Letter 16.11

Although I miss the service of your work everywhere, I grieve at your illness not so much for my sake as for yours. But since the force of the disease has turned into a quartan fever -- for so Curius writes -- I hope that with careful attention you will soon be stronger. Only do what is in keeping with your kind nature: at this time care for nothing except recovering as comfortably as possible. I am not unaware of how much you are suffering from longing; but everything will be easy if you get well. I do not want you to hurry, so that you do not take on the trouble of sea-sickness while you are ill and sail dangerously in winter. I arrived near the city on the day before the Nones of January. People came out to meet me in such a procession as could not have been more splendid; but I fell into the very flame of civil discord, or rather war, which, though I wished to remedy it and, as I believe, could have, the passions of certain men -- for on both sides there are those who wish to fight -- have been an obstacle to me. Indeed Caesar himself, our friend, had sent threatening and harsh letters to the senate, and he was still defiant in holding his army and province against the senate's will; and my protege Curio was inciting him. Our friend Antonius and Quintus Cassius, expelled by no force, had gone to Caesar with Curio, after the senate had given the consuls, praetors, tribunes of the plebs, and those of us who are proconsuls the charge to take care that the republic suffer no harm. Never was the state in greater danger; never did wicked citizens have a more ready leader. At the same time, preparations are being made with the greatest care on our side too; this is being done through the authority and zeal of our Pompeius, who has begun too late to fear Caesar. Amid these disturbances, the senate, well attended, nevertheless demanded a triumph for me; but the consul Lentulus, so as to make his own favor the greater, said he would bring the matter forward as soon as he had dispatched the necessary business of state. I am acting without any eagerness, and for that reason my authority carries more weight. The regions of Italy have been assigned, each man to defend his own part; I have taken on Capua. I wanted you to know these things. Take the greatest care of your health, and send me letters whenever you have someone to give them to. Again and again, farewell. Dated the day before the Ides of January.

CCC (Fam. XVI, 11) TO TIRO (AT PATRAE) OUTSIDE ROME, 12 JANUARY: CICERO and his son, Terentia , Tullia , Quintus and his son, send warm greetings to Tiro . Though I miss your ever-ready help at every turn yet it is not for my sake so much as for yours that I grieve at your illness. But now that the violence of your disease has abated so far as to become a quartan fever — for so Curius writes me word — I hope that with care you will soon become stronger. Only be sure — as becomes a man of your good sense — to think of nothing for the present except how to get well in the best possible way. I know how your regret at being absent worries you, but all difficulties will disappear, if you get well. I would not have you hurry, for fear of your suffering from sea-sickness in your weak state, and finding a winter voyage dangerous. I arrived at the city walls on the 4th of January. Nothing could be more complimentary than the procession that came out to meet me; but I found things in a blaze of civil discord, or rather civil war. I desired to find a cure for this, and, as I think, could have done so; but I was hindered by the passions of particular persons, for on both sides there are those who desire to fight. The long and short of it is that Caesar himself — once our friend — has sent the senate a menacing and offensive despatch, and is so insolent as to retain his army and province in spite of the senate, and my old friend Curio is backing him up. Farthermore, our friend Antonius and Q. Cassius , having been expelled from the house, though without any violence, left town with Curio to join Caesar , directly the senate had passed the decree ordering “consuls, praetors, tribunes, and us proconsuls to see that the Republic received no damage.” Never has the state been in greater danger: never have disloyal citizens had a better prepared leader. On the whole, however, preparations are being pushed on with very great activity on our side also. This is being done by the influence and energy of our friend Pompey , who now, when it is too late, begins to fear Caesar . In spite of these exciting incidents, a full meeting of the senate clamoured for a triumph being granted me: but the consul Lentulus , in order to enhance his service to me, said that as soon as he had taken the measures necessary for the public safety, he would bring forward a motion on the subject. I do nothing in a spirit of selfish ambition, and consequently my influence is all the greater. Italy has been marked out into districts, showing for what part each of us is to be responsible. I have taken Capua . That is all I wanted to tell you. Again and again I urge you to take care of your health, and to write to me as often as you have anyone to whom to give a letter. Good-bye, good-bye 12 January.

XI. Scr. ad urbem prid. Idus Ianuarias a.u.c. 705. TULLIUS ET CICERO, TERENTIA, TULLIA, Q. Q. TIRONI SAL. PLURIMAM DIC. Etsi opportunitatem operae tuae omnibus locis desidero, tamen non tam mea quam tua causa doleo te non valere; sed, quoniam in quartanam conversa vis est morbi—sic enim scribit Curius—, spero te diligentia adhibita iam firmiorem fore: modo fac, id quod est humanitatis tuae, ne quid aliud cures hoc tempore, nisi ut quam commodissime convalescas. Non ignoro, quantum ex desiderio labores; sed erunt omnia facilia, si valebis: festinare te nolo, ne nauseae molestiam suscipias aeger et periculose hieme naviges. Ego ad urbem accessi pr. Non. Ian. Obviam mihi sic est proditum, ut nihil possit fieri ornatius; sed incidi in ipsam flammam civilis discordiae vel potius belli, cui quum cuperem mederi et, ut arbitror, possem, cupiditates certorum hominum—nam ex utraque parte sunt, qui pugnare cupiant—impedimento mihi fuerunt. Omnino et ipse Caesar, amicus noster, minaces ad senatum et acerbas litteras miserat et erat adhuc impudens, qui exercitum et provinciam invito senatu teneret, et Curio meus illum incitabat; Antonius quidem noster et Q. Cassius nulla vi expulsi ad Caesarem cum Curione profecti erant, posteaquam senatus consulibus, praetoribus, tribunis pl. et nobis, qui pro coss. sumus, negotium dederat, ut curaremus, ne quid res publica detrimenti caperet: numquam maiore in periculo civitas fuit, numquam improbi cives habuerunt paratiorem ducem. Omnino ex hac quoque parte diligentissime comparatur: id fit auctoritate et studio Pompeii nostri, qui Caesarem sero coepit timere. Nobis inter has turbas senatus tamen frequens flagitavit triumphum; sed Lentulus consul, quo maius suum beneficium faceret, simul atque expedisset, quae essent necessaria de re publica, dixit se relaturum. Nos agimus nihil cupide eoque est nostra pluris auctoritas. Italiae regiones descriptae sunt, quam quisque partem tueretur: nos Capuam sumpsimus. Haec te scire volui. Tu etiam atque etiam cura, ut valeas litterasque ad me mittas, quotiescumque habebis, cui des. Etiam atque etiam vale. D. pr. Idus Ian.