5117. A vast company of friends met Octavian as he was coming to Rome. When he entered the city, the globe of the sun seemed to be on his head and equally bent and rounded like a bow, (as it were putting a crown upon the head of him that later was to be so famous a man.) {Velleius Paterculus, l. 2. c. 59.} {Julius Obsequens, de Prodigiis.}
``When he entered the city with a large number around him, the sun was included in the circle of a pure and unclouded sky and surrounded him with the inmost part of the circle.''
5118. (as the rainbows are usually bent in the clouds.) That is a circle of various colours as is usual in the rainbow, at that time surrounded the sun. {Seneca, Natural. Questions, l. 1. c. 2.} {Pliny, l. 2. c. 28.} {Suetonius, in Octavian. c. 95.} {Dio. l. 45.} {Orosius, l. 6. c. 20.}
5119. Octavian called his friends together and over night ordered them all to be ready the next morning with a good number of followers to meet him in the forum. Octavian went to Caius, the brother of Antony the city praetor. Caius told him he accepted his adoption. It was the Roman custom in an adoption, to interpose the authority of the praetor. His acceptance was registered by the scribes. Then Octavian immediately left the forum and went to Antony, the consul. {Appian, Civil War, l. 3. p. 534.} The consul entertained him haughtily (but this was not from contempt but fear) and scarcely admitted him into Pompey's gardens and gave him time to speak with him. (Velleius Paterculus, l. 2. c. 60.}
5120. The Circensian plays were neglected which were decreed to be solemnized for the honour of Caesar in the Palilia. (10 days before May (11th of calends)) This was the day the news of Caesar's victory in Spain came to Rome. The day before that day, {Dio, l. 44, 45.} Quinctus and Lamia wore crowns there for Caesar's honour's sake. {Cicero, ad Attic., l. 14. epist. 16, 22.}
5121. When the murderers of Caesar were sent into the provinces which were allocated to them by lot, {Dio, l. 44.} Caius Trebonius went into his province {Cicero, ad Attic, l. 14. epist. 10.} to succeed Q. Philippus as the proconsul of Asia. {Cicero, Letters to his Friends, l. 13. epist. 73, 74. cf. epist. 43, 45.} Patisen went with him as an ordinary proquaestor. However, P. Lentulus, the son of Publius Lentulus Spinther, was sent by the senate into Asia as an extraordinary quaestor to gather in the tribute and to raise money. {Cicero, Letters to my Friends, l. 12. epist. 14, 15.}
5122. Ten days before June (11th calends), Trebonius came to Athens and there found young Cicero earnestly at his study under Cratippus. He invited them both into his province of Asia. Cicero stated this in his letters to his father, dated 11 days before June (12th calends), {Cicero, Letters to his Friends, l. 12. epist. 16.} His father replied by letter. {Cicero, Letters to his Friends, l. 15. epist. fin.}
5123. On June 2nd (4th nones), a law was passed that the consuls should recognizance those things that Caesar had ordained, decreed and done. {Cicero, ad Attic., l. 16. epist. 18.}
5124. After Antony was appointed to oversee and execute those things which Caesar had ordered to be done, he altered the notes and changed them at his pleasure. He did everything as it pleased him as if it were by the appointment of Caesar. By this he gratified cities and governors and amassed a huge fortune. He sold fields and tributes as well as freedoms also even of the city of Rome. He sold these to individuals as well as to whole provinces and all people. A record of these things were recorded on tables and hung up in the capitol. {Cicero, in Philippica. 2., Letters to his Friends, l. 2. epist. 1.} {Velleius Paterculus, l. 2. c. 60.} {Plutarch, in Antony} {Appian, Civil War, l. 3, p. 529.} {Dio, l. 44.} In one of these tables, the richest cities of the Cretians were freed from tributes and it was decreed that after the proconsulate of Brutus, Crete would no longer be a province. {Cicero, in Philippica. 2., Letters to his Friends, l. 2. epist. 1.} Antony also received a great sum of money and amended a register also, as if the law had been made by Caesar that the Sicilians would be made citizens of Rome. {Cicero, ad Attic., l. 14. epist. 12.}
5125. As soon as King Dejotarus heard of Caesar's death, he recovered all things that were taken from him of his own accord. However, his ambassadors were fearful and unskilful. Without the consent of the rest of the king's friends, they gave Fulvis 100,000 sesterces as a bond and had a decree hung in the capitol. It ridiculously pretended that everthing was restored by Caesar himself. {Cicero, ad Attic., l. 14. epist. 12., in 2. Philippic.}
5126. When plays were to be performed to commemorate Caesar's victory the 13th of August (as appears in the old calender {Gruterus, Inscriptions, p. 133.} they dared not do it publicly and Octavian held them privately. (??) {Suetonius, in Octavian, c. 10.} He committed the care for the preparations for them to C. Matius, a most learned man, who gave this reason to Cicero for his approving of this. {Cicero, Letters to his Friends, l. 11., epist. 27., ad Attic. epist. 2.} .
``I have taken care for the plays that the young Caesar made for the victory of Caesar. However, it belonged to my private service to him and not to the state of the commonwealth. Yet this service I ought to perform to the memory and honour of my best friend, although now dead. Neither could I deny it at the request of that hopeful young man and most worthy Caesar.''
5127. To this are to be referred those things from Dio. {Dio, l. 45.}
``They sacrificed with certain processions on a particular day consecrated to him for his victories.''
5128. Dion affirms that it was previously decreed {Appian, Civil Wars, l. 2., p. 494.} {Dio, l. 43} that those days should be celebrated with solemn sacrifices on which he obtained his victories. It seems that the commemoration of all the victories he had obtained, were remembered on this one day and consecrated for his victory sacrifices. Lucan, {Lucan, l. 7. init.} stated that the day of the victory of Pharsalus, the most famous of all the rest, was not included among the feast days.
Rome hath oft celebrated times less dire, But this would in oblivion have retire.
