Letter 24: Brutus writes to Cicero from Dyrrhachium to Rome in 1 April 43 BC.
Marcus Junius Brutus→Marcus Tullius Cicero|c. 43 BC|Marcus Tullius Cicero and Marcus Junius Brutus|From Dyrrhachium|To Rome|AI-assisted
politicsmilitaryrepublican-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 Dyrrachium, on the Kalends of April, in the year 711 (43 BC).]
Brutus to Cicero, greetings.
I am eagerly awaiting your letter, the one you wrote after the reports of our affairs and of the death of Trebonius reached you. For I do not doubt that you will lay out your plan for me. By an outrageous crime we have both lost a most excellent citizen and been driven from possession of a province, which it is easy to recover; nor will it be any less shameful or disgraceful even after it has been recovered.
[2] Antonius is still with us; but, on my honor, I am both moved by the man's entreaties and afraid that the frenzy of some parties may carry him off. I am thoroughly in turmoil. But if I knew what you would prefer, I should be free of anxiety; for I should be convinced that this course was the best. Therefore let me know as soon as possible what you prefer.
[3] Our friend Cassius holds Syria and the Syrian legions, having indeed been summoned of their own accord by Murcus, by Marcius, and by the army itself. I have written to my sister Tertia and to my mother not to publish this thing which Cassius has accomplished so excellently and so fortunately before they had learned your plan and you thought it proper.
[4] I have read two of your speeches, one of which you delivered on the Kalends of January, the other concerning my letter, which was delivered by you against Calenus. Now of course you are waiting for me to praise them. I do not know whether the greater praise contained in these little works belongs to your spirit or to your genius; and now I grant that they may even be called Philippics, as you yourself wrote in jest in one of your letters.
[5] We are in want of two things, Cicero: money and reinforcements. The one can be arranged by you, so that some portion of the soldiers there may be sent to us, either by a private understanding with Pansa or by a motion in the senate; the other is the more necessary, and no more so for my army than for those of the rest. On this account I grieve all the more that we have lost Asia, which I hear is being so harried by Dolabella that his murder of Trebonius no longer seems his most cruel deed. Old Antistius, however, has relieved me with money.
[6] Your son Cicero so commends himself to me by his industry, his endurance, his exertion, his greatness of spirit, in short by every kind of service, that he seems never for a moment to let go the thought of whose son he is. Therefore, since I cannot bring it about that you should value more highly one who is most dear to you, grant this much to my judgment: persuade yourself that he will not need to trade upon your glory in order to attain the offices his father held. The Kalends of April, from Dyrrachium.
§ Brut.2.3 DCCCXXXIV (Brut. II, 3) M. IUNIUS BRUTUS TO CICERO (AT ROME) DYRRACHIUM, I APRIL: I am anxiously expecting the letter which you wrote after you received the news of my movements and of the death of Trebonius. For I feel certain that you will expound your plan of action. By a shocking crime we have at once lost a most loyal citizen and have been driven from the possession of a province, the recovery of which is easy. But its subsequent recovery will not relieve the scandal and crime. Antonius is still in my camp; but, on my honour, I am much affected by the man's entreaties, and I fear a violent outbreak in some quarter may carry him off. I am really distracted with indecision. But if I knew your opinion, I should cease to be anxious: for I should be persuaded that it was the best thing to be done. Wherefore at the earliest possible moment let me know what your opinion is. Our friend Cassius holds Syria and the legions stationed in it, having indeed been actually invited to come by Murcus, Marcius, and the army itself. I have written to my sister Tertia and my mother, not to publish this most admirable and fortunate achievement of Cassius before they knew what your advice was and you thought it right. I have read two of your speeches, one delivered on the 1st of January, the other against Calenus. You are, of course, waiting for my praise of them at this time of day! I cannot decide whether it is your courage or your genius that is the more admirably displayed in these pamphlets. I quite agree in their having even the title of Philippics by which you jestingly described them in one of your letters. The two things which I want are money and more men. The latter — the sending some part of the soldiers now in Italy to me — you can accomplish either by a secret arrangement with Pansa or by bringing the matter before the senate. The former can be got from the senate direct. This is still more necessary, and not more so for my army than for that of the other commanders. This makes me the more regret that we have lost Asia: which I am told is being so harassed by Dolabella that his murder of Trebonius no longer appears the most cruel thing he has done. Antistius Vetus, however, has come to my aid with money. Your son Cicero is giving me such ion by his industry, endurance, hard work, and high courage, in short, by every kind of service, that he seems to me never to forget for a moment whose son he is. Therefore, as I cannot by any possibility think more highly than I already do of one who is the dearest object of your affection, pay my sagacity the compliment of believing that he will not have to trade upon your reputation for the attainment of the same offices as his father held before him. 1 April, Dyrrachium.
