optanda mors est, perfuncto rebus iis quas adeptus sum quasque gessi. Duo modo haec opto, unum, ut moriens populum Romanum liberum relinquam: hoc mihi majus a diis immortalibus dari nihil potest: alterum, ut ita cuique eveniat ut de re publica quisque

mereatur.

INTRODUCTION TO THE THIRD PHILIPPIC.

AFTER his speech of the 2nd of September (p. 457), Cicero did not appear in the senate until the 20th of December, when he delivered his Third Philippic. It appears from one of his letters (Ad Div. xii. 2) that he was in Rome on the 19th of September, on which day Antonius made his fierce attack on Cicero (Introd. to the Second Phil.). It appears also from other letters (Ad Div. xii. 3) that he was in Rome on the 2nd of October, when M. Antonius addressed the people; and he was there on the 9th of October, when Antonius set out to Brundisium to meet the four legions from Macedonia (Ad Div. xii. 23). It does not appear whether he was in Rome all the time between the 2nd of September and the 9th of October. However, he went into the country after the 9th of October, and corresponded with Atticus (Ad Att. xv. 13), and also with Caesar, who was then raising troops in Campania. While Cicero was in the country, he was occupied with writing and looking out for his safety by keeping out of Antonius' way.

The quarrel of M. Antonius and Caesar was made worse by Antonius charging Caesar with hiring men to assassinate him (Ad Div. xii. 23). Cicero says that most people thought that Antonius invented the charge in order that he might have a pretext for not settling accounts with Caesar; but the sensible and respectable part ('prudentes et boni '), of whom he was one, believed the charge to be true and approved of the act. But no proof of the charge was produced. Appian (B. C. iii. 39) says that a few, who judged more truly, saw that it was Caesar's interest that Antonius should live, though he had wronged Caesar, for he was formidable to the Dictator's assassins, and that if Antonius were dead, they would dare to do any thing, especially as they were supported by the senate. This is a sensible remark.

The veterans seem to have suspected that Antonius was not so zealous in avenging the Dictator's death, as he pretended and they wished, and it was necessary for him to convince them that it was not so. Accordingly he set up the Dictator's statue on the Rostra with the inscription "Parenti optime merito." On the 2nd of October he addressed the people, and told them that the Liberators were traitors, that they had done every thing on the advice of Cicero, and that the tribune Ti. Canutius, an enemy of Antonius, was a tool of Cicero. Antonius fearing

that Caesar would gain over the soldiers, set out on the 9th of October with his wife Fulvia to Brundisium, to meet the four legions from Macedonia, which the senate had given him, the Martia, the Secunda, the Quarta, and the Trigesima Quinta. About the same time Caesar set out to Campania, to raise troops among the veterans whom the Dictator had planted in those parts (Appian, B. C. iii. c. 40). He was afraid that Antonius on his return from Brundisium would crush him, if he were not able to protect himself.

At Suessa Auruncorum Antonius put some soldiers to death, probably because he discovered them to be active on the part of Caesar (Phil. xiii. c. 8; iii. c. 4). He found the soldiers at Brundisium ill-disposed towards him. He threatened them for not bringing before him those who had been sent by the petulant youth, meaning Caesar, to corrupt the troops, and he said that he would find them out himself: he said that he would lead them to his province Gallia, and would give to all who were there one hundred denarii each. The soldiers laughed at the smallness of his present, for Caesar promised more, and, as Antonius grew angry, they began to leave him. Upon this Antonius ordered the tribunes to hand over to him the mutineers, for the tribunes knew every soldier's character, it being the practice to mark each man's character in the muster rolls. He took every tenth man by lot, but he did not put them all to death, though he might have done it according to the rules of war, for the army was in a state of mutiny (Appian, B. C. iii. c. 43, 44; Phil. iii. c. 12; v. c. 8). This punishment however did not restore obedience the soldiers were more irritated than terrified.

Antonius, hearing of what Caesar was doing, changed the tribunes, treated the soldiers more gently and sent them along the east coast in divisions towards Ariminum. Having strengthened his praetorian cohort by selecting the most trustworthy men, he set out for Rome. Caesar informed Cicero on the 1st of November that Antonius was advancing on Rome with the legion of the Alaudae. He asked Cicero's advice whether he should go to Rome with three thousand veterans, or occupy Capua and keep Antonius out of it, or go to the three Macedonian legions, which were marching northwards along the east coast of Italy, for he hoped that these three legions were in his favour. Cicero advised Caesar to go to Rome (Ad Att. xvi. 8). This legion of the Alaudae had been raised by the Dictator in Transalpine Gallia, and was not one of the Macedonian legions. It does not appear whether Antonius took it with him to Brundisium or found it on the road as he went or returned. Antonius was expected to reach Casilinum near Capua on the 7th of November, and Cicero got out of his way by moving towards Arpinum (Ad Att. xvi. 10). It is not easy to follow clearly all Antonius' movements. He seems to have left the greater part of his men at

Tibur, and to have placed a body of cavalry before the gates of Rome, and to have entered the city with a sufficient force to protect him.

