Cicero Letters to Atticus, Vol. 2 of 3 55

Cicero Letters to Atticus, Vol. 2 of 3 55

IX

 

CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Cumae, May 3_, B.C. _49_]

 

The arrival of Philotimus (what a fellow he is! how stupid! how often

he lies on Pompey's behalf!) has frightened the rest of us to death.

For myself I am hardened. None of us doubted that Caesar had checked

Pompey's progress: Philotimus says he is simply flying. Nobody doubted

that Petreius had joined Afranius: he brings no such news. In fact we

have all been sure that Pompey had actually made

 

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Germaniam per Illyricum fecisse; id enim αὐθεντικῶς nuntiabatur,

Melitam igitur, opinor, capessamus, dum, quid in Hispania. Quod quidem

prope modum videor ex Caesaris litteris ipsius voluntate facere posse,

qui negat neque honestius neque tutius mihi quicquam esse quam ab omni

contentione abesse. Dices: "Ubi ille ergo tuus animus, quem proximis

litteris?" Adest et idem est; sed utinam meo solum capite decernerem!

Lacrimae meorum me interdum molliunt precantium ut de Hispaniis

exspectemus. M. Caeli quidem epistulam scriptam miserabiliter, cum hoc

idem obsecraret, ut exspectarem, ne fortunas meas, ne unicum filium,

ne meos omnes tam temere proderem non sine magno fletu legerunt pueri

nostri. Etsi meus quidem est fortior, eoque ipso vehementius commovet,

nec quicquam nisi de dignatione laborat.

 

Melitam igitur, deinde, quo videbitur. Tu tamen etiam nunc mihi aliquid

litterarum, et maxime, si quid ab Afranio. Ego, si cum Antonio locutus

ero, scribam ad te, quid actum sit. Ero tamen in credendo, ut mones,

cautus; nam occultandi ratio cum difficilis tum etiam periculosa est.

Servium exspecto ad Nonas, et adigit ita Postumia et Servius filius.

Quartanam leviorem esse gaudeo. Misi ad te Caeli etiam litterarum

exemplum.

 

 

 

 

IXa = ad fam. VIII 16.

 

CAELIUS CICERONI SAL.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Scr. Intimili XV K. Mai. a. 705_]

 

Exanimatus tuis litteris, quibus te nihil nisi triste cogitare

ostendisti, neque, id quid esset, perscripsisti,

 

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his way with large forces into Germany through Illyricum, for that was

the news _sans doute_. So I think I must make for Malta, until there

is news from Spain. This from Caesar's letter I almost think I may do

without annoying him, for he says there is no more honourable or safe

course open to me than to keep quite clear of the fight. You will say

"Where then is your courage which you showed in recent letters?" It is

there and the same; but would that I had only to decide for myself. The

tears of my family at times weaken me, when they beg me to wait for

news about Spain. The miserable tone of M. Caelius' letter making this

same request that I should wait, not to risk so rashly my fortunes, my

only son and all my family, moved our boys to weeping; although my own

son is made of stronger stuff, and for that very reason he affects me

more deeply, thinking only of my reputation.

 

So I shall go to Malta, thence where it seems good. Still even now send

me a line, especially if there is any news from Afranius. If I have an

interview with Antony, I will inform you of the result. However, as you

advise, I will take care how I trust him, for the policy of concealment

is hard and dangerous too. Servius Sulpicius I await till the 7th. Both

his wife Postumia and his son urge me to this. I rejoice that your ague

is better. I send you also a copy of Caelius' letter.

 

 

 

 

IXa

 

CAELIUS TO CICERO, GREETING.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Intimile, Apr. 16_, B.C. _49_]

 

In my dismay at your letter, in which you show that your thoughts are

set on some unhappy act

 

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neque non tamen, quale esset, quod cogitates, aperuisti, has ad

te ilico litteras scripsi. Per fortunas tuas, Cicero, per liberos

te oro et obsecro, ne quid gravius de salute et incolumitate tua

consulas. Nam deos hominesque amicitiamque nostram testificor me tibi

praedixisse neque temere monuisse, sed, postquam Caesarem convenerim

sententiamque eius, qualis futura esset parta victoria, cognorim,

te certiorem fecisse. Si existimas eandem rationem fore Caesaris in

dimittendis adversariis et condicionibus ferendis, erras; nihil nisi

atrox et saevum cogitat atque etiam loquitur; iratus senatui exiit, his

intercessionibus plane incitatus est; non mehercules erit deprecationi

locus. Quare, si tibi tu, si filius unicus, si domus, si spes tuae

reliquae tibi carae sunt, si aliquid apud te nos, si vir optimus,

gener tuus, valemus, quorum fortunam non debes velle conturbare, noli

committere,[145] ut eam causam, in cuius victoria salus nostra est,

odisse aut relinquere cogamur, aut impiam cupiditatem contra salutem

tuam habeamus. Denique illud cogita, quod offensae fuerit in ista

cunctatione, te subisse. Nunc te contra victorem Caesarem facere,

quem dubiis rebus laedere noluisti, et ad eos fugatos accedere, quos

resistentes sequi nolueris, summae stultitiae est. Vide, ne, dum

pudet te parum optimatem esse, parum diligenter, quid optimum sit,

eligas. Quod si totum tibi persuadere non possum, saltem, dum, quid de

Hispaniis agamus, scitur,

 

[145] noli committere _added by Lehmann_.

