Pompey might have defended Rome, if he had pleased; but his
purpose was to go away and raise a great fleet and a great Asiatic army,
and come back and ruin Italy, and be a new "Sylla." [10] In his distress
Cicero wrote both to Caesar and to Pompey, who was now at Brindisi. To
Caesar he said that, if he wished for peace, he might command his
services. He had always considered that Caesar had been wronged in the
course which had been pursued toward him. Envy and ill-nature had tried to
rob him of the honors which had been conferred on him by the Roman people.
He protested that he had himself supported Caesar's claims, and had
advised others to do the same. But he felt for Pompey also, he said, and
would gladly be of service to him.[11]
To Pompey he wrote:
[Sidenote: March, B.C. 49.]
"My advice was always for peace, even on hard terms. I wished you to
remain in Rome. You never hinted that you thought of leaving Italy. I
accepted your opinion, not for the constitution's sake, for I despaired of
saving it. The constitution is gone, and cannot be restored without a
destructive war; but I wished to be with you, and if I can join you now, I
will. I know well that my conduct has not pleased those who desired to
fight. I urged peace; not because I did not fear what they feared, but
because I thought peace a less evil than war.
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