Letter 8: Cicero writes to Brutus from Rome to Dyrrhachium in 5 May 43 BC.

Written at Rome, the third day before the Nones of May, in the year 711 [from the founding of the city, i.e. 5 May 43 BC]. Cicero greets Brutus. On the fifth day before the Kalends of May [27 April], when opinions were being delivered concerning the prosecution of war against those who had been adjudged public enemies, Servilius spoke also about Ventidius, and proposed that Cassius should prosecute the war against Dolabella. I supported the motion that you, if you judged it useful and in the interest of the res publica, should prosecute the war against Dolabella; but that, if you could not do so without disadvantage to the res publica, or if you did not think it to be in the interest of the res publica, you should keep your army in the same region. The senate could have done nothing more honorable than to make it your own judgment what you thought would most benefit the res publica. For my own part, this is my view: if Dolabella has a force, if he has a camp, if he has any foothold anywhere, it pertains to your purpose and to your dignity to prosecute him. [2] About the forces of our friend Cassius we know nothing; for no letter has come from the man himself, nor has anything been reported that we might hold for certain. But how greatly it matters that Dolabella be crushed you doubtless understand—both that he may pay the penalty for his crime, and that there be no place to which the chiefs of the brigands may betake themselves after their flight from Mutina [the rout of Antony's forces at the siege of Mutina]. And you can recall from my earlier letter that this was already my view before; although at that time both the harbor for our flight lay in your camp and the support for our safety in your army. All the more, now that we have been freed (as I hope) from dangers, ought we to be occupied in crushing Dolabella. But you will weigh these matters more carefully, you will decide wisely; you will, if it seems good to you, inform us of what you have determined and what you are doing. [3] I wish our young Cicero to be co-opted into your college. I think that in general the candidacy of those who are absent can be taken into account at the elections of the priests; for it has even been done before. For Gaius Marius, when he was in Cappadocia, was made augur under the lex Domitia, and no law afterward forbade that this should be permitted. There is also in the lex Iulia—which is the most recent law concerning the priesthoods—this wording: 'WHOEVER SHALL STAND FOR OFFICE, OR WHOSE CANDIDACY SHALL BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.' This openly indicates that account can be taken even of one who is not present. On this matter I have written to him, telling him to follow your judgment as in all things; but it is for you to decide about Domitius and about our friend Cato. Yet however lawful it may be for the candidacy of an absent man to be taken into account, all things are nevertheless easier for those who are present. But if you decide that you must go to Asia, there will be no possibility of summoning our friends to the elections. [4] In general, while Pansa was alive, we thought everything would go more quickly. For he would at once have had a colleague elected in his place [to succeed the dead consul], and then the elections of the priests would have been held before those of the praetors. As it is, I foresee a long delay on account of the auspices; for as long as there is a single patrician magistrate, the auspices cannot revert to the patres [the senatorial fathers / patricians]. A great confusion indeed. I should like you to inform me what you think about the whole matter. The third day before the Nones of May.

