Pridie Idus Fundis accepi tuas litteras cenans. Primum igitur melius esse, deinde meliora te nuntiare. Odiosa illa enim fuerant, legiones venire. Nam de Octavio susque deque. Exspecto, quid de Mario; quem quidem ego sublatum rebar a Caesare. Antoni conloquium cum heroibus nostris pro re nata non incommodum. Sed tamen adhuc me nihil delectat praeter Idus Martias. Nam, quoniam Fundis sum cum Ligure nostro, discrucior Sextili fundum a verberone Curtilio possideri. Quod cum dico, de toto genere dico. Quid enim miserius quam ea nos
have helped to remedy it, I had no right to fail in my duty. But you see the magistrates, if they can be called magistrates; you see, in spite of all, the tyrant's satellites in authority; you see his army, you see his veterans on our flank. All these can easily be fanned into flame. But those who ought to be hedged about and even honoured by the watchful care of the whole world, are only praised and admired—and confined to their houses. And they, be that as it may, are happy, while the state is in misery. But I should like to know about Octavius' arrival, whether there was a rush to meet him and whether there was any suspicion of a coup d'état. I don't suppose there was, but still I should like to know, whatever happened. I am writing this as I leave Astura on the 11th of April.
VI
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
Fundi, April 12, B.C. 44
On the 12th I received your letter at Fundi during dinner. First you are better, and secondly you send better news. For the news about the coming of the legions was annoying. That about Octavius is neither here nor there. I am anxious to hear about Marius. I thought Caesar had got rid of him. Antony's conversation with our heroes is not unsatisfactory under the circumstances. However, nothing at present gives me any pleasure except the Ides of March. For now that I am at Fundi with our friend Ligur, I am annoyed at an estate of a Sextilius being in the hands of a knave like Curtilius. In mentioning this instance I am speaking of a whole class. For can there be a more wretched state of affairs than
226tueri, propter quae illum oderamus? etiamne consules et tribunes pl. in biennium, quos ille voluit? Nullo modo reperio, quem ad modum possim πολιτεύεσθαι. Nihil enim tam σόλοικον quam tyrannoctonos in caelo esse, tyranni facta defendi. Sed vides consules, vides reliquos magistratus, si isti magistratus, vides languorem bonorum. Exsultant laetitia in municipiis. Dici enim non potest, quanto opere gaudeant, ut ad me concurrant, ut audire cupiant mea verba de re p. Nec ulla interea decreta. Sic enim πεπολιτεύμεθα, ut victos metueremus.
Haec ad te scripsi apposita secunda mensa; plura et πολιτικώτερα postea, et tu, quid agas, quidque agatur.
VII
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
Scr. in Formiano XVII K. Mai. a. 710
Postridie Idus Paulum Caietae vidi. Is mihi de Mario et de re publica quaedam sane pessima. A te scilicet nihil; nemo enim meorum. Sed Brutum nostrum audio visum sub Lanuvio. Ubi tandem est futurus? Nam cum reliqua tum de hoc scire aveo omnia. Ego e Formiano exiens XVII Kal., ut inde altero die in Puteolanum, scripsi haec.