7 March 43 BCE: To Cicero (at Rome) from Cassius (in Tarichea)
Cassius has been collecting legions
Gaius Cassius, proconsul, to Marcus Cicero.1 If you are well, that is good—I and the army are well.2
You should know that I have made my way to Syria, to the generals Lucius Murcus and Quintus Crispus. They are brave men, and loyal citizens, and as soon as they heard what was happening in Rome, they handed their armies over to me.3 Those brave souls are now performing their duty to the Republic with me.
Moreover, you should know that Quintus Caecilius Bassus’ legion has come over to my side, and you should know in addition that Aulus Allienus has handed over the four legions that he brought from Egypt to me.4
At this point, I don’t think you need to be encouraged to defend me and the Republic as much as you are able in my absence. Please know that you and the Senate have strong defences, so you can defend the Republic with the highest hope and greatest spirit.
My close friend Lucius Carteius will tell you the rest.
Goodbye. Sent on 7th March from camp at Taricheae.
Latin text of Ad Familiares 12.11 | Glossary | Historia Civilis video overview of 44-43 BCE
Because of how long it took for letters to travel, this letter is not a reply to yesterday’s letter from Cicero to Cassius.
Cassius uses a formulaic letter opening (this phrase is abbreviated to just ‘s. v. b. e. e. q. v.’) that nevertheless instantly answers Cicero’s constant questions about whether or not Cassius has raised an army.
Lucius Staius Murcus and Quintus Marcius Crispus were besieging Caecilius Bassus at Apamea, each with three legions. Cicero’s (defeated) motion in the Eleventh Philippic proposed that they should hand over their armies to Cassius—news of the failure of this motion would not have reached Cassius before Murcus and Crispus surrendered their armies to him regardless.
Bassus had been holding off a Caesarian siege at Apamea since 48 BCE. Allienus was a legate of Dolabella who had been sent to bring him the four legions from Egypt. Cicero proposed in the Eleventh Philippic that he should also surrender these legions to Cassius.