In his Edicta he abused Caesar and taunted him with the meanness of his origin (Phil. iii. c. 6); and he reproached Cicero with the old affair of the Catilina conspiracy. He gave notice of a meeting of the senate for the 24th of November, but he did not come to the senate on that day. The meeting was put off to the 28th of November, on which day the senate met in the Capitol (Phil. iii. c. 8). Cicero says in one place (Phil. iii. c. 8) that Antonius did not come to the senate on the 24th, because he was drinking. In another place (Phil. xiii. c. 9) he speaks of Antonius going to Tibur before the meeting of the senate in the Capitol, and making a speech there. The object of the meeting on the 28th was to declare Caesar an enemy, and some 'consularis,' whose name is not mentioned, came prepared with a motion to that effect. Antonius already knew that the Legio Martia had gone to Alba with the intention of joining Caesar, and now hearing that the Quarta had revolted, he put off the business about Caesar and hurried through the senate a motion to grant a ' supplicatio' to M. Lepidus for bringing about a reconciliation between Sex. Pompeius, the son of Magnus, and the senate (Phil. iii. c. 9).

Antonius went to Alba to stop the mutiny, but being received with a shower of arrows from the walls he returned. Appian (B. C. iii. 45) says that he then retired to Tibur with the troops which he had with him, and with all the stores usual when a general was going to take the field. He may however have returned to Rome before he went to Tibur (Phil. iii. c. 10; xiii. c. 9); for Cicero speaks of the 'sortitio provinciarum' being made on an evening after the revolt of the Quarta was known (Phil. iii. c. 10); and of Antonius addressing the people, and telling them that he would protect the city. It is very difficult to get out of Cicero a clear view of the movements of Antonius at this time. However this may be, when Antonius went to Tibur he was followed by many senators and others who attempted to bring about a reconciliation (Appian, B. C. iii. c. 46). If Appian's story is true, he did not leave Rome, nor advance to north Italy exactly under the circumstances which Cicero mentions. He hurried into Cisalpine Gallia to secure the possession of that province; and perhaps he hoped to gain over M. Lepidus, and also Plancus, who was in Transalpine Gallia. Antonius left his wife and children behind him in Rome, and he had friends there to look after his interests and to oppose Cicero.

Antonius had got by a vote of the people the province of Gallia Cisalpina, and power to make war on D. Brutus with the Macedonian legions, if Brutus would not give up the province. Brutus opposed to Antonius' claim the resolution of the senate, which had confirmed

Caesar's arrangements, and consequently his title to the province (p. 456). Brutus declared by an edict that he would hold Gallia Cisalpina on the behalf of the senate, and this edict was read at Rome on the 20th of December (Phil. iii. c. 4; iv. 3). The war now began and Brutus shut himself up in Mutina, where Antonius besieged him till the middle of April B.C. 43.

In the month of October, as it has been said, Caesar had gone into Campania to the colonies of the Dictator to raise troops. The old soldiers were ready to support one who professed that he would avenge the Dictator's death and maintain all his measures against his assassins. The enemies of Antonius were ready to believe that Caesar would support the republic, and regard his duty to it more than his obligation to avenge the Dictator's death. Cicero was either deceived by Caesar, or he hoped to make use of him against Antonius, in the expectation that it would not be difficult to deal with this youth, when Antonius was out of the way. He certainly encouraged the youth in his bold and illegal At least he says so himself.

measures.

Caesar raised troops among the veterans of Casilinum and Calatia and other Campanian colonies. He paid them 500 denarii apiece (Ad Att. xvi. 8); and following Cicero's advice, took them to Rome before Antonius returned from Brundisium. The tribune Ti. Canutius, Antonius' enemy, went to meet Caesar, and he comforted the people, who were frightened at the approach of the troops, with the assurance that Caesar had come to protect Rome. When he entered the city Caesar addressed the people, and Cicero who was still in the country was alarmed at his speech, a copy of which was sent to him. The youth swears so true as he hopes to attain to his father's honours;' and at the same time 'he stretched out his right hand towards Caesar's statue.' 'May I never owe my safety to such a person,' adds Cicero (Ad Att. xvi. 15). The soldiers whom Caesar had led to Rome, were not pleased to find that they were to oppose Antonius and their old comrades in arms. Some complained that they were deceived, and others pretended that they wanted to go home for their arms, though it is not likely that soldiers had come so far without them. Caesar behaved prudently. He thanked them for what they had done, and let those go who wished. Those who stayed with him he led into Etruria, and made Arretium the place of meeting for all the men whom he raised in the north of Italy. Some of the men who left him came back, preferring military service to the labour of the fields (Appian, B. C. iii. c. 42).

During this time the Macedonian legions were advancing from Brundisium; and the Martia, which was at Alba near Rome, declared for Caesar. This defection, as already observed, was followed by the revolt of the Quarta. These two legions joined Caesar in Etruria. All Caesar's