Cicero Letters to Atticus, Vol. 2 of 3 27

Cicero Letters to Atticus, Vol. 2 of 3 27

CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Formiae, Febr. 28_, B.C. _49_]

 

I am even more troubled by inflammation of the eyes than I was before.

Still I prefer to dictate this letter, rather than let Gallus Fadius,

who has a sincere regard for us both, have no letter to give you.

Yesterday I wrote myself to the best of my ability a letter containing

prognostications, which I hope may prove false. One excuse for the

present missive is my desire to let no day pass without communicating

with you, but there is a still more reasonable excuse, to beg you to

devote a little time to my case, and, as it will be a short business,

I hope you will explain your view thoroughly and make it quite

intelligible to me.

 

I have not committed myself at all. There has been no omission on my

part for which I cannot give not merely a plausible but a reasonable

excuse. Assuredly I was not guilty of any fault, when, to avoid

 

* * * * *

 

Page 148

 

imparatam Capuam non solum ignaviae dedecus, sed etiam perfidiae

suspicionem fugiens accipere nolui, neque cum post condiciones pacis

per L. Caesarem et L. Fabatum allatas cavi, ne animum eius offenderem,

cui Pompeius iam armatus armato consulatum triumphumque deferret. Nec

vero haec extrema quisquam potest iure reprehendere, quod mare non

transierim. Id enim, etsi erat deliberationis, tamen obire non potui.

Neque enim suspicari debui, praesertim cum ex ipsius Pompei litteris,

idem quod video te existimasse, non dubitarim, quin is Domitio

subventurus esset, et plane, quid rectum et quid faciendum mihi esset,

diutius cogitare malui.

 

Primum igitur, haec qualia tibi esse videantur, etsi significata sunt

a te, tamen accuratius mihi perscribas velim, deinde aliquid etiam in

posterum prospicias fingasque, quem me esse deceat, et ubi me plurimum

prodesse rei publicae sentias, ecquae pacifica persona desideretur an

in bellatore sint omnia.

 

Atque ego, qui omnia officio metior, recordor tamen tua consilia;

quibus si paruissem, tristitiam illorum temporum non subissem. Memini,

quid mihi tum suaseris per Theophanem, per Culleonem, idque saepe

ingemiscens sum recordatus. Quare nunc saltem ad illos calculos

revertamur, quos tum abiecimus, ut non solum gloriosis consiliis

utamur, sed etiam paulo salubrioribus. Sed nihil praescribo; accurate

velim perscribas tuam ad me sententiam. Volo etiam exquiras, quam

diligentissime poteris

 

* * * * *

 

Page 149

 

blame for cowardice and the charge of treachery to boot, I refused to

take over Capua in its unprepared state. Nor am I to blame, when, after

L. Caesar and L. Fabatus had brought terms of peace, I took precautions

not to incur the enmity of a man to whom Pompey was offering the

consulship and a triumph, when both were under arms. Finally I cannot

rightly be called to account for not crossing the sea: for, though that

was a course which was worthy of consideration, still I could not keep

Pompey's appointment. Nor could I guess his policy, especially as from

his own letter, as I see you inferred, I had no idea that he would fail

to relieve Domitius. And certainly I wanted time to consider what was

right and what I ought to do.

 

Firstly, then, I wish you would write me a careful account of your

views, though you have already outlined them, and secondly that you

would glance at the future, and give me an idea of what course you

think would become me, where you suppose I can serve the state best,

and whether the part of a man of peace is required at all, or whether

everything depends on a fighter.

 

And I, who test everything by the standard of duty, yet remember

your advice. Had I followed it, I should have been saved from the

wretchedness of that crisis in my life. I call to mind the counsel

you sent me then by Theophanes and Culleo, and the memory of it often

makes me groan. So let me now at last go over the old reckoning which

then I cast aside, to the end that I may follow a plan, which has in

view not only glory, but also some measure of safety. However, I make

no conditions: please give me your candid opinion. And please use your

best energies to

 

* * * * *

 

Page 150

 

(habebis autem, per quos possis), quid Lentulus noster, quid Domitius

agat, quid acturus sit, quem ad modum nunc se gerant, num quem

accusent, num cui suscenseant--quid dico num cui? num Pompeio. Omnino

culpam omnem Pompeius in Domitium confert, quod ipsius litteris

cognosci potest, quarum exemplum ad te misi. Haec igitur videbis, et,

quod ad te ante scripsi, Demetri Magnetis librum, quem ad te misit de

concordia, velim mihi mittas.

 

 

 

 

XIIa

 

CN. MAGNUS PROCOS. S. D. C. MARCELLO, L. LENTULO COSS.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Scr. Luceriae XIII aut XII K. Mart. a. 705_]

 

Ego, quod existimabam dispersos nos neque rei publicae utiles neque

nobis praesidio esse posse, idcirco ad L. Domitium litteras misi,

primum uti ipse cum omni copia ad nos veniret; si de se dubitaret, ut

cohortes XVIIII, quae ex Piceno ad me iter habebant, ad nos mitteret.

