ἐν μὲν οὖν τῇ βουλῇ ψηφιζομένων αὐτῷ θρίαμβον ἥδιον ἂν ἔφη παρακολουθῆσαι Καῖσαρ ι θριαμβεύοντι συμβάσεων γενομένων ἰδίᾳ δὲ συνεβούλευε πολλὰ μὲν Καίσαρι γράφων, πολλὰ δʼ αὑτοῦ Πομπηίου δεόμενος, πραΰνων ἑκάτερον καὶ παραμυθούμενος, ὡς δʼ ἦν ἀνήκεστα καὶ Καίσαρος ἐπερχομένου Πομπήιος οὐκ ἔμεινεν, ἀλλὰ μετὰ πολλῶν καὶ ἀγαθῶν ἀνδρῶν τὴν πόλιν ἐξέλιπε, ταύτης μὲν ἀπελείφθη τῆς φυγῆς ὁ Κικέρων, ἔδοξε δὲ Καίσαρι προστίθεσθαι.
Accordingly, when the senators were voting him a triumph, he said he would more gladly follow in Caesar’s triumphal procession if matters could be settled; and privately he gave much advice to Caesar by letter, and much to Pompey in person by way of personal entreaty, trying to mollify and pacify each of them. But when things were past healing, and Caesar was advancing upon the city, and Pompey did not stay there, but abandoned the city in the company of many good men, Cicero did not take part in this flight, and was thought to be attaching himself to Caesar.
καὶ δῆλός ἐστι τῇ γνώμῃ πολλὰ ῥιπτασθεὶς ἐπʼ ἀμφότερα καὶ δυσπαθήσας. γράφει γὰρ ἐν ταῖς ἐπιστολαῖς διαπορεῖν ποτέρωσε χρὴ τρέπεσθαι, Πομπηίου μὲν ἔνδοξον καὶ καλὴν ὑπόθεσιν πρὸς τὸν πόλεμον ἔχοντος, Καίσαρος δʼ ἄμεινον τοῖς πράγμασι χρωμένου καὶ μᾶλλον ἑαυτὸν καὶ τοὺς φίλους σῴζοντος, ὥστʼ ἔχειν μὲν ὃν φύγῃ, μὴ ἔχειν δὲ πρὸς ὃν φύγῃ.
And it is clear that his judgement drew him strongly in both directions and that he was in distress. For he writes in his letters that he knew not which way he ought to turn, since Pompey had honourable and good grounds for going to war, while Caesar managed matters better and had more ability to save himself and his friends; he therefore knew from whom he should flee, but not to whom he should flee.
Τρεβατίου δέ, τινος τῶν Καίσαρος ἑταίρων, γράψαντος ἐπιστολήν ὅτι Καῖσαρ οἴεται δεῖν μάλιστα μὲν αὐτὸν ἐξετάζεσθαι μεθʼ αὑτοῦ καὶ τῶν ἐλπίδων μετέχειν, εἰ δʼ ἀναδύεται διὰ γῆρας, εἰς τὴν Ἑλλάδα βαδίζειν κἀκεῖ καθήμενον ἡσυχίαν ἄγειν ἐκποδὼν ἀμφοτέροις γενόμενον, θαυμάσας ὁ Κικέρων ὅτι Καῖσαρ αὐτὸς οὐκ ἔγραψεν, ἀπεκρίνατο πρὸς ὀργὴν ὡς οὐδὲν ἀνάξιον πράξει τῶν πεπολιτευμένων. τὰ μὲν οὖν ἐν ταῖς ἐπιστολαῖς γεγραμμένα τοιαῦτα ἐστι.
And when Trebatius, one of the companions of Caesar, wrote him a letter stating that Caesar thought he ought above all things to range himself on his side and share his hopes, but that if he declined to do this by reason of his age, he ought to go to Greece and take up a quiet life there out of the way of both, Cicero was amazed that Caesar himself did not write, and replied in a passion that he would do nothing unworthy of his political career. Such, then, is the purport of his letters.
