paid my friend", afford me, likewise, a very sensible pleasure. I cannot sufficiently indulge my admiration, when I consider you as thus rising above yourself in glory; and that the consular should shine forth even with more lustre than the consul. Some uncommon privilege of fate most certainly attends your patriot virtues as we have often, I am sure, experienced. How else should your single eloquence be of more avail than the arms of all our generals? You have a second time, indeed, rescued the well-nigh vanquished republic from the hands of our enemies; and once more restored her to us again. From this period, therefore, I date the return of our liberties: and I shall now be honoured with the public applause of the most distinguished of patriots. Yes, my friend, they were both in the number of the conspirators against Cæsar; and both afterwards acted with Brutus and Cassius in Asia. This epistle appears to have been written from the island of Cyprus, soon after the news of Antony's defeat at the battle of Mutina had reached that part of the world. Casaubon. ad Suet. Jul. 80. Appian. B. C. p. 671. 7 This seems to allude to the honours that were paid to Cicero by the populace, upon the news that Antony had been forced to abandon the siege of Mutina. "The whole 66 body of the people (to give the relation of this fact in the "words of Dr. Middleton) assembled about Cicero's house, ❝and carried him in a kind of triumph to the capitol: "where, on their return, they placed him in the rostra, to give them an account of the victory: and then conducted "him home with infinite acclamations." Phil. xiv. 5. Life of Cic. iii. 197. Those who had passed through the office of consul, were styled consulars. : friend, you will now declare, (what you pro- mised to conceal till the recovery of our freedom should render it to my advantage to be known) you will now declare to the whole world those instances you received of my tender attachment both to you and to the republic, during the dark and dangerous season of our servitude. I am much less solicitous, however, that you should publish my praises, than that you should be persuaded I deserve them and I had rather stand approved by your silent judgment, than, without that internal verdict in my favour, to enjoy, by your recommendation, the good opinion of the whole world. It is my great ambition, indeed, that you should esteem my late conduct to have been, not the effect of a sudden and irregular impulse, but the natural result of the same uniform principles of which you have been a witness: in a word, that you should think of me, as of one from whom the republic has so much to expect, as may well justify every honour to which I shall be advanced. I am sensible, my dear Cicero, that your own family, as they are well worthy of the relation they bear to you, deserve your first and most tender regard. But those surely have a right to the next place in your affection, who endeayour to imitate your patriot virtues: and I shall shall be glad to find that their number is considerable: I imagine, however, that it is not so great as to exclude me from a share in your good offices, and prevent you from procuring any public distinctions in my favour which shall be agreeable to your inclination and your judgment. That I am not unworthy of them, with respect to the disposition of my heart, I have already, perhaps, sufficiently convinced you: and, as to my talents, whatever they may be, the general oppression under which our country so long laboured, would not suffer them to appear in their full advantage. I drew together, out of the ports of this Asiatic province, and of the neighbouring islands, all the ships of war I could possibly collect: and, considering the great opposition I met with from the several cities, I manned them with tolerable expedition. With this fleet I pursued that of Dolabella, commanded by Lucilius: who, after having frequently made a shew of coming over to me, but still, however, continuing to retreat, sailed, at length, into the port of Corycus'; where he blocked himself up. I did not think proper to follow him thither; not only as judging it most advisable to join our land forces, but as Turulius the quæstor lay behind me with a squadron which Tullius Cim VOL. III. 9 In Cilicia. ber ber fitted out the last year from Bythinia. I put in, therefore, at Cyprus: from whence I take this first opportunity of acquainting you with the intelligence I have here received. I am to inform you then, that the city of Laodicea, (in pursuance of the example of our faithless allies the Tarsenses', though, indeed, with a greater degree of folly) have voluntarily called in Dolabella. From those two cities he has composed an army (as far as numbers can make an army) of Greek soldiers, and is encamped before Laodicea; having thrown down part of the walls, in order to join his camp with the town. On the other hand, Cassius' is encamped about twenty miles distant from him at Paltos. His army consists of ten legions, and twenty auxiliary cohorts, together with four thousand horse. He imagines that he shall be able to oblige the enemy to surrender, without hazarding a battle: as wheat is so scarce in Dolabella's camp, that it is sold for twelve drachmæ. The enemy must necessarily, indeed, be destroyed by famine, if they are not soon supplied by the ships that belong to Laodicea. This, however, we shall with great ease prevent: for, besides the three squadrons under Turulius, Patiscus, and myself, Cassius has a considerable fleet in these seas commanded by Sextilius Rufus. The citizens of Tarsus. Let me encourage 2 Caius Cassius. encourage you, then, to hope, that we shall soon vindicate our liberties with the same success3 in this part of the world, as has attended your army in Italy. Farewel. Cromyacris, in Cyprus, June the 13th. LETTER. XV. [A. U. 710.] To DECIMUS BRUTUS. I was expecting, every day, to hear from you, when our friend Lupus gave me notice that he was just setting out to you, and desired to know if I had any thing to write. But though I have nothing worth communicating, more than what you are furnished with by the public journals, and that you are no friend, I am told, to letters of mere empty form, yet, I cannot forbear following your example, and sending you two or three short words. Be assured, then, that all our hopes rest upon you and your colleague+. As to Brutus, I am not able to give you any certain account of him: I can only say, that, in pursuance of your advice, I endeavour to persuade him, in all my letters, to come over intó Italy, and to take a part in this general 3 See rem. 8. p. 316. of this vol. 4 Plancus. 5 Marcus Brutus. war. |