[III] Scr. Dyrrachi K. Apr. a. 711 (43).
BRVTVS CICERONI SAL.
Litteras tuas valde exspecto, quas scripsisti post nuntios nostrarum rerum et de morte Treboni. non enim dubito quin mihi consilium tuum explices. indigno scelere et civem optimum amisimus et provinciae possessione pulsi sumus, quam reciperari facile est neque minus turpe aut flagitiosum erit post reciperari.
[2] Antonius adhuc est nobiscum, sed medius fidius et moveor hominis precibus et timeo ne illum aliquorum furor excipiat. plane aestuo. quod si scirem quid tibi placeret, sine sollicitudine essem; id enim optimum esse persuasum esset mihi. qua re quam primum fac me certiorem quid tibi placeat. [3] Cassius noster Syriam, legiones Syriacas habet ultro quidem a Murco et a Marcio et ab exercitu ipso arcessitus. ego scripsi ad Tertiam sororem et matrem ne prius ederent hoc quod optime ac felicissime gessit Cassius quam tuum consilium cognovissent tibique visum esset.
[4] legi orationes duas tuas, quarum altera Kal. Ian. usus es, altera de litteris meis, quae habita est abs te contra Calenum. nunc scilicet hoc exspectas dum eas laudem. nescio animi an ingeni tui maior in his libellis laus contineatur; iam concedo ut vel Philippici vocentur, quod tu quadam epistula iocans scripsisti.
[5] duabus rebus egemus, Cicero, pecunia et supplemento; quarum altera potest abs te expediri ut aliqua pars militum istinc mittatur nobis vel secreto consilio adversus Pansam vel actione in senatu, altera quo magis est necessaria neque meo exercitui magis quam reliquorum, hoc magis doleo Asiam nos amisisse; quam sic vexari a Dolabella audio ut iam non videatur crudelissimum eius facinus interfectio Treboni. vetus Antistius me tamen pecunia sublevavit.
[6] Cicero, filius tuus, sic mihi se probat industria, patientia, labore, animi magnitudine, omni denique officio ut prorsus numquam dimittere videatur cogitationem cuius sit filius. qua re quoniam efficere non possum ut pluris facias eum qui tibi est carissimus, illud tribue iudicio meo ut tibi persuadeas non fore illi abutendum gloria tua ut adipiscatur honores paternos. Kalend. Apr. Dyrrhachio.
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[Written at Dyrrachium, on the Kalends of April, in the year 711 (43 BC).]
Brutus to Cicero, greetings.
I am eagerly awaiting your letter, the one you wrote after the reports of our affairs and of the death of Trebonius reached you. For I do not doubt that you will lay out your plan for me. By an outrageous crime we have both lost a most excellent citizen and been driven from possession of a province, which it is easy to recover; nor will it be any less shameful or disgraceful even after it has been recovered.
[2] Antonius is still with us; but, on my honor, I am both moved by the man's entreaties and afraid that the frenzy of some parties may carry him off. I am thoroughly in turmoil. But if I knew what you would prefer, I should be free of anxiety; for I should be convinced that this course was the best. Therefore let me know as soon as possible what you prefer.
