4 November 44 BCE: To Atticus (at Rome) from Cicero (at Puteoli)
Octavian wants Cicero to help him act through the Senate—with Cicero's advice, of course
Two letters in one day from Octavian, who now writes that I should come to Rome at once—that he wants to act through the Senate. I told him that it isn’t possible for the Senate to meet before January 1st, which I really believe is true.1 But he adds ‘with your advice.’ What more can I say? He insists, but I stall. I do not trust his age; I do not know what he has in mind.
I don’t want anything to happen without your friend Pansa.2 I am afraid of Antony’s strength, and I don’t like going away from the sea, but I fear that there’ll be some aristeia while I’m away.3 Varro certainly doesn’t like the boy’s plan, but I disagree. If his soldiers are capable, he can have Brutus on his side.4 And he is acting openly, organising his men into centuries at Capua and paying them.
I feel like war is impending now more than ever. Please write back to me. I am surprised that my letter-carrier set out from Rome on the 1st without a letter from you.
Read Ad Atticum 16.9 in Latin here | Check the glossary here | Watch an overview of events from the Ides of March onwards here
Antony was the only consul in Rome, and would not convene a meeting of the Senate for his enemies Cicero or Octavian. Cicero may also have thought that any meeting Antony did convene would not have been safe to attend.
Pansa was one of the consuls-designate and would take office on January 1st.
An aristeia was a display of excellence in battle in epic poetry. Cicero had previously used the word to describe Dolabella having people thrown from the Tarpeian Rock.
Decimus Brutus, who was in Cisalpine Gaul. Marcus Brutus had left for Greece.