Letter 147

I have not had what you say is your experience:--"as often as my hopes revive." Only now are mine reviving a little, and especially over letters from Rome about Domitius and the squadrons of Picenum. Things have become more cheerful in the last two days. I have given up my preparation for flight. I spurn Caesar's threat: "If I shall meet thee here to-morrow morn." The news about Domitius is good, that about Afranius is splendid. From a Latin translation of Euripides, _Medea_, 352. Thanks for your very friendly advice, not to commit myself more than I can help. You add a caution against showing a leaning towards the wrong party: well, I confess I may seem to. I refused to take a leading part in civil war, so long as there were negotiations for peace, not because the war was unjust, but because former action of mine in a still juster cause did me harm. I had no desire at all to excite the enmity of a man to whom our leader offered a second consulship, and a triumph too with the fulsome flattery "on account of your brilliant achievements." I know whom I have to fear and why. bellum, ut video fore, partes meae non desiderabuntur. De HS X̅X̅ Terentia tibi rescripsit. Dionysio, dum existimabam vagos nos fore, nolui molestus esse; tibi autem crebro ad me scribenti de eius officio nihil rescripsi, quod diem ex die exspectabam, ut statuerem, quid esset faciendum. Nunc, ut video, pueri certe in Formiano videntur hiematuri. Et ego? Nescio. Si enim erit bellum, cum Pompeio esse constitui. Quod habebo certi, faciam, ut scias. Ego bellum foedissimum futurum puto, nisi qui, ut tu scribis, Parthicus casus exstiterit. But if the war I foresee comes, I shall not fail to play my part. About that £180, Terentia sent you an answer. I did not want to trouble Dionysius, so long as I expected to be a wanderer. I gave no answer to your repeated letters about the man's duty, because daily I was expecting to settle what should be done. Now as far as I can see, my boys will certainly winter at Formiae. And I? I don't know. For, if war comes, I am determined to be with Pompey. I will keep you informed of reliable news. I fancy there will be a most terrible war, unless, as you remark, some Parthian incident occur again. 20,000 sesterces. I.e. a sudden retreat of Caesar, like that of the Parthians. Cf. VI, 6. M. TULLI CICERONIS EPISTULARUM AD ATTICUM LIBER OCTAVUS

non venit idem usu mihi quod tu tibi scribis, 'quotiens exorior.' ego enim nunc (primum) paulum exorior et maxime quidem iis litteris quae Roma adferuntur de Domitio, de Picentium cohortibus. omnia erant facta hoc biduo laetiora. itaque fuga quae parabatur repressa est; Caesaris interdicta, si te secundo lumine hic offendero— respuuntur; bona de Domitio, praeclara de Afranio fama est. [2] quod me amicissime admones ut mihi integrum quoad possim servem, gratum est; quod addis, ne propensior ad turpem causam videar, certe videri possum. ego me ducem in civili bello quoad de pace ageretur negavi esse, non quin rectum esset sed quia quod multo rectius fuit id mihi fraudem tulit. plane eum quoi noster alterum consulatum deferret et triumphum (at quibus verbis! 'pro tuis rebus gestis amplissimis') inimicum habere nolueram. ego scio et quem metuam et quam ob rem. sin erit bellum, ut video fore, partes meae non desiderabuntur. [3] de HS X_X_ Terentia tibi rescripsit. Dionysio, dum existimabam vagos nos fore, nolui molestus esse; tibi autem crebro ad me scribenti de eius officio nihil rescripsi, quod diem ex die exspectabam ut statuerem quid esset faciendum. nunc, ut video, pueri certe in Formiano videntur hiematuri. et ego? nescio. si enim erit bellum, cum Pompeio esse constitui. quod habebo certi faciam ut scias. ego bellum foedissimum futurum puto, nisi qui, ut tu scribis, Parthicus casus exstiterit. Cicero