Letter 3: Cicero writes to Brutus from Rome to Dyrrhachium in 17 April 43 BC.
Marcus Tullius Cicero→Marcus Junius Brutus|c. 43 BC|Marcus Tullius Cicero and Marcus Junius Brutus|From Rome|To Dyrrhachium|AI-assisted
politicscivil-warrepublican-crisis
Imported from the public-domain Shuckburgh translation on ToposText, paired with The Latin Library Latin. The local ref preserves Latin Library a-letter distinctions where ToposText repeats a traditional label.
Written at Rome, 17 April, in the year 711 [from the founding of the city] (43 BC).
FROM CICERO, GREETINGS TO BRUTUS.
I am exceedingly glad that you have found the army and the cavalry well disposed toward you. As for Dolabella, as you write, if you have any news, let me know; and in this matter I am pleased that I foresaw beforehand that your judgment about waging war on Dolabella should be left free. That mattered greatly, as I understood at the time, to the commonwealth, and, as I now judge, to your own standing. [2] [...] As to your writing that I acted with the utmost leisure in attacking the Antonii, and that you commend me for it, I believe that is how it seems to you. But that distinction of yours I in no way approve; for you write that civil wars are to be more sharply prevented than that anger should be exercised upon the conquered. I disagree with you vehemently, Brutus, and I do not yield to your clemency; rather, a salutary severity prevails over the empty appearance of clemency. But if we wish to be clement, civil wars will never be lacking. Yet on this point you must look to yourself; concerning myself I can say the same as the father in Plautus's Trinummus:
"My span of life is now nearly run; this matters most to you."
[3] You will be overwhelmed, believe me, Brutus, unless you take precautions; for you will not always have the same people, nor the same senate, nor the same leader of the senate. Consider these words as delivered to you from the oracle of Pythian Apollo; nothing can be truer. 17 April.
§ Brut.1.2 DCCCXL (Brut. I, 2) TO M. IUNIUS BRUTUS (AT DYRRACHIUM) ROME, 17 APRIL: I rejoice that you have found the army and cavalry well affected to you. About Dolabella, as you remark, you will inform me' if you hear any news. In regard to this, I am pleased to think that I foresaw how independent your judgment would be as to making war on Dolabella. That, as I saw clearly at the time, was of great importance to the state, and, as I now am of opinion, of great importance to your own position. You say in your letter that I have not hurried myself at all in making attacks on the Antonies; and you go on to commend me for it. I have no doubt that you think so; but I can in no sense admit the justice of the distinction you draw, when you say that more vigour should be used in preventing civil wars, than in wreaking vengeance upon the vanquished. I strongly differ from you, Brutus, and I do not admit your clemency doctrine. A salutary sternness is superior to the empty show of clemency. But if we choose the role of clemency we shall never have any lack of civil wars. However, that is more your concern than mine. For myself I can say, like the father in the Trinummus of Plautus, “My time is all but past: 'tis you this most concerns.” You will be crushed, believe me, Brutus, unless you take proper precautions. For you won't always have the same people, nor the same senate, nor the same leader of the senate. Regard these words as uttered by the oracle of the Pythian Apollo. Nothing can be truer. 17 April.
[IIa] Scr. Romae xv K. Mai. a. 711 (43).
CICERO BRVTO SAL.
te benevolentiam exercitus equitumque expertum vehementer gaudeo. de Dolabella, ut scribis, si quid habes novi, facies me certiorem; in quo delector me ante providisse, ut tuum iudicium liberum esset cum Dolabella belli gerendi. id valde pertinuit, ut ego tum intellegebam, ad rem publicam, <ut> nunc iudico, ad dignitatem tuam. [2] * * * quod scribis me maximo otio egisse ut insectarer Antonios idque laudas, credo ita videri tibi. sed illam distinctionem tuam nullo pacto probo; scribis enim acrius prohibenda bella civilia esse quam in superatos iracundiam exercendam. vehementer a te, Brute, dissentio nec clementiae tuae concedo, sed salutaris severitas vincit inanem speciem clementiae. quod si clementes esse volumus, numquam deerunt bella civilia. sed de hoc tu videris; de me possum idem quod Plautinus pater in Trinummo:
mihi quidem aetas acta ferme est; tua istuc refert maxime.
[3] opprimemini, mihi crede, Brute, nisi provideritis; neque enim populum semper eundem habebitis neque senatum neque senati ducem. haec ex oraculo Apollinis Pythi edita tibi puta; nihil potest esse venus. xv K. Maias.
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Written at Rome, 17 April, in the year 711 [from the founding of the city] (43 BC).
FROM CICERO, GREETINGS TO BRUTUS.
I am exceedingly glad that you have found the army and the cavalry well disposed toward you. As for Dolabella, as you write, if you have any news, let me know; and in this matter I am pleased that I foresaw beforehand that your judgment about waging war on Dolabella should be left free. That mattered greatly, as I understood at the time, to the commonwealth, and, as I now judge, to your own standing. [2] [...] As to your writing that I acted with the utmost leisure in attacking the Antonii, and that you commend me for it, I believe that is how it seems to you. But that distinction of yours I in no way approve; for you write that civil wars are to be more sharply prevented than that anger should be exercised upon the conquered. I disagree with you vehemently, Brutus, and I do not yield to your clemency; rather, a salutary severity prevails over the empty appearance of clemency. But if we wish to be clement, civil wars will never be lacking. Yet on this point you must look to yourself; concerning myself I can say the same as the father in Plautus's Trinummus:
"My span of life is now nearly run; this matters most to you."
[3] You will be overwhelmed, believe me, Brutus, unless you take precautions; for you will not always have the same people, nor the same senate, nor the same leader of the senate. Consider these words as delivered to you from the oracle of Pythian Apollo; nothing can be truer. 17 April.
AI-assisted translation - This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.
Latin / Greek Original
[IIa] Scr. Romae xv K. Mai. a. 711 (43). CICERO BRVTO SAL.
te benevolentiam exercitus equitumque expertum vehementer gaudeo. de Dolabella, ut scribis, si quid habes novi, facies me certiorem; in quo delector me ante providisse, ut tuum iudicium liberum esset cum Dolabella belli gerendi. id valde pertinuit, ut ego tum intellegebam, ad rem publicam, <ut> nunc iudico, ad dignitatem tuam. [2] * * * quod scribis me maximo otio egisse ut insectarer Antonios idque laudas, credo ita videri tibi. sed illam distinctionem tuam nullo pacto probo; scribis enim acrius prohibenda bella civilia esse quam in superatos iracundiam exercendam. vehementer a te, Brute, dissentio nec clementiae tuae concedo, sed salutaris severitas vincit inanem speciem clementiae. quod si clementes esse volumus, numquam deerunt bella civilia. sed de hoc tu videris; de me possum idem quod Plautinus pater in Trinummo: mihi quidem aetas acta ferme est; tua istuc refert maxime. [3] opprimemini, mihi crede, Brute, nisi provideritis; neque enim populum semper eundem habebitis neque senatum neque senati ducem. haec ex oraculo Apollinis Pythi edita tibi puta; nihil potest esse venus. xv K. Maias.