Letter 374

I came by sea from Pompeii to the hospitality of our Lucullus on May 10, about the third hour. As I was leaving the ship, I received your letter, which your messenger said had been brought to Cumae and dated May 7. From Lucullus' place I came to Puteoli the next day at about the same hour. There I received two letters, one dated May 7 and the other May 9, from Lanuvium. So hear my answer to them all. First, thank you for what has been done in my own business, both about the payment and in the matter with Albius. As for your Buthrotum, while I was at Pompeii Antony came to Misenum; then he left for Samnium before I even heard he had arrived. See what hope you can place in him. Buthrotum, then, must be handled at Rome. Lucius Antonius' public speech was dreadful; Dolabella's was splendid. Let him keep the money now, provided he pays on the Ides. I am sorry about Tertulla's miscarriage; Cassii need to be sown now as much as Bruti. I would like to hear about the queen, and also about that son of Caesar. That settles your first letter; now I come to the second. About the Quinti and Buthrotum, we will deal with them when I come, as you write. I am grateful that you are supplying Cicero. You think I am wrong to believe the republic hangs on Brutus. But that is exactly how matters stand: either there will be no republic, or it will be saved by that man and his group. You urge me to send a written public speech. Take from me, my dear Atticus, a general principle about matters in which I have some experience: no poet or orator ever thought anyone better than himself. This happens even with bad writers; what do you think happens with Brutus, who is both talented and learned? We experienced this lately over the edict. I had written one at your request. Mine pleased me; his pleased him. Indeed, when I had written to him, almost drawn on by his own entreaties, my book On the Best Kind of Orator, he wrote not only to me but also to you that what pleased me did not meet with his approval. So please let each man write for himself. "Each man his own bride; mine for me. Each man his own love; mine for me." Not elegantly put, since it is Atilius, a very wooden poet. But if only Brutus is allowed to address the people. If he can safely be in the city, we have won. As leader of a new civil war, either no one will follow him, or only men easily defeated. I come to your third letter. I am glad Brutus and Cassius liked my letter, and I have written back to them. They want Hirtius to become a better man through me. I am trying, and he speaks very well; but he lives and lodges with Balbus, who also speaks very well. Decide for yourself what to believe. I see that Dolabella pleases you greatly; he pleases me exceptionally. I spent time with Pansa at Pompeii. He convinced me plainly that his views are sound and that he wants peace. I can see plainly that a pretext for arms is being sought. I approve Brutus and Cassius' edict. You want me to undertake the thought of what I think those men should do. Plans belong to the moment, and you see them change by the hour. Dolabella's first act and this speech against Antony seem to me to have done a very great deal of good. Things were truly moving forward; now we seem to have a leader, the one thing the towns and good men lack. You mention Epicurus and dare to say, "Do not take part in politics." Does our Brutus' little frown not frighten you away from that speech? Young Quintus, as you write, is Antony's right hand. Through him, then, we shall easily get what we want. I am waiting to hear what sort of public meeting it was, if, as you think, Lucius Antonius brought Octavius forward. I have written this in haste, since Cassius' messenger is leaving immediately. I was going straight to greet Pilia, then by boat to dinner with Vestorius. Give Attica my warmest greetings.

From Pompeii I came by sea to enjoy our friend Lucullus' hospitality on the 10th about nine o'clock in the morning. As I disembarked, I received your letter, which your messenger says was taken to Cumae, dated the 7th. I left Lucullus and reached Puteoli about the same hour the next day. There I received two letters, dated one the 7th the other the 9th, from Lanuvium. So listen to my answer to them all. First, my thanks for what you have done in my affairs both in payment and in the business with Albius. Then with regard to your Buthrotum, when I was at Pompeii, Antony came to Misenum: but he was gone again to Samnium, before I heard he had come. See that you do not build much hope on him. So I must see to Buthrotum at Rome. L. Antonius' speech is horrible, Dolabella's splendid. Let him keep his money now, provided he pays on the Ides. I am sorry about Tertulla's miscarriage. For we want a crop of Cassii as much as one of Bruti. I hope it is true about Cleopatra and about Caesar's son too. I have finished your first letter, now I come to your second. The Quinti and Buthrotum we will leave till I come to Rome, as you say. Thanks for supplying my son's needs. You think I am wrong in thinking the republic hangs on Brutus: but it is a fact. There will be none, or he and his party will save it. You exhort me to send a written speech. You may take it from me, my dear Atticus, as a general axiom with regard to those matters, in which I have sufficient experience, that no one, whether poet or orator, ever thought anyone better than himself. This is so even in the case of bad ones: and what do you think it will be in the case of Brutus, who has talent and learning? Besides I have had experience of him lately over the edict. I had written one at your request. I liked mine, he liked his. Nay more, when I was induced by his entreaties to dedicate to him my book "on the best oratorical style," he wrote not only to me but to you also, that what I found pleasing, he did not approve. So, pray, let every man do his writing for himself. "To each his own wife; mine for me. To each his own love; mine for me." It is not neatly put, for it is by Atilius, the most wooden of poets. I only hope Brutus may be able to deliver a speech. If he can enter the city in safety, we have won. For, as the leader in a new civil war, no one will follow him, or at least only those who can easily be conquered. I come to your third letter. I am glad Brutus and Cassius were pleased with my letter: so I have sent an answer. They want me to turn Hirtius into a better citizen. I am doing my best, and his promises are fair enough, but he spends all his days and nights with Balbus, whose promises are fair enough too. How much of them you can believe, you must see for yourself. I observe you are very well satisfied with Dolabella, and I am more than satisfied. I saw a lot of Pansa at Pompeii: and he quite convinced me that he was well inclined and desirous of peace. I can see quite clearly that a pretext for war is being sought. The edict of Brutus and Cassius I approve. You want me to consider what I think they ought to do. One has to form one's plans according to circumstances; and, as you see, they are changing every hour. I think Dolabella's first move and this speech of his against Antony have both done a lot of good. Things are certainly advancing: and now we seem to be going to have a leader, which is the very thing the country towns and the well affected want. You mention Epicurus and dare to say "take no part in politics." Are you not frightened out of such talk by our friend Brutus' frown? Young Quintus, you tell me, is Antony's right hand man. So we shall easily get what we want through him. I am wondering what sort of speech Octavius made, if, as you thought, L. Antonius introduced him to a public meeting. I am writing in haste: for Cassius' letter carrier is starting at once. I am going directly to call on Pilia, and then on to dinner with Vestorius by boat. My best love to Attica.

