2 confident that the tolerance of the senate and the aristocracy was even now what it had been before, and that no one would have the courage to declare Dolabella a public enemy: in fact that they regarded as true all the figments of the traitors rather than what had really taken place and was being stated by me. It was with these views that even before my arrival, after the atrocious murder of Trebonius and numerous other abominable crimes, two embassies from them had gone to Dolabella, and that too contrary to all precedent,' it being against their own laws, and in spite of the prohibition of the then existing magistrates. Though they might easily have applied a remedy for this crisis, they refused to do so. I don't know whether it was, as they give out, from fear for the lands which they possess on the continent, or from the infatuation or tolerance of a few politicians who on previous occasions equally insulted men of the highest rank2 and now do so to those actually in the chief offices, without precedent and without provocation from us. They refused-I say-in spite of the danger threatening us who were on the spot, and of that which threatened Italy and our city, if that murderer with his crew of outlaws sailed to Italy after being expelled from Asia and Syria. Some of us even suspected the magistrates of having detained us and of having wasted time until Dolabella's fleet was informed of our arrival. And this suspicion was deepened by several things that occurred afterwards, especially by the fact that Dolabella's legates Sextus Marius and Gaius Titius suddenly quitted the fleet on the Lycian coast and fled on board a ship of war, abandoning the transports, in the collection of which they had spent considerable time and labour. Accordingly, when we arrived at Lycia from Rhodes with the ships then in our possession, we took over the transports and sent them back to their owners. Thus we ceased to feel what had been our chief fear-that Dolabella might find means to reach Italy with his outlaws. We pursued his flying fleet as far as Sida, which is the farthest district of my province. There I ascertained that some of Dolabella's ships had scattered and fled, that the rest had made for Syria and Cyprus. These being thus dispersed, as 1 Because they always dealt directly with the senate. I knew that the very large fleet of the eminent citizen and general Cassius would be ready to meet him in Syria, I returned to my official duties: as I shall do my best, fathers of the senate, to give you and the Republic the full benefit of my zeal and industry; and as to money—I will collect as much as I can and with the greatest possible promptness, and will send it by every means in my power. When I have made a tour of my province and have ascertained who have been faithful to us and to the Republic in safeguarding the money which I deposited with them, and who are guilty of actually handing over public money and by this gift entering into a partnership with Dolabella in his crimes, I will inform you. And if you will pass a severe sentence, should it so please you, upon these men and back me up by the weight of your authority, I shall be able with greater ease both to collect the arrears of revenue and keep that already collected safe. Meantime, in order more thoroughly to protect the revenues and to defend my province from ill-treatment, I have enrolled a guard formed of volunteers and only such as was absolutely necessary.1 2 After I had written this despatch, about thirty soldiers, whom Dolabella had enlisted in Asia, escaping from Syria arrived in Pamphylia. They brought word that Dolabella had arrived at Antioch in Syria: that not being admitted he made several attempts to force an entry, but had always been repulsed with great loss; and accordingly after losing about 600 men, abandoning his sick, he retreated by night from Antioch towards Laodicea: that in that night nearly all his Asiatic soldiers deserted him that of these about 800 returned to Antioch and surrendered to the officers commanding the city who had been left there by Cassius: that the rest crossed Mount Amanus and descended into Cilicia, to which number they said that they also belonged themselves : 1 Asia as a peaceful province had no regular army stationed in it. A few cohorts accompanied a proconsul or proprætor as a bodyguard. 2 This is evidently a postscript to the preceding despatch, written a few days later and sent with it, and at the same time as the private letter to Cicero which precedes. Tyrrell and Purser arrange it as a separate letter; but I think nothing is gained and something lost by that, and I have followed Mueller therefore in maintaining the old arrangement. finally, that Cassius with his whole force was reported to be four days' march from Laodicea at the time when Dolabella was pressing on to that town. Wherefore I feel sure that a most villainous outlaw will be punished sooner than I thought. 