5129. M. Brutus and Canus Cassius sent privately by letters to advise Trebonius in Asia and Tullius Cimber in Bithynia that they should secretly gather money and raise an army. {Appian, l. 8. p. 529, 530.} Cimber obeyed and also provided a navy. {Cossius to Cicero} {Cicero, Letters to his Friends, l. 12. epist. 13.} It was that drunken Cimber, whom Seneca stated {Seneca, epist. 83.} made this joke about himself.
``Am I able to deal with anyone, who cannot bear wine?''
5130. At age nineteen, Caesar Octavian of his own accord and his own expense, gathered an army. He himself wrote this in the breviary of his affairs which was engraved in the Ancyran Marble, {Gruter, Inscriptions, p. 230.} eleven days before October (before the day of the 11th calends), when he was almost 20 years old. Before the departure of Antony from the city, (which happened in the following October) Octavian was commended to the senate through Cicero and others that hated Antony. Octavian tried to get the favour of the people and to gather an army. {Plutarch, in Antony} He prepared forces against Antony for his own safety and the state. He stirred up the old soldiers that were sent into the colonies. {Livy, l. 117.} Florus related the matter thus:
``Octavian Caesar was pitied for his youth and wrongs he endured. He was gracious for the majesty of that name that he had assumed. He called the old soldiers to arms and as a private citizen then (who would believe it?) takes on the consul.''
5131. {Florus, l. 4. c. 4.} He is incorrect where he states:
``but eighteen years old''
5132. Neither is Dio who wrote that he was 18 years old when he assumed the name and took on him, as Caesar's heir. {Dio, l. 45. p. 271.} Neither is it accurately set forth by Seneca. {Seneca, de clementia, l. 1., c. 9.}
``he was newly out of his eighteenth year''
5133. Neither is Velleius Paterculus correct:
``he had entered on his nineteenth year''
5134. Paterculus stated:
``O. Caesar had turned nineteen. He dared bold exploits and attained the highest position by his own advice. He had a greater mind for the safety of the state than the senate had.'' {Velleius Paterculus, l. 2. c. 61.}
5135. When he began to prepare an army, he was almost twenty. From that time to his death was 57 years. Likewise Maximus the monk, in his calculations assigned the same time to his government.
5136. Antony was afraid and held a meeting with him in the capitol and they were reconciled. The same night in his sleep, Antony dreamed that his right hand was struck with lightning. A few days later, it was secretly whispered to him that Caesar sought to betray him. When he did not believe Caesar who tried to clear himself, their old enmity broke out again. {Plutarch, in Antony}
5137. Antony thought that he needed a larger force. He knew that the six legions in Macedonia were the best soldiers and outnumbered his legions. There was a large band of archers, light harnessed men and cavalry. All were excellently equipped. These were allocated to Dolabella, because the Parthian war was assigned to him when Caesar made preparation against the Parthians. He thought to draw these to his side because they were so close and could soon be in Italy by crossing the Adriatic Sea. A false rumour was spread that the Getae heard of the death of Caesar and wasted Macedonia with their invasion. Antony demanded an army from the senate that he might take vengeance on the enemy. He said that the Macedonian army was raised by Caesar against the Getae before he planned to attack the Parthians and that all things were now quiet on the border of Parthia. Finally, they agreed to send one legion over to Dolabella and Antony was chosen as general of the Macedonian army. {Appian, l. 3. p. 541, 542.} Through force, he had a law passed to change how the provinces were allocated. C. Antony, his brother, would take Macedonia which was assigned to Marcus Brutus. The consul Mark Antony would take Cisalpine Gaul that was assigned to Decimus Brutus. Antony would also command the Macedonian army which was sent ahead by Caesar to Apollonia. {Dio, l. 45.} {Livy, l. 117.} {Appian, l. 3. p. 543, 545, 546.}
5138. It was reported that the legions of Alexandria were in arms that Bassus was sent for from Syria and Cassius was expected. {Cicero, ad Attic., l. 15. epist. 13.}
5139. When time for the plays had arrived which Critonius, the aedile, was to hold, Caesar provided for his father, a golden chair and a crown. This thing was ordered by the decree of the senate to be done for ever in all plays. Critonius would not allow Caesar to be honoured in those plays that he held at his own private expense. (??) Caesar was brought before Antony as to the consul. The consul told him that he would propose to the senate:
``propose it and in the meantime I will provide the chair''
5140. Antony was exasperated and forbid this in the following plays. These Caesar had solemnized and were instituted in honour of their mother, Venus, when a temple in the forum was dedicated to Caesar as well as the forum itself. Antony publicly hated this fact. {Appian, l. 3. p. 543, 544.}
5141. Five days (6th calends) before October in the marble inscriptions of the old calendar, (in {Gruter, Inscriptions, p. 135. fin.} compared with another whole one. {Grunter, Inscriptions, p. 133.}) it was engraved, "VENERI. GENETRICIIN. FORO. CAESAR." Therefore, on that day Octavian made those plays to gain the people's favour. These were instituted for the completion of the temple of Venus. He personally paid for these since he came from the same family, some of whom, during Caesar's lifetime, had promised to solemnize the temple but did not do it. {Dio, l. 45.} While Octavian was doing this, Seneca stated that a comet suddenly appeared. {Seneca, in Natural Questions, l. 7. c. 17.} {Suetonius, in Julio. c. 88.} {Pliny, l. 2. c. 25.} Seneca said Octavian himself stated the following:
``In the very days of my plays there was a comet seen for seven days altogether, in the northern part of the heaven. It arose about the eleventh hour of the day. It was clear and conspicuous in all lands. The people generally thought that by this star, it was signified that Caesar's soul was received into the number of the gods. Under that notion was that word added to the image of his head that we recently consecrated in the forum.''
