Cicero Letters to Atticus, Vol. 2 of 3 23

Cicero Letters to Atticus, Vol. 2 of 3 23

However Pompey bids a long farewell to honour and away for Brundisium.

They say that Domitius and those with him surrendered on receipt of the

news. What a doleful business! Grief prevents me writing more. I await

a letter from you.

 

 

 

 

IX

 

CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Formiae, Feb. 25_, B.C. _49_.]

 

I am not upset at the circulation of my letter, indeed I myself let

many people take a copy. Considering what has happened and is likely to

happen, I want my views on peace published. And when I exhorted Caesar

of all men to seek peace, I had no readier argument than to say, that

peace became a man of his wisdom. If I spoke of his "admirable" wisdom,

seeing that I was urging him on to the salvation of our country, I was

not afraid of appearing to flatter him: in such a cause I would gladly

have cast myself at his feet. When I use the phrase "spare time," that

does not mean for the consideration of peace, but for the consideration

of myself and my obligations. As to my statement that I have taken no

part in the war, though the facts are evidence, I wrote it to give

greater weight to my advice and it was for the same reason that I

expressed approbation of his case.

 

But this is idle talk now: I only wish it had done some good. Why, I

should not object to the recital of my letter at a public meeting,

when Pompey himself, writing to Caesar, exhibited for public perusal a

letter containing the words "On account of your splendid achievements,"

(are they more splendid

 

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quam Africani? Ita tempus ferebat), si quidem etiam vos duo tales ad

quintum miliarium quid nunc ipsum de se recipienti, quid agenti, quid

acturo? Quanto autem ferocius ille causae suae confidet, cum vos,

cum vestri similes non modo frequentes, sed laeto vultu gratulantes

viderit! "Num igitur peccamus?" Minime vos quidem; sed tamen signa

conturbantur, quibus voluntas a simulatione distingui posset. Quae vero

senatus consulta video? Sed apertius, quam proposueram.

 

Ego Arpini volo esse pridie Kal., deinde circum villulas nostras

errare, quas visurum me postea desperavi. Εὐγενῆ tua consilia et tamen

pro temporibus non incauta mihi valde probantur. Lepido quidem (nam

fere συνδιημερεύομεν, quod gratissimum illi est) numquam placuit ex

Italia exire, Tullo multo minus. Crebro enim illius litterae ab aliis

ad nos commeant. Sed me illorum sententiae minus movebant; minus

multa dederant illi rei publicae pignora. Tua mehercule auctoritas

vehementer movet; adfert enim et reliqui temporis recuperandi rationem

et praesentis tuendi. Sed, obsecro te, quid hoc miserius quam alterum

plausus in foedissima causa quaerere, alterum offensiones in optima?

alterum existimari conservatorem inimicorum, alterum desertorem

amicorum? Et mehercule, quamvis amemus Gnaeum nostrum, ut et facimus

et debemus, tamen hoc, quod talibus viris non subvenit, laudare non

possum. Nam, sive

 

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than Pompey's own, or those of Africanus? Circumstances made him say

so.) and when two men like you and S. Peducaeus are going to meet him

at the fifth milestone,--and at this moment to what course does he

pledge himself, what is he doing, what is he going to do? Surely his

belief in his rights will grow more vehement, when he sees you and

men like you not only in crowds, but with joy upon your faces. "What

harm in that," you ask? Not a bit, as far as you are concerned: but

still the outward signs of the distinction between genuine feeling and

pretence are all upset. I foresee some strange decrees of the Senate.

But my letter has been more frank than I intended.

 

I hope to be at Arpinum on the 28th, and then to visit my country

estates, I fear for the last time. Your policy, gentlemanly, but

not without a touch of caution suited to the times, has my sincere

approval. Lepidus, who has the pleasure of my company almost every day,

never liked the plan of quitting Italy: Tullus detested it: for letters

from him often reach me from other hands. However their views influence

me little: they have given fewer pledges to the state than I: but I am

strongly swayed by the weight of your opinion, which proposes a plan

for betterment in the future and security in the present. Is there a

more wretched spectacle than that of Caesar earning praise in the most

disgusting cause, and of Pompey earning blame in the most excellent:

of Caesar being regarded as the saviour of his enemies, and Pompey

as a traitor to his friends? Assuredly though I love Pompey, from

inclination and duty, still I cannot praise his failure to succour such

men. If it was fear,

 

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timuit, quid ignavius? sive, ut quidam putant, meliorem suam causam

illorum caede fore putavit, quid iniustius? Sed haec omittamus; augemus

enim dolorem retractando.

