Marcus Tullius Cicero→Titus Pomponius Atticus|c. 49 BC|Cicero|From Rome|To Rome/Athens|AI-assisted
On the evening of February 9, I received a letter from Philotimus. He wrote that Domitius has a solid army, that the cohorts from Picenum under Lentulus and Thermus have joined Domitius' army, that Caesar can be cut off and fears it, that the spirits of the loyalists in Rome have revived, and that the wicked have been struck down, as it were. I am afraid these may be dreams. Still, Philotimus' letter called Manius Lepidus, Lucius Torquatus, and Gaius Cassius the tribune of the plebs back to life, for they are here with me - that is, at Formiae.
I fear that the other reports may be truer: that almost all of us have already been captured and that Pompey is leaving Italy, with Caesar said to be pursuing him. Caesar pursuing Pompey? For what, to kill him? Miserable me. And do we not all throw our bodies in the way? You groan over this too. But what are we to do? We have been defeated, overwhelmed, captured outright.
Still, after reading Philotimus' letter, I changed my plan about the women. As I wrote to you, I was sending them back to Rome; but it occurred to me that there would be much talk, as if I had now made my judgment about the public cause, and, because I despaired of it, was taking the return of the women as the first step toward my own return. About myself, I agree with you: I should not commit myself to uncertain and dangerous flight when I can do no good for the republic and none for Pompey. For him I can die dutifully and gladly. So I shall remain, although to live -
You ask what is happening here. All Capua and the whole levy here have collapsed. The cause is desperate; everyone is in flight, unless some god helps and Pompey joins those forces of Domitius to his own. It seems we will know everything within two or three days. I have sent you a copy of Caesar's letter, since you asked. Many have written to me that I am very satisfactory to him. I endure that easily, so long as, as yet, I do nothing disgraceful.
[Sidenote: _Formiae, the evening of Feb. 9 or the morning of Feb. 10_,
B.C. _49_]
On the evening of the 9th of February, I got a letter from Philotimus,
declaring that Domitius has a reliable force, the cohorts from Picenum
under the command of Lentulus and Thermus have joined his army, Caesar
can be cut off and fears the contingency, and the hopes of loyalists
at Rome have been restored, and those of the other party dashed. I am
afraid this may be a dream; but still the news revived M'. Lepidus, L.
Torquatus and C. Cassius the tribune of the plebs--for they are with
me, that is at Formiae. I fear the truer version may be that we are now
all practically prisoners, that Pompey is leaving Italy, pursued it is
said by Caesar. What a bitter thought! Caesar pursue Pompey! What, to
slay him? Woe is me! And we do not all throw our bodies in the way! You
too are sorry about it. But what can we do? We are beaten, ruined and
utterly captive.
Still the perusal of Philotimus' letter has caused me to change my plan
about the women-folk. I wrote you I was sending them back to Rome: but
it has come into my mind that there would be a deal of talk, that I had
now come to a decision on the political situation; and that in despair
of success the return of the ladies of my house was as it were one step
towards my own return. As for myself, I agree with you that I should
not commit myself to the danger and uncertainty of flight, seeing that
it would avail nothing to State or Pompey, for whom I would dutifully
and gladly die. So I shall stay, though life--.
Quod quaeris, hic quid agatur, tota Capua et omnis hic dilectus iacet;
desperata res est, in fuga omnes sunt, nisi qui deus iuverit, ut
Pompeius istas Domiti copias cum suis coniungat. Sed videbamur omnia
biduo triduove scituri. Caesaris litterarum exemplum tibi misi; rogaras
enim. Cui nos valde satis facere multi ad me scripserunt; quod patior
facile, dum ut adhuc nihil faciam turpiter.
nisi qui deus iuverit _Tyrrell_: nisi quid eius fuerit _M_: nisi
quid eius modi fuerit _Ascensius_.