5142. This was also seen on some coins that were minted after his death with the inscription, "DIVI JULII", and noted by Virgil:
``Thy father's star appeared in the north.'' {Aeneid, 8.}
3961a AM, 4670 JP, 44 BC
5143. The 9th (7th ides) of October, Antony came to Brundusium to meet four of five of the Macedonian legions that he thought to win to his side with money. {Cicero, Letters to his Friends, l. 13. epist. 23.} {Appian, l. 3. p. 552. 554.} {Dion, l, 45. p. 276. edit. Gracolatin. Hannoviensis.} These were granted to him by the senate and people of Rome to be used against the Getae. However, he transported them to Italy. {Velleius Paterculus, l. 2. c. 61.} {Appian, l. 3. p. 543, 546, 558. fin.}
5144. Octavian also sent his friends with money to hire those soldiers for himself. {Dion, l, 45. p. 276. edit. Gracolatin. Hannoviensis.} He sent into Campania to secure for his side those soldiers that his father had sent into the colonies to war. First he drew to his side, the old soldiers of Galatia, then those of Casilinum, which lay on both sides of Capua. He gave each of them 500 denarii (which Appian and Dio, after the custom of the Greeks translate drachmas) He gathered together about 10,000 men but they were not well armed nor marshalled into companies. He marched with them under one ensign as a guard. {Cicero, ad Attic., l. 16. epist. 8., Philippic 3.} {Velleius Paterculus, l. 2. c. 61.} {Appian, l. 3. p. 552. 553.} These troops were the first to be called the Evocati because when they had permission to retire from the army, they were again called to service. {Servius Galba ad Cicero, Letters to his Friends, l. 10. epist. 30.} {Dio, l. 45. p. 276., l. 55. p. 565.}
5145. In the meantime, the four legions of Macedonia accused Antony for his delay in revenging Caesar's death on the murderers. Without any acclamations, they conducted him to the tribunal as if they would hear an account of this business before anything else. Antony took their silence poorly. He did not contain himself but upbraided them for their ingratitude because they did not acknowledge how much better it was to go into Italy than into Parthia. Neither did they show any token of thankfulness. He also complained that they had not brought to him some disturbers of the peace that were sent from that wicked young man (for so he called Caesar) but that he would find them. He said he would march with the army to the province that was decreed to him by the senate even that fortunate Gaul. He said that he would give to everyone there 100 denarii or drachmas. This niggardliness of his promises was entertained with laughter. When he took this badly, he was deserted and the disorder increased. {Appian. l. 3. p. 554.} {Dion, l. 45. p. 276.} {Cicero, ad Attic, l. 16. epist. 8.}
5146. When Antony had demanded the rebels from the tribunes according to the discipline of war, he drew out every tenth man by lot. He did not punish them all but only some of them and thought to terrify them little by little. {Appian. l. 3. p. 554, 555.} Also in the house of his host on the bay of Brundusium, in the presence of his most covetous and cruel wife Fulvia, he put to death some centurions that were taken from the Martian legion. (Cicero, Philippic. 3, 5, 13.} {Dio, l. 45. p. 276.}
5147. When those of Caesar's party who were sent to bribe them, saw that they were more provoked by this deed, they created libelous rumours among the army. They recalled to mind the memory of Caesar when considering this business and cruelty of Antony. They invited them to the liberality of the young man. Antony promised rewards to them that would tell him of them and punishments to those who did not expose the offenders. He took it rather poorly that none were discovered as if the army defended them. {Appian, l. 3. p. 555.}
5148. When Octavian Caesar came to hold office, he endeavoured to win the people to himself. Both M. Brutus and Caius Cassius gave up all hope of controlling the opinion of people and were afraid of Caesar. They sailed from Italy and landed at Athens where they were magnificently entertained. {Dio, l. 47. p. 238. 239.} Cornelius Nepos, in the life of Atticus, wrote that when Antony began to get the upper hand, they abandoned the government of those provinces that were assigned to them by the consuls and went into exile.
``and now both fearing the arms of Antony and now again to increase the envy they had against Antony they pretended as though they were afraid and protested by their edicts that they would willingly live in perpetual exile as long as the commonwealth was in peace. Neither would they give any occasion for a civil war.''
5149. Velleius Paterculus stated that they went out of Italy. {Velleius Paterculus, l. 2. c. 62.}
5150. When some went to Octavian's side and some to Antony's, the armies sided with the one that gave them the most. Brutus intended to leave Italy and though Lucania came by land to the sea at Elea. From there he sailed to Athens where he became a student to Theomnestas the academic and to Cratippus the peripatetic (the Mitylenian). Together with them they studied and he seemed to forget all business and to live in idleness. However, he prepared for the war. {Plutarch, in Brutus} Cicero {Cicero, in Philippic. 10.} stated that the navy of Cassius caught up to Brutus within a few days.
5151. Brutus and Cassius determined by force to invade Macedonia and Syria as assigned before to Dolabella and Antony. As soon as this was known Dolabella hurried into Syria and visited Asia along the way, to gather money from there. {Appian, de Brutis civilibin, l. 3. p. 541} For Appian thought (as also does {Florus, l, 4, c. 7.}) that Macedonia was decreed by Julius Caesar (before he was killed by them) to Brutus and Syria to Cassius. There were other letters, granting to them ,in the place of those that were later taken from them by the consuls. That is Cyrene and the isle of Crete. Some attribute both of these to Cassius and Bithynia to Brutus but that they were assigned these and gathered an army and money with an intent to invade Syria and Macedonia. {Appian. l. p. 527. 530, 531. 533. 536. 550, l. 4. p. 622.}
5152. However, Syria was appointed by Julius Caesar to Cornificius, as we gather from Cicero. The fourth day after his murder, Crete was decreed by the senate to Brutus and Africa to Cassius we have learned previously from Plutarch. Cicero stated of Brutus: {Cicero, in Philippic. 11.}
``Neither went he into his own province of Crete, but hurried into Macedonia which was another's. Cassius obeyed the law of greed, when he went into Syria. This was another's province indeed, if men would use written laws. But these were violated, so he used his own by the law of greed.''
5153. Velleius Paterculus confirmed that both of them seized provinces without any decree from the senate or public authority. {Velleius Paterculus, l. 2. c. 62.} He also said both of them lived at Athens. Dio wrote {Dio, l. 47. p. 339.} that they heard that Caesar had increased in strength. Crete and Bithynia which they were sent to, were neglected because they thought that these provinces would not be of much help. They planned to take Syria and Macedonia which did not belong to them. At that time, both of them had men and money.
