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THE LOEB CLASSICAL LIBRARY
EDITED BY
T. E. PAGE, M.A., AND W. H. D. ROUSE, Litt. D.
LETTERS TO ATTICUS
II
CICERO
LETTERS TO ATTICUS
WITH AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION BY
E. O. WINSTEDT, M.A.
OF MAGDALEN COLLEGE. OXFORD
IN THREE VOLUMES
II
LONDON: WILLIAM HEINEMANN
NEW YORK: THE MACMILLAN CO.
MCMXXI
INTRODUCTION
This second volume of Cicero's Letters to Atticusembraces one of the most important epochs inRoman history, the fall of the Republic in thestruggle between Pompey and Caesar. The stormwhich had long been brewing broke just as Ciceroreturned from Cilicia over the question of Caesar'sresignation of office. By the agreement made in 56B.C. Caesar's governorship of Gaul was renewed forfive years and he was then to be re-elected to theconsulship in 48 B.C. As the renewal dated fromMarch 1, 54 B.C., his term of office would naturallyexpire on March 1, 49 B.C.: but according to the rulein vogue at the time of the reappointment he wouldnot be superseded until Jan. 1, 48 B.C., the date onwhich he would enter on the consulship. He wouldtherefore hold office continually, and his enemies,the Senatorial party, would have no chance of bringinga prosecution against him, which might be fatalto his career. But in 52 B.C. they had inducedPompey to bring forward a new law by which ex-magistratesdid not proceed to a province as soon astheir office ended but after an interval of five years.Consequently for the next five years special appointmentshad to be made by the Senate—for exampleCicero's appointment to Cilicia—and, as they couldbe made at any time, it would be perfectly easy tosupersede Caesar on March 1, 49, and secure hisprosecution, condemnation and downfall before hecould enter on the consulship.
Another new law of Pompey's insisted on the[Pg vi]personal attendance of candidates for office, fromwhich Caesar had previously obtained special exemption.On the remonstrance of Caesar's friendsPompey had inserted a clause allowing such special exemptionsto stand: but this clause was never properlypassed. This again was designed to ensure Caesar'spresence in Rome, with a view to his prosecution.
During the next two years the question of hisresignation was continually coming up in the House,but no definite conclusion was reached, owing largelyto Curio's spirited attacks on all the Senatorial party'sproposals. That party however was ready to catchat any trifle to pick a quarrel with Caesar: and theyfound an opportunity when in Sept. 50 B.C. Caesardecided to send the 13th legion into Cisalpine Gaulto replace the 15th, which he had had to surrender,nominally for the war in Syria, thou