§ Brut.1.5 DCCCXLVIII (Brut. I, 5) TO M. IUNIUS BRUTUS (AT DYRRACHIUM) ROME (5 MAY) ON the 27th of April, when the speeches were being delivered in the senate as to the proceedings to be taken against the men who had been adjudged public enemies, Servilius referred among others to the case of Ventidius, and also advised that Cassius should conduct the war against Dolabella. I spoke in support of this, and added to the motion that you, if you thought it expedient and to the public advantage, should direct your attack upon Dolabella: and that if you could not do so with advantage to the public service, or if you thought that it was to the interests of the state, you should keep your army in the district in which it now is. The senate could not have paid you a greater compliment than leaving you to decide what you thought to be for the benefit of the state. For my own part my feeling is that, if Dolabella has a body of troops, if he has a camp, if he has any footing anywhere, it concerns your honour and position that you should go against him. As to the forces in the hands of our friend Cassius we know nothing, for we have had no despatch from him personally, nor has any news reached us upon which we can rely. But how important it is that Dolabella should be crushed you certainly fully appreciate, both that he may be punished for his crime, and that there may be no place of refuge for the ringleaders of the outlaws after their rout at Mutina. And indeed that this has all along been my opinion you may recollect from my previous letter — though at that time our only harbour of refuge was in your camp, and we were looking to your army to save us from destruction. Much more, now that we have been freed as I hope from absolute danger, ought we to devote ourselves to crushing Dolabella. But think the matter over carefully, decide it wisely, and — if you deem it right-let me know what you have resolved and what you are actually doing. I wish my son Cicero to be co-opted into your college. I think in the circumstances that in the election of sacerdotes candidates might be voted for in their absence: for it has been done even before this. For instance, Gaius Marius, though he was in Cappadocia, was created an augur under the lex Domitia; nor has any law since made that illegal. There is even a clause in the lex Julia — the most recent legislation on the subject of the priesthoods — in these words: “the candidate and anyone for whom votes shall be taken.” This clearly indicates that votes can be taken for one who does not act as a candidate. I have written to my son on this subject telling him to follow your advice, as in all other things. It is for you again to decide about Domitius and our friend Cato. But however legal it may be for votes to be taken for a man in his absence, yet it is easier in every way for those who are on the spot. While if you have resolved that you must go to Asia, we shall have no means of summoning our friends to the comitia. Certainly I think that everything would have been more expeditiously done if Pansa were alive: for he would have at once held the election of his colleague, and then the comitia of the sacerdotes would have been held before those of the praetors. As it is, I foresee a long delay on account of the auspicia; for as long as there is a single patrician magistrate left the auspicia cannot revert to the senate. It is certainly a serious complication. Pray write and tell me your views on the whole question. 5 May.

[V] Scr. Romae iii Non. Mai. a. 711 (43). CICERO BRVTO SAL. A. d. V K. Maias cum de iis qui hostes iudicati sunt bello persequendis sententiae dicerentur, dixit Servilius etiam de Ventidio et ut Cassius persequeretur Dolabellam. arbitrarere utile exque re publica esse, persequerere bello Dolabellam; si minus id commodo rei publicae facere posses sive non existimares ex re publica esse, ut in isdem locis exercitum contineres. nihil honorificentius potuit facere senatus quam ut tuum esset iudicium quid tibi maxime conducere rei publicae videretur. equidem sic sentio, si manum habet, si castra, si ubi consistat uspiam Dolabella, ad finem et ad dignitatem tuam pertinere eum persequi. [2] de Cassi nostri copiis nihil sciebamus. neque enim ab ipso ullae litterae neque nuntiabatur quicquam quod pro certo haberemus. quanto opere autem intersit opprimi Dolabellam profecto intellegis, cum ut sceleris poenas persolvat tum ne sit quo se latronum duces ex Mutinensi fuga conferant. atque hoc mihi iam ante placuisse potes ex superioribus meis litteris recordari; quamquam tum et fugae portus erat in tuis castris et subsidium salutis in tuo exercitu. quo magis nunc liberati, ut spero, periculis in Dolabella opprimendo occupati esse debemus. sed haec cogitabis diligentius, statues sapienter; facies nos quid constitueris et quid agas, si tibi videbitur, certiores. [3] Ciceronem nostrum in vestrum conlegium cooptari volo. existimo omnino absentium rationem sacerdotum comitiis posse haberi; nam etiam factum est antea. Gaius enim Marius, cum in Cappadocia esset, lege Domitia factus est augur nec quo minus id postea liceret ulla lex sanxit. est etiam in lege Iulia, quae lex est de sacerdotiis proxima, his verbis: 'QVI PETET CVIVSVE RATIO HABEBITVR.' aperte indicat posse rationem haberi etiam non praesentis. hac de re scripsi ad eum, ut tuo iudicio uteretur sicut in rebus omnibus; tibi autem statuendum est de Domitio, de Catone nostro. sed quamvis liceat absentis rationem haberi, tamen omnia sunt praesentibus faciliora. quod si statueris in Asiam tibi eundum, nulla erit ad comitia nostros accersendi facultas. [4] omnino Pansa vivo celeriora omnia putabamus. statim enim conlegam sibi subrogavisset, deinde ante praetoria sacerdotum comitia fuissent. nunc per auspicia longam moram video. dum enim unus erit patricius magistratus, auspicia ad patres redire non possunt. Magna sane perturbatio. tu tota de re quid sentias velim me facias certiorem. iii Nonas Maias.