5154. Dolabella made his journey through Achaia, Macedonia and Thrace and arrived too late into Asia. However, in Achaia he had foot soldiers and cavalry. He met Vetus Antestius, who had returned from Syria and had dismissed his army, (which he had mainly used against Caecilius Bassus.) He would rather suffer any danger than to seem to give any money to Dolabella either willingly or by compulsion. {Dio, l. 47, p. 433} {Brutus in l. Cicerronis ad Brutum, epist. 16.}
5155. On the 1ts (calends) of November, letters were brought to Cicero from Octavian. He asked his advice whether he had best come to Rome with those 4000 old soldiers, or should he keep them at Capua and keep Antony from there, or should he go to the three legions of Macedonia, which came by the way of the Adriatic Sea. Because they would not receive the bribes that Antony offered them, he thought he might win them to himself. {Cicero, ad attic., l. 16. epist. 8.} Octavian numbered the centuries at Capua. {Cicero, ad attic., l. 16. epist. 9.} He journeyed to Samnium and arrived at Cales and stayed at Theanum. There was a wonderful gathering of the free cities and corporations which came to Rome in large numbers. (??) {Cicero, ad attic., l. 16. epist. 8.}
5156. He went to the common people who had already been prepped for this purpose by Canutius the tribune of the people. He renewed the memory of his father in a long speech to them and the brave acts that he had done. He spoke also many things modestly of himself and accused Antony. He commended the soldiers that followed him because they were ready to help the city and that they had chosen him for that purpose. They should by this act signify this to so great a crowd. They were commended for the good equipment they had and for the large number of soldiers that followed Caesar. He went into Hetruria to get more soldiers. {Dio, l. 45. p. 276.}
5157. At this time Marcus Cicero dedicated his three famous books of offices {Cicero, de Officiis} to his son Marcus who had been a scholar for an whole year to Cratippus. (This was not at the first time he was sent there as Dio thinks. {Dio, l. 45. p. 277.} {Cicero, Letter to his Friends, l. 16. epist. 11.}) Some of the son's letters to Tiro still exist {Cicero, Letters to his Friends, l. 16. epist. 21.} in which he tells of those who boarded with him:
``I have hired a place for Brutus close to me and as much as I can from my poverty, I sustain his needs. Moreover I intended to make my speech in Greek before Cassius but before Brutus, I will do my practising in Latin. My close friends and boarders are those that Cratippus brought with him from Mitylene, learned men and well approved by him.''
5158. When Brutus was in financial need, he made friends with Cicero and with other young men that studied at Athens. He sent Herostratus into Macedonia to win the favour of those who were captains of the armies. When he had received news that some Roman ships laden with money sailed from Asia toward Athens and that the admiral was an honest man and his close friend, he went to meet him near the Carystos. He persuaded him to turn over the ships to him. {Plutarch, in Brutus}
5159. On his birthday, Brutus made a large feast for the admiral. When they started the toasts, they drank to the a health of Brutus and the freedom of the people of Rome. Brutus took a large cup and spoke aloud this verse without any apparent reason.
Latona's stem and cruel fate
To my success have put a date.
5160. This was taken as an ill omen of his defeat. When he went to fight his last battle at Philippi, he gave his soldiers these words of Apollo. {Plutarch, in Brutus} {Appian. l. 4. p. 668.}
5161. After this, Anistius gave Brutus 500 myriads of the money he was carrying into Italy. {Plutarch, in Brutus} The Latin interpreter rendered it 20,000 sesterniums and Brutus himself acknowledged that sum that Vetus Antistius had promised of his own accord and gave him from his money. In a letter, Brutus commended him to Cicero since Antistius was going to Rome to request the praetorship. {Cicero, ad Brutus, epist. 11.} We read in Cornelius Nepos {Nepos, Life of Atticus} that Pompey Atticus also sent a present of 900 sesterniums when Brutus was expelled and left Italy and in his absence, commanded that 300 should be given to him in Epirus.
5162. Cassius and Brutus, left one another in Piraeera. Cassius went into Syria to keep Dolabella {Cicero, Philippic. 11.} out and Brutus went into Macedonia {Plutarch, in Brutus} so that he could control Macedonia and Greece. {Dio, l. 47. p. 339.} Without any public authority, they seized the provinces and armies and pretended that where they were, there was the legitimate state. They received money from those who would give it to them which was sent by the treasurers to Rome from the parts beyond the seas. {Velleius Paterculus, l. 2. c. 62.}
5163. Cassius got ahead of Dolabella and sailed into Asia to Trebonius, the proconsul. After the proconsul was bribed, he sided with Cassius and gave him many of those cavalry who were sent ahead by Dolabella into Syria. (P. Lentulus brags in his letters to Cicero that he was the first to turn these over to Cassius.) {Cicero, Letters to his Friends, l. 12. epist. 14.} A large number from Asia and Cilicia also joined him. Cassius compelled Tarcondimotus and the Tarsenses to join in an alliance with him. However, the Tarsenses did it against their will. They so favoured the first Caesar and for his sake Octavian, that instead of Tarsus, they called their city Juliopolus. {Dio, l. 47. p. 342.}
5164. Brutus received from Apuleius the forces he then had and in coined money, 16,000 talents which were collected from the payments and tributes of Asia that Apuleius (??) had received from Trebonius. Brutus went into Boeotia. {Appian. l. 4. p. 632.} {Dio, l. 47. p. 339.} There he gathered soldiers of those from the battle of Pharsalus that he found wandering about Thessalia. Some of those that came with Dolabella from Italy, were either left there because of sickness or had run away from their regiments. He took from Cinna, 500 cavalry which he was taking to Dolabella into Asia. {Plutarch, in Brutus} {Dio, l. 47. p. 339.} This was the occasion of what Cicero wrote about Brutus. {Cicero, Philippic 11th.}
``He raised new legions and welcomed the old ones. He took for himself, Dolabella's cavalry before Dolabella murdered Trebonius. Brutus counted him an enemy by his own standards. For if it were not so, how could he take away the cavalry from the consul?''
