Letter XCV: ad familiares 12.5
Rome, the latter half of Feb., 43 B.C.prohibuisse quo minus ... haberemus: the infin. is the regular classical construction with prohibere (cf. rem geri prohibuerat 2), but ne and quo minus with the subj. sometimes follow, especially when prohibere is in the infinitive. in Syria te esse : Cassius probably reached Syria at the close of the year 44 B.C. (cf. Fam. 12.4.2), and had ultimately at least eight legions at his disposal. Brutus ... noster: cf. Intr. 88b (3). a prima ora, from the hither shore (i.e. the shore beyond the Adriatic); cf. Philipp. 10.10 exterae nationes a prima ora Graeciae usque ad Aegyptum optimorum et fortissimorum civium imperiis et praesidiis tenentur. Cf. also Philipp. 10.14 tenet igitur respublica Macedoniam, tenet Illyricum, tuetur Graeciam. For a sketch of the successes of M. Brutus, cf. Philipp. 10.13-14. Cf. also Intr. 43.
fallebat : epistolary tense, as are the tenses of most of the verbs in this section. discrimen: Cicero expresses the same opinion three months later in a letter to D. Brutus himself (Ep. XCIX. 2): res se sic habet: is bellum confecerit qui Antonium oppresserit. Claternae, etc.: all the places mentioned were on the via Aemilia, and, with the exception of Regium Lepidi and Parma, lay to the southeast of Mutina, in which town D. Brutus was besieged. magno praesidio: Antony had somewhat more than six legions at his disposal. Cf Philipp. 8.25. noster Hirtius: Cf Intr. 42. Forum Cornelium: a rare form for Forum Corneli: Caesar: i.e. Octavianus tuos clientis Transpadanos: this relationship does not seem to be mentioned elsewhere exceptis consularibus, etc. cf. Fam 10.28.3 (written about Feb. 2, 43 B.C. ) habemus fortem senatum, consularis partim timidos, partim male sentientis; magnum damnum factum est in Servio; L. Caesar optisne sentit sed, quod avunculus (i.e. of Antony) est, non acerrimas dicit sententias. The leader of the moderate faction was Q. Fufius Calenus. Cf. Philipp. 8.11; Philipp. 10.3; Philipp. 12.3 and Philipp. 12.18.
Ser. Sulpici morte : cf. Ep. LXXV. introd. note. The senate, on Jan. 4, 43 B.C. , had appointed a commission, composed of Ser. Sulpicius Rufus, L. Piso, and L. Philippus, to lay certain demands before Antony, but Sulpicius died before reaching Antony's headquarters. ab istis ... eluceat: Cassius is compared to the sun in the east; cf. Philipp. 10.12 ut quocumque venisset Brutus lux venisse quaedam ... videretur; Hor. Sat. 1.7.24 solem Asiae Brutum appellat, stellasque salubris appellat comites.
