5 November 44 BCE: To Atticus (at Rome) from Cicero (at Puteoli)
The Making Of The Second Philippic
On the 5th, I received two letters from you: one dated the 1st, the other from the day before. So I shall come to your earlier letter first.
I am glad that you approve of my work1—you’ve pointed out the highlights, which seem even brighter to me because of your opinion of them. I was very much afraid of those little pieces of red wax of yours!2 About Sicca, it is as you write; I held myself back from that subject with difficulty. So I shall touch on it without insulting Sicca or Septimia, just enough for our ‘children’s children’3 to know—without any of Lucilius’ poison—that he4 had children with the daughter of Gaius Fadius.5 I just wish I could see the day when that oration can circulate freely enough to even end up in Sicca’s house! We need to go back to the time of those triumvirs—I’m dying with laughter!6 But please read it to Sextus and write to me with his opinion of it. I care more about what he thinks than the masses. Watch out for any meddling from Calenus and Bald-head.7
You fear seeming long-winded, but who is that less true of than you? I feel that the longer your letters are, the better—just as Aristophanes thought about Archilochus’ iambics. As to you warning me, even if you did blame me, I would not just accept it, but I would even be glad, because your blame had good sense and kindness to it. And so I shall gladly correct the things you noticed. ‘By the same right as Rubrius’ property’ rather than ‘as Scipio’s’,8 and I shall hold back on the additional praise of Dolabella. Although, I think there is a nice bit of irony in that part where I say that he ‘fought three times against his fellow citizens.’9 And I prefer ‘the most shameful thing is that this man is alive’ to ‘what could be more shameful?’10
I am not upset that you approve of Varro’s ‘literary embroidery’11—I still haven’t gotten hold of his Herakleidian work. You really are a good friend for encouraging me to write, but you should know that I do nothing else. I am sorry that you have a cold. Please, be as careful as you usually are. I am glad that you find my book ‘O Titus’ helpful.12 The ‘Anagnians’ are Commander Mustela, and Laco, the great drinker.13 I shall put the finishing touches on the book you ask me for and send it to you.
Now to your later letter. I have finished my ‘On Duty,’14 as far as Panaetius goes, in two books. Panaetius has three, but he begins by dividing the enquiries into duty into three types. First, when we must determine whether something is right or wrong; second, whether it is expedient or inexpedient; third, how we should decide, when there is a conflict between what is right and what is expedient—just like in the case of Regulus.15 It was right to go back, expedient to stay. Panaetius examines the first two of these very clearly, and promises that he will write about the third—but writes nothing. Posidonius followed through on the topic. I have sent for his book, and written to Athenodorus Calvus to send me the chapter headings, which I am now waiting for. Please give him a reminder, and ask him to send it as soon as he can. There is a part of it on ‘duty dependant on circumstance.’ As for your question about the title—I have no doubt that καθῆκον is ‘duty,’ unless you think otherwise; but the fuller title is ‘On Duties.’ I’m addressing it to my son: it seemed fitting.
About Myrtilus, you’ve made the situation clear. How well you always do with those men! And really? Against Decimus Brutus? Gods damn them!
I have not hidden myself away in Pompeii, as I had written I would, first because the weather couldn’t be worse, and then because I get letters every day from Octavian, asking me to take on the political situation, come to Capua, save the Republic again, and at any rate go to Rome at once. ‘Too embarrassed to refuse, / and too afraid to take him up on it.’16 Still, he really has been busy getting things done, and continues to get things done, and he’ll go to Rome with a large number of men—but he is clearly a boy. He thinks the Senate will meet at once. Who will attend? Who, if they do attend, will offend Antony over such an uncertain matter? Perhaps he will be some protection on January 1st, or maybe it will be fought out before then.
The boy is strangely popular in the country towns. He visited Cales on his way through Samnium, and stayed at Teanum. There were wonderful welcome receptions and encouragement. Would you have thought it? So I shall return to Rome sooner than I had decided. As soon as I have decided when, I’ll write.