5165. Brutus was thus appointed, under the pretence of serving the state and of undertaking a war against Antony. He seized Greece where there were no soldiers at all. {Dio, l. 47. p. 339.} {Livy, l. 118.}
5166. From there he went to Demetrius who gave him a large supply of arms that were stockpiled by Julius Caesar's orders for the Parthian war and were supposed to be turned over to Antony. {Plutarch, in Brutus} {Appian, l. 3. p. 567.}
5167. Brutus went into Macedonia at the same time that Caius Antony, the consul's brother, had recently arrived there and Q. Hortensius, the proconsul of Macedonia, was preparing to leave. This did not bother Brutus since Hortensius would soon join with him and Antony was forbidden (Caesar now ordered all at Rome) to meddle with anything that belonged to the chief magistrate and had no forces. {Dio, l. 47. p. 339.} {Cicero, Philippic. 10.}
5168. A muster was made in Macedonia by the great care and efforts of Q. Hortensius. The legion that L. Piso, the lieutenant of Antony, led, was turned over to Cicero's son whom Brutus brought with him from Athens. The cavalry were led in two brigades into Syria. One brigade left him that led them into Thessalia, as it is said and went to Brutus. The other one, Cn. Domitius in Macedonia took away from the lieutenant of Syria. {Cicero, Philippic. 10.}
5169. Brutus heard that Antony would immediately march to the forces which Gabinius had at Dyrrachium and Apollonia and wanted to prevent this. He quickly journeyed through rough ways and much snow. He outdistanced those who brought his provisions. As he came near to Dyrrachium because of the labour and cold, he was taken with a bulimia. This is a disease that affects those who are worn out going through the snow and the cold. When this was known, the soldiers left the guard and came running with food for him. Brutus behaved kindly to all for this courtesy when he was taken to the town. {Plutarch, in Brutus} Q. Vatinius, who commanded in Illyrium which was close by, came from there and had captured Dyrrachium previously. He was an adversary to Brutus throughout all the civil war. He was condemned by his soldiers, because of Brutus' sickness. They went to Brutus and Vatinius opened the gates to him and turned over his army to him. {Dio, l. 47. p. 339.} {Cicero, Philippic. 10.} {Livy, l. 118.}
5170. When a short way was available for Dolabella to go into Syria, he invaded Asia which was another man's province and was unprepared for war. He sent M. Octavian, a poor senator, with a legion and wasted the countries and attacked their cities. {Cicero, Philippic. 11.}
5171. Neither Pergamos nor Smyrna would receive him into their cities but they made available to him a market place outside the city in respect to his office as consul. When he in a passion had in vain attacked Smyrna, Trebonius the proconsul of Asia, who fortified the cities as a refuge for Brutus and Cassius, promised that he would let him into Ephesus. He ordered his soldiers to immediately follow the consul there. {Appian, l. 3. p. 542.}
5172. After this, there were friendly conferences with Trebonius. However, this was but false tokens of great kindness in pretended love. {Cicero, Philippic. 11.} By this, Trebonius was deceived, so that he promised Dolabella all courtesies. He made provision for his soldiers and lived together with them without any fear. {Dio, l. 47. p. 344.}
5173. In Egypt, the young Ptolemy who was 15 years old, was poisoned by his wife and sister Cleopatra in the fourth year of his reign. This was the eighth year of his sister's reign from the death of their father, Auletes. {Josephus, Antiq., l. 15. c. 4.} {Porphyr. in Grec. Euseb. Scaliger. p. 226.}
5174. After Mark Antony, the consul, had returned from Brundusium to Rome, he ordered the senate to meet eight days (9th calends) before December. When they failed to meet on that day, he deferred it until 3 days before (4th calends) December and then ordered them to meet in the capitol. {Cicero, Philippic. 3.}
5175. In the meantime Antony's Macedonian legions, rebelled as they were going into Cisalpine Gaul and condemned the lieutenant that commanded them. Many of them defected to Caesar. {Dio, l 45. p. 276.} All the Martian legion took away their colours and came to him and stayed at Asia. The fourth legion rebelled against L. Egnatuleius, the quaestor and their commander and defected to Caesar also. {Dio, l 45. p. 276.} {Cicero, Philippic. 3, 4, 5, 11, 13, Letters to his Friends, l. 11. epist. 7.} {Livy, 117.} {Velleius Paterculus, l. 2. c. 6.} {Appian, l. 3. p. 556.} Caesar received them and gave them money as he had previously done and so drew many to his side. He also got all of Antony's elephants by chance as they were being driven along. {Dio, l. 45. p. 276.}
5176. When Antony was going into the senate in the capitol on the appointed day to complain of Caesar's actions, at the very entrance of the court he received news of the revolt of the legions. He was terrified and dared not speak a word in the senate concerning Caesar. He had planned to propose to the senate and one that had been consul brought a sentence written by which he would account Caesar as an enemy. {Cicero, Philippic. 3, 5, 13.} {Appian, l. 3. p. 556.} On the very same day at evening, the lots were cast for the provinces for the next year among the friends of Antony so that everyone would have a province which was most suitable to Antony. {Cicero, Philippic. 3.}
5177. He went to Alba to see if he could bring the soldiers of the Martian legion who were quartered there, to obey him again. When they shot at him from the walls, he sent 500 denarii for each man in the rest of the legions. With what forces he had around him, he marched in warlike array to Tibur and then to Ariminum in the entrance to Cisalpine Gaul. He had three Macedonian legions with him, (for the rest were now come) and one of the old soldiers with the auxiliaries that wanted to follow them in addition to the praetorians and young soldiers. {Appian, l. 3. p. 556.}
5178. Antony besieged Decimus Brutus in Mutina because he would not leave Cisalpine Gaul since it was his province. {Appian, l. 3. p. 556, 558.} Caesar Octavian sent help to him even though he was one of Caesar's murderers. However politics makes strange bedfellows. {Dio, l. 45. p. 277.} Octavian had those two valiant legions of Macedonia that came to him and one of new soldiers and two other legions of veterans. They were not at full strength so he added the young soldiers into their ranks. When the army would have made him propraetor, he refused the honour they offered him. However, he hired the mercenaries by a gift and gave to every man of the two Macedonian legions (that fought before him) 500 denarii for each man. He promised 500,000 more to the conquerors if there should be any need of a battle. {Appian, l. 3. p. 557, 558.} Cicero referred to this: {Cicero, Philippic. 10.}
``The veterans who followed the authority of Caesar first repressed the attacks of Antony. Later the Martian legion abated his fury and the fourth legion routed him.''
