Cicero Letters to Atticus, Vol. 2 of 3 25

Cicero Letters to Atticus, Vol. 2 of 3 25

Ego omnino, ut proxime tibi placuerat, Capuam veni eo ipso die, quo

tu Teano Sidicino es profectus. Volueras enim me cum M. Considio pro

praetore illa negotia tueri. Cum eo venissem, vidi T. Ampium dilectum

habere diligentissime, ab eo accipere Libonem, summa item diligentia

et in illa colonia auctoritate. Fui Capuae, quoad consules. Iterum, ut

erat edictum a consulibus, veni Capuam ad Nonas Februar. Cum fuissem

triduum, recepi me Formias.

 

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XIb

 

M. CICERO IMPERATOR GREETINGS TO CN. MAGNUS PROCONSUL.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Formiae, Feb. 16_, B.C. _49_]

 

On the 15th of February I got your letter at Formiae. I gather that

matters in Picenum were much more satisfactory than I had heard, and am

glad to learn of the bravery and energy of Vibullius.

 

So far I have stayed on this coast where I was given the command, but

I have kept a boat ready. For the news and my fears were such that I

felt I must follow any plan you should make. But now your influence

and your policy have encouraged me, I will stay in the coast districts

and Tarracina, if you think that the district can be held. The towns,

however, are without garrison, for there is no member of the Senate in

the district except M. Eppius, a man of foresight and energy, whom I

desired to stay at Menturnae. The gallant and influential L. Torquatus

is not at Formiae, but I fancy has set out to join you.

 

In entire accord with your latest instructions, I went to Capua on the

very day you left Teanum Sidicinum. For you had desired me to take

part with M. Considius the propraetor in looking after things there.

On arrival I found that T. Ampius was holding a levy with the greatest

energy, and that the troops raised were being taken over by Libo, a

local man of energy and influence. I stayed at Capua as long as the

consuls. Once again in accordance with instructions from the consuls

I went to Capua for the 5th of February. After a stay of three days I

returned to Formiae.

 

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Nunc quod tuum consilium aut quae ratio belli sit, ignoro. Si tenendam

hanc oram putas, quae et oportunitatem et dignitatem habet et egregios

cives, et, ut arbitror, teneri potest, opus est esse, qui praesit; sin

omnia in unum locum contrahenda sunt, non dubito, quin ad te statim

veniam, quo mihi nihil optatius est, idque tecum, quo die ab urbe

discessimus, locutus sum. Ego, si cui adhuc videor segnior fuisse, dum

ne tibi videar, non laboro, et tamen, si, ut video, bellum gerendum

est, confido me omnibus facile satis facturum. M. Tullium, meum

necessarium, ad te misi, cui tu, si tibi videretur, ad me litteras

dares.

 

 

 

 

XIc

 

CN. MAGNUS PROCOS. S. D. M. CICERONI IMP.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Scr. Canusi X K. Mart. a. 705_]

 

S. V. B. Tuas litteras libenter legi. Recognovi enim tuam pristinam

virtutem etiam in salute communi. Consules ad eum exercitum, quem

in Apulia habui, venerunt. Magno opere te hortor pro tuo singulari

perpetuoque studio in rem publicam, ut te ad nos conferas, ut communi

consilio rei publicae adflictae opem atque auxilium feramus. Censeo,

via Appia iter facias et celeriter Brundisium venias.

 

 

 

 

XId

 

M. CICERO IMP. S. D. CN. MAGNO PROCOS.

 

 

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

 

Cum ad te litteras misissem, quae tibi Canusi redditae sunt,

suspicionem nullam habebam te rei publicae

 

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At the present moment I do not know what are your ideas and plan of

campaign. If you think that this coast should be held--and Capua has

a good position and is an important town, not to speak of its loyal

inhabitants, and to my mind tenable--a commander is wanted. If your

plan is concentration, I will come to you at once without hesitation.

Nothing would delight me more, and I told you so on the day of our

departure from Rome. I do not trouble about criticisms of inactivity

from anyone but yourself. If, as I foresee, war is inevitable, I feel I

can easily satisfy every criticism. I have sent my relative M. Tullius

in case you may wish to send a reply.

