CCCCXXVII (A XI, 14)
TO ATTICUS (AT ROME)
Brundisium (April)
The candour of your letter does not offend me, because you
do not endeavour even tentatively to console me, as was your
wont, under the weight of public and personal misfortunes,
but acknowledge that that is now impossible. For things
are not even as they were before, when, if nothing else, I
thought that I had comrades and partners in my policy.
For now all the petitioners in Achaia and in Asia also, who
have received no pardon, and even those who have, are said
to be about to sail into Africa.[1] So I have no one now
except Lælius[2] to share my error: and even he is in a
better position than I am in that he has been received
back.[3] But about myself I have no doubt Cæsar has
written to Balbus and to Oppius, by whom, if they had had
anything pleasant to report, I should have been informed,
and they would have spoken to you. Pray have some talk
with them on this point, and write me word of their answer
not that any security granted by Cæsar is likely to have any
certainty, still one will be able to consider things and make
some provision for the future. Though I shun the sight of
all, especially with such a son-in-law as mine,[4] yet in such a
state of misery I can't think of anything else to wish.
- ↑ To join Cato and the other Pompeians, from the belief that they were now in the ascendent.
- ↑ Decimus Lælius had blockaded Brundisium in B.C. 48, but had, with Cicero, been specifically excepted in Antony's edict forbidding Pompeians to come to Italy (see Letter CCCCXVIII, p. 19). He seems in some way to have kept on terms with the Pompeians (see p. 37). But he apparently played his cards well, and survived to be governor of Africa about B.C. 44 (Dio, 48, 21).
- ↑ I.e., by the Pompeians.
- ↑ Referring, as before, to Dolabella's proceedings as tribune. See p. 27.
