MATIUS'S SUBURBAN VILLA,7APRIL
I HAVE come on a visit to the man,of whom I was talking to you this morning.His view is that "the state of things is perfectly shocking:that there is no way out of the embroglio.For if a man of Caesar's genius failed,who can hope to succeed ?"In short,he says that the ruin is complete.I am not sure that he is wrong;but then he rejoices in it,and declares that within twenty days there will be a rising in Gaul:that he has not had any conversation with anyone except Lepidus since the Ides of March:finally that these things can't pass off like this.What a wise man Oppius is,who regrets Caesar quite as much,but yet says nothing that can offend any loyalist!But enough of this.Pray don't be idle about writing me word of anything new,for I expect a great deal.Among other things,whether we can rely on Sextus Pompeius;but above all about our friend Brutus,of whom my host says that Caesar was in the habit of remarking:"It is of great importance what that man wishes;at any rate,whatever he wishes he wishes strongly":and that he noticed,when he was pleading for Deiotarus at Nicaea,that he seemed to speak with great spirit and freedom.Also--for I like to jot down things as they occur to me--that when on the request of Sestius I went to Caesar's house,and was sitting waiting till I was called in,he remarked:"Can I doubt that I am exceedingly disliked,when Marcus Cicero has to sit waiting and cannot see me at his own convenience?And yet if there is a good-natured man in the world it is he;still I feel no doubt that he heartily dislikes me."This and a good deal of the same sort.But to my purpose.
Whatever the news,small as well as great,write and tell me of it.Iwill on my side let nothing pass.