5179. At Rome a senate was convened 12 days before January (13th calends) when neither of the consuls were present. Antony had sent Dolabella ahead into Macedonia while he besieged Murina. On this day, Cicero, {Cicero, Philippic, 3.} persuaded the senate that the things that Octavian had done against Antony should be confirmed and praises and rewards should be given to the rebels, the Martian legion, the fourth and to the veterans that had defected to Octavian. Also Cicero purposed that Decimus Brutus and all the rest (without taking any notice of the allocation of provinces which Antony had made by lots) should retain their provinces and turn them over to no one without a decree from the senate. The senate passed this decree. Cicero called the people together and told them what was done in the senate. {Cicero, Philippic, 3, 5, 6. init., Letters to his Friends, l. 11. epist. 6., l. 12. epist. 22.} {Dio, l. 45. p. 277.}
3961b AM, 4671 JP, 43 BC
5180. On the first of January, when Hirtius and Pausa began their consulship, Cicero {Cicero, Philippic, 5.} made a speech to the senate and persuaded them to make war on Antony and that honours should be decreed to them that defended the state against him. The next day the senate gave Caesar Octavian an extraordinary command (as Cicero calls it, {Cicero, Philippic., 11}) with consular authority and lictors and the ensigns of a praetor. He and the consuls should go to the help of Decimus Brutus against Antony. Further, he should tell the quaestors and the former consuls that he should have authority to hold the consulship for ten years before the law was passed allowing this. The senate also honoured him with a gold statue of him on horseback. It was placed in the rostrum and had his age on the inscription. By the same decree, all the money that he had given to the soldiers, he was recompensed from the public treasury. (Although he did it as a private citizen yet it was for the service of the state.) The gift that he had promised to give to the two Macedonian legions after the victory should be given to them in the name of the state. Also those legions and the other soldiers that were hired by Caesar, should be exempt from military service as soon as the war was ended and have lands divided among them. {Cicero, Philippic. 5., ad Brutus epist. 14.} {Livy, l. 118.} {Velleius Paterculus, l. 2. c. 81.} {Suetonius, in Octavian, c. 10.} {Plutarch, in Antony} {Appian, l. 3. p. 359. 360.} {Dio, l. 46. p. 310.}
5181. The office of propraetor was granted by the senate to Caesar Octavian, which he would not accept and was formerly offered to him by the army. Also he should have the same power in managing the war as the consuls had. However, there was a secret order given to the consuls that they should take away from him the two Macedonian legions which were most fit to do service. For this was the intent of their plan. When Antony was defeated, Caesar weakened and all the side of Caesar removed, then Pompey's side should be again restored to the government of the state. When Pansa, the consul, was on his deathbed, he told this to Octavian. {Appian, l. 3. p. 574. 575.}
5182. When Octavian found what things had been decreed, he accepted the honours with great joy. He was more overjoyed because the same day he had assumed the office of praetor, he made a sacrifice. In this the livers of twelve of the sacrifices appeared double or folded inwards from the lowest fillets. This meant that within the year his command should be doubled. However, he was displeased that ambassadors were sent to Antony and that the consuls did not prosecute the war seriously under the excuse that it was winter. Thereupon he was compelled to spend all the winter at Forum Cornclis. {Dio, l. 46. p. 314.} {Julius Obsequens, de prodigiis} {Pliny, l. 11. c. 37.}
5183. Caius Trebonius was the first of all Caesar's murderers that was punished. He governed Asia by a consular power and was killed at Smyrna by the treachery of Dolabella. Trebonius was most ungrateful for the honours Caesar gave him and was one that helped murder him. By sham, he was advanced to the height of the consular dignity. {Cicero, Philippic. 11. 12.} {Strabo, l. 14. p. 646.} {Velleius Paterculus, l. 2. c. 69.} {Appian. l. 3. p. 542, 543, l. 4. p. 624.} {Dio, l. 47. p. 344.} {Orosius, l. 6. c. 8.} Dolabella entered Smyrna at night and took the proconsul. After he had upbraided him in words, he turned the proconsul over to the banished man, Samiarius. After he had questioned him about the public money, he tortured him by imprisonment and scourgings and by the strappado. (A form of punishment or of torture to extort confession in which the victim's hands were tied across his back and secured to a pulley. He was then hoisted from the ground and let down half way with a jerk.) After two days of this, he commanded him to be beheaded and his head to be carried on a spear. The rest of his body was to be dragged and torn and cast into the sea. Cicero's account {Cicero, Philippic. 11.} is more accurate than that of Appian who stated that this murder was committed by the command of Dolabella when he entered into Asia and was now consul.
5184. Dio wrote that he cast his head before the statue of Caesar. Appian stated that it was ordered to be laid in the praetorian chair where Trebonius dispensed justice from. However, the soldiers and the drudges were angry with him as a partner of the conspiracy and because he detained Antony in a conversation before the doors of the court while Caesar was killed. The soldiers in various ways abused the other part of his body. They made a football of his head in a place that was paved with stones. They so marred the head that no sign of the face remained. Strabo affirmed that there were many parts of the city of Smyrna that were overthrown by Dolabella.
5185. After Asia was seized by Dolabella, P. Lentulus, the extraordinary quaestor, quickly sent a large amount of money to Cassius to help him seize Syria. Lentulus went into the next province of Macedonia to Brutus and tried with his help to recover the province of Asia and its tributes. He stated this in two letters. One was sent publicly to the senate and the other privately to Cicero. {Cicero, Letters to his Friends, l. 12. epist. 14. & 15.} He told Cicero that he did not see his son because he had gone into the winter quarters with the cavalry.