v Idus Febr. vesperi a Philotimo litteras accepi Domitium exercitum firmum habere, cohortis ex Piceno Lentulo et Thermo ducentibus cum Domiti exercitu coniunctas esse, Caesarem intercludi posse eumque id timere, bonorum animos recreatos Romae, improbos quasi perculsos. haec metuo equidem ne sint somnia, sed tamen M'. Lepidum, L. Torquatum, C. Cassium tribunum pl. (hi enim sunt nobiscum, id est in Formiano) Philotimi litterae ad vitam .revocaverunt. ego autem illa metuo ne veriora sint, nos omnis paene iam captos esse, Pompeium Italia cedere; quem quidem (o rem acerbam!) persequi Caesar dicitur. persequi Caesar Pompeium? quid? ut interficiat? O me miserum! et non omnes nostra corpora opponimus? in quo tu quoque ingemiscis. sed quid faciamus? victi, oppressi, capti plane sumus. [2] ego tamen Philotimi litteris lectis mutavi consilium de mulieribus. quas, ut scripseram ad te, Romam remittebam; sed mihi venit in mentem multum fore sermonem me iudicium iam de causa publica fecisse; qua desperata quasi hunc gradum mei reditus esse quod mulieres revertissent. de me autem ipso tibi adsentior, ne me dem incertae et periculosae fugae, cum rei publicae nihil prosim, nihil Pompeio; pro quo emori cum pie possum tum libenter. manebo igitur, etsi vivere—. [3] quod quaeris hic quid agatur, tota Capua et omnis hic dilectus iacet; desperata res est, in fuga omnes sunt, nisi qui deus iuverit ut Pompeius istas Domiti copias cum suis coniungat. sed videbamur omnia biduo triduove scituri. Caesaris litterarum exemplum tibi misi; rogaras enim. cui nos valde satis facere multi ad me scripserunt; quod patior facile, dum ut adhuc nihil faciam turpiter.
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On the evening of February 9, I received a letter from Philotimus. He wrote that Domitius has a solid army, that the cohorts from Picenum under Lentulus and Thermus have joined Domitius' army, that Caesar can be cut off and fears it, that the spirits of the loyalists in Rome have revived, and that the wicked have been struck down, as it were. I am afraid these may be dreams. Still, Philotimus' letter called Manius Lepidus, Lucius Torquatus, and Gaius Cassius the tribune of the plebs back to life, for they are here with me - that is, at Formiae.
I fear that the other reports may be truer: that almost all of us have already been captured and that Pompey is leaving Italy, with Caesar said to be pursuing him. Caesar pursuing Pompey? For what, to kill him? Miserable me. And do we not all throw our bodies in the way? You groan over this too. But what are we to do? We have been defeated, overwhelmed, captured outright.
Still, after reading Philotimus' letter, I changed my plan about the women. As I wrote to you, I was sending them back to Rome; but it occurred to me that there would be much talk, as if I had now made my judgment about the public cause, and, because I despaired of it, was taking the return of the women as the first step toward my own return. About myself, I agree with you: I should not commit myself to uncertain and dangerous flight when I can do no good for the republic and none for Pompey. For him I can die dutifully and gladly. So I shall remain, although to live -
You ask what is happening here. All Capua and the whole levy here have collapsed. The cause is desperate; everyone is in flight, unless some god helps and Pompey joins those forces of Domitius to his own. It seems we will know everything within two or three days. I have sent you a copy of Caesar's letter, since you asked. Many have written to me that I am very satisfactory to him. I endure that easily, so long as, as yet, I do nothing disgraceful.
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
v Idus Febr. vesperi a Philotimo litteras accepi Domitium exercitum firmum habere, cohortis ex Piceno Lentulo et Thermo ducentibus cum Domiti exercitu coniunctas esse, Caesarem intercludi posse eumque id timere, bonorum animos recreatos Romae, improbos quasi perculsos. haec metuo equidem ne sint somnia, sed tamen M'. Lepidum, L. Torquatum, C. Cassium tribunum pl. (hi enim sunt nobiscum, id est in Formiano) Philotimi litterae ad vitam .revocaverunt. ego autem illa metuo ne veriora sint, nos omnis paene iam captos esse, Pompeium Italia cedere; quem quidem (o rem acerbam!) persequi Caesar dicitur. persequi Caesar Pompeium? quid? ut interficiat? O me miserum! et non omnes nostra corpora opponimus? in quo tu quoque ingemiscis. sed quid faciamus? victi, oppressi, capti plane sumus. [2] ego tamen Philotimi litteris lectis mutavi consilium de mulieribus. quas, ut scripseram ad te, Romam remittebam; sed mihi venit in mentem multum fore sermonem me iudicium iam de causa publica fecisse; qua desperata quasi hunc gradum mei reditus esse quod mulieres revertissent. de me autem ipso tibi adsentior, ne me dem incertae et periculosae fugae, cum rei publicae nihil prosim, nihil Pompeio; pro quo emori cum pie possum tum libenter. manebo igitur, etsi vivere—. [3] quod quaeris hic quid agatur, tota Capua et omnis hic dilectus iacet; desperata res est, in fuga omnes sunt, nisi qui deus iuverit ut Pompeius istas Domiti copias cum suis coniungat. sed videbamur omnia biduo triduove scituri. Caesaris litterarum exemplum tibi misi; rogaras enim. cui nos valde satis facere multi ad me scripserunt; quod patior facile, dum ut adhuc nihil faciam turpiter.