Cicero’s apparent willingness to seek an accommodation with Caesar, as expressed in the preceding letter, ultimately faded with the dictator’s return to Rome in September of 45 and what seemed his ever-growing tyranny. In the following brief note, almost certainly written on the Ides of March, Cicero congratulates one of Caesar’s assassins on the deed and, though not one of the conspirators himself nor even invited to participate, he declares both his satisfaction and his support. Written in Rome, March 15, 44 B.C.
Cicero Basilo S.
Tibi gratulor, mihi gaudeo; te amo, tua tueor; a te amari et, 295 quid agas quidque agatur, certior fieri volo.
296. Cassio: Gaius Cassius Longinus, a former Pompeian who had been pardoned and given a praetorship by Caesar, nonetheless joined with Marcus Junius Brutus as one of the leaders in the assassination plot; he committed suicide in 42 B.C. after being defeated by Marc Antony’s forces in the first battle at Philippi.
297. laetor: laetari, to be glad.
tibi: DAT. OF REF.
orationem meam (298): the so-called “First Philippic,” delivered September 2, 44 B.C., was the first of a series of vehement speeches delivered by Cicero against Antony that ultimately cost the orator his life; 14 of the speeches survive and at least three others have been lost.
298. negoti: PARTITIVE GEN. with nihil, = it would not be difficult (to).
299. reciperare: also spelled recuperare, to regain.
homo amens: Marc Antony; Cicero used even harsher invective in his public denunciations of Antony, particularly in the acerbic Second Phillipic.
300. nequior: comparative of nequam, indecl. adj., worthless, good for nothing, wicked.
ille: i.e., Caesar.
nequissimum occisum esse (301): i.e., was the wickedest man (ever) slain.
301. caedis: caedes, slaughter.
302. criminatur: criminari, to charge; the charge was made by Antony following Cicero’s First Philippic.
nisi…incitentur (303): explains the causam.
303. veterani: Caesar’s.
304. modo: here = si modo, if only, or dummodo, provided that, + subjunct.
communicet: communicare,to join.
305. Pisoni…mihi…Servilio (306): each depends on licet. L. Calpurnius Piso, Caesar’s father-in-law (see note on line 89 above), had been a political enemy of Cicero but, after Caesar’s assassination, shared in his opposition to Antony; Publius Servilius Isauricus, consul with Caesar in 48, also initially opposed Antony, though the two subsequently reconciled.
invectus est: invehere,to carry against; pass., to be carried against, inveigh against.
nullo adsentiente: i.e., without anyone else at that time supporting him in his opposition to Antony (eum).
306. tricensimo: trice(n)simus, thirtieth; Piso spoke against Antony in early August, and Cicero delivered his First Philippic on September 2.
307. tuto: adv., safely.
gladiator: an insulting term for Antony.
308. eius: sc. caedis.
a. d. XIII Kal. Octobr.: ante diem tertium decimum Kalendas Octobres,the 13th day before the Kalends of October = September 19.
a me:from me = with me.
AD FAMILIARES 12.2 (excerpts)
The assassination of Caesar has not restored the republic, Cicero laments, because Antony has taken over the state and is proving himself even worse than Caesar. Cicero has hope in the tyrannicides and professes in this letter his loyalty to Cassius, one of the leaders in the conspiracy against Caesar and the resistance to Antony and Octavian. September or October, 44 B.C.
Cicero Cassio S.
“Death of Julius Caesar” Vincenzo Camuccini, 19th century Museo Nazionale di Capodimente. Naples, Italy
Scala/Art Resource, NY.
Vehementer laetor tibi probari sententiam et orationem meam; qua si saepius uti liceret, nihil esset negoti libertatem et rem publicam reciperare. Sed homo amens et perditus multoque 300 nequior quam ille ipse, quem tu nequissimum occisum esse dixisti, caedis initium quaerit nullamque aliam ob causam me auctorem fuisse Caesaris interficiendi criminatur, nisi ut in me veterani incitentur: quod ego periculum non extimesco, modo vestri facti gloriam cum mea laude communicet. Ita nec 305 Pisoni, qui in eum primus invectus est nullo adsentiente, nec mihi, qui idem tricensimo post die feci, nec P. Servilio, qui me est consecutus, tuto in senatum venire licet: caedem enim gladiator quaerit eiusque initium a. d. XIII Kal. Octobr. a me se facturum putabit, ad quem paratus venerat, cum in villa Metelli 310 complures dies commentatus esset.
309. ad quem: sc. diem, on which day.
venerat: sc. in senatum.
Metelli:Quintus Caecilius Metellus Pius Scipio, consul in 52 and a leading Pompeian; after the defeat of his army and his death at the Battle of Thapsus, his property, including a villa at Tibur, was confiscated.
310. complures: several; in another of Cicero’s letters (Ad Atticum 16.2) we are told that Antony practiced his speech against Cicero for 17 days.
311. lustris: lustrum, den, brothel, debauchery.