τοῦ δὲ Καίσαρος εἰς Ἰβηρίαν ἀπάραντος, εὐθὺς ὡς Πομπήιον ἔπλευσε· καὶ τοῖς μὲν ἄλλοις ἀσμένοις ὤφθη, Κάτων δʼ αὐτὸν ἰδὼν ἰδίᾳ πολλὰ κατεμέμφετο Πομπηίῳ προσθέμενον· αὐτῷ μὲν γὰρ οὐχὶ καλῶς ἔχειν ἐγκαταλιπεῖν ἣν ἀπʼ ἀρχῆς εἵλετο τῆς πολιτείας τάξιν, ἐκεῖνον δὲ χρησιμώτερον ὄντα τῇ πατρίδι καὶ τοῖς φίλοις εἰ μένων ἴσος ἐκεῖ πρὸς τὸ ἀποβαῖνον ἡρμόζετο, κατʼ οὐδένα λογισμὸν οὐδʼ ἐξ ἀνάγκης πολέμιον γεγονέναι Καίσαρι καὶ τοσούτου μεθέξοντα κινδύνου δεῦρʼ ἥκειν.
But when Caesar set out for Spain, Cicero at once sailed to Pompey. The rest of Pompey’s followers were glad to see him, but when Cato saw him, he privately blamed him much for attaching himself to Pompey. In his own case, Cato said, it was not honourable to abandon the line of public policy which he had chosen from the beginning; but Cicero, though he was of more service to his country and his friends if he remained at home without taking sides and accommodated himself to the issue of events, without any reason and under no compulsion had made himself an enemy of Caesar, and had come thither to share in their great danger.
οὗτοί τε δὴ τοῦ Κικέρωνος ἀνέστρεφον οἱ λόγοι τὴν γνώμην, καὶ τὸ μέγα μηδὲν αὐτῷ χρῆσθαι Πομπήιον. αἴτιος δʼ ἦν αὐτός οὐκ ἀρνούμενος μεταμέλεσθαι, φλαυρίζων δὲ τοῦ Πομπηίου τὴν παρασκευήν καὶ πρὸς τὰ βουλεύματα δυσκολαίνων ὑπούλως, καὶ τοῦ παρασκώπτειν τι καὶ λέγειν χαρίεν εἰς τοὺς συμμάχους οὐκ ἀπεχόμενος, ἀλλʼ αὐτός μὲν ἀγέλαστος ἀεὶ περιιὼν ἐν τῷ στρατοπέδῳ καὶ σκυθρωπός, ἑτέροις δὲ παρέχων γέλωτα μηδὲν δεομένοις.
By these words the purpose of Cicero was upset, as well as by the fact that Pompey made no great use of him. But he was himself to blame for this, since he made no denial that he was sorry he had come, made light of Pompey’s preparations and showed a lurking displeasure at his plans, and did not refrain from jests and witty remarks about his comrades in arms; nay, although he himself always went about in the camp without a smile and scowling, still he made others laugh in spite of themselves.
βέλτιον δὲ καὶ τούτων ὀλίγα παραθέσθαι. Δομιτίου τοίνυν ἄνθρωπον εἰς τάξιν ἡγεμονικὴν ἄγοντος οὐ πολεμικόν καὶ λέγοντος ὡς ἐπιεικὴς τὸν τρόπον ἐστι καὶ σώφρων, τί οὖν, εἶπεν, οὐκ ἐπίτροπον αὐτὸν τοῖς τέκνοις φυλάσσεις;
And it will be well to give a few instances of this also. When Domitius, then, was advancing to a post of command a man who was no soldier, with the remark that he was gentle in his disposition and prudent, Why, then, said Cicero, do you not keep him as a guardian of your children?
ἐπαινούντων δέ τινων Θεοφάνην τὸν Λέσβιον, ὃς ἦν ἐν τῷ στρατοπέδῳ τεκτόνων ἔπαρχος, ὡς εὖ παραμυθήσαιτο Ῥοδίους τὸν στόλον ἀποβαλόντας, ἡλίκον, εἶπεν, ἀγαθόν ἐστι τὸ Γραικὸν ἔχειν ἔπαρχον Καίσαρος δὲ κατορθοῦντος τὰ πλεῖστα καὶ τρόπον τινὰ πολιορκοῦντος αὐτούς, Λέντλῳ μὲν εἰπόντι πυνθάνεσθαι στυγνοὺς εἶναι τοὺς Καίσαρος φίλους, ἀπεκρίνατο λέγεις αὐτοὺς δυσνοεῖν Καίσαρι.
