quickly resolved not to continue the war. When the news of that disaster reached the fleet at Dyrrachium, Cato and young Gnæus Pompeius desired Cicero, as the only consular present, to take command of it. Plutarch says that on his refusal Pompey and some of his friends drew their swords and threatened his life, but that he was rescued by Cato and allowed to go to Brundisium. Plutarch's narrative, however, is suspiciously inaccurate, as it implies that Cicero went at once to Brundisium, whereas it is plain from his letters that he sailed by Corcyra to Patræ.1 Cicero at Brun- 2 From Patræ he came to Brundisium at the end of October or the beginning of November, by special permission of Cæsar obtained through Dolabella. He was still accompanied by lictors, as an imperator who had not abandoned his claim to a triumph; but he found it necessary in entering Brundisium to disguise or dismiss them, and we hear nothing of them again.3 It does not appear that he had been forbidden to go to Rome; but Cæsar had expressed disapproval of others doing so, and Cicero did not venture to leave Brundisium and approach the city without more distinct authority from the Dictator. The letters from Brundisium are distressing. It was not a pleasant place of residence, and the presence of part of the victorious army at times made it dangerous. As the months I went on also he heard of Cæsar's difficulties in Alexandria ; of mutinies in the Cæsarian legions that had been sent back to Italy; of disorders in Rome, caused by the tribunician proceedings of Dolabella, which made the position of Antony, Cæsar's Master of the Horse, very difficult; and of the increasing strength of the Pompeians in Africa. All these reports made him doubt the wisdom of the step he had taken in submitting to Cæsar and throwing himself upon his protection. In doing so he had committed an unpardonable sin in the eyes of the Pompeian party. If they eventually succeeded, therefore, he would be in a still worse position than he was now. His heart was still with themthough he disliked young Gnæus Pompeius-but for his own personal security he was forced to wish them ill. To complete his unhappiness, the failure of the opposition to Cæsar had caused a bitter quarrel with his brother and nephew. The younger Quintus had always been Cæsarian in sympathy, and had caused his uncle much disquiet by going to Rome to meet Cæsar in the previous year.' But now the elder Quintus seems to have joined his son in reproaching Cicero with having misled them into joining the losing side. They had parted from him in anger at Patræ, and were on their way to meet Cæsar as he was following Pompey through Asia, and make their submission to him. Cicero is not only distressed at the loss of his brother's affection, but fearful of their denouncing him to Cæsar.2 As far as the younger Quintus was concerned, there may have been cause for such fears. But though the elder Quintus was always intemperate in language, there does not seem any reason to suppose that he wished or attempted to injure his brother. If he did, Cicero took a generous revenge: for he was careful to let Cæsar know that he himself was alone to blame for the course they had taken as a family in the civil war; and that Quintus had followed, not led him, in the matter.3 "Believe rather," he says, "that he always advised our union; and was the companion, not the leader, of my journey." The breach between the brothers was not long in healing; but the subsequent conduct of his nephew, who served under Cæsar in Spain, gave Cicero much distress for the next two years. An interview between them in December, B.C. 45, described in a letter to Atticus, shews how strained the relations between them still were. After Cæsar's death, though young Quintus for a time adhered to Antony, he surprised his uncle by suddenly announcing his conversion to the cause of Brutus and Cassius. And though Cicero doubted the sincerity and the motives of the change, there seems to have been no farther quarrel, till the proscription overwhelmed all three of them in the same destruction. 5 Cæsar's return to Italy in September, B.C. 47, after successfully settling the difficulties in Alexandria, and the rising 1 See vol. ii., pp. 363, 366. 2 P. 26. 6 Vol. iv., pp. 97, 100. Cicero under the new régime, B.C. 47 to B.C. 44. in Pontus under Pharnaces, restored peace and safety to Italy. The mutinous legions were either satisfied by the payment of their promised bounties, or sent over to Sicily to be ready for the next year's campaign in Africa. The troubles in Rome caused by Dolabella's wild measures collapsed in the presence of the Dictator, who, however, pardoned Dolabella and continued to employ him. To Cicero Cæsar's arrival brought the long-wished-for freedom to quit Brundisium and resume his life at Rome or in his villas. Cæsar landed at Tarentum, and Cicero went with others from Brundisium in a complimentary procession to meet him. Whatever doubts he had felt as to the reception he was likely to meet were quickly dispelled by Cæsar's cordial kindness. As soon as he saw Cicero in the procession he alighted from his carriage, greeted him warmly, and walked some distance conversing with him exclusively.' Cæsar always liked Cicero, and we can imagine that, returning to Italy after an absence of three years, so crowded with various experiences, there would be abundant subjects of conversation between men of such wide interests without touching on dangerous political topics. Cæsar seems finally to have expressed a courteous desire that Cicero should return to Rome. On the 1st of October therefore he writes to Terentia, announcing his arrival at Tusculum on the 7th or the next day. The letter is from Venusia, so that he was already on his way home by the Appia. From that time till the death of Cæsar he resumes his old life as far as residence and studies are concerned. But it was in other respects a changed life. Outwardly things at Rome seemed to be going on as before. The comitia still elected the magistrates; the senate still met for deliberation and the transaction of public business; the law courts were still sitting in the forum. In fact, for a time at any rate, Cicero complains that he was overwhelmed with legal business.2 But the spirit was all gone out of it. The will of a single man really controlled everything. The comitia returned his nominees; the senate merely registered his decrees, and dutifully recognized his appointments, when they were not rather made by personal security he was forced to wish them ill. To complete his unhappiness, the failure of the opposition to Cæsar had caused a bitter quarrel with his brother and nephew. The younger Quintus had always been Cæsarian in sympathy, and had caused his uncle much disquiet by going to Rome to meet Cæsar in the previous year.' But now the elder Quintus seems to have joined his son in reproaching Cicero with having misled them into joining the losing side. They had parted from him in anger at Patræ, and were on their way to meet Cæsar as he was following Pompey through Asia, and make their submission to him. Cicero is not only distressed at the loss of his brother's affection, but fearful of their denouncing him to Cæsar.2 As far as the younger Quintus was concerned, there may have been cause for such fears. But though the elder Quintus was always intemperate in language, there does not seem any reason to suppose that he wished or attempted to injure his brother. If he did, Cicero took a generous revenge: for he was careful to let Cæsar know that he himself was alone to blame for the course they had taken as a family in the civil war; and that Quintus had followed, not led him, in the matter." "Believe rather," he says, "that he always advised our union; and was the companion, not the leader, of my journey." The breach between the brothers was not long in healing; but the subsequent conduct of his nephew, who served under Cæsar in Spain, gave Cicero much distress for the next two years. An interview between them in December, B.C. 45, described in a letter to Atticus, shews how strained the relations between them still were." After Caesar's death, though young Quintus for a time adhered to Antony, he surprised his uncle by suddenly announcing his conversion to the cause of Brutus and Cassius." And though Cicero doubted the sincerity and the motives of the change, there seems to have been no farther quarrel, till the proscription overwhelmed all three of them in the same destruction. Cassar's return to Italy in September, B.C. 47, after successfully settling the difficulties in Alexandria, and the rising See vol. it., pp. 363, 366. See his letter to Caesar, p. 30. * P. 348. |