Although I have yet to read the terms (Eros has not arrived yet), still, please settle the matter on the 12th. I’ll find it easier to send letters to Catina, Tauromenium, and Syracuse if Valerius the interpreter sends me the names of people with influence. For they vary with the times, and my own friends have almost all died off. Still, I have written to the local officials, if Valerius wants to make use of them—or he should have sent me names.
About Lepidus’ holidays, Balbus tells me they will go on until the 29th.17 I shall wait for a letter from you, and I think I shall find out about Torquatus’ little situation. I have sent you a letter from the elder Quintus, so that you know how much affection he has for the person18 he is upset that you don’t have enough affection for. Since Attica is such a cheerful little thing—the best way for children to be—please give her a kiss from me.
Read Ad Atticum 16.11 in Latin here | Check the glossary here | Watch an overview of events from the Ides of March onwards here
The Second Philippic.
Atticus would edit Cicero’s work by attaching bits of red wax to parts that needed correcting.
Iliad 20.308.
Antony.
Footnote borrowed from Shackleton Bailey: ‘Cf. Phil. II.3 […]. In the original version Cicero seems to have refrained from any allusion to the matter for fear of upsetting his old friend Sicca and Septimia, who was no doubt Sicca’s wife or near relation. Obviously one or both was connected with Fadius, father of Antony’s first wife. Atticus apparently urged that Sicca would not be offended by an allusion, if discreetly worded.’
Footnote borrowed from Shackleton Bailey: ‘Cicero’s self-admired joke (unless illo … IIIviris is cited from Atticus’ letter) has become a riddle, only partially solved by T. Frank (Am. Journ. Phil. 41 (1920), p.275), who saw that IIIviris [triumvirs] alludes to Fulvia’s three husbands, Clodius, Curio, and Antony; he compared Phil. II.11 […]. This gives the indispensable amphibolia: tres viri (triumviri) = ‘three husbands’ or ‘Committee of Three’. But the Latin, which cannot possibly mean ‘we must bide the time when Antony meets the fate that has already come to the other two of these three husbands’, means ‘we need to bring back the days when those three were “Triumvirs”’. In Clodius’ day it was still possible to publish invectives against one’s enemies. The point of the jest is the implication that Antony and Curio were Fulvia’s viri [husbands] in effect during Clodius’ lifetime, an innuendo supported, so far as Antony is concerned, by Phil II.48 […].’
Gaius Matius.
Footnote borrowed from Shackleton Bailey: ‘Cf. Phil. II.103 […]. In the original version Cicero had referred to Metellus Scipio instead of Rubrius, his villa at Tibur having fallen into Antony’s hands (cf. 413 (XVI.3). 1n). But Atticus probably pointed out that as Scipio’s property was forfeited to the state and (presumably) purchased by Antony sub hasta [at an auction] his case was not fully in point.’
Footnote borrowed from Shackleton Bailey (last one, I promise): ‘No doubt this refers to Varro’s Imagines (cf. Dahlmann, RE. Suppl. VI. 1227ff.), a collection of 700 ‘portraits’ of famous men. It is not the title but a description, deriving ultimately at any rate from the embroidered robe of Athene at the Panathenaea and perhaps directly from the pseudo-Aristotelian handbook of mythology called Πέπλος. Whether πεπλογραφία had become a recognised term for such collections or whether Cicero (or Atticus) coined it for the occasion is uncertain.’
The opening of Cicero’s Cato the Elder on Old Age, which is itself quoting Ennius’ Annales. The work is addressed to Atticus.
The De Officiis.
Marcus Atilius Regulus was a general in the 1st Punic War, known for the (probably fictional) story of his capture by the Carthaginians. He was sent back to Rome to negotiate a prisoner exchange, after swearing an oath to return to captivity afterwards, but argued against the exchange in the Senate. He then fulfilled his oath and returned to Carthage to be tortured to death.
Iliad 7.93 trans. Emily Wilson.
Lepidus had just been appointed Pontifex Maximus.
The younger Quintus. Shackleton Bailey thinks this comment is ironic, and ‘suppose[s] Quintus Senior’s language to have been the reverse of affectionate.’