Marcus Tullius Cicero

“ Shall I not be able to maintain to some extent my case for the people of Buthrotum, since it is so well supported by witnesses and so just, especially as he is free with his grants?
Octavius is here with us on terms of respect and friendship. His people address him as Caesar, but Philippus does not, and so I do not either. I hold that it is impossible for a loyal citizen to do so. We are surrounded by so many who threaten death to our friends, and declare they cannot bear the present state of affairs. ”

“ CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
Astura, March 18, B.C. 45 About Terentia, I do not recognise your usual consideration for me in throwing the whole weight of the matter on me. For those are the very wounds I cannot touch without deep groans. So please spare me, if you can. For I am not asking you more than you can do. You and you only can see what is fair. About Rutilia, as you seem to have doubts, write and let me know as soon as you know, but let that be as soon as possible: and also whether Clodia survived her son D. Brutus the ex-consul. ”

“ In the first place your kindly disposition should bid you forgive that, for everyone ought to look after his own friends; in the next place, leaving Atticus out of the question, if you love me—and you are always declaring how great is the respect you have for your friend Cicero—grant me that now I may know for a certainty what I have always believed, that you have a great affection for me. ”

“ Balbus and Oppius tell me the same as you about the province to be assigned by the Senate to Brutus and Cassius, and Hirtius says he will not attend—he is here at Tusculum—and he strongly advises me to keep away. He does so on the strength of the danger which he says there has been even for him; but, even if there be no danger, I am so far from caring to avoid giving Antony a suspicion that I do not rejoice in his prosperity, that the very reason why I would rather not go to Rome is to avoid seeing him. ”

“ De Cicerone quae scribis, iucunda mihi sunt; velim sint prospera. Quod curae tibi est, ut ei suppeditetur ad usum et cultum copiose, per mihi gratum est, idque ut facias, te etiam atque etiam rogo. De Buthrotiis et tu recte cogitas, et ego non dimitto istam curam. Suscipiam omnem etiam actionem, quam video cotidie faciliorem. De Cluviano, quoniam in re mea me ipsum diligentia vincis, res ad centena perducitur. Ruina rem non fecit deteriorem, haud scio an etiam fructuosiorem.
Hic mecum Balbus, Hirtius, Pansa. Modo venit Octavius et quidem in proximam villam Philippi mihi totus deditus. ”

“ Not long afterwards came the murder of Caesar, at which Cicero to his regret was not present, though he was in Rome and hastened to the Capitol to lend his support to the murderers. He found, however, the cold Brutus hard to stir into action, and after Antony's speech at the funeral he thought it wiser to retire from Rome. The letters written at the time are full of rejoicing at the death of a man, towards whom he never seems to have felt any attraction, in spite of the kindness he had received at his hands. ”

“ But if, on the other hand, he is conquered, you see Antony will be intolerable; so you don't know which you want. What a rascal Sestius' messenger is! He said he would be in Rome the day after he left Puteoli! You advise me to move slowly, and I agree, though once I thought differently. I am not influenced by Philippus or Marcellus; for their position is different, or, if it is not, it looks as though it were. [333] But that youth, though he has plenty of spirit, has little influence. However, see whether it would not be better for me to be at Tusculum, if I should do right in being there. ”

“ Caesar, I fancy, is heir to one-twelfth of his estate—though I know nothing yet: but Lepta to a third. He is afraid he may not be allowed to take the inheritance. It is absurd of course, but still he is afraid. So, if he sends for me, I shall go at once: if not, not till it is necessary. Send back Pollex, when you can.
I am sending you the funeral oration of Porcia corrected. I have hurried about it, so that, if it should be sent to young Domitius or to Brutus, this edition should be sent. ”

“ Sed eo die, quo veneram, cenanti Eros tuas litteras. Itane? NONIS IULIIS? Di hercule istis! Sed stomachari totum diem licet. Quicquamne turpius quam Bruto IULIIS? Redeo ad meum igitur "ἔτ' ἐῶμεν;" Nihil vidi. Sed quid est, quaeso, quod agripetas Buthroti concisos audio? Quid autem Plancus tam cursim (ita enim inaudiebam) diem et noctem? Sane cupio scire, quid sit. Meam profectionem laudari gaudeo. Videndum est, ut mansio laudetur. Dymaeos agro pulsos mare infestum habere nil mirum. Ἐν ὁμοπλοίᾳ Bruti videtur aliquid praesidii esse, sed, opinor, minuta navigia. Sed iam sciam et ad te cras. ”