5186. Dolabella carried on most cruelly in the province of Asia. {Cicero, ad Brutus, epist. 3. 4. with those that were sent forth by the Germans} He took away the Roman tributes and taxed and vexed the Roman citizens. {P. Lentulus in Cicero, Letters to his Friends, l. 12. epist. 15.} He burdened the cities with new exactions of tributes and hired a navy of the Lucians, Pamphilians, Cilicians by the means of L. Figulus. {Appian, l. 4. p. 624.}
5187. The Rhodians were concerned about the lands that they had on the continent, (as they said themselves.) They sent two embassies to Dolabella to protest his actions because they were against their laws, and the magistrates had forbidden it. (??) {P. Lentulus in Cicero, Letters to his Friends, l. 12. epist. 15.} Brutus wrote that Dolabella was excluded by the Rhodians. (??) {Cicero, ad Brutus, epist. 4.}
5188. Aulus Allienus, the lieutenant of Dolabella, went to him after the death of Trebonius. {Cicero, Philippic, 11.} He sent Aulus to Egypt to Queen Cleopatra who favoured him for the acquaintance he had with the former Caesar. She sent four legions to him by Allienus. These were the remainder of the troops after the defeat of Pompey and Crassus. That is the number of those that remained with Cleopatra after Caesar left. She had a navy also ready to help him which could not yet sail because of the contrary winds. {Appian, l. 3. p. 576., l. 4. p. 623. 626., l. 5. p. 675.}
5189. Cicero made a speech about Bassus: {Cicero, Philippic 11.}
``as the valiant and victorious army of Q. Cacilius Bassus, a private citizen, but valiant and famous man had prevailed for sometime in Syria.''
5190. Q. Marcius (not, as in Appian, Minutius) Crispus the proconsul, (as Cicero calls him, {Cicero, in Philippic 11th.}) solicited help from Statius Marcus who was in Bithynia. (He governed by the decree of Julius Caesar and the approval of the senate. Although Cimber tried to govern this province this year also, by the right of Antony's lottery.) Marcus arrived with three regiments of his own and three from Murcus' troops. He besieged the two regiments of Bassus (called by Strabo tanmata, by Appian tilh, for it is obvious from Cassius' letters to Cicero, that they made only one legion. {Cicero, Letters to his Friends, l. 12. epist. 1, 12.}) Bassus so stoutly withstood the siege of the two Roman armies that he was not subdued until he obtained the conditions he wanted. Then he surrendered. {Strabo, l. 16. p. 752. fin.} When C. Cassius had come with his forces, he was called there by the consent of Murcus Marcius and the army, as Brutus relates in his letters to Cicero. {Cicero, ad Brutus, epist. 5.} Bassus would not turn his army over to Murcus. Unless the soldiers had sent messengers to Cassius, Bassus held Apamea without his consent until it had been taken by assault, as Cassius himself wrote to Cicero. {Cicero, Letters to his Friends, l. 12. epist. 12.}
5191. Cassius raised the siege before Apamea, Bassus and Murcus were reconciled. Cassius won over to his side those two troops that were besieged and six others that besieged them. Cassius assumed the ensigns of a general and commanded them by proconsular power. {Velleius Paterculus, l. 2. c. 99.} {Josephus, Wars, l. 1. c. 9., Antiq. l. 14. c. 18.} {Appian, ut supra} {Dio, l. 47., p. 344}
5192. From this time he assumed the title of proconsul, as appeared on the inscriptions of his letters to Cicero. {Cicero, Letters to his Friends, l. 42. epist. 11, 12.} Cicero, in his letters to him did not give him that title {Cicero, Letters to his Friends, l. 42. epist. 7, 8, 9, 10.} because the senate had not yet given him that title. However, Appian thinks otherwise. {Appian, l. 3. p, 576. & l. 4. p. 623.}
5193. When Cassius had settled all these forces in his camp, there fell suddenly a mighty rain and torrents rushed through every part of the camp and greatly disorganised everything. Some thought this was an omen about his sudden rise to power and a little later, his sudden overthrow. {Dio, l. 47. p. 343.}
5194. When Cassius was strengthened with these forces, he immediately subdued all the cities of Syria. He was able to subdue some of those cities by his prestige and position as the quaestor. {Dio, l. 47. p. 339. 343.} He went to the cities and took arms and soldiers and exacted very heavy taxes from them. {Josephus, Antiq., l. 14. c. 18.} Livy wrote that he invaded Syria with three armies which were in that province. {Livy, l. 121} Velleius Paterculus stated that he brought them under his control with the legions in that country. {Velleius Paterculus, l. 2. c. 69.}
5195. Marcus Brutus undertook an expedition against C. Antony, who kept Apollonia with seven cohorts. Brutus sent public letters to Rome concerning the things that he had done in Greece and Macedonia which were read in the senate by the consul Pausa. In a speech made by Cicero {Cicero, Philippic 10.} the senate passed a decree that Brutus should retain Macedonia, Illyricum, and all Greece, as proconsul. {Cicero, Philippic 10.} {Appian, l. 3. p. 567., l. 4. p. 622. & 632.}
5196. The body of Trebonius was brought to Rome. When the senate saw how disgracefully is was treated, they declared Dolabella to be an enemy of the state. {Cicero, Philippic. 11.} {Livy, l. 119.} {Appian, l. 2. p. 566.} {Orosius, l. 6. c. 8.} A day was appointed for those on his side to leave him otherwise they would be deemed enemies also. {Dio, l. 47. p. 344.}
5197. The next day the senate debated about the choice of a general to prosecute the war against Dolabella. L. Caesar thought that this war should be committed to P. Servilius contrary to the normal procedure. Others thought that the consuls should cast lots for Asia and Syria to determine who would fight against Dolabella. Cicero {Cicero, Philippic 11.} in a speech railed fiercely against Dolabella. (Previously, he was Cicero's son-in-law, but shortly after he left Italy they had a great falling out.) Cicero persuaded the senators that this war should be committed to P. Cassius. Scaliger is not correct in his notes on Eusebius (at the number MDCCCLXXIII) about the decree of the senate concerning the command for Cassius. He thought Cicero's opinion did not prevail and that Pansa, the consul, stoutly opposed it. However, Cicero himself is witness in his letters to Cassius about this {Cicero, Letters to his Friends, l. 12. epist. 7.} and added the following about himself:
``I promised and also performed it that you had not expected nor should not expect our decrees except that you yourself should defend the commonwealth. Although as of yet we heard nothing, either where you were or what forces you had, yet my opinion was that all the auxiliaries and forces which were in those parts should be under your command. I was confident that the province of Asia should be recovered by you to the commonwealth.''
