Letter XCVIII: ad familiares 10.15
Gallia Narbonensis, about May 12, 43 B.C. The course of events immediately after the defeat of Antony near Mutina was as follows (cf. Mendelssohn, 458, n. 3): on April 22 Antony retired from the vicinity of Mutina, and May 3 he and Ventidius Bassus (Ep. XCVII. 1) formed a junction at Vada Sabatia; on May 8 L. Antonius, with the cavalry and a few cohorts, reached Forum Iuli in Gallia Narbonensis, and on the 15th M. Antonius came to the same place. As for D. Brutus, April 24 he left Mutina, and came April 25 to Regium, where he remained up to April 29. He reached Dertona May 5. Plancus was at Cularo, about 350 Roman miles from Mutina. After hearing of Antony's defeat, and getting a favorable reply to certain proposals which he had made to Lepidus, he crossed the Isara May 12, and sent his brother forward to intercept L. Antonius.his litteris scriptis: i.e. Fam. 10.11, which was sent by the same messenger as this letter. cum Lepido egi: cf. cum hoc Pompeius egit, Ep. VIII. 2. abuteretur, make full use of; as Verr. 2.1.25 nisi omni tempore, quod mihi lege concessum est, abusus ero.
Laterensem: M. Juventius Laterensis, a firm adherent of the constitutional party, who a few weeks later committed suicide in consequence of his failure to keep Lepidus loyal to the senatorial cause (Vell. Paterc. 2.63; Planc. Fam. 10.23.4). provincia sua: Antony did enter Gallia Narbonensis. Cf. introd. note. ab equitatu firmus: cf. ab amicis, Ep. 1.2 n. decem: Schelle conjectures sescenti with probability.
eius: i.e. of Antony. eam partem: probably the celebrated tenth legion. Cf. Fam. 10.11.2. a. d. Iv. Idus Mai.: the bridge was built a. d. V. Idus Mai.; the cavalry under the brother of Plancus was sent across on the evening of that day, and the main army crossed the next day (a. d. Iv. Idus Mai.). Cf. Ruete, 51.
in Italiam ... coeperit: for the forecast which D. Brutus made of the movements of Antony, cf. Fam. 11.10.4 (written May 5). The general plan outlined in this letter was never carried out (cf. Fam. 10.18).
