The Letters, Volume 3. Cicero

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СКАЧАТЬ 42.21.)

      ¹⁰ This refers to the lines, fifteen miles long, drawn by Caesar round Pompey's position on the bay of Dyrrachium. They were not, however, completed at the southern extremity, and shortly afterwards pierced them at this point, and inflicted a severe defeat upon Caesar.

      ¹¹ Dowries were paid in three instalments (pensiones). The second instalment was due to Tullia's husband, Dolabella, on the 1st of July. A divorce, however, was already under discussion. If that were effected Cicero would not have to pay. He is divided in mind. If he paid, and Pompey's side won, he would wish for the divorce, and yet would have difficulty in recovering the money. If Caesar's side won, the rupture with the Caesarian Dolabella might be dangerous.

      ¹² Pompey.

      ¹³ As well as to my profit.

      ¹⁴ See vol. i., p.164, and cp. sup. p. 4, for these vicarious letters.

      ¹⁵ Tullia.

      ¹⁶ Tullia. The property, perhaps, was assigned to her by way of dowry. See p. 3.

      ¹⁷ From Letter CCCCXXVI, it appears that Cicero had sold property at Frusino (on the via Latina), retaining the right to repurchase, which he now wished to do. See p.32.

      ¹⁸ The question of leaving Italy to join Pompey.

      ¹⁹ Atticus' father-in-law, Q. Pilius Celer. Of the property of Atticus in Epirus we have heard throughout the correspondence.

      ²⁰ Mueller and others regard this as a separate letter, earlier in date than the previous part.

      ²¹ Pompey, whom however Cicero is careful not to name. This seems to be written after the successful piercing of Caesar's lines, during which Cicero, from ill-health, had left the camp for Dyrrachium.

      ²² Of Tullia's dowry. See p. 8.

      ²³ There is still a possibility of the ultimate success of the Pompeians, who are mustered in great force in Africa. Pompey's son Gnaeus had threatened to kill Cicero at Corcyra, when he refused to go on with the war; and, if that party succeeded in the end, they would regard Cicero as having acted treasonably in returning to Italy. This was one of the "injuries"; another was the fact that his brother and nephew had turned against him, and, as he believed, were denouncing him to Caesar.

      ²⁴ His leaving the Pompeian fleet and coming to Italy.

      ²⁵ P. Servilius Vatia Isauricus, Caesar's colleague in the consulship. Basilus is L. Minucius Basilus, an officer of Caesar's, and afterwards one of his assassins.

      ²⁶ Cicero's relations with P. Vatinius—though he had finally defended him at Pompey's request—had been so unfriendly, that Atticus had some reason for doubting how he would treat Cicero at Brundisium, where he was in command of some of Caesar's ships. (Caes. B. Alex. 47.)

      ²⁷ I.e., to Asia or Alexandria, to make their peace with Caesar.

      ²⁸ Apparently the expression of Caesar's wish to Dolabella, which he afterwards quotes in his own justification, does not seem to him sufficiently formal. See p.19.

      ²⁹ Brundisium was in the hands of the Caesarians under Vatinius with ships and men.

      ³⁰ The text of this sentence is very uncertain. I have followed Mueller's reliquo tempore me domi tenui...ad Balbum scripsi.

      ³¹ Pompey was murdered on landing in Egypt on the 28th of September. The coldness of this reference does not accord well with Cicero's former warm expressions as to his "gratitude"to Pompey. But his language in regard to him is by no means uniformly that of admiration, often quite the reverse; and there had been much strained feeling between them in the camp in Epirus.

      ³² C. Fannius, tribune in B.C. 59. He was sent to Sicily B.C. 49 (vol., ii., p.252), but appears not to have gone, or at any rate he soon returned and joined Pompey in Epirus (ib. p.308). Whether he fell at Pharsalia, or afterwards with Pompey, we have no other information.

      ³³ L. Cornelius Lentulus Crus, one of the consuls of the previous year. Hortensius—the famous orator-was noted for the splendour of his villas; his town house, in which Augustus afterwards lived, is described by Suetonius as a "moderate building" (Aug. ch. 72); but that was in view of the splendid buildings of the imperial age. It seems to have been conspicuous at this time. The right owner, the younger Hortensius, was serving Caesar (vol ii., pp.392, 400).

      ³⁴ The text is corrupt. I venture to read: arbitratus es. Itane est igitur, ut scribis, istis placere eisdem lictoribus me uti, quod concessum Sestio sit? Itane may without much violence be extracted from t ea, and factum be an inserted explanation of est.

      ³⁵ To P. Sestius had been allotted the province of Cilicia in succession to Cicero, but this allotment had taken place after the expulsion of the Tribunes in January, B.C. 49; for we know that Curio had up to 10th December, B.C. 50, prevented any decree as to the provinces (vol. ii., p.182). Therefore, Cicero argues, Caesar, who would not acknowledge any Senatus Consultum after the expulsion of the Tribunes, if he allows of Sestius having imperium, must do so as an act of his own. But in Cicero's own case his imperium dated long before, and Caesar could consistently acknowledge it.

      ³⁶ M. Antonius and Q. Cassius, vol. ii., p.234.

      ³⁷ Cicero repeats this assertion of Caesar's invitation afterwards, in answer to Antony's remark that he spared him at Brundisium when he might have killed him. (Phil. 2.5.)

      ³⁸ Cicero did not wish his name to be mentioned as specially favoured by Caesar, for fear of being discredited with the Pompeians, should they eventually prevail. For Laelius, see p.33.

      ³⁹ Servius Sulpicius Rufus (see vol. ii., pp.354, 361) retired to Samos after Pharsalia, and was soon afterwards employed by Caesar to govern Greece. His son had been in Caesar's army.

      ⁴⁰ I. e., written in Cicero's name (see pp. 4, 9, 22).

      ⁴¹ Q Fufius Calenus (see p.35).

      ⁴² The tendency of Quintus to indulge in violent language is often referred to (see especially vol. i., p.128; vol. ii., pp.149, 191).

      B.C. 47. Dict. r. p. c., C. Iulius Caesar, Mag. Eq., M. Antonius. Coss. (for three last months), Q. Fufius Calenus, P. Vatinius.

      Cicero remained till towards the end of September, B.C. 47, at Brundisium, while Caesar was engaged in the Alexandrine and Pontic wars. The chief causes of anxiety and distress weighing upon him were the alienation of his brother, the uncertainty as to his own position, on the one hand with Caesar, and on the other with the Pompeians, now gathered in great force in Africa, and lastly the unhappiness of Tullia, whose relations with her husband Dolabella were very unsatisfactory to him. The clouds lifted greatly in September, when Caesar, returning to Italy, met Cicero between Tarentum and Brundisium, embraced him, and gave him free leave to live anywhere in Italy he chose. There was still the fear lest, if the Pompeians in Africa finally triumphed, he would be treated by them as a traitor. But he seems to have made up his mind that Caesar's favour offered the greater security.

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