Letter 4: Cicero writes to Brutus from Rome to Dyrrhachium in 21 April 43 BC.
Marcus Tullius Cicero→Marcus Junius Brutus|c. 43 BC|Marcus Tullius Cicero and Marcus Junius Brutus|From Rome|To Dyrrhachium|AI-assisted
politicsmilitaryrepublican-crisis
Imported from the public-domain Shuckburgh translation on ToposText, paired with The Latin Library Latin. The local ref preserves Latin Library a-letter distinctions where ToposText repeats a traditional label.
Written at Rome, on the eleventh day before the Kalends of May, as it seems, in the year 711 [21 April 43 BC].
CICERO TO BRUTUS, GREETINGS.
Our affairs seemed to be in a better position; for I am quite certain that an account of what has been done has been written to you. The consuls have turned out to be just the sort of men I have often described to you. As for the boy Caesar, his natural disposition toward virtue is remarkable. If only we could guide and hold him as easily when he is in the full flush of honors and popularity as we have held him up to now! That, to be sure, is the more difficult task, but even so we do not despair. For the young man has been persuaded—and chiefly through me—that our safety is his doing; and certainly, had he not turned Antony away from the city, all would have been lost. [2] Indeed, three or four days before this most splendid event, the whole community, struck by a kind of panic, was pouring out toward you, with wives and children; the same community, once revived, on the twelfth day before the Kalends of May [20 April] preferred that you come here rather than that it go to you. On that day in fact I reaped the greatest reward of my great labors and my many sleepless nights—if indeed there is any reward to be had from solid and genuine glory. For a gathering of as great a multitude as our city can hold was made about me; and by it I was escorted all the way up to the Capitol and set upon the Rostra amid the loudest shouting and applause. There is nothing vain in me; nor ought there to be; but nevertheless the consensus of all the orders, their giving of thanks and their congratulation, moves me, because to be the people's man in the safety of the people is a glorious thing. [3] But these things I would rather you heard from others. As for you, I should like you to inform me most carefully about your own affairs and plans, and to consider this: that your generosity should not appear too lax. The senate feels, and so does the Roman people, that no enemies were ever more deserving of every kind of punishment than those citizens who in this war have taken up arms against their fatherland; and these men I, for my part, punish and pursue with every motion I make, with all good men approving. What you may feel about this matter is for your own judgment; I feel thus—that the case of the three brothers is one and the same.
§ Brut.1.3 DCCCXLI (Brut. I, 3) TO M. IUNIUS BRUTUS (AT DYRRACHIUM) ROME, 21 APRIL: OUR cause seems in a better position: for I feel sure that you have had letters telling you what has happened. The consuls have shown themselves to be the sort of men I have often described them in my letters. In the youthful Caesar indeed there is a surprising natural strain of virtue. Pray heaven we may govern him in the flush of honours and popularity as easily as we have held him up to this time I That is certainly a more difficult thing, but nevertheless I have no mistrust. For the young man has been convinced, and chiefly by my arguments, that our safety is his work, and that at least, if he had not diverted Antony from the city, all would have been lost. Three or four days indeed before this glorious news, the city, struck by a sudden panic, was for pouring out with wives and children to seek you. The same city on the 20th of April, with its fears all dispelled, would rather that you came here than go to you. On that day in very truth I reaped the most abundant harvest of my great labours and my many sleepless nights — that is, at least, if there is a harvest in genuine and well-grounded glory. For I was surrounded by a concourse of people as great as our city can contain, by whom I was escorted to the Capitol and placed upon the Rostra amidst the loudest cheers and applause. I have no vanity in me — and indeed I ought to have none: yet after all a unanimous feeling of all orders, thanks, and congratulations do move my heart, because it is a thing to be proud of that in the hour of the people's preservation I should be the people's hero. But these things I would rather you heard from others. Pray inform me of your own doings and plans with the greatest exactness; and do be careful that your generosity does not bear the appearance of weakness. This is the sentiment of the senate, and of the people, that no enemies ever more richly deserved condign punishment than those citizens who have taken up arms against their country in this war. Indeed in every speech I make in the senate I call for vengeance upon them and attack them amidst the applause of all loyal citizens. What your view of this is I must leave you to judge for yourself: my opinion is that all three brothers stand on one and the same ground.
[III] Scr. Romae xi K. Mai., ut videtur, a. 711 (43)
CICERO BRVTO SAL.