[3] Our friend Cassius holds Syria and the Syrian legions, having indeed been summoned of their own accord by Murcus, by Marcius, and by the army itself. I have written to my sister Tertia and to my mother not to publish this thing which Cassius has accomplished so excellently and so fortunately before they had learned your plan and you thought it proper.
[4] I have read two of your speeches, one of which you delivered on the Kalends of January, the other concerning my letter, which was delivered by you against Calenus. Now of course you are waiting for me to praise them. I do not know whether the greater praise contained in these little works belongs to your spirit or to your genius; and now I grant that they may even be called Philippics, as you yourself wrote in jest in one of your letters.
[5] We are in want of two things, Cicero: money and reinforcements. The one can be arranged by you, so that some portion of the soldiers there may be sent to us, either by a private understanding with Pansa or by a motion in the senate; the other is the more necessary, and no more so for my army than for those of the rest. On this account I grieve all the more that we have lost Asia, which I hear is being so harried by Dolabella that his murder of Trebonius no longer seems his most cruel deed. Old Antistius, however, has relieved me with money.
[6] Your son Cicero so commends himself to me by his industry, his endurance, his exertion, his greatness of spirit, in short by every kind of service, that he seems never for a moment to let go the thought of whose son he is. Therefore, since I cannot bring it about that you should value more highly one who is most dear to you, grant this much to my judgment: persuade yourself that he will not need to trade upon your glory in order to attain the offices his father held. The Kalends of April, from Dyrrachium.
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
[III] Scr. Dyrrachi K. Apr. a. 711 (43). BRVTVS CICERONI SAL.
Litteras tuas valde exspecto, quas scripsisti post nuntios nostrarum rerum et de morte Treboni. non enim dubito quin mihi consilium tuum explices. indigno scelere et civem optimum amisimus et provinciae possessione pulsi sumus, quam reciperari facile est neque minus turpe aut flagitiosum erit post reciperari. [2] Antonius adhuc est nobiscum, sed medius fidius et moveor hominis precibus et timeo ne illum aliquorum furor excipiat. plane aestuo. quod si scirem quid tibi placeret, sine sollicitudine essem; id enim optimum esse persuasum esset mihi. qua re quam primum fac me certiorem quid tibi placeat. [3] Cassius noster Syriam, legiones Syriacas habet ultro quidem a Murco et a Marcio et ab exercitu ipso arcessitus. ego scripsi ad Tertiam sororem et matrem ne prius ederent hoc quod optime ac felicissime gessit Cassius quam tuum consilium cognovissent tibique visum esset. [4] legi orationes duas tuas, quarum altera Kal. Ian. usus es, altera de litteris meis, quae habita est abs te contra Calenum. nunc scilicet hoc exspectas dum eas laudem. nescio animi an ingeni tui maior in his libellis laus contineatur; iam concedo ut vel Philippici vocentur, quod tu quadam epistula iocans scripsisti. [5] duabus rebus egemus, Cicero, pecunia et supplemento; quarum altera potest abs te expediri ut aliqua pars militum istinc mittatur nobis vel secreto consilio adversus Pansam vel actione in senatu, altera quo magis est necessaria neque meo exercitui magis quam reliquorum, hoc magis doleo Asiam nos amisisse; quam sic vexari a Dolabella audio ut iam non videatur crudelissimum eius facinus interfectio Treboni. vetus Antistius me tamen pecunia sublevavit. [6] Cicero, filius tuus, sic mihi se probat industria, patientia, labore, animi magnitudine, omni denique officio ut prorsus numquam dimittere videatur cogitationem cuius sit filius. qua re quoniam efficere non possum ut pluris facias eum qui tibi est carissimus, illud tribue iudicio meo ut tibi persuadeas non fore illi abutendum gloria tua ut adipiscatur honores paternos. Kalend. Apr. Dyrrhachio.