 

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without saying exactly what it is, though you disclose sufficiently

what kind of an act it is, I write this on the spot. In the name of

your fortunes and your children, I beg and beseech you, Cicero, not to

take any step that may endanger your life and safety. For I call gods

and men and our friendship to witness that I told you before, and that

it was no casual warning that I gave you, but certain information,

after I had met Caesar and found out what his view would be, if he won

the victory. If you imagine that he will maintain his present policy of

letting his adversaries go and making peace, you are mistaken; he is

meditating and even proclaiming nothing but cruelty and severity. He

left Rome in anger with the Senate: these recent vetoes have clearly

provoked him: you may take my word for it there will be no chance

of begging off. Then, if you have any care for yourself, your only

son, your house and what hopes you have left, if I and your excellent

son-in-law have any influence with you--and you ought not to wish to

spoil our fortunes--then do not compel us to hate or relinquish a

cause, in whose victory our safety lies, or to harbour unnatural wishes

for your destruction. Finally consider this: any offence there may

have been in your hesitation, you have already given. Now it is the

height of folly to side against Caesar in his hour of victory, when you

refused to attack him while his fortunes were doubtful; and to join in

the flight of those, whom you would not follow when they stood their

ground. Beware lest for fear of showing too little zeal for the "better

party," you use too little care in choosing the better course. But, if

I cannot persuade you entirely, at least wait till it is known how we

get on in Spain,

 

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exspecta; quas tibi nuntio adventu Caesaris fore nostras. Quam isti

spem habeant amissis Hispaniis, nescio; quod porro tuum consilium sit

ad desperatos accedere, non medius fidius reperio.

 

Hoc, quod tu non dicendo mihi significasti, Caesar audierat, ac, simul

atque "have" mihi dixit, statim, quid de te audisset, exposuit. Negavi

me scire, sed tamen ab eo petivi, ut ad te litteras mitteret, quibus

maxime ad remanendum commoveri posses. Me secum in Hispaniam ducit.

Nam, nisi ita faceret, ego, priusquam ad urbem accederem, ubicumque

esses, ad te percucurrissem, et hoc a te praesens contendissem atque

omni vi te retinuissem. Etiam atque etiam, Cicero, cogita, ne te

tuosque omnis funditus evertas, ne te sciens prudensque eo demittas,

unde exitum vides nullum esse. Quodsi te aut voces optimatium

commovent, aut non nullorum hominum insolentiam et iactationem

ferre non potes, eligas censeo aliquod oppidum vacuum a bello, dum

haec decernuntur; quae iam erunt confecta. Id si feceris, et ego te

sapienter fecisse iudicabo, et Caesarem non offendes.

 

 

 

 

X

 

CICERO ATTICO SAL.

 

 

[Sidenote: _Scr. in Cumano V Non. Mai. a. 705_]

 

Me caecum, qui haec ante non viderim! Misi ad te epistulam Antoni.

Ei cum ego saepissime scripsissem nihil me contra Caesaris rationes

cogitare, meminisse me generi mei, meminisse amicitiae, potuisse, which I assure you will be ours as soon as Caesar arrives. What your friends' hopes are, when they have lost Spain, is more than I know; and what your idea is in joining them, when they have no hopes, is more than I can imagine.

What you hinted at without speaking plainly, Caesar had heard, and as soon as ever he had said "good day," he told me what he had heard about you. I said I knew nothing about it: but I asked him to send you

a letter as the best means of inducing you to stay. He is taking me

with him to Spain. If he were not, I should have hurried to you, before

going to Rome, wherever you might have been, and should have pressed

this view on you personally and done all in my power to restrain you.

Once more and yet once more, Cicero, think before you utterly destroy

yourself and all your family: do not wittingly and with your eyes open

put yourself in a position from which you see there is no escape. But,

if you are moved by the call of the conservative party, or if you

cannot endure the insolence and arrogant behaviour of certain persons,

I think you should choose some town remote from the war, until the

matter is settled: and settled it will be at once. If you do that, I

shall consider you have acted wisely, and Caesar will not be offended.