--Cato has given a twenty days'
thanksgiving to Bibulus. Pardon me, if this is more than I can bear.--But
I am relieved from my worst fear. The Parthians have left Bibulus half
alive." [10]
The shame wore off as Cicero drew near to Rome. He blamed the tribunes for
insisting on what he had himself declared to be just. "Any way," he said,
"I stick to Pompey. When they say to me, Marcus Tullius, what do you
think? I shall answer, I go with Pompey; but privately I shall advise
Pompey to come to terms.--We have to do with a man full of audacity and
completely prepared. Every felon, every citizen who is in disgrace or
ought to be in disgrace, almost all the young, the city mob, the tribunes,
debtors, who are more numerous than I could have believed, all these are
with Caesar. He wants nothing but a good cause, and war is always
uncertain." [11]
Pompey had been unwell at the beginning of December, and had gone for a
few days into the country. Cicero met him on the 10th. "We were two hours
together," he said. "Pompey was delighted at my arrival. He spoke of my
triumph, and promised to do his part. He advised me to keep away from the
Senate, till it was arranged, lest I should offend the tribunes. He spoke
of war as certain. Not a word did he utter pointing to a chance of
compromise.--My comfort is that Caesar, to whom even his enemies had
allowed a second consulship, and to whom fortune had given so much power,
will not be so mad as to throw all this away.
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