Letter 16.12

You can judge the danger in which my own safety, the safety of all loyal citizens, and the whole republic now stand from this fact: we have left our houses, and the fatherland itself, to be plundered or burned. Matters have reached the point where, unless some god or some chance comes to our aid, we cannot be safe. For my part, from the moment I came to the city, I never stopped thinking, saying, and doing everything that might lead to harmony. But a strange madness had seized not only the disloyal but even those considered loyal, so that they wanted to fight while I cried out that nothing is more miserable than civil war. So when Caesar was swept on by a kind of madness and, forgetting his name and his honors, occupied Ariminum, Pisaurum, Ancona, and Arretium, we left the city. There is no point now in debating how wise or brave that was. You see the situation we are in. In general, these are the terms being offered by him: Pompey is to go to Spain; the levies already raised and our garrisons are to be dismissed; Caesar will hand farther Gaul over to Domitius and nearer Gaul to Considius Nonianus, since those provinces fell to them; he will come to stand for the consulship, and no longer wants his candidacy accepted while he is absent; he will stand in person through the required three market intervals. We have accepted the terms, but on this condition: he must remove his garrisons from the places he has occupied, so that the senate can meet at Rome without fear to discuss those very terms. If he does this, there is hope of peace - not an honorable peace, since terms are being imposed on us, but anything is better than our present state. If he refuses to stand by his own terms, war is ready, though of a kind he will not be able to sustain, especially since he himself will have run away from the terms he offered. We need only cut him off from approaching the city, which we hoped could be done. We had large levies, and we thought he was afraid that, if he began to march on Rome, he would lose the Gauls, both of which are bitterly hostile to him except for the Transpadani [the people north of the Po]. He also has behind him, in Spain, six legions and large auxiliary forces under Afranius and Petreius. If he persists in madness, it seems he can be crushed, provided the city is saved. He has received a very heavy blow because Titus Labienus, who had the greatest authority in his army, refused to be a partner in the crime. He left Caesar and is with us, and many are said to be ready to do the same. So far I am in charge of the coast from Formiae. I did not want to take on any larger assignment, so that my letters and appeals for peace might carry more weight with Caesar. But if war comes, I see that I will be put in command of a camp and specific legions. I also have this trouble: our Dolabella is with Caesar. I wanted you to know these things, but be careful not to let them disturb you and hinder your health. I have commended you most earnestly to Aulus Varro, whom I know to be very devoted to me and also very fond of you. I asked him to take thought for your health and your voyage, and in general to take you under his care and protection. I trust he will do everything; he promised it and spoke with me most kindly. Since you could not be with me at the time when I most needed your work and loyalty, be careful not to hurry or to risk sailing while sick or in winter weather. I will never think you came late if you come safe. So far I have seen no one who had seen you after Marcus Volusius, from whom I received your letter. I am not surprised, for I do not think my letters can be carried to you in such a winter either. But do your best to be well, and if you are well, sail only when sailing can be done safely. My son Cicero was at Formiae; Terentia and Tullia were at Rome. Take care to be well.

CCCXI (Fam. XVI, 12) TO TIRO (AT PATRAE) CAPUA, 27 JANUARY: How seriously my personal safety and that of all loyalists is imperilled, as well as that of the whole senate and Republic, you may judge from the fact that we have abandoned our town houses, and the very city itself, to plunder and conflagration. Matters have come to such a pitch that, unless some god or some accident intervenes, we cannot possibly be saved. For my part, ever since I arrived at the city, I have never ceased promoting in thought, word, and deed everything that made for peace: but a strange mad passion for fighting has inflamed not only the disloyal, but even those who are reckoned loyalists, though I loudly proclaim that nothing can be more lamentable than a civil war. Accordingly, when Caesar yielded to the promptings of what may be called downright insanity, and — forgetting his name and his honours — had successively occupied Ariminum , Pisaurum , Ancona , and Arretium , I left the city. On the wisdom or courage of such a step it is useless to argue. You see how we stand now. The upshot is, proposals are received from Caesar that Pompey should go to Spain: that the levies already completed and our garrisons should be disbanded: that he will hand over farther Gaul to Domitius , hither Gaul to Considius Nonianus (these are the men to whom these provinces have been allotted): that he will come to canvass for the consulship, and no longer demand that his candidature be admitted in his absence: that he will be in town as candidate for the legal three nundinae. We accept the proposals, but on the condition that he withdraws his garrisons from the places he has occupied, so that a meeting of the senate may be held at Rome to discuss these same proposals in security. If he does this, there is hope of a peace — not a creditable one, for we accept terms from him, but anything is better than to be as we are. If; on the other hand, he declines to abide by his terms, everything is ready for war, but of a kind that he cannot possibly maintain — especially as he will have shirked terms proposed by himself — provided only that we cut him off from all power of approaching the city. This we hope can be done: for we are holding levies on a large scale, and we think that he is afraid, if he once begins a march upon the city, that he may lose the Gauls , both of which, with the exception of the Transpadani, are bitterly hostile to him: and on the side of Spain he has six legions and a large force of auxiliaries under Afranius and Petreius on his rear. If he persists in his madness it seems possible that he may be crushed — if it can only be done without losing Rome ! He has, again, received a very severe blow in the fact that Titus Labienus , who occupied the most influential position in his army, has declined to be a partner in his crime. He has abandoned him and is with us, and many are said to intend doing the same. I as yet am president of the sea-coast from Formiae . I refused any more important function, that my letters and exhortations to peace might have greater influence with Caesar . If; however, war does break out, I see that I shall have to take command of a camp and a definite number of legions. I have another trouble in the fact that my son-in-law Dolabella is with Caesar . I wished you to know these facts, but don't let them agitate you and retard your recovery. I have recommended you with great earnestness to Aulus Varro , whom I know to be warmly attached to me and very fond of you, asking him to interest himself in your health and your voyage, and generally to take you under his charge and look after you. I feel certain he will do all this, for he promised to do so, and spoke to me in the kindest manner. Pray, since you were unable to be with me at the time I most wanted your help and fidelity, do not hurry or allow yourself to embark upon a voyage while ill, or in bad weather. I shall never think you come late if you come well and strong. As yet I have seen no one who had seen you since M. Volusius , who handed me your letter. I don't wonder at this, for I don't think my letters either can reach you in such stormy weather. But do your best to recover, and, when you do recover, only sail when you can do so with safety. My son is at Formiae , Terentia and Tullia at Rome . Take care of yourself. Capua , 27 January.

