CCCXV (A VII, 18)
TO ATTICUS (AT ROME)
FORMIAE, 3 FEBRUARY
On the 2nd of February our ladies came to
Formiae and reported to me your services to them
replete with the most affectionate kindness. I
wished them, till we knew whether we were to have
a dishonourable peace or an unhappy war, to remain
in my Formian villa, and our two boys with them. I
myself, with my brother, am starting for Capua on
the 3rd of February, on which I despatch this
letter, to join the consuls, having been ordered
to be there on the 5th. Pompey's answer is said to
be popular and to have received the approbation of
a public meeting. I thought that would be the
ease. If Caesar refuses to accept that he will be
entirely discredited: if he accepts it ! "Which,
then, do you prefer?" you will say. I would have
answered the question if I knew what our state of
preparation was. It is reported here that Cassius
1 has been driven from
Ancona, and that city occupied by our men. If
there is to be war, that will be an advantage. As
for Caesar himself; say that, though he sent L.
Caesar with a message as to making peace, he
continues holding levies with the greatest
activity, occupying posts, securing them with
garrisons. What an unprincipled bandit! What a
disgrace to the Republic, hardly to
be outweighed by any relief from war! But let us
cease anger, bow to circumstances, and accompany
Pompey to Spain. It is the best of a bad job,
since we failed to avert that man's second
consulship from the state, even when we had the
opportunity. 2 But enough of this. I forgot to write to you about
Dionysius before; but I have come to the
conclusion to wait till Caesar's answer is known,
so that, if I return to the city, he should await
me there, but, if there is any delay, I should
summon him to join me. Of course I know what his
duty will be in case I have to fly, and what will
be the conduct becoming a man of learning and a
friend: but I don't expect too much in this way
from Greeks. However, if; as I hope will not be
the case, I have to send for him, pray see that I
am not troubling an unwilling man. Quintus is
anxious to pay you his debt by drawing on
Egnatius, and Egnatius is neither unwilling nor
short of cash; but when the state of things is
such that Quintus Titinius 3 —of whom we are
seeing a good deal-declares that he has no money
for personal expenses, and has yet announced to
his debtors that they may go on with the same
interest, and when L Ligur is said to have done
the same, and when Quintus at this crisis has no
cash in hand, and is neither able to get any from
Egnatius nor to raise a new loan, 4 he
is surprised that you do not take into
consideration this general tightness of the money
market. For my part, though I obey the pseudo-Hesiodic maxim, "Judge not," etc., 5 especially in the case of yourself; whom I
have never seen to act unreasonably, yet I am
affected by his tale of woe. Whatever this amounts
to, I thought you ought to know it.
FORMIAE, 3 FEBRUARY
