CCCXI (F 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. 1 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 2 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.
CAPUA, 27 JANUARY