Letter 134

On the Vennonius matter, I agree with you. I judge Labienus a hero. No public act has been more splendid for a long time. If he has achieved nothing else, he has at least caused Caesar pain. But I think he has also achieved something for the main cause. I like Piso too; his judgment about his son-in-law will, I suspect, seem weighty. Yet you see what kind of war this is. It is civil in the sense that one abandoned citizen's audacity has produced it, not any real division among the citizens. He has power through an army, he holds many men by hope and promises, and he has coveted everything belonging to everyone. The city has been handed over to him, stripped of defense and full of supplies. What would you not fear from a man who thinks of those temples and houses not as his fatherland but as plunder? What he will do, or how, I do not know, with no Senate and no magistrates. He will not even be able to pretend to act constitutionally. But where or when will our side be able to rise up? You too see how poor a general our leader is, when even Picenum was unknown to him. Events themselves testify how little planning there has been. To pass over the mistakes of ten years, what terms would not have been better than this flight? Nor do I know what he is thinking now, though I keep asking by letter. Everyone agrees there has never been anything more frightened or more confused. So I see neither the garrison for whose sake he was kept near the city, nor any place or base for a garrison. All our hope rests in two legions almost disloyal to us, retained by a trick. The levies so far are of unwilling men who shrink from fighting. The time for terms has been lost. I do not see what will happen. We, or at least our leader, have certainly brought it to this: we have left harbor without a rudder and entrusted ourselves to the storm. So I am uncertain what to do with our young Ciceros. Sometimes I think they should be sent away to Greece. As for Tullia and Terentia, when I imagine barbarians arriving at the city, I fear everything; when I remember Dolabella, I breathe a little. Please consider what you think should be done, first with safety in view - for I must think differently about them than about myself - and then with regard to reputation, so that we are not criticized for wanting them to stay in Rome when all the other loyalists are fleeing. You and Peducaeus must also see what you will do, for he has written to me. Your standing is so bright that people will demand the same conduct from you as from the leading citizens. But you will judge that for yourself, since I want you to think about me and mine. For the rest, find out what is happening as far as you can and write to me, and write also what you infer yourself. I expect that from you even more. With everyone reporting what has happened, I look to you for what will happen. "The best prophet is..." Forgive my talkativeness; writing to you relieves me, and it draws out your letters. I did not understand the riddle about the Oppii from Velia at all; it is darker than Plato's number.

In the matter of Vennonius I agree with you. Labienus I consider a hero. There has been no public action of such distinction for a long time. If he has done nothing else, he has at least hurt Caesar's feelings. But I think he has served our main interests as well. I am delighted too with Piso. His judgement on his son-in-law should carry weight. However, you see the nature of our struggle. It is civil war, though it has not sprung from division among our citizens, but from daring of one abandoned citizen. He is strong in military forces, he attracts adherents by hopes and promises, he covets the whole universe. Rome is delivered to him stripped of defenders, stocked with supplies: one may fear anything from a man who regards her temples and her homes not as his native land, but as his loot. What he will do, and how he will do it, in the absence of House and magistrates, I do not know. He will be unable even to pretend constitutional methods. But where can our party raise its head or when? You, too, remark how poor a soldier our leader is; why, he did not even know how things were in Picenum; and the crisis shows his lack of policy. Pass over other faults of the last ten years. What compromise were not better than this flight? I do not know what he is thinking of doing now, though I inquire by constant letters. It is agreed that his alarm and confusion has reached the limit. He was kept in Italy to garrison Rome, but no garrison or place to post a garrison can I see. We depend entirely on two legions that were kept here by a trick, and are practically disloyal. For so far the levy has found unwilling recruits, afraid of war. But the time of compromise is passed. The future is obscure. We, or our leader, have brought things to such a pass, that having put to sea without a rudder, we must trust to the mercy of the storm. So I hesitate what to do with the boys. Sometimes I think of sending them to Greece. As for Tullia and Terentia, when I picture the approach of the barbarians on Rome, I am terrified. But the thought of Dolabella is some small relief to my mind. Please consider my best course, in the first place with an eye to safety, for their safety stands on a different footing to mine, and then with regard to possible criticism, if I leave them in Rome, when the loyal are all in flight. Even you and Peducaeus must be careful what you do, as he writes to me. For your eminence is such that people will expect the same from you as from the most distinguished citizens. But you are capable of looking after yourself. Why, it is to you that I look for advice about myself and my family. For the rest, you must discover, as far as you can, what is happening, and write to me. Add your conjectures, too, for I look forward still more eagerly to them. Anybody can inform me of what has happened. From you I hope to hear what will happen. "The prince of seers...." Pardon my chatter. It is a relief to write to you, and it gets me a letter from you. I am at a loss to explain your riddle about the Oppii of Velia; it is darker than Plato's number.

de Vennonianis rebus tibi adsentior. Labienum heroa iudico. facinus iam diu nullum civile praeclarius, qui, ut aliud nihil, hoc tamen profecit, dedit illi dolorem. sed etiam ad summam profectum aliquid puto. amo etiam Pisonem. cuius iudicium de genero suspicor visum iri grave. quamquam genus belli quod sit vides. ita civile est ut non ex civium dissensione sed ex unius perditi civis audacia natum sit. is autem valet exercitu, tenet multos spe et promissis, omnia omnium concupivit. huic tradita urbs est nuda praesidio, referta copiis. quid est quod ab eo non metuas qui illa templa et tecta non patriam sed praedam putet? quid autem sit acturus aut quo modo nescio, sine senatu, sine magistratibus. ne simulare quidem poterit quicquam politikos. nos autem ubi exsurgere poterimus aut quando? quorum dux quam astrategetos tu quoque animadvertis quoi ne Picena quidem nota fuerint; quam autem sine consilio res testis. ut enim alia omittam decem annorum peccata, quae condicio non huic fugae praestitit? [2] nec vero nunc quid cogitet scio ac non desino per litteras sciscitari. nihil esse timidius constat, nihil perturbatius. itaque nec praesidium cuius parandi causa ad urbem retentus est nec locum ac sedem praesidi ullam video. spes omnis in duabus insidiose retentis paene alienis legionibus. nam dilectus adhuc quidem invitorum est et a pugnando abhorrentium; condicionum autem amissum tempus est. quid futurum sit non video; commissum quidem a nobis certe est sive a nostro duce ut e portu sine gubernaculis egressi tempestati nos traderemus. [3] itaque de Ciceronibus nostris dubito quid agam; nam mihi interdum amandandi videntur in Graeciam; de Tullia autem et Terentia, cum mihi barbarorum adventus [ad urbem] proponitur, quinia timeo; cum autem Dolabellae venit in mentem, paulum respiro. sed velim consideres quid faciendum putes primum pros to asphales (aliter enim mihi de illis ac de me ipso consulendum est), deinde ad opiniones, ne reprehendamur quod eas Romae velimus esse in communi bonorum fuga. quin etiam tibi et Peducaeo (scripsit enim ad me) quid faciatis videndum est. is enim splendor est vestrum ut eadem postulentur a vobis quae ab amplissimis civibus. sed de hoc tu videbis, quippe cum de me ipso ac de meis te considerare velim. [4] reliquum est ut et quid agatur quoad poteris explores scribasque ad me et quid ipse coniectura adsequare; quod etiam a te magis exspecto. nam acta omnibus nuntiantibus a te exspecto futura. 'mantis d' aristos—.' loquacitati ignosces, quae et me levat ad te quidem scribentem et elicit tuas litteras. aenigma [Oppiorum ex Velia] plane non intellexi; est enim numero Platonis obscurius.