19 June 44 BCE: To Atticus (at Rome) from Cicero (at Tusculum)
Cicero's nephew considers switching sides
What more must we dare to do about the Buthrotians? For you write that you made an appearance in vain. And why is Brutus coming back? By Hercules, I am sorry that you are so busy; you must put it down to those ten men.1 It is a difficult matter, but a bearable one, and one very welcome to me.
About the men in arms, I’ve never seen anything more obvious. So let us get away, and, as you say, talk in person. What Theophanes wants, I don’t know—he wrote to me, and I replied as well as I could. He writes that he wants to visit me, to talk about his affairs as well as certain matters that concern myself. I am waiting for your letters. Please, see that nothing is done rashly.
Statius has written to me, to say that Quintus Cicero has told him very emphatically that he cannot bear the way things are; he has made the decision to go over to Brutus and Cassius.2 I now of course want to know all about this; I don’t know how to interpret it. Maybe he is angry with Antony about something, maybe he’s looking for a new source of glory, maybe it’s all some whim of his—that’s what it is, without a doubt. But still, I am afraid, and his father is disquieted. For he knows what he thinks about him.3 He once even said the unspeakable to me. I really don’t know what he wants.
I shall have whatever orders from Dolabella as seem right to me—so, none.4 Tell me, did Gaius Antonius want to be one of the Commission of Seven? He was certainly worthy of the position. About [my house?], it is as you write. Please let me know about everything.
Read Ad Atticum 15.19 in Latin here | Check the glossary here
Footnote borrowed from Shackleton Bailey: ‘There seems to be no other record of this Commission of Ten. We should expect rather to hear of L. Antonius’ Commission of Seven, recently set up to divide all available public land among veterans and the poor (cf. Broughton, pp.332f.). Could [Cicero] have made a slip about the number (despite septemvir [Commission of Seven] below)? hominibus instead of viris strikes a contemptuous note.’
This comes as a surprise after Quintus Cicero Jr’s previous ostentatious siding with Antony and the other Caesarians.
This sentence is just as ambiguous in Latin. But it probably means ‘He (Quintus Cicero Sr.) knows what he (Quintus Cicero Jr.) thinks about him (Antony).’
Cicero planned to use his new position as Dolabella’s legate as an excuse to leave Italy, but the excuse would involve having nominal ‘orders’ from Dolabella.