5198. When it was not known at Rome that Cassius had control of Syria, the war against Dolabella was committed to the consuls if the present war against Antony should come to an end. The governors of the neighbouring countries were told not to help Dolabella. {Dio, l. 47. p. 433.} By the consul's consent, the government of Asia was confirmed to P. Lentulus Spinther, who now governed them under the title of proquaester and propraetor. This may be seen in his letters to Cicero written after the death of Pansa and Hirtius. (He did not know of their deaths at that time.)
5199. This decree against Dolabella was passed and letters were received from Antony to Hirtius, the consul and Caesar, the propraetor. These are given and refuted by Cicero. {Cicero, Philippic, 13.}
Antony to Hirtius and Caesar.
``When I knew of the death of C. Trebonius, I rejoiced not so much as I grieved. Such a wicked person received due vengeance and thereby made recompence to the remains of that illustrious hero. The just wrath of heaven was shown so partly before the year's end.''
5200. (From this we deduce that Trebonius was killed shortly before the ides of March which followed immediately after the murder of Caesar.)
``or that now the wrath of the gods on the parricide is executed or impending, is a reason for joy. The fact that Dolabella is judged an enemy for killing a common murderer and that the son of a parasite (Trebonius) should be held more dear to the people of Rome, than C. Caesar, the very father of our country, is no less to be lamented. Well Aulus Hirtius, it is an enigma that you, who by the very benefits of Caesar attained your honour and were left so well by him that you yourself must needs wonder to whom you owe whatever accomplishment you have done, would act so that as to procure Dolabella to be condemned, that that prisoner should be freed from the siege, and that Brutus and Cassius should grow most powerful. In the same manner do you handle these affairs as you did the former. You call the tents of Pompey, the senate, you accounted Cicero, general even when he was conquered, you fortified Macedonia with armies, committed Africa to Varus, who was twice taken, sent Cassius into Syria, allowed Caesar to enjoy the tribuneship, took the Julian revenues from the Lupercalian officers, abolished the colonies of the veterans. You deduced by law and the decree of the senate and promised to restore to the Mussilienses what you had taken from them by the force of arms. You have forgotten that by the Hirtian Law, no one on Pompey's side that lived should bear any office of dignity. You bribed Brutus with the money of Apuleia. You praised Patus and Menedrusus who were punished with the axe after a city was given to them and who were guests of Caesar. You neglected Theopompus who was destitute and forced to flee from Trebonius into Alexandria. You saw Serpius Galba surrounded in his camp by the same swordbearer. You have contracted either mine or the veteran soldiers to punish those who had killed Caesar. Before they were aware, you had brought them into danger of the quaestor or emperor or their own fellow soldiers. In summary what have you not approved or done? What could Pompey himself do if he were alive or his son if he could be at home? Last of all, you deny that a peace can be made unless I either send Brutus or furnish you with grain. What? Does this please those veterans who have all things entirely because you come with flattering and venomous gifts? You aid the besieged soldiers. I will let them go where they please, so they will deliver him to execution who deserves it. You say a peace was decreed in the senate and write that five consular delegates were appointed. It is difficult for me to believe that those who would have precipitated me when I brought in conditions of the highest equity and yet thinking to remit something of them too, will act in anything either moderately or fairly. It is scarce likely that those who condemned Dolabella for justice, as a crime, would spare us who are of the same opinion. Therefore rather consider whether it be better and more profitable to both sides to prosecute the death of Caesar or Trebonius. See whether it be more fair that we combine that so it may be more easy for us to revive the cause of Pompey that has been so often quashed or to agree lest we become a Ludibrium to our enemies, to whomever prevail, our quarrel will be again. A spectacle that fortune has avoided to see two armies of one body fight (Cicero being the fencer.) Cicero is so skilled in speaking that he will deceive you in the very same way in which Caesar's gold is gloried. For my part, I am resolved neither to bear my own, nor my soldiers' and friends' disgrace. Nor will I forsake that side that Pompey hated, nor to allow the veterans to be moved from their colonies, nor to be drawn one by one to execution, nor to betray Plaucus, the partner in our counsels. If the immortal gods, as I hope they will, shall assist me with my right wits, I will live free. But if other fortune is allotted me, I foretell to you the joy of your own punishments. For if the side of Pompey which is now being conquered, is so insolent, what you shall experience what they will become conquerors. To close, the sum of my opinion is this. I could be content to endure the injuries to me and my side if they would but forget they were done, or were prepared together with us, to revenge Caesar's death. I do not believe that any ambassadors will come. Where the war comes, and, when it comes, what it will require, I would joyfully know.''
5201. When the ambassadors who were sent from the senate to Antony to make peace, they were unable to reach an agreement. The whole city of Rome (even those that did not go to the war) put on their soldier's uniforms and made a general muster through all Italy. The armies of A. Hirtius and Caius Caesar, the propraetor, were sent against Antony. {Cicero, Philippic. 6, 10, 13.} {Livy, l. 118.} { Appian. l. 3. p. 567.} {Dio. l. 46. p. 311, 312.} From the start of this campaign against M. Antony, Eusebius and Cassiodorus derive the start of the government of Caesar Octavian. They assign for it, 56 years and 6 months.