XII. Scr. Capuae IV. Kal. Februarias a.u.c. 705. TULLIUS S. D. TIRONI SUO. Quo in discrimine versetur salus mea et bonorum omnium atque unversae rei publicae, ex eo scire potes, quod domos nostras et patriam ipsam vel diripiendam vel inflammandam reliquimus: in eum locum res deducta est, ut, nisi qui deus vel casus aliquis subvenerit, salvi esse nequeamus. Equidem, ut veni ad urbem, non destiti omnia et sentire et dicere et facere, quae ad concordiam pertinerent; sed mirus invaserat furor non solum improbis, sed etiam iis, qui boni habentur, ut pugnare cuperent me clamante nihil esse bello civili miserius. Itaque, quum Caesar amentia quadam raperetur et oblitus nominis atque honorum suorum Ariminum, Pisaurum, Anconam, Arretium occupavisset, urbem reliquimus: quam sapienter aut quam fortiter, nihil attinet disputari; quo quidem in casu simus, vides. Feruntur omnino condiciones ab illo, ut Pompeius eat in Hispaniam, delectus, qui sunt habiti, et praesidia nostra dimittantur; se ulteriorem Galliam Domitio, citeriorem Considio Noniano—his enim obtigerunt—traditurum; ad consulatus petitionem se venturum, neque se iam velle absente se rationem haberi suam; se praesentem trinum nundinum petiturum. Accepimus condiciones, sed ita, ut removeat praesidia ex iis locis, quae occupavit, ut sine metu de iis ipsis condicionibus Romae senatus haberi possit. Id ille si fecerit, spes est pacis, non honestae—leges enim imponuntur—, sed quidvis est melius quam sic esse, ut sumus; sin autem ille suis condicionibus stare noluerit, bellum paratum est, eiusmodi tamen, quod sustinere ille non possit, praesertim quum a suis condicionibus ipse fugerit, tantummodo ut eum intercludamus, ne ad urbem possit accedere, quod sperabamus fieri posse; delectus enim magnos habebamus putabamusque illum metuere, si ad urbem ire coepisset, ne Gallias amitteret, quas ambas habet inimicissimas praeter Transpadanos, ex Hispaniaque sex legiones et magna auxilia Afranio et Petreio ducibus habet a tergo: videtur, si insaniet, posse opprimi, modo ut urbe salva. Maximam autem plagam accepit, quod is, qui summam auctoritatem in illius exercitu habebat, T. Labienus, socius sceleris esse noluit: reliquit illum et nobiscum est , multique idem facturi esse dicuntur. Ego adhuc orae maritimae praesum a Formiis: nullum maius negotium suscipere volui, quo plus apud illum meae litterae cohortationesque ad pacem valerent; sin autem erit bellum, video me castris et certis legionibus praefuturum. Habeo etiam illam molestiam, quod Dolabella noster apud Caesarem est. Haec tibi nota esse volui, quae cave ne te perturbent et impediant valetudinem tuam. Ego A. Varroni, quem quum amantissimum mei cognovi, tum etiam valde tui studiosum, diligentissime te commendavi, ut et valetudinis tuae rationem haberet et navigationis et totum te susciperet ac tueretur: quem omnia facturum confido; recepit enim et mecum locutus est suavissime. Tu, quoniam eo tempore mecum esse non potuisti, quo ego maxime operam et fidelitatem desideravi tuam, cave festines aut committas, ut aut aeger aut hieme naviges: numquam sero te venisse putabo, si salvus veneris. Adhuc neminem videram, qui te postea vidisset quam M. Volusius, a quo tuas litteras accepi: quod non mirabar; neque enim meas puto ad te litteras tanta hieme perferri. Sed da operam, ut valeas et, si valebis, quum recte navigari poterit, tum naviges. Cicero meus in Formiano erat, Terentia et Tullia Romae. Cura, ut valeas. IIII K. Februar. Capua.