rogatum esse, ut scriberet ad me, ut essem ad urbem, nihil ei me gratius facere posse. Haec verbis plurimis. Intellexi ex dierum ratione, ut primum de discessu nostro Caesar audisset, laborare eum coepisse, ne omnes abessemus. Itaque non dubito, quin ad Pisonem, quin ad Servium scripserit; illud admiror, non ipsum ad me scripsisse, non per Dolabellam, non per Caelium egisse. Quamquam non aspernor Trebati litteras; a quo me unice diligi scio. Rescripsi ad Trebatium (nam ad ipsum Caesarem, qui mihi nihil scripsisset, nolui), quam illud hoc tempore esset difficile; me tamen in praediis meis esse neque dilectum ullum neque negotium suscepisse. In quo quidem manebo, dum spes pacis erit; sin bellum geretur, non deero officio nec dignitati meae pueros ὑπεκθέμενος in Graeciam. Totam enim Italiam flagraturam bello intellego. Tantum mali est excitatum partim ex improbis, partim ex invidis civibus. Sed haec paucis diebus ex illius ad nostra responsa responsis intellegentur quorsum evasura sint. Tum ad te scribam plura, si erit bellum; sin otium aut[44] etiam indutiae, te ipsum, ut spero, videbo.
[44] otium aut Tyrrell and Purser: autem MSS.
Ego IIII Nonas Febr., quo die has litteras dedi, in Formiano, quo Capua redieram, mulieres exspectabam. Quibus quidem scripseram tuis litteris admonitus, ut Romae manerent. Sed audio maiorem quendam in urbe timorem esse. Capuae Nonis Febr. esse volebam, quia consules iusserant. Quicquid huc erit a Pompeio allatum, statim ad te scribam tuasque de istis rebus litteras exspectabo.
him on the 22nd of January to write and beg me to remain near the city; that would win me his best thanks. All this at great length. I calculated from the date, that as soon as he heard of my departure Caesar began to be concerned lest we should all go from town. So I have no doubt he wrote to Piso and to Servius. One thing surprises me that he did not write to me himself, or approach me through Dolabella or Caelius. However, I am not offended at a letter from Trebatius, who is my particular wellwisher. I would not reply to Caesar himself, as he had not written to me; but I wrote to Trebatius how difficult such a course would be at this juncture, but that I was staying on my country estates, and had not undertaken any part in the levy or any business. To this I will stand so long as there is any prospect of peace; but, if it comes to war, I shall act as becomes my duty and rank, after stowing away my boys to Greece. For all Italy, I gather, will blaze with war. Such a catastrophe is caused partly by disloyalty, partly by jealousy amongst her citizens. The outcome will be known in a few days from Caesar's answer to our letter. Then, if it be war, I will write again: if it be peace or a respite, I shall hope to see you.
On the 2nd of February, the date of this letter, I await my women-folk in my place at Formiae, whence I have returned from Capua. I wrote to them on your advice to stay in Rome. But I hear that panic has rather increased there. I want to be at Capua on the 5th of February, as the consuls have ordered. Any news we get here from Pompey I will let you know at once, and I shall look to letters from you for news from the city.
XVIII
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
Scr. in Formiano III Non. Febr. a. 705