The familiar epistles of M.T. Cicero Englished and conferred with the: French Italian and other translations

Publius Lentulus sonne to Publius, Vice-quaestor, and Vice-praetor; to the Consulls, Praetors, Tribunes, Senate, people, and Communaltie of Rome. Epist. 15.

DOlabella hauing by wicked means, oppressed Asia, I went into Ma∣cedonia, a neighbour Prouince: and to the Guarisons of the Commonwealth, which Marcus Brutus a renowned per∣son, had vnder his gouernment: and I sought to bring to passe, that the pro∣uince of Asia, and the impositions, might, by the meanes of persons, which could easily per••orme it, bee re¦duced within your authoritie. Where∣of Dolabell••, being very fearefull: and after his sacking of the Prouince, fin∣gring the customes, but aboue all, most cruelly pillaging and selling all the Romaine cittizens, hee being so so∣dainely departed, that we could not in time come vp with our ••orc••s: it was not fit for me, to so••ourne there any longer; or to expect supplies of soul∣diers. And I both thought it good ou•• of hand to returne vnto my office, and to recouer the remainder of the ••axa∣tions, and to get in, that money which

I had collected: and besides this, pre∣sentlie to examine, wh••t summes had beene seazed on, and by whose negli∣gence: that I might absolutely in••forme you of ••he successe thereof. In the meane while, sayling amongst the Islands, which lay in my way to Asia, I being inform••d that D••lab••ll's Nau•••• was in Lycia, and that the Rhodij had di∣uers ships furnished, vnd••r saile, and in a readines: with that shipping, which partlie I brought with me, and in part was gathered by Patiscus ••he vice Quae∣stor, (a person very inward with mee, both for the famil••aritie we haue had tog••ther, and for the affection we both ioyntlie beare to ••he common-wealth,) I re••urned to Rhodes; being confident i•• your au••horitie, and the Senates de∣cree, by which you had proclaymed D••labella for an enemie: and building vpon the League, which Marcus Mar∣cellus, and Seruius Sulpitius being Con∣sulls, was renewed with the ••hodij; wherein they had taken oath, that they would esteeme those enemies, which by the Senate, and people of Rome were so reputed•• But we were much deceiued. For, they were so farre from furnishing vs with men, for the securitie of our Nauie: that euen at the entrie into th•• ••owne, at the Port, those habitati∣ons that were with••ut the Citie, deny∣ed our souldiers•• not onely sustenance,

but very water: and wee our selues, with one smal•• Barke, were scarcely en∣••ertained. Which indignitie, and dis∣paragement of Maiestie, not only to my place, but also to the Empire and people of Rome, I for this cause dige∣sted; in that by intercepted letters wee vnderstood, that Dolabella, being out of all hopes of Syria, and Aegypt, re∣solued (as necessarily must ••nsue) to embarque himselfe, with all his thee∣••••sh followers, and with all the money, and so to com•• ••or Italie And that, for this effect, the great Merchants ships also, of which, there was none, that were of a lesser burthen then two thou∣sand Amphorae, that were vnited in Lyci••, were layd for, by his Armada. ••oued (O conscript Fathers) wi••h the feare heere of; I the rather made choyce to support these iniuries: and though with our disgrace, first, to at∣tempt all other meanes. Wherefore, being admitt••d into the Citt••e, and Se∣nate, by their consent, I propounded the cause of the Commonwealth, with as great vehemencie, as I could: and set before them, all the danger, which would ensue, if that Rebell should with his associat's bee ••mbarqued. But I 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Rhodij so peruerse, that they thought euery one more loyall then those th••t really were so. Neither did they beleeue, that there was such a

concord, a••d vnion of all degrees, couragiously to defend Libertie: and were con••ident, that the Senate, and euery honest man would as yet bee pa∣tient; and that it was not possible, that any man should dare to denounce Do∣labella ••or a rebell. Finally, whatsoe∣uer was ••alsely auer'd by these knaues, they held more true, then in e••fect it was: or then that, which wee could beate into them•• Out of the same per∣uersitie also, before our comming, and after Treb••nius was so vnworthily mur∣dred, and so many other wicked acti∣ons; two Embassies of theirs went to Dolabella; and certainely, without any presiden••, contrary to their lawes, yea, and though they were prohibited by their Magistrates. Whether they did these things for feare, as they affirme of certaine territories which they hold within the continen••, or out of a bad intention, or through the ouerswaying power of some few; which had also heeretofore vsed the same vil••anie to renowned men; and being at this pre∣sent in highest dignities, would not by any example, either on your part, or ours that were pr••sent, though easily they might, neither pr••uent our present perill, nor that which menaced all Ita∣lie, and our citie; if that Traytor to∣gether with his th••••uish associates, be∣ing ••xpelled out of Asia, and Syria, had

there arriued. Some also were ••uspi∣cious, that the said Magistrates, did but entertaine time, and delaie vs, while Dolabella's Fleet might bee aduer∣tised of our comming. Which suspi∣cion was the more confirmed, by some particulars which succeeded; especially, because Se••tus Marius; and Caius Titius, Dolab••lla's Legates departed suddainlie out of Lyci••, from the Nauie; and in a Fust fled away. Leauing there, all the great shippes: in preparation and gathering of which, they had spent no small time, and labour. Wherefore, we comming from Rh••des into Lycia with such shipping as we had; we took the great shippes and restord them to their owners, and free'd our selues from the great feare which possessed vs, that Dolabella with his fellow rebells would haue made for Italie. The Nauie which gat away, we pursued as farre as Syda, which is the vttermost lymit of my Prouince. There I vnderstood, that one part of Dolabella's shipping was fled; and another gone into Syria, and Cyprus. I knowing that Caius Cassius, a famous Captaine, and Cittizen, was in Syria with a great Fleet in readinesse; re••urned to my charge: & wil endeuour (O conscript Fathers) to vse for you, and for the Common wealth, all offi∣cious care and diligence: & to recouer those summes of money, with the

greatest possible expedition; and send them you, with all the accompts. When I haue runne ouer my Prouince, and haue notice, who haue beene faithfull to vs, and the Commonwealth; in preseruing the treasure by me layd vp, and who those wicked persons haue beene, that wilfully carried these pub∣like moneys to Dolabella; I will thereof aduertise you. Against whom, if you finde it fitting, rigorouslie to proceede according to their desert, affording me that reputation, with your authoritie; I shall the more easilie be able, both to recouer the remainder of the Customs, and to preserue it being recouered. In the meane while, that I may the better hold the customes, and defend the Prouince from insultat••o••s, I haue dr••wen together, a necessarie guard of men, which offered themselues, o•• their owne good will. When these le••ters were written, there came into Pamphi∣lia about thirtie souldiers, that fled into Syria, of those that Dolabella had enter∣tained in Asia. These men brought newes, that Dolabella was gone to Antiochi••, which is in Syria, bu•• that he was not there receiued; and striuing di∣uers times to enter thereinto by force, hee was euer repulsed with disaduan∣tage. So that loosing about an hundred men, and leauing there diuers sicke persons, he fled by night from Antio∣chia

towards Laodicea. And how in that might, all his Asiaticke souldiers left him: amongst which some eight hun∣dred returned to Antiochia, and yeelded vp themselues, to those, which held that Citie for Cassius: the others by mount Ama••us, came downe into Cilicia: of which number, they likwise said they were. But, that it was reported, that Cassius, with all his people was about foure daies iourney from Laodice••, when Dolabell•• went thither. For which cause, I assuredly hope that this most wretched rebell will pay for his disloy∣altie sooner then is expected. From Perga. The 2. of Iune.