Mid to late June 43 BCE: To Cassius (in Syria) from Cicero (at Rome)
'The Republic has very little hope—I don’t like to say none'
From Cicero to Cassius, greetings.
The brevity of your letters makes me write more briefly too, and to tell the truth, I can’t think of anything worthy of writing about. I know for sure that you get reports of what we have been doing in the official records of the Senate, but we know nothing about what you have been doing. It’s as if Asia is closed off, so that nothing reaches us except for rumours about Dolabella being crushed. These are consistent enough, but so far without any authority.
As for us, just as we thought the war was finished, your relative Lepidus1 has suddenly caused us terrible anxiety. So please believe that you and your troops are the Republic’s greatest hope. Of course, we do have strong armies here,2 but still, even if everything goes favourably (as I hope it will!), it is very important that you come.
The Republic has very little hope—I don’t like to say none—but whatever it does have relies on the promise of the year of your consulship.3
Goodbye.
Latin text of ad Familiares 12.9 | Glossary | Historia Civilis video overview of 44-43 BCE
Lepidus was married to Cassius’ wife’s sister.
Cassius had been praetor in 44 BCE, and so in 42 BCE would be eligible to stand for the consulship of 41 BCE.