nostrae res meliore loco videbantur; scripta enim ad te certo scio quae gesta sunt. qualis tibi saepe scripsi consules, tales exstiterunt. Caesaris vero pueri mirifica indoles virtutis est. Vtinam tam facile eum florentem et honoribus et gratia regere ac tenere possimus quam facile adhuc tenuimus! est omnino illud difficilius sed tamen non diffidimus. persuasum est enim adulescenti et maxime per me eius opera nos esse salvos. et certe, nisi is Antonium ab urbe avertisset, perissent omnia. [2] triduo vero aut quadriduo ante hanc rem pulcherrimam timore quodam perculsa civitas tota ad te se cum coniugibus et liberis effundebat eadem recreata a. d. xii Kal. Maias te huc venire quam se ad te ire malebat. quo quidem die magnorum meorum laborum multarumque vigiliarum fructum cepi maximum, si modo est aliquis fructus ex solida veraque gloria. nam tantae multitudinis quantam capit urbs nostra concursus est ad me factus; a qua usque in Capitolium deductus maximo clamore atque plausu in rostris conlocatus sum. nihil est in me inane; neque enim debet; sed tamen omnium ordinum consensus, gratiarum actio gratulatioque me commovet propterea quod popularem me esse in populi salute praeclarum est. [3] sed haec te malo ab aliis. me velim de tuis rebus consiliisque facias diligentissime certiorem illudque consideres ne tua liberalitas dissolutior videatur. sic sentit senatus, sic populus Romanus, nullos umquam hostis digniores omni supplicio fuisse quam eos civis qui hoc bello contra patriam arma ceperunt; quos quidem ego omnibus sententiis ulciscor et persequor: omnibus bonis approbantibus. tu quid de hac re sentias, tui iudici est; ego sic sentio trium fratrum unam et eandem esse causam.
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Written at Rome, on the eleventh day before the Kalends of May, as it seems, in the year 711 [21 April 43 BC].
CICERO TO BRUTUS, GREETINGS.
Our affairs seemed to be in a better position; for I am quite certain that an account of what has been done has been written to you. The consuls have turned out to be just the sort of men I have often described to you. As for the boy Caesar, his natural disposition toward virtue is remarkable. If only we could guide and hold him as easily when he is in the full flush of honors and popularity as we have held him up to now! That, to be sure, is the more difficult task, but even so we do not despair. For the young man has been persuaded—and chiefly through me—that our safety is his doing; and certainly, had he not turned Antony away from the city, all would have been lost. [2] Indeed, three or four days before this most splendid event, the whole community, struck by a kind of panic, was pouring out toward you, with wives and children; the same community, once revived, on the twelfth day before the Kalends of May [20 April] preferred that you come here rather than that it go to you. On that day in fact I reaped the greatest reward of my great labors and my many sleepless nights—if indeed there is any reward to be had from solid and genuine glory. For a gathering of as great a multitude as our city can hold was made about me; and by it I was escorted all the way up to the Capitol and set upon the Rostra amid the loudest shouting and applause. There is nothing vain in me; nor ought there to be; but nevertheless the consensus of all the orders, their giving of thanks and their congratulation, moves me, because to be the people's man in the safety of the people is a glorious thing. [3] But these things I would rather you heard from others. As for you, I should like you to inform me most carefully about your own affairs and plans, and to consider this: that your generosity should not appear too lax. The senate feels, and so does the Roman people, that no enemies were ever more deserving of every kind of punishment than those citizens who in this war have taken up arms against their fatherland; and these men I, for my part, punish and pursue with every motion I make, with all good men approving. What you may feel about this matter is for your own judgment; I feel thus—that the case of the three brothers is one and the same.
AI-assisted translation - This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.
Latin / Greek Original
[III] Scr. Romae xi K. Mai., ut videtur, a. 711 (43) CICERO BRVTO SAL.
nostrae res meliore loco videbantur; scripta enim ad te certo scio quae gesta sunt. qualis tibi saepe scripsi consules, tales exstiterunt. Caesaris vero pueri mirifica indoles virtutis est. Vtinam tam facile eum florentem et honoribus et gratia regere ac tenere possimus quam facile adhuc tenuimus! est omnino illud difficilius sed tamen non diffidimus. persuasum est enim adulescenti et maxime per me eius opera nos esse salvos. et certe, nisi is Antonium ab urbe avertisset, perissent omnia. [2] triduo vero aut quadriduo ante hanc rem pulcherrimam timore quodam perculsa civitas tota ad te se cum coniugibus et liberis effundebat eadem recreata a. d. xii Kal. Maias te huc venire quam se ad te ire malebat. quo quidem die magnorum meorum laborum multarumque vigiliarum fructum cepi maximum, si modo est aliquis fructus ex solida veraque gloria. nam tantae multitudinis quantam capit urbs nostra concursus est ad me factus; a qua usque in Capitolium deductus maximo clamore atque plausu in rostris conlocatus sum. nihil est in me inane; neque enim debet; sed tamen omnium ordinum consensus, gratiarum actio gratulatioque me commovet propterea quod popularem me esse in populi salute praeclarum est. [3] sed haec te malo ab aliis. me velim de tuis rebus consiliisque facias diligentissime certiorem illudque consideres ne tua liberalitas dissolutior videatur. sic sentit senatus, sic populus Romanus, nullos umquam hostis digniores omni supplicio fuisse quam eos civis qui hoc bello contra patriam arma ceperunt; quos quidem ego omnibus sententiis ulciscor et persequor: omnibus bonis approbantibus. tu quid de hac re sentias, tui iudici est; ego sic sentio trium fratrum unam et eandem esse causam.