Quod veritus sum, factum est, ut Domitius implicaretur et neque ipse

satis firmus esset ad castra facienda, quod meas XVIIII et suas XII

cohortes tribus in oppidis distributas haberet (nam partim Albae,

partim Sulmone collocavit), neque se, si vellet, expedire posset.

 

Nunc scitote me esse in summa sollicitudine. Nam et tot et tales viros

periculo obsidionis liberare cupio neque subsidio ire possum, quod his

duabus legionibus

 

* * * * *

 

Page 151

 

inquire (for you have suitable agents) what our friend Lentulus and

what Domitius is doing, what they intend to do, what is their present

attitude, whether they blame or are annoyed with anyone--why do I say

anyone?--I mean Pompey. Pompey does not hesitate to put the whole blame

on Domitius, as can be inferred from his letter, of which I send you

a copy. So please consider these points, and, as I wrote you before,

kindly send me that volume _On Concord_, by Demetrius of Magnesia,

which he sent to you.

 

 

 

 

XIIa

 

CN. MAGNUS PROCONSUL SENDS GREETING TO THE CONSULS C. MARCELLUS AND L.

LENTULUS.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Luceria, Feb. 17 or 18_, B.C. _49_]

 

As I considered that with divided forces we could be of no service to

the state and no protection to one another, I sent a dispatch to L.

Domitius to come to me at once with all his forces, and that, if he was

dubious about himself, he should send me the nineteen cohorts, which

as a matter of fact were on the march to me from Picenum. My fears

have been realized. Domitius has been trapped and is not strong enough

himself to pitch a camp, because he has my nineteen and his own twelve

cohorts scattered in three towns (for some he has stationed at Alba and

some at Sulmo), and he is unable to free himself even if he wished.

 

I must inform you that this has caused me the greatest anxiety. I am

anxious to free men so numerous and of such importance from the danger

of a siege, and I cannot go to their assistance, because I do not think

that I can trust these two

 

* * * * *

 

Page 152

 

non puto esse committendum, ut illuc ducantur, ex quibus tamen non

amplius XIIII cohortes contrahere potui, quod duas Brundisium misi

neque Canusium sine praesidio, dum abessem, putavi esse dimittendum.

 

D. Laelio mandaram, quod maiores copias sperabam nos habituros, ut, si

vobis videretur, alter uter vestrum ad me veniret, alter in Siciliam

cum ea copia, quam Capuae et circum Capuam comparastis, et cum iis

militibus, quos Faustus legit, proficisceretur, Domitius cum XII

suis cohortibus eodem adiungeretur, reliquae copiae omnes Brundisium

cogerentur et inde navibus Dyrrachium transportarentur. Nunc, cum hoc

tempore nihilo magis ego quam vos subsidio Domitio ire possim, ...

se per montes explicare non est nobis committendum, ut ad has XIIII

cohortes, quas dubio animo habeo, hostis accedere aut in itinere me

consequi possit.

 

Quam ob rem placitum est mihi (talia video[71] censeri M. Marcello

et ceteris nostri ordinis, qui hic sunt), ut Brundisium ducerem hanc

copiam, quam mecum habeo. Vos hortor, ut, quodcumque militum contrahere

poteritis, contrahatis et eodem Brundisium veniatis quam primum. Arma

quae ad me missuri eratis, iis censeo armetis milites, quos vobiscum

habetis. Quae arma superabunt, ea si Brundisium iumentis deportaritis,

vehementer rei publicae profueritis. De hac re velim nostros certiores

faciatis. Ego ad P. Lupum et C. Coponium praetores misi, ut se vobis

coniungerent, et militum quod haberent ad vos deducerent.

 

[71] talia video _Tyrrell_; altia video _MSS._

 

* * * * *

 

Page 153

 

legions to march to that place: moreover I have not been able to bring

together more than fourteen cohorts of them, because two were sent

to Brundisium, and Canusium to my mind could not be left without a

garrison in my absence.

 

Hoping to collect larger forces I instructed D. Laelius, that with your

approval one of you should come to me, and the other set out for Sicily

with the force you have collected at Capua and in the neighbourhood,

and with Faustus' recruits; that Domitius with his twelve cohorts

should join up, and all the other troops should concentrate at

Brundisium, and from thence be taken by sea to Dyrrachium. Now,

since at the present time I am no more able than yourselves to go to

Domitius' assistance [and it remains for him][72] to extricate himself

by the mountain route, I must take steps that the enemy may not meet my

fourteen doubtful cohorts or overtake me on the march.

 

[72] Some words appear to be missing here.

 

Accordingly--and I see M. Marcellus and other members of the House

who are here approve--I am resolved to lead my present forces to

Brundisium. You I urge to concentrate all the forces you can and to

come with them to Brundisium at the first opportunity. I consider that

the arms which you meant to send to me should be used to arm your

troops. If you will have the remaining arms carted to Brundisium, you will have done the state great service. Please give these instructions to my supporters. I am sending word to the praetors, P. Lupus and C. Coponius, to join you with whatever soldiery they have.