for me only, what you must do. If Caesar means to come to Rome in a peaceable manner, you can stay at home with safety for the present: but if in his madness he is going to give up the city to plunder, I fear Dolabella 1 himself may not be able to protect us sufficiently. Besides, I am alarmed lest we should be cut off from you, so that when you do wish to leave town you may be prevented. There is one other thing, which you are in the best position to observe yourselves

are other ladies of your rank remaining in Rome ? If not, it deserves consideration whether you can do so with propriety. As things stand at present, indeed, always provided that I am allowed to hold this district, you will be able to stay with me or on one of our estates with the greatest comfort. There is another thing I am afraid of a want of provisions in the city before long. On these points pray consult with Pomponius,2 with Camillus, with anybody you think right: above all don't be frightened. Labienus has made things better for us. Piso, too, is helpful in quitting the city and declaring his own son-in-law guilty of treason. Do you, dear hearts, write to me as often as possible, and tell me how you are and what is going on around you. Quintus and his son and Rufus send their love. Good-bye!

1 Tullia's second husband, who belonged to Caesar's party.
2 Atticus.

TO ATTICUS IN ROME 1

(Att. VII., 20.)

CAPUA, B. C. 49.

I HAVE no choice but to be brief. I have given up all hope of peace, and as to war, our men are not stirring a finger. Don't, pray, suppose that our consuls care for anything less than that: though it was in hopes of hearing something and learning what preparations we were making that I came to meet them in a pelting rain on the 4th, according to orders. They, however, had not arrived, and were expected on the 5th-empty-handed and unprepared. Pompey, again, is said to be at Luceria, and on his way to join some cohorts of the Appian legions, which are far from being in a very satisfactory state. But he,2 they say, is hurrying along and is expected at Rome every hour, not to fight a battle for who is there to fight with? but to prevent the flight from town. For myself, if it is to be in Italy" if die I must," etc.! I don't ask your advice about that: but if it is to be outside Italy - what can I do? On the side of remaining there are the winter season, my lictors, the improvidence and carelessness of our leaders: on the side of flight, my friendship for Pompey, the claims of the loyalist cause, the disgrace of having anything to do with a tyrant; as to whom it is uncertain whether he will copy Phalaris or Pisistratus.3 Pray unravel these

1 One of the many letters in which Cicero asks Atticus for advice and guidance. He complains of the apathy of the consuls, comparing it with Caesar's energetic movements.

2 Caesar.

8 Tyrants of Agrigentum and Athens respectively.

If

perplexities for me, and help me with your advice, though I expect by this time you are in a warm corner yourself at Rome. However, do the best you can. I learn anything fresh to-day, I will let you know. For the consuls will be here directly on the 5th, the date they fixed themselves. I shall look for a letter from you every day. But do answer this as soon as I left the ladies and the two boys at For

you can. miae.

SERVIUS SULPICIUS1 TO CICERO, AT ASTURA 2

(Fam. IV., 5.)

ATHENS, B. C. 45.

WHEN I received the news of your daughter Tullia's death, I was indeed as much grieved and distressed as I was bound to be, and looked upon it as a calamity in which I shared. For if I had been at home, I should not have failed to be at your side, and should have made my sorrow plain to you face to face. That kind of consolation involves much distress and pain, because the relations and friends, whose part it is to offer it, are themselves overcome by an equal sorrow. They cannot attempt it without many tears, so that they seem to require consolation themselves rather than to be able to afford it to others. Still I have decided to set down briefly for your benefit such

1 The collection of letters Ad Familiares includes many letters to Cicero by various correspondents. Among the best known is this letter of consolation written by the distinguished jurist and orator Servius Sulpicius Rufus, on the death of Cicero's daughter, Tullia.

2 Cicero had a villa upon an island at the mouth of the Astura, a river in Latium flowing into the Mediterranean.

thoughts as have occurred to my mind, not because I suppose them to be unknown to you, but because your sorrow may perhaps hinder you from being so keenly alive to them.

Why is it that a private grief should agitate you so deeply? Think how fortune has hitherto dealt with us. Reflect that we have had snatched 1 from us what ought to be no less dear to human beings than their children country, honor, rank, every political distinction. What additional wound to your feelings could be inflicted by this particular loss? Or where is the heart that should not by this time have lost all sensibility and learn to regard everything else as of minor importance? Is it on her account, pray, that you sorrow? How many times have you recurred to the thought and I have often been struck with the

same idea that in times like these theirs is far from being the worst fate to whom it has been granted to exchange life for a painless death? Now what was there at such an epoch that could greatly tempt her to live? What scope, what hope, what heart's solace? That she might spend her life with some young and distinguished husband? How impossible for a man of your rank to select from the present generation of young men a son-in-law, to whose honor you might think yourself safe in trusting your child! Was it that she might bear children to cheer her with the sight of their vigorous youth? who might by their own character maintain the position handed down to them by their parent, might be expected to stand for the offices in their order, might exercise their freedom in supporting their friends? What single one of these prospects has not been taken away before it was given? 1 By the triumph of the Caesarian party.

But, it will be said, after all it is an evil to lose one's children. Yes, it is: only it is a worse one to endure and submit to the present state of things.

I wish to mention to you a circumstance which gave me no common consolation, on the chance of its also proving capable of diminishing your sorrow. On my voyage from Asia, as I was sailing from Aegina towards Megara, I began to survey the localities that were on every side of me. Behind me was Aegina, in front Megara, on my right Piraeus, on my left Corinth: towns which at one time were most flourishing, but now lay before my eyes in ruin and decay. I began to reflect to myself thus: "Ah! do we manikins feel rebellious if one of us perishes or is killed - we whose life ought to be still shorter-when the corpses of so many towns lie in helpless ruin? Will you please, Servius, restrain yourself and recollect that you are born a mortal man?" Believe me, I was no little strengthened by that reflection. Now take the trouble, if you agree with me, to put this thought before your eyes. Not long ago all those most illustrious men perished at one blow: 1 the empire of the Roman people suffered that huge loss: all the provinces were shaken to their foundations. If you have become the poorer by the frail spirit of one poor girl, are you agitated thus violently? If she had not died now, she would yet have had to die a few years hence, for she was mortal born. You, too, withdraw soul and thought from such things, and rather remember those which become the part you have played in life: that she lived as long as life had anything to give her; that her life outlasted that of the Republic; that she lived to see you - her own father praetor, consul, and augur; that she

1 The defeat of the Pompeians by Caesar at Pharsalus.