CCCXXX (A VIII, 12 a)
POMPEY TO THE CONSULS
LUCERIA, 17 FEBRUARY
GNAEUS MAGNUS, proconsul, greets the consuls,
C. Marcellus and L. Lentulus. Being of opinion
that if we were scattered we could neither be of
service to the state, nor protect ourselves, I
sent a despatch to L. Domitius that, if possible,
he should join me with all his men, and that, if
he felt doubtful about himself, he should send me
the nineteen cohorts which were on the march to
join me from Picenum. 1 What I feared has
taken place: Domitius is surrounded, and is not in
sufficient force to form a camp, because he has my
nineteen and his own twelve cohorts distributed
among three towns— for he has stationed
some at Alba and some at Sulmo—and he
cannot now extricate himself even if he wished. In
these circumstances I am, I can assure you, in
extreme anxiety. I am eager to relieve men who are
so numerous and of such high position 2 from the danger
of a siege, and yet I cannot go to their
assistance, because I do not think that we can
trust these two legions to go there
—of whom, after all, I have not been
able to keep together more than fourteen cohorts;
for I have sent two to Brundisium, and I did not
think that Canusium ought to be left in my absence
without a garrison. I had told Decimus Laelius to
suggest to you, as I hope for an increase to my
numbers, that one of you should join me, the other
go to Sicily with the force you have collected at
Capua and the neighbourhood of Capua, and the
soldiers whom Faustus has recruited: that Domitius
with his own twelve cohorts should form a junction
with the same, and that all other forces of every
description should muster at Brundisium, and be
shipped thence to Dyrrachium. But as it is, since
at this juncture I cannot go, any more than you,
to the relief of Domitius, he must extricate
himself by crossing the mountains, and I must be
careful not to allow the enemy to get near these
fourteen cohorts, whose loyalty is doubtful, or to
catch me up on the march. Wherefore I have
determined—and I find that Marcellus and
other senators who are here agree with
me—to march the force I have with me to
Brundisium. I urge you to collect all the troops
that you can collect, and come to me at Brundisium
also as promptly as possible. I think you should
use the arms, which you were intending to send to
me, to arm the soldiers whom you have with you: if
you will have all arms that may be to spare carted
to Brundisium, you will have done the state
excellent service. Please let my men know about
this. I have sent word to the praetors P. Lupus
and C. Coponius, to join you and take whatever men
they have to you.
LUCERIA, 17 FEBRUARY