And when certain ones were praising Theophanes the Lesbian, who was prefect of engineers in the camp, because he had given excellent consolation to the Rhodians on the loss of their fleet, What a great blessing it is, said Cicero, to have a Greek as prefect! Again, when Caesar was successful for the most part and in a way was laying siege to them, Lentulus said he had heard that Caesar’s friends were gloomy, to which Cicero replied: You mean that they are ill-disposed to Caesar.
Μαρκίου δέ τινος ἥκοντος ἐξ Ἰταλίας νεωστὶ καὶ λέγοντος ἐν Ῥώμῃ φήμην ἐπικρατεῖν ὡς πολιορκοῖτο Πομπήιος, εἶτʼ ἐξέπλευσας, εἶπεν, ἵνα τοῦτο πιστεύσῃς αὐτός θεασάμενος; μετὰ δὲ τὴν ἧτταν Νοννίου μὲν εἰπόντος ὅτι δεῖ χρηστὰς ἐλπίδας ἔχειν, ἑπτὰ γὰρ ἀετοὺς ἐν τῷ στρατοπέδῳ τοῦ Πομπηίου λελεῖφθαι, καλῶς ἄν, ἔφη, παρῄνεις, εἰ κολοιοῖς ἐπολεμοῦμεν.
And when a certain Marcius, who had recently come from Italy, spoke of a report which prevailed in Rome that Pompey was besieged, And then, said Cicero, did you sail off that you might see with your own eyes and believe? Again, after the defeat, when Nonnius said they ought to have good hopes, since seven eagles were left in the camp of Pompey, Your advice would be good, said Cicero, if we were at war with jackdaws.
Λαβιηνοῦ δὲ μαντείαις τισὶν ἰσχυριζομένου καὶ λέγοντος ὡς δεῖ περιγενέσθαι Πομπήιον, οὐκοῦν, ἔφη, στρατηγήματι τούτῳ χρώμενοι νῦν ἀποβεβλήκαμεν τὸ στρατόπεδον.
And when Labienus, insisting on certain oracles, said that Pompey must prevail, Yes, said Cicero, this is the generalship that has now cost us our camp.
ἀλλὰ γὰρ γενομένης τῆς κατὰ Φάρσαλον μάχης, ἧς οὐ μετέσχε διʼ ἀρρωστίαν, καὶ Πομπηίου φυγόντος, ὁ μὲν Κάτων καὶ στράτευμα συχνὸν ἐν Δυρραχίῳ καὶ στόλον ἔχων μέγαν ἐκεῖνον ἠξίου στρατηγεῖν κατὰ νόμον καὶ τὸ τῆς ὑπατείας ἀξίωμα προὔχοντα, διωθούμενος δὲ τὴν ἀρχὴν ὁ Κικέρων καὶ ὅλως φεύγων τὸ συστρατεύεσθαι παρʼ οὐδὲν ἦλθεν ἀναιρεθῆναι,
However, after the battle at Pharsalus, in which Cicero took no part because of illness, had been fought, and Pompey was in flight, Cato, who had a considerable army and a large fleet at Dyrrhachium, asked Cicero to take the command in accordance with custom and because of his superior consular rank. But Cicero rejected the command and was altogether averse to sharing in the campaign, whereupon he came near being killed;
Πομπηίου τοῦ νέου καὶ τῶν φίλων προδότην ἀποκαλούντων καὶ τὰ ξίφη σπασαμένων, εἰ μὴ Κάτων ἐνστὰς μόλις ἀφείλετο καὶ διῆκεν αὐτὸν ἐκ τοῦ στρατοπέδου, κατασχὼν δʼ εἷς Βρεντέσιον ἐνταῦθα διέτριβε, Καίσαρα περιμένων βραδύνοντα διὰ τὰς ἐν Ἀσίᾳ καὶ περὶ Αἴγυπτον ἀσχολίας.
for the young Pompey and his friends called him a traitor and drew their swords upon him, and that would have been the end of him had not Cato interposed and with difficulty rescued him and sent him away from the camp. So Cicero put in at Brundisium and tarried there, waiting for Caesar, who was delayed by his affairs in Asia and Egypt.
