsar to September, B.C. 44-five months of hesitation and doubtand those which begin after Cicero's return to Rome from his abortive start for Greece (31st August), and bring him before us once more active and eager, all doubt and hesitation thrown to the winds. He is straining every nerve to organize opposition to Antony, whom he has now made up his mind to be the enemy of the constitution and of liberty-a weaker and a worse Cæsar, trading on his great patron's name, intoxicated with the wealth that has fallen into his hands, and stained with every private and public vice.

The first period is one of disenchantment, the second of desperate strife. The disenchantment indeed begins at once. The volume opens with a note, scarcely more than a line in length, addressed to one of the assassins, of almost hysterical exultation. Cicero had been in the senate when the assassination took place:1 he tells us of the "joy with which he feasted his eyes on the just execution of a tyrant." He again and again declares that the Ides of March consoled him for all troubles and disappointments. The assassins he calls "heroes or almost divinities. But the uselessness of this treacherous crime was at once made evident, and

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"2

This has been doubted, but I think his own expressions make it practically certain. Pp. 8, 11, 26, 29, 34.

P. 29 (ad Att. xiv. 14). 1 Pp. 28, 91.

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became more and more conspicuous every day that followed it. Within a month Cicero saw that "the constitution had not been recovered along with liberty," 1 and was discussing with Atticus whose fault it was At the meeting of the senate, summoned by Antony on the 17th of March, the acta of Cæsar had been confirmed, and a public funeral voted. The revulsion of popular feeling, caused by Antony's funeral oration and the publication of Cæsar's will, had encouraged Antony to make the fullest use of the confirmation of the acta, until Cicero indignantly exclaimed that the concession made to the exigencies of the time was "being abused without moderation or gratitude," that "measures which Cæsar would never have taken nor sanctioned are now produced from his forged minutes," and that "we, who could not endure being his slaves, are the humble servants of his memorandum books."

The difficult position of the assassins.

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Added to this was the increasing difficulty of the position of the leaders in the assassination. Decimus Brutus indeed, in spite of Antony's protest, went to his province of Gallia Cisalpina and took over the command of the troops there; while Trebonius started for his province of Asia, having a secret understanding with the Ciceronian party that he was to concert measures and collect forces in view of future contingencies. But M. Brutus and C. Cassius, though prætors, could not venture to Rome, and Antony was eventually able to force the senate to name others to the provinces of Macedonia and Syria, to which they had been respectively nominated by Cæsar: while Trebonius could only leave Italy for his province by travelling almost in disguise by by-roads to the coast. Every day that passed seemed to shew that they would have to fight for their position or even their lives. Antony was gathering a considerable force in Rome, under the pretence of a bodyguard, and against an

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2 P. 17.

1 Pp. 9, 10, 11, 20, 28, 42, 48, 55. 3 P. 37. Pp. 27, 28; cp. p. 36: "We seemed not to have been freed from a tyranny-only from a tyrant: for though the tyrant has been killed we obey his every word . . . immunities are being granted; immense sums of money squandered; exiles recalled; forged decrees of the senate entered in the ærarium.'

5 P. 16.

alleged intention of Brutus and Cassius to resort to force. This bodyguard was partly at least formed by inducing Cæsar's veterans to rejoin, and was continually increasing.' Even those veterans who did not actually rejoin the colours were persuaded to hold themselves in readiness for a summons, with their proper arms provided, and at any rate to be prepared to come to Rome to vote in favour of Antony's proposals. Besides this Antony extorted from the senate early in June, if not before, the command of the legions which had been stationed in the province of Macedonia with a view to the Getic and Parthian expeditions, and presently sent over his brother Gaius to bring them to Italy. Brutus and Cassius on their part were collecting ships and men, resolved to possess themselves of the provinces originally assigned to them (Macedonia and Syria) at the end of their prætorship; Decimus Brutus by engaging his forces against the Alpine tribes was training troops which he might use against any "intending successor," and all things pointed to a coming struggle. In my opinion," says Cicero on the 15th of June, "the state of affairs points to bloodshed and that at an early date. You see what the men are, you see how they are arming." Matters had been farther complicated by the appearance of the young Octavian on the scene. He had been Arrival of sent by his uncle for the winter to Apollonia, where Octavian. he might with less interruption than at Rome pursue his studies and perfect his military education. But immediately he received from his mother the news of the Dictator's assassination, he started with a small retinue of friends for Italy. On the 11th of April Cicero writes that he has heard of his arrival and is anxious to know how he has been received." On the 18th he came to Naples, saw Balbus, and declared his acceptance of his greatuncle's inheritance, which was sure to cause, Balbus thinks, much bad blood between him and Antony, who had laid hands on much which Octavian would claim, on the ground that it was public money." In a letter of the 22nd Cicero describes a meeting with him at the villa of his stepfather

1 Pp. 7-8, 17, 48, 64, 75.
+ P. 77.

2 P. 45.
5 P. 10.

3 P. 145.
6 P. 18.

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