E Pompeiano navi advectus sum in Luculli nostri hospitium vi Idus hora fere tertia. egressus autem e navi accepi tuas litteras quas tuus tabellarius in Cumanum attulisse dicebatur Nonis Maus datas. A Lucullo postridie eadem fere hora veni in Puteolanum. ibi accepi duas epistulas, alteram Nonis, alteram vii Idus Lanuvio datas. [2] audi igitur ad omnis. primum, quae de re mea gesta et in solutione et in Albiano negotio, grata. de tuo autem Buthroto, cum in Pompeiano essem, Misenum venit Antonius. Inde ante discessit quam illum venisse audissem, in Samnium A quo vide quid speres. Romae igitur de Buthroto. L. Antoni horribilis contio, Dolabellae praeclara. iam vel sibi habeat nummos, modo numeret Idibus. Tertullae nollem abortum. tam enim Cassii sunt iam quam Bruti serendi. de regina velim atque etiam de Caesare illo. persolvi primae epistulae, venio ad secundam. [3] de Quintis, Buthroto, cum venero, ut scribis. quod Ciceroni suppeditas, gratum. quod errare me putas qui rem publicam putem pendere <e> Bruto, sic se res habet. aut nulla erit aut ab isto istisve servabitur. quod me hortaris ut scriptam contionem mittam, accipe a me, mi Attice, kaqoliko\n qew/rhma earum rerum in quibus satis exercitati sumus. nemo umquam neque poeta neque orator fuit qui quemquam meliorem quam se arbitraretur. hoc etiam malis contingit; quid tu Bruto putas et ingenioso et erudito? de quo etiam experti sumus nuper in edicto. scripseram rogatu tuo. meum mihi placebat, illi suum. quin etiam cum ipsius precibus paene adductus scripsissem ad eum 'de optimo genere dicendi,' non modo mihi sed etiam tibi scripsit sibi illud quod mihi placeret non probari. qua re sine, quaeso, sibi quemque scribere, Suam quoi/que sponsam, mi/hi meam; suum quoi/que amorem, mi/hi meum. non scite. hoc enim Atilius, poeta durissimus. atque utinam liceat isti contionari! cui si esse in urbe tuto licebit, vicimus. ducem enim novi belli civilis aut nemo sequetur aut ii sequentur qui facile vincantur. [4] venio ad tertiam. gratas fuisse meas litteras Bruto et Cassio gaudeo. itaque iis rescripsi. quod Hirtium per me meliorem fieri volunt, do equidem operam et ille optime loquitur sed vivit habitatque cum Balbo qui item bene loquitur. quid credas videris. Dolabellam valde placere tibi video; mihi quidem egregie. Cum Pansa vixi in Pompeiano. is plane mihi probabat se bene sentire et cupere pacem. causam armorum quaeri plane video. edictum Bruti et Cassi probo. quod vis ut suscipiam cogitationem quidnam istis agendum putem, consilia temporum sunt quae in horas commutari vides. Dolabellae et prima illa actio et haec contra Antonium contio mihi profecisse permultum videtur. prorsus ibat res; nunc autem videmur habituri ducem; quod unum municipia bonique desiderant. [5] Epicuri mentionem facis et audes dicere mh\ politeu/esqai . non te Bruti nostri vulticulus ab ista oratione deterret? Quintus filius, ut scribis, Antoni est dextella. per eum igitur quod volemus facile auferemus. exspecto, si, ut putas, L. Antonius produxit Octavium, qualis contio fuerit. haec scripsi; statim enim Cassi tabellarius. eram continuo Piliam salutaturus, deinde ad epulas Vestori navicula. Atticae plurimam salutem.