Your own position, I beg you, review most carefully. I wish we could do so together; if not, we must accomplish it by letters. Graeceius has written to me that he has heard from Cassius that armed men are being got ready to be sent to my house at Tusculum. I don't think that is the case; but still I must take care to have more safeguards ready. But to-morrow may give us some food for reflection.
318
IX
CICERO ATTICO SAL.
Scr. in Tusculano IV Non. Iun. a. 710
IIII Non. vesperi a Balbo redditae mihi litterae fore Nonis senatum, ut Brutus in Asia, Cassius in Sicilia frumentum emendum et ad urbem mittendum curarent. O rem miseram! primum ullam ab istis, dein, si aliquam, hanc legatoriam provinciam! Atque haud scio an melius sit quam ad Eurotam sedere. Sed haec casus gubernabit. Ait autem eodem tempore decretum iri, ut et iis et reliquis praetoriis provinciae decernantur. Hoc certe melius quam illa Περσικὴ porticus; nolo enim Lacedaemonem longinquiorem quam Lanuvium existimare. "Rides," inquies, "in talibus rebus?" Quid faciam? plorando fessus sum.
Di inmortales! quam me conturbatum tenuit epistulae tuae prior pagina! quid autem iste in domo tua casus armorum? Sed hunc quidem nimbum cito transisse laetor. Tu quid egeris tua cum tristi tum etiam difficili ad consiliandum legatione, vehementer exspecto; est enim inexplicabilis. Ita circumsedemur copiis omnibus. Me quidem Bruti litterae, quas ostendis a te lectas, ita perturbarunt, ut, quamquam ante egebam consilio, tamen animi dolore sim tardior. Sed plura, cum ista cognoro. Hoc autem tempore
IX
CICERO TO ATTICUS, GREETING.
Tusculum, June 2, B.C. 44
On the evening of the 2nd I received a letter from Balbus telling me there would be a meeting of the Senate on the 5th to send Brutus to Asia, and Cassius to Sicily, to buy corn and send it to Rome. What a shame! First that they should take any office from that party, and secondly, if any, that it should be this subordinate[[249]] position. Still, I don't know whether it is not better than for him to sit on the banks of his Eurotas.[[250]] But fate must have its way in this. He says that at the same time a decree will be passed assigning provinces to them and other ex-praetors. This is certainly better than his Persian porch. For I don't want you to think I am referring to a Sparta farther off than Lanuvium. "You can jest," you will say, "in such important matters?" What am I to do? I am tired of mourning.
[249]. Lit. "which could be delegated to legati."