ἐπεὶ δʼ εἷς Τάραντα καθωρμισμένος ἀπηγγέλλετο καὶ πεζῇ παριϊὼν ἐκεῖθεν εἷς Βρεντέσιον, ὥρμησε πρὸς αὐτόν, οὐ πάνυ μὲν ὢν δύσελπις, αἰδούμενος δὲ πολλῶν παρόντων ἀνδρὸς ἐχθροῦ καὶ κρατοῦντος λαμβάνειν πεῖραν. οὐ μὴν ἐδέησεν αὐτῷ πρᾶξαί τι παρʼ ἀξίαν ἢ εἰπεῖν.
But when word was brought that Caesar had landed at Tarentum and was coming round by land from there to Brundisium, Cicero hastened to meet him, being not altogether despondent, but feeling shame to test in the presence of many witnesses the temper of a man who was an enemy and victorious. However, there was no need that he should do or say anything unworthy of himself.
ὁ γὰρ Καῖσαρ, ὡς εἶδεν αὐτὸν πολὺ πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων ἀπαντῶντα, κατέβη καὶ ἠσπάσατο καὶ διαλεγόμενος μόνῳ συχνῶν σταδίων ὁδὸν προῆλθεν. ἐκ δὲ τούτου διετέλει τιμῶν καὶ φιλοφρονούμενος, ὥστε καὶ γράψαντι λόγον ἐγκώμιον Κάτωνος ἀντιγράφων τόν τε λόγον αὐτοῦ καὶ τόν βίον ὡς μάλιστα τῷ Περικλέους ἐοικότα καὶ Θηραμένους ἐπαινεῖν.
For Caesar, when he saw him approaching far in advance of the rest, got down and embraced him and journeyed on for many furlongs conversing with him alone. And after this he continued to show him honour and kindness, so that in his reply to the encomium upon Cato which Cicero wrote he praised Cicero’s eloquence and his life, as most resembling that of Pericles and Theramenes.
ὁ μὲν οὖν Κικέρωνος λόγος Κάτων, ὁ δὲ Καίσαρος Ἀντικάτων ἐπιγέγραπται. λέγεται δὲ καὶ Κοΐντου Λιγαρίου δίκην φεύγοντος ὅτι τῶν Καίσαρος πολεμίων εἷς ἐγεγόνει, καὶ Κικέρωνος αὐτῷ βοηθοῦντος, εἰπεῖν τόν Καίσαρα πρὸς τοὺς φίλους· τί κωλύει διὰ χρόνου Κικέρωνος ἀκοῦσαι λέγοντος, ἐπεὶ πάλαι κέκριται πονηρὸς ὁ ἀνὴρ καὶ πολέμιος;
Now, the discourse of Cicero was entitled Cato, and that of Caesar Anti-Cato.
It is said also that when Quintus Ligarius was under prosecution because he had been one of the enemies of Caesar, and Cicero was his advocate, Caesar said to his friends: What is to prevent our hearing a speech from Cicero after all this while, since Ligarius has long been adjudged a villain and an enemy?
ἐπεὶ δʼ ἀρξάμενος λέγειν ὁ Κικέρων ὑπερφυῶς ἐκίνει καὶ προὔβαινεν αὐτῷ πάθει τε ποικίλος καὶ χάριτι θαυμαστὸς ὁ λόγος, πολλὰς μὲν ἱέναι χρόας ἐπὶ τοῦ προσώπου τόν Καίσαρα, πάσας δὲ τῆς ψυχῆς τρεπόμενον τροπὰς κατάδηλον εἶναι, τέλος δὲ τῶν κατὰ Φάρσαλον ἁψαμένου τοῦ ῥήτορος ἀγώνων ἐκπαθῆ γενόμενον τιναχθῆναι τῷ σώματι καὶ τῆς χειρὸς ἐκβαλεῖν ἔνια τῶν γραμματείων, τόν γοῦν ἄνθρωπον ἀπέλυσε τῆς αἰτίας βεβιασμένος.
But when Cicero had begun to speak and was moving his hearers beyond measure, and his speech, as it proceeded, showed varying pathos and amazing grace, Caesar’s face often changed colour and it was manifest that all the emotions of his soul were stirred; and at last, when the orator touched upon the struggles at Pharsalus, he was so greatly affected that his body shook and he dropped from his hand some of his documents. At any rate he acquitted Ligarius under compulsion.
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