“ But in a modern work, I follow Aristotle's practice: the conversation of the others is so put forward as to leave him the principal part. I arranged the five books De Finibus so as to give the Epicurean parts to L. Torquatus, the Stoic to M. Cato, and the Peripatetic to M. Piso. I thought that could not make anybody jealous, as they were all dead. This present work, the Academica, as you know, I had shared between Catulus, Lucullus and Hortensius. I must admit that the work did not suit the characters; for it was far too philosophical for them to have ever dreamt of such things. ”

“ Some sort of provision must be made for him when he comes to Rome. For I don't think he could endure that woman as a mother-in-law. I refused Pindarus' offer for the villa at Cumae. Now let me tell you why I have sent a messenger. Young Quintus is promising to be as prim as a puritan: and both he and his father have begged me to go bail to you for him, but on the condition that you only believe it when you see it. I shall give him a letter according to his fancy, but don't take any notice of it. I am writing now to prevent you from thinking that I do. God grant he keeps his promise. ”

“ CICERO ATTICO SAL.
Scr. in Arpinati V K. Quint, a. 709 Illud etiam atque etiam consideres velim, placeatne tibi mitti ad Varronem, quod scripsimus. Etsi etiam ad te aliquid pertinet. Nam scito te ei dialogo adiunctum esse tertium. Opinor igitur, consideremus. Etsi nomina iam facta sunt; sed vel induci vel mutari possunt.
Quid agit, obsecro te, Attica nostra? Nam triduo abs te nullas acceperam; nec mirum. Nemo enim venerat, nec fortasse causa fuerat. Itaque ipse, quod scriberem, non habebam. Quo autem die has Valerio dabam, exspectabam aliquem meorum. ”

“ I believe Pansa is talking amiably. I know he is always hand in glove with Hirtius; I think he will be quite friendly with Brutus and Cassius, if it is expedient—but will he ever see them?—and that he will oppose Antony: but when and how? How long are we to be fooled? ”

“ For ourselves, let us look to the one thing that ought to be in our power, that, whatever may happen, we may bear it with courage and philosophy, remembering that we are but mortal, and console ourselves a good deal with literature and not least with the Ides of March. ”

“ So you must get your news from him himself. I have met Balbus: for Lepta, being anxious about the contract for the shows, took me to him. Well, he was in the place at Lanuvium, which he made over to Lepidus: and the first thing he said to me was, "I have just had a letter in which Caesar definitely asserts that he will be here before the Roman games." I read the letter. It dilated on my Cato, and he said that by reading it frequently he had increased his flow of language, and, when he read Brutus' Cato, he began to think himself eloquent. ”

“ Sed quid differo? Exposui te ad me detulisse, et quid vellet et quid requireret. Velle Hispaniam, requirere liberalitatem. De liberalitate dixi, quantum Publilius, quantum flamen Lentulus filio. De Hispania duo attuli, primum idem quod tibi, me vereri vituperationem. Non satis esse, si haec arma reliquissemus? etiam contraria? Deinde fore ut angeretur, cum a fratre familiaritate et omni gratia vinceretur. Vellem magis liberalitate uti mea quam sua libertate. Sed tamen permisi; tibi enim intellexeram non nimis displicere. Ego etiam atque etiam cogitabo, teque, ut idem facias, rogo. ”

“ Does Brutus really say Caesar is going over to the right party? That is good news. But where will he find them, unless, perhaps, he hangs himself? But how foolish it is of Brutus! Where, then, does that masterpiece of yours, which I saw in the Parthenon, the tree of Brutus' family from Ahala and Brutus, come in? [167] But what can he do? It is excellent to hear that not even the man who began the whole criminal business has a good word to say for young Quintus. Indeed, I was beginning to be afraid that even Brutus was fond of him ”

“ In exhorting me to spend the days in an exposition of philosophy, you are only spurring a willing horse; but note that I have to spend those days with Dolabella. Now, if I had not been detained on Torquatus' business, there would have been time enough to make an excursion to Puteoli and return in time. Lamia has heard from Balbus, it appears, that there is a good deal of ready money in the house, which ought to be divided as soon as possible, and a considerable amount of silver plate, and that the auction of all but the real property ought to take place at the earliest opportunity. ”

“ But though all the world conspire against us, the Ides of March console me. Our heroes accomplished most gloriously and magnificently all that they could accomplish by themselves; the other matters require money and forces, and we have neither. ”

“ You will see for yourself.
206 XLVIII
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
Scr. in Tusculano IV Non. Sext. a. 709 Heri nescio quid in strepitu videor exaudisse, cum diceres te in Tusculanum venturum. Quod utinam! iterum utinam! tuo tamen commodo.
Lepta me rogat, ut, si quid sibi opus sit, accurram; mortuus enim Babullius. Caesar, opinor, ex uncia, etsi nihil adhuc; sed Lepta ex triente. Veretur autem, ne non liceat tenere hereditatem, ἀλόγως omnino, sed veretur tamen. Is igitur si accierit, accurram; si minus, non antequam necesse erit. Tu Pollicem, cum poteris.
Laudationem Porciae tibi misi correctam. ”

“ Do you suppose they will have any confidence in their homesteads, while we have any power? They have found us to have less courage than they expected. I suppose we must hold them lovers of peace and not a gang of brigands. But, when I wrote to you of Curtilius and Sextilianus' farm, I wrote of Censorinus, Messalla, Plancus, Postumus, and all such cases. ”

“ At ille in Achaiam se iturum. "Quid tu," inquam, "Brute?" "Romam," inquit, "si tibi videtur." "Mihi vero minime; tuto enim non eris." "Quid? si possem esse, placeretne?" "Atque ut omnino neque nunc neque ex praetura in provinciam ires; sed auctor non sum, ut te urbi committas." Dicebam ea, quae tibi profecto in mentem veniunt, cur non esset tuto futurus. Multo inde sermone querebantur, atque id quidem Cassius maxime, amissas occasiones Decimumque graviter accusabant. Ego negabam oportere praeterita, adsentiebar tamen. ”

“ But our friend Varro has sent me a letter from somebody or other—I don't know who, as he has erased the name—telling him that the veterans whose claims have been put off (for some of them have been disbanded) are using most criminal language, saying that those who seem not to favour their claims will be in great danger at Rome. What, I should like to know, can our goings and comings, our looks and our demeanour, be among them? If again, as you say,
312L. Antonius in D. Brutum, reliqui in nostros, ego quid faciam aut quo me pacto geram? ”

“ Vestorius has written asking me to make over my share in the property of Brinnius to a slave of his on behalf of one Hetereius, so that he can complete the transfer at Puteoli according to law. If you think it right, send the slave to me; for I suppose Vestorius has written to you too.
About Caesar's coming Oppius and Balbus tell me the same as you. I am surprised that you have not yet had a talk with Tigellius. For instance, I should much like to know just how much he got; however I don't really care a straw. You ask what I think about going to meet Caesar. ”

“ What have we not to fear, when so temperate a person and so skilful a physician can be overcome suddenly by such a disease? But for all these things there is one consolation: we are born under this condition, that we may not refuse anything that fate has in store for mortals. ”

“ Et ego: "Rectissume quidem; sed, si grave non est, velim scire, quid sit causae." "Quia, dum dubitabam, quam ducerem, non satis faciebam matri; ita ne illi quidem. Nunc nihil mihi tanti est. Faciam, quod volunt." "Feliciter velim," inquam, "teque laudo. Sed quando?" "Nihil ad me," inquit, "de tempore, quoniam rem probo." "At ego," inquam, "censeo, priusquam proficiscaris. Ita patri quoque morem gesseris." "Faciam," inquit, "ut censes." Hic dialogus sic conclusus est.
Sed heus tu, diem meum scis esse III Nonas Ianuarias; aderis igitur. Scripseram iam: ecce tibi orat Lepidus, ut veniam. ”

“ I have been making enquiries in every direction about the Buthrotians, and discover nothing. Some say the land-grabbers were cut to pieces, others that Plancus pocketed the money and fled, leaving them in the lurch. So I don't see how I can find out what there is in it, unless I get a letter at once.
The route to Brundisium, about which I was hesitating, seems to be out of the question. They say the troops are arriving there. But the voyage from here has some suspicion of danger, so I have made up my mind to sail in company with Brutus. I found him better prepared than I had heard he was. ”