CCCLXVI (A IX, 11)
TO ATTICUS (AT ROME)
FORMIAE 20 MARCH
Do you know that our friend Lentulus is at
Puteoli? Having been told this by a passer-by, who
said that he had recognized him on the Appia upon
his partly drawing the curtain of his sedan,
though it was in itself probable, I yet sent some
servants to Puteoli to inquire and take him a
letter. He was discovered with some difficulty, as
he was keeping himself concealed in his villa, and
he sent me back an answer containing wonderful
expressions of gratitude to Caesar; but as to his
own plans he said that he had given C. Caecius a
message for me. I am expecting him today, that is,
the 20th of March. Matius 1 also came to see me on the
Quinquatrus (19th of March), a man, by Hercules,
as he seemed to me, of moderate and sensible
views. Certainly he has always been regarded as a
promoter of peace. How strongly he appealed to me
to disapprove what, is going on in Italy! How
fearful of that inferno, as you call it! In the
course of a long conversation I shewed him
Caesar's letter to me, the one of which I have
sent you a copy before, and asked him to explain
the sentence in it—"he wished to avail
himself of my advice, influence, position, and
help in all ways." He replied that he had no doubt
that he wanted my help and my
influence for effecting a pacification. I only
wish I could effect and carry through some politic
move in the present distressing circumstances of
the state! For his part, Matius felt confident
that that was Caesar's feeling, and promised that
he would promote it. However, on the day previous
Crassipes had been with me, who said that he had
quitted Brundisium on the 6th of March and had
left Pompey there: and the same news was brought
also by those who quitted that place on the 8th.
They one and all, even Crassipes—who is
a sensible enough man to take note of what was
going on—tell the same story of
threatening speeches, alienation from the
Optimates, hostility to the municipal towns,
undisguised proscriptions—Sullas pure
and simple. What things Lucceius says, and the
whole posse of Greeks, and Theophanes at their
head! And yet there is no hope of safety except in
them: and I am keeping my mind on the watch, and
passing sleepless nights, and yearning to be with
men exactly the opposite of myself, in order to
escape the abominations going on here! For
there—what crime do you suppose Scipio,
Faustus, Libo will stick at, whose creditors are
said to be actually arranging to sell them up?
What do you suppose they are likely to do to the
citizens, if they turn out the winning side? 2
Moreover, what a poltroon our Gnaeus is! They tell
me he is thinking of Egypt, Arabia Felix, and
Mesopotamia, and has now quite abandoned Spain.
The reports are outrageous, but they may possibly
be untrue: yet at best all is lost here, and far
from safe there. I am beginning to pine for a
letter from you. Since our flight there has never
been so long a break in them. I send you a copy of
my letter to Caesar, 3 by which I
think I shall do some good.
FORMIAE 20 MARCH
