Disertissime Romuli nepotum, Quot sunt quotque fuere, Marce Tulli, Quotque post aliis erunt in annis, Gratias tibi maximas Catullus Agit pessimus omnium poeta, 5 Tanto pessimus omnium poeta Quanto tu optimus omnium patronus. CATULLUS, xlix. [Linenotes: 2. +Marce Tulli+: the formal address suits the formal expression of thanks to a _patronus_ (= _advocate_). 5. +pessimus omnium poeta:+ the self-depreciation heightens the praise of the last line. --Merrill.] B69 CICERO. _His Death, by order of Antonius, 43 B.C._ M. Cicero sub adventum triumvirorum urbe cesserat pro certo habens id quod erat, non magis se Antonio eripi quam Caesari Cassium et Brutum posse: primo in Tusculanum fugerat, inde transversis itineribus in Formianum ut ab Caieta navem {5} conscensurus proficiscitur. Unde aliquoties in altum provectum cum modo venti adversi retulissent, modo ipse iactationem navis caeco volvente fluctu pati non posset, taedium tandem eum et fugae et vitae cepit, regressusque ad superiorem villam, quae paulo {10} plus mille passibus a mari abest, ‘moriar,’ inquit, ‘in patria saepe servata.’ Satis constat servos fortiter fideliterque paratos fuisse ad dimicandum; ipsum deponi lecticam et quietos pati quod sors iniqua cogeret iussisse. Prominenti ex lectica praebentique {15} immotam cervicem caput praecisum est. Nec satis stolidae crudelitati militum fuit: manus quoque scripsisse aliquid in Antonium exprobrantes praeciderunt. Ita relatum caput ad Antonium iussuque eius inter duas manus in rostris positum, ubi {20} ille consul, ubi saepe consularis, ubi eo ipso anno adversus Antonium quanta nulla umquam humana vox cum admiratione eloquentiae auditus fuerat: vix attollentes prae lacrimis oculos homines intueri trucidati membra civis poterant. Vixit tres et sexaginta {25} annos, ut si vis afuisset, ne immatura quidem mors videri possit. LIVY, _Fr. ap. Sen. Rh. Suas._ vii. [Linenotes: 1. +triumvirorum+, sc. Antonius, Octavianus, and Lepidus. These three allies (about the end of Oct. 43 B.C.) held their famous meeting on an island in the R. Rhenus (a tributary of the Padus) near Bononia (Bologna), at which they constituted themselves a commission of three with absolute powers for five years. This was followed by a proscription of their principal opponents, of whom seventeen, including Cicero (sacrificed to Antonius), were at once put to death. 4. +in Tusculanum+, i.e. to his villa at Tusculum, richly adorned with pictures and statues. 5. +in Formianum+, i.e. to his villa at Formiae, on the Appian Way, in the innermost corner of the beautiful Gulf of Caieta (Gaëta). Near this villa Cicero was murdered.] +The Death of Cicero.+ Cicero’s work was over, and the tragedy of his death was the natural outcome of his splendid failure. The restoration of the Commonwealth of the Scipios was but a dream; still it was a beautiful dream, and Cicero gave his life for it. --Tyrrell. B70