2 June, Perga. DCCCLXXX (F X, 20) TO L. MUNATIUS PLANCUS (IN GAUL) ROME, 29 MAY ALL the news from your part of the world is so uncertain that nothing occurs to me to say to you. For at one time reports of Lepidus are satisfactory, at another the reverse. However, of you the report is unvarying-that you can be neither hoodwinked nor beaten. The credit for the latter is to a certain extent fortune's, for the former it wholly belongs to your own good sense. But I have received a letter from your colleague' dated the 15th of May, in which he said that you had written to tell him that Antony was not being received by Lepidus. I shall feel more certain of this if you give me the same information in a letter, but perhaps you do not venture to do so owing to the ill-grounded cheerfulness of your former letter. But as it was possible for you, my dear Plancus, to make a mistake-for who escapes doing so?-so no one can fail to see that it was impossible that you should be taken in. Now, however, even the plea of being mistaken has been taken away-"Twice on the same stone, you know, is a fault reproved by a common proverb. But if the truth is as you have written to your colleague, we are freed from all anxiety; yet we shall not be so until you inform us that it is the case. My opinion indeed, as I have 1 Decimus Brutus, who with B.C. 42. Plancus was consul-designate for 2 To strike the foot twice on the same stone, δὶς πρὸς τὸν αὐτὸν αἰσχρὸν εioкpovεv Xilov, bis ad eundem offendere lapidem turpe est. Something A burnt child fears the fire," or "Once bit twice shy.' like our 66 often told you in my letters, is that the man who extinguishes the last embers of this part of the war will be the real victor in the whole war, and I both hope and believe that you will be the man. I am not at all surprised and am deeply gratified that my zeal on your behalf, which certainly could not have been surpassed, has been as pleasant to your feelings as I thought it would be. You will find it indeed to be greater and more effective still, if things go well with you there. 29 May. DCCCLXXXI (F X, 35) M. ÆMILIUS LEPIDUS TO THE MAGISTRATES AND SENATE PONS ARGENTEUS, 30 MAY M. LEPIDUS, second time imperator, Pontifex Maximus, greets the prætors, tribunes, the senate, populace, and plebs of Rome.1 If you and your children are well, I am glad. I and my army are well. I call gods and men to witness, fathers of the senate, what my feelings and sentiments have ever been towards the Republic, and how I have thought nothing of more importance than the common safety and liberty. And this I should shortly have demonstrated to you, had not fortune snatched from me the power of following my own policy. For my whole army broke out into a mutiny, by way of retaining its traditional principle of preserving fellow citizens and the general peace, and-to confess the truth-compelled me to undertake to defend the lives and civil rights of so large a number of Roman citizens. And in regard to this matter, I beg and beseech you, fathers of the senate, to forget private quarrels and to consult for the highest interests of the Republic, and not to regard the 1 This was written on the day after Lepidus consummated his treason by joining Antony. For the titles of Lepidus, see p. 265. compassionate feelings of myself and my army in the light of a crime. But if you take the lives and political position of all into consideration, you will consult better for yourselves and the Republic. 30 May, from Pons Argenteus. DCCCLXXXII (F XI, 14) TO DECIMUS BRUTUS (AT EPOREDIA) ROME (MAY, LATE) I AM wonderfully pleased, my dear Brutus, that you approve of my policy and sentiments about the decemvirs, and about complimenting the young man. But what does it matter? Believe me-a man not given to brag—I am now, Brutus, quite in the cold shade. For my weapon was the senate that has now gone to pieces. Your splendid breaking out from Mutina, and the flight of Antony after his army had been cut to pieces, had given us such a bright hope of certain victory, that the spirits of all have begun to flag, and those old fiery contests of mine seem to be, as it were, a mere fighting with shadows. But to return to busiPeople who know them say that the Martia and the fourth legion cannot by any persuasion whatever be brought over to you.1 As to the money you want, some means can be taken for that, and shall be taken. About summoning Marcus Brutus and keeping Cæsar to protect Italy, I agree with you. But, as you say, you have some detractors. have no difficulty in rebutting them, yet they do hamper one. We are expecting the legions from Africa. But people are surprised at the war in your parts being renewed. Nothing ever more unexpected. For when the victory was ness. was 2 I 1 This of course proved true. They kept with Octavian, and refused to have anything to do with an assassin of Cæsar. See pp. 264, 267. 2 To be sent by Cornificius. They arrived on the same day as Octavian reached Rome (App. B. C. iii. 91). |