6 or 7 March 43 BCE: To Cassius (in Syria) from Cicero (at Rome)
Cicero hopes Cassius will take matters into his own hands
I would rather you find out from your friends how eagerly I have defended your position, both in the Senate and before the people.1 My motion would have easily passed in the Senate if Pansa had not opposed it so forcefully.2
When I had made that proposal, I was invited to speak in a public assembly by the Tribune of the Plebs Marcus Servilius. I said what I could about you, in a voice loud enough to fill the forum, and was met with so much shouting and popular agreement that it was like nothing I’ve ever seen.
Please forgive me for doing this against the wishes of your mother-in-law.3 She is a fearful woman, and was scared that Pansa’s feelings would be hurt.4 In fact, Pansa said in a public assembly that your mother, as well as your brother, didn’t approve of the motion I proposed. But I was not influenced by these things; I preferred to focus on other matters. I was protecting both the Republic, which I have always protected, and your position and glory.
I hope you will now fulfil the pledge I made at length in the Senate, and again in the public assembly. For I promised—almost asserted—that you had not waited for and would not wait for our decrees, but that you would defend the Republic yourself, in your own way. And although I have heard nothing yet about where you are or what troops you have, still, I have decided that all the resources and troops in those parts are yours, and I am confident that you have already recovered the province of Asia for the Republic.5
Now as you add to your glory, you have your own example to outdo.
Latin text of Ad Familiares 12.7 | Glossary | Historia Civilis video overview of 44-43 BCE
The speech before the Senate was the Eleventh Philippic. The speech before the People does not survive.
Cicero’s motion was that Cassius should be appointed proconsul of Syria, take charge of all forces in the area, and be given extraordinary powers over neighbouring provinces, all so he could defeat Dolabella. Pansa opposed this because he wanted the command against Dolabella himself.
Servilia, who was the mother of both Cassius’ wife Junia Tertia and Brutus.
From Servilia and her Family by Susan Treggiari: ‘Servilia had certainly let Cicero know her views. It is less clear whether Cicero’s remark about her nerves is patronizing or ironical. I am inclined to think the former. Servilia had reason to be anxious about her son-in-law, as she was about Brutus. In that case, Servilia was really trying to keep Pansa as an ally. But it is hard to see her as a ‘timid woman’ by nature.’ Based on Cicero’s earlier descriptions of Servilia as anything but ‘timid,’ I read this comment as ironic.
i.e. recovered it from Dolabella.