 

 

 

 

XIc

 

CN. MAGNUS PROCONSUL SENDS GREETINGS TO CICERO IMPERATOR.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Canusium, Febr. 20_, B.C. _49_]

 

I hope you are well. I was glad to read your letter, for once again I

recognized your tried courage in the interests of public safety. The

consuls have joined my army in Apulia. I beg you earnestly in the name

of your exceptional and continued zeal for the state to join me as

well, so that we may plan together to benefit and assist the state in

her sore straits. I hold that you should travel by the Appian road and

come with speed to Brundisium.

 

 

 

 

XId

 

M. CICERO IMPERATOR SENDS GREETINGS TO CN. MAGNUS, PROCONSUL.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Formiae, Febr. 27_, B.C. _49_]

 

When I sent you the letter which was delivered to you at Canusium, I

had no idea that the state's

 

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causa mare transiturum eramque in spe magna fore ut in Italia possemus

aut concordiam constituere qua mihi nihil utilius videbatur, aut rem

publicam summa cum dignitate defendere. Interim nondum meis litteris

ad te perlatis ex iis mandatis, quae D. Laelio ad consules dederas,

certior tui consilii factus non exspectavi, dum mihi a te litterae

redderentur, confestimque cum Quinto fratre et cum liberis nostris

iter ad te in Apuliam facere coepi. Cum Teanum Sidicinum venissem,

C. Messius, familiaris tuus, mihi dixit aliique complures Caesarem

iter habere Capuam et eo ipso die mansurum esse Aeserniae, Sane sum

commotus, quod, si ita esset, non modo iter meum interclusum, sed

me ipsum plane exceptum putabam. Itaque tum Cales processi, ut ibi

potissimum consisterem, dum certum nobis ab Aesernia de eo, quod

audieram, referretur.

 

At mihi, cum Calibus essem, adfertur litterarum tuarum exemplum, quas

tu ad Lentulum consulem misisses. Hae scriptae sic erant, litteras tibi

a L. Domitio a. d. XIII Kal. Martias allatas esse (earumque exemplum

subscripseras); magnique interesse rei publicae scripseras omnes copias

primo quoque tempore in unum locum convenire, et ut, praesidio quod

satis esset, Capuae relinqueret. His ego litteris lectis in eadem

opinione fui qua reliqui omnes, te cum omnibus copiis ad Corfinium esse

venturum; quo mihi, cum Caesar ad oppidum castra haberet, tutum iter

esse non abritrabar.

 

Cum res in summa exspectatione esset, utrumque simul audivimus, et quae

Corfini acta essent, et te iter Brundisium facere coepisse; cumque nec

mihi nec fratri meo dubium esset, quin Brundisium contenderemus,

 

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welfare would drive you to flight across the seas, and I had great

hopes that it might be in Italy we should either conclude peace

(the wisest course to my mind) or fight for the state with honour

untarnished. My letter cannot have reached you yet, but from the

message which you entrusted to D. Laelius for the consuls I learnt of

your plans. I did not wait for a reply to my letter, but forthwith

set out along with my brother Quintus and the children to join you in

Apulia. On arrival at Teanum Sidicinum I was told by your friend C.

Messius, and many other people, that Caesar was on his way to Capua,

and would bivouac that very day at Aesernia. I was really startled,

as it occurred to me, that, if that was so, my road was closed, and I

myself was quite captured. So I went to Cales, choosing that particular

place to stay at, till I should get certain news from Aesernia as to

the rumour I had heard.

 

At Cales I received a copy of your letter to Lentulus the consul.

Its purport was that you had got a letter (of which you subjoined a

copy) from L. Domitius on the 17th of February, and you considered it

of the greatest public importance to concentrate your forces on the

earliest possible occasion, and that a sufficient garrison should be

left at Capua. On the perusal of this dispatch I agreed with others in

supposing that you would come in full force to Corfinium. As Caesar was

encamped against the town, I considered the road thither was not safe

for me.

 

Anxiously awaiting news, I heard two reports at the same time: news

of the affair of Corfinium, and that you were coming to Brundisium.

Neither I nor my brother had any hesitation about starting for