 

VI Kal. vesperi Balbus minor ad me venit occulta via currens ad

Lentulum consulem missu Caesaris cum litteris, cum mandatis, cum

promissione provinciae, Romam ut redeat. Cui persuaderi posse non

arbitror, nisi erit conventus. Idem aiebat nihil malle Caesarem, quam

ut Pompeium adsequeretur (id credo) et rediret in gratiam. Id non credo

et metuo, ne omnis haec clementia ad Cinneam[68] illam crudelitatem

colligatur. Balbus quidem maior ad me scribit nihil malle Caesarem quam

principe Pompeio sine metu vivere. Tu, puto, haec credis. Sed, cum haec

scribebam V Kalend., Pompeius iam Brundisium venisse poterat; expeditus

enim antecesserat legiones XI K. Luceria. Sed hoc τέρας horribili

vigilantia, celeritate, diligentia est. Plane, quid futurum sit, nescio.

 

[68] Cinneam _Tyrrell and Purser_: unam _MSS._: Sullanam _Orelli_.

 

 

 

 

X

 

CICERO ATTICO SAL.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Scr. in Formiano IV K. Mart. a. 705_]

 

Dionysius cum ad me praeter opinionem meam venisset, locutus sum cum

eo liberalissime; tempora exposui, rogavi, ut diceret, quid haberet in

animo; me nihil ab ipso invito contendere. Respondit se, quod in nummis

haberet, nescire quo loci esset; alios non solvere, aliorum diem nondum

esse. Dixit etiam alia quaedam de servulis suis, quare nobiscum

 

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it was most cowardly; if, as some think, he imagined that their

massacre would assist his cause, it was most iniquitous. But let us

pass over this, for remembrance adds to my sorrow.

 

On the evening of the 24th, Balbus the younger came to me, hurrying on

a secret errand to the consul Lentulus from Caesar with a letter, a

commission, and the promise of a province on condition of his returning

to Rome. I don't think that he can be talked over without a personal

interview. Balbus said that Caesar was most anxious to meet Pompey (I

believe it), and to get on good terms with him. This I do not believe

and I fear all his kindness is only a preparation for cruelty like

Cinna's. Balbus the elder writes to me that Caesar wants nothing better

than to live in safety under Pompey. I expect you will believe that.

But while I write this letter on the 25th of February, Pompey may have

reached Brundisium. He set out without baggage, and before his legions,

on the 19th from Luceria. But that bogy-man has terrible wariness,

speed and energy. The future is a riddle to me.

 

 

 

 

X

 

CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Formiae, Feb. 26_, B.C. _49_]

 

I spoke to Dionysius in the frankest way, when contrary to my

expectations he arrived. I told him how matters stood; asked him his

intentions, and said that I would not press him against his will. He

replied that he did not know where such money as he owned was: that

some creditors did not pay, that other debts were not yet due. He said

something about his wretched slaves that would prevent his

 

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esse non posset. Morem gessi; dimisi a me ut magistrum Ciceronum non

lubenter, ut hominem ingratum non invitus. Volui te scire, et quid ego

de eius facto iudicarem.

 

 

 

 

XI

 

CICERO ATTICO SAL.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Scr. in Formiano III K. Mart. a. 705_]

 

Quod me magno animi motu perturbatum putas, sum equidem, sed non tam

magno, quam tibi fortasse videor. Levatur enim omnis cura, cum aut

constitit consilium, aut cogitando nihil explicatur. Lamentari autem

licet illud quidem totos dies; sed vereor, ne, nihil cum proficiam,

etiam dedecori sim studiis ac litteris nostris. Consumo igitur omne

tempus considerans, quanta vis sit illius viri, quem nostris libris

satis diligenter, ut tibi quidem videmur, expressimus. Tenesne igitur

moderatorem illum rei publicae quo referre velimus omnia? Nam sic

quinto, ut opinor, in libro loquitur Scipio: "Ut enim gubernatori

cursus secundus, medico salus, imperatori victoria, sic huic moderatori

rei publicae beata civium vita proposita est, ut opibus firma, copiis

locuples, gloria ampla, virtute honesta sit. Huius enim operis maximi

inter homines atque optimi illum esse perfectorem volo." Hoc Gnaeus

noster cum antea numquam tum in hac causa minime cogitavit. Dominatio

quaesita ab utroque est, non id actum, beata et honesta civitas ut

esset. Nec vero ille urbem reliquit, quod eam tueri non posset, nec

Italiam, quod ea pelleretur, sed hoc a primo cogitavit, omnes terras,

omnia maria movere, reges barbaros incitare, gentes feras armatas in Italiam