In the midst of my deepest grief I use this consolation: people now understand that I did not fear without reason the things that have happened.
Let them decide whether to bring the legions from Africa or not, and from Sardinia too; whether to summon Marcus Brutus or not; whether to give me soldiers' pay or refuse to decree it. I have sent a dispatch to the Senate.
Believe me, unless all those things are done as I write, we shall all enter into great danger. I ask you: look carefully at the men to whom you entrust the business of bringing the legions to me. What is needed is loyalty and speed.
June 3, from camp.
DCCCLXXXVII (Fam. XI, 26) DECIMUS BRUTUS TO CICERO (AT ROME) IN CAMP (NEAR CULARO), 3 JUNE: IN the midst of excessive sorrow I find consolation in the fact that the world now knows that it was not without cause that I feared what has actually occurred. Let them consider whether to bring the legions from Africa or not, and also from Sardinia ; and whether to summon Marcus Brutus or not; and whether to give or decree me pay for my soldiers. I am sending a despatch to the senate. Believe me that unless all these measures are taken as described in my despatch, we shall be in the greatest danger. I beseech you to see to whom to intrust the business of bringing the legions to me. What is necessary is loyalty and speed. 3 June, from camp.
XXVI. Scr. in castris III. Nonas Iunias a.u.c. 711. D. BRUTUS S. D. M. CICERONI..
In maximo meo dolere hoc solatio utor, quod intelligunt homines non sine causa me timuisse ista, quae acciderunt. Deliberent, utrum traiiciant legiones ex Africa necne et ex Sardinia, et Brutum arcessant necne, et mihi stipendium dent an non decernant: ad senatum litteras misi. Crede mihi, nisi ista omnia ita fiunt, quemadmodum scribo, magnum nos omnes adituros periculum. Rogo te, videte, quibus hominibus negotium detis, qui ad me legiones adducant: et fide opus est et celeritate. III. Non. Iun. ex castris.
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In the midst of my deepest grief I use this consolation: people now understand that I did not fear without reason the things that have happened.
Let them decide whether to bring the legions from Africa or not, and from Sardinia too; whether to summon Marcus Brutus or not; whether to give me soldiers' pay or refuse to decree it. I have sent a dispatch to the Senate.
Believe me, unless all those things are done as I write, we shall all enter into great danger. I ask you: look carefully at the men to whom you entrust the business of bringing the legions to me. What is needed is loyalty and speed.
June 3, from camp.
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
XXVI. Scr. in castris III. Nonas Iunias a.u.c. 711. D. BRUTUS S. D. M. CICERONI..
In maximo meo dolere hoc solatio utor, quod intelligunt homines non sine causa me timuisse ista, quae acciderunt. Deliberent, utrum traiiciant legiones ex Africa necne et ex Sardinia, et Brutum arcessant necne, et mihi stipendium dent an non decernant: ad senatum litteras misi. Crede mihi, nisi ista omnia ita fiunt, quemadmodum scribo, magnum nos omnes adituros periculum. Rogo te, videte, quibus hominibus negotium detis, qui ad me legiones adducant: et fide opus est et celeritate. III. Non. Iun. ex castris.