Ad Familiares 16.12
Ad Familiares 16.12
Headnote
Cicero to his freedman Tiro, written from Capua on the fourth day before the Kalends of February 49 BC (the manuscript dateline: Scr. Capuae iv K. Febr. a. 705 (49)). Tiro is still at Patrae, recovering; the previous letter to him from Italy (Fam.~16.11) had reached him three weeks ago with the first news of the crisis. This is the long follow-up, written after Cicero has taken up the Capuan command — the assignment briefly named in that earlier letter — with the situation fully out in the open.
The shape of the letter is a full political brief framed inside the affectionate Tiro-letter opening and close. Sections 1–2 are the self-justification: the city has been abandoned, and Cicero, who from the moment he reached the walls had been saying that nothing is worse than civil war, was not heard. Section 3 lays out the terms now being floated from Caesar’s side — Pompey to Spain, levies disbanded, the Gauls handed over, Caesar to seek the consulship in person; Section 4, the alternative if the terms collapse, and the great piece of news, that Labienus has come over. Section 5 is Cicero’s own position — the coastal command beginning from Formiae, deliberately kept small so that his pleas for peace can still carry weight — and the private grief that Dolabella is with Caesar. Section 6 hands Tiro over to A. Varro for the crossing and returns to the medical-affectionate register. The last words — where Marcus is, where the women are — are the orientation Tiro will want first when he opens it.
In what danger our welfare stands — mine, and that of every loyal man, and of the commonwealth as a whole — you can tell from this, that we have left our own houses and the fatherland itself to be plundered or burned. The matter has come to that pass, that, unless some god or some accident comes to our rescue, we cannot be saved.
quo in discrimine versetur salus mea et honorum omnium atque universae rei p. 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.
For my own part, from the moment I came to the city walls, I did not stop perceiving and saying and doing every single thing that bore on concord. But a strange madness had got into not only the unprincipled but even those who pass for loyal men — they longed to fight, while I was crying out that nothing is more wretched than civil war. And so when Caesar, swept along by a kind of insanity, and oblivious of his name and of the honours done him, had seized Ariminum, Pisaurum, Ancona, and Arretium, we left the city. How wisely or how bravely, there is no purpose now in arguing.
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 misenus. itaque cum Caesar amentia quadam raperetur et oblitus nominis atque honorum suorum Ariminum, Pisaurum, Anconam, Arretium occupavisset, urbem reliquimus, quam sapienter aut quam fortiter nihil attinet a disputari.
What straits we are in, you see. Terms, anyhow, are being floated by him: that Pompey go to Spain; that the levies that have been raised, and the troops we have under arms, be disbanded; that he, for his part, will hand over Further Gaul to Domitius and Hither Gaul to Considius Nonianus (for these have drawn them by lot); that he will come to seek the consulship, no longer asking that his candidacy be taken account of in his absence; that he will canvass for the office in person, present for the three market-days. We have accepted the terms, but on this condition: that he withdraw his garrisons from the places he has seized, so that, without fear, on these very terms,
quo quidem in casu simus vides. feruntur omnino condiciones ab illo, ut Pompeius eat in Hispaniam, dilectus qui sunt habiti et praesidia nostra dimittantur; se ulteriorem Galliam Domitio, citeriorem Considio Noniano (his enim obtigerunt) traditurum; ad consulatus petitionem is 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 his ipsis condicionibus
the senate can be held at Rome. If he does this, there is hope of peace — not of an honourable peace, for terms are being imposed — but anything is better than being as we are. If, however, he refuses to stand by his own conditions, then war is prepared — but a war of such a sort that he cannot sustain it, especially since he himself will have run away from his own terms. It needs only that we cut him off from being able to come at the city, which we were hoping could be done. For we were raising great levies, and we thought he was afraid, in case, if he began to march on the city, he would lose the Gallic provinces, both of which he holds as bitterly hostile (except for the Transpadanes); and he has at his back, from Spain, six legions and great auxiliary forces, under Afranius and Petreius as their commanders. It looks as if, if he goes on in his madness, he can be put down — so long as the city is safe. The greatest blow he has taken is this: that the man who held the highest authority in his army, T. Labienus, was unwilling to be a partner in his crime. He has left him and is with us; and many are said to be on the point of doing the same.
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, eius modi tamen quod sustinere ille non possit, praesertim cum a suis condicionibus ipse fugerit; tantum modo ut eum intercludamus ne ad urbem possit accedere, quod sperabamus fieri posse. dilectus 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 est nobiscum multique idem facturi esse dicuntur.
For myself, I am at present in charge of the coastline beginning from Formiae. I have wished to take on no larger duty, so that my letters and exhortations toward peace might have the more weight with him. But if there is to be a war, I see that I shall be in command of a camp and of certain legions. I have this further vexation: that our Dolabella is on Caesar’s side. I have wanted you to know all this. Take care that it does not upset you and hinder your recovery.
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.
I have most carefully commended you to A. Varro, whom I have found to be most devoted to me, and a warm friend of yours as well: that he have a care for your health and your passage, and take you wholly into his charge and protection. He will do everything, I am confident: he has promised, and has spoken to me about you in the kindest terms. You, since you could not be with me at the very time when I most missed your hand and your loyalty, take care not to be in a hurry, and not to allow yourself to put to sea either while ill or in winter. I shall never think you arrived too late, if you arrive safe. So far I have seen no one who had seen you later than M. Volusius, from whom I received your letter — and that did not surprise me; for I do not suppose that my letters get through to you, in such a winter. But take care to get well, and, when you are well and the sailing is good, then sail. My Cicero is at the Formian villa; Terentia and Tullia at Rome. Take care to keep well. The fourth day before the Kalends of February, Capua.
ego A. Varroni, quem quom 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, cum recte navigari poterit, tum naviges. Cicero meus in Formiano erat, Terentia et Tullia Romae. cura ut valeas. iiii K. Febr. Capua.