John Quincy Adams Digital Diary

10. IV. Saturday.

Returned from my daily walk before the Sun rose. The rain began soon after and continued the whole day— The Sale of Baron Krudener’s furniture was at last made. Since finishing the six chapters for the American Annual Register I am wasting time again; chiefly in miscellaneous reading. The 11th. Book of the familiar Epistles chiefly consists of the correspondence between Cicero and Decimus Brutus during the period of the last struggle with Antony. The alternation of hopes and fears, the exultation of victory and the anguish of disappointment; the agonies of expiring Liberty, are exhibited in this Book, with a power upon the imagination and heart which I cannot describe— The first Letter is from Decimus Brutus to Marcus Brutus and Cassius—written soon after the death of Caesar; when Antony was intending to use the veterans and the rabble to destroy the conspirators against Caesar— The second and third Letters are from Marcus Brutus and Cassius, who were Praetors, to Antony, the former demanding pledges of Antony, as Consul, for their safety in the City; the latter a spirited reply to an insolent answer from him, which is not given— There are then 23. Letters between Cicero and Decimus Brutus, designated Consul, and Imperator in Cisalpine Gaul. Then a Letter from Cicero to Matius with his answer, and finally one to Appius written at the time when Cicero was proposing to go into Greece— In the correspondence with Decimus Brutus, Cicero gently reproaches him with losing the opportunity of instantly pursuing and crushing Antony after his defeat— Brutus replies and shews that it was perhaps impossible. A fatality deemed to follow every attempt to save the Republic— The Death of both the Consuls, Hirtius and Pansa, one killed, the other mortally wounded at the battle of Mutina, was so portentous an Event that it was attributed to treachery— Tacitus intimates that Augustus was accused of having Pansa despatched by poison in dressing his wounds: and Velleius Paterculus says that 423after the troops of Lepidus and Plancus went over to Antony, Decimus Brutus was gradually deserted by his own army; finally fled for refuge to the house of a noble friend of his named Camelus, and was there murdered by Ruffians employed by Antony, for the purpose— There is much excellent writing in the Correspondence with Brutus, the Laconism of whose style is more than once noticed by Cicero who tells him he will imitate it— One of his examples is “Quam multa, quam paucis!” The Letters are all short— In the 20th. Letter Brutus warns Cicero that Labeo Segulius, a man just like himself sibi simillimus, had told him that he had been with Octavius Caesar, and had much conversation with him about Cicero— That Octavius made no complaint against Cicero, except that Cicero had said—[“]laudandum, adolescentem, ornandum, tollandum.” and that Octavius added he would take care not to expose himself “ut tolli possit.” Decimus says that he believes Octavius said no such thing; but that Labeo said it to him, or fabricated the whole story—and Labeo further said the Veterans were extremely violent in their discourse and threats against Cicero—and were highly indignant that neither Octavius nor Decimus were of the Decemvirs; but that Cicero engrossed the whole distribution of favours to himself— Cicero answers with a bitter execration of the Tale-bearer Labeo—wonders that either Octavius or Decimus should suffer him to talk with them alone—and that he had told the same story to every one who would hear him— He does not deny having used the words; but says that he regrets very much that he is himself one of the Decemvirs; and that he had warmly urged that every one of the commanding Generals should be; but had been defeated by the same persons who opposed every thing— This incident perhaps accounts for the cold blooded treachery with which